AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I flicked over to the next page. An image of the mountain in pieces around us and the sky raining dark red rose petals. The two of us in a passionate embrace. Another caption at the bottom. ‘Life is not full of roses and sweet knights in shining armour, Princess. It’s ruthless and twisted. The sooner you realise that the better.’
My hand slammed over my mouth to conceal the half laugh, half whimper that burst out of me. I had quoted his exact words just before he kissed me. Just before the moment that changed me forever. And those words were more profound now than they were back then. I didn’t want the fairy-tale or the knight in shining armour. I just wanted him.
A huge sweep of determination and contentment swept over me. Alessio was doing everything in his power to move mountains to be with me. I needed to do the same. It was the only way lightning would strike. Slamming the sketchbooks shut, I grabbed a few of them under my arm and stormed out of the studio. A confident smile lifted my lips as I made my way towards Mamma and Liv. There was no turning back from this. I knew what I wanted and I was going to make it happen. No matter what.
“Oh, there you are, Elle. What do you think of putting one of the arches at the altar and one at the entrance of the aisle?” Mamma asked, pointing over at the handmade structures.
“It doesn’t matter where they go, mamma. I’m not marrying Enzo tomorrow.”
Liv and mamma both turned to stare at me in shock before they looked at each other. I smiled brightly, feeling completely confident in my decision. “You were right. Enzo is a good man, but he isn’t the right man. Alessio Barbieri is.”
Liv swore loudly, which caused me to laugh, as Mamma narrowed her eyes at me in disbelief.
“Elle, have you lost your mind? You are meant to be getting married in sixteen hours!”
“I’ve never been so clear on anything in my life, mamma. I love him. And I am going to fight for him.”
Mamma grabbed my upper arm and started dragging me across the lawn towards the privacy of our house as Liv jogged along behind us. She pulled me into her office, waiting for Liv to enter and then closed the door.
The three of us just stared at each other in awkward silence for a few moments before Liv erupted in questions, “Are you serious? What about everything he has done to you, Elle? Alessio is a terrible person! You can’t seriously want to be with him after everything that has happened?”
I started shaking my head as Mamma ran her hand through her blonde hair in stress.
“He is not who you all think he is. He came to the engagement party. He told me the truth about what happened in the South. Isabelle was working with his cousin, Dante, to overthrow Alessio after his papi died. Alessio had no idea about Galiz or their plans.”
“And you believe him? Just because he said so?” Mamma argued, her fiery brown eyes showed how torn she was about this situation.
“Yes, I believe him. Because I know him. And I know what we have together is real, mamma. You once told me if I was lucky enough to capture one of their hearts, they would never let me go. I would be theirs forever. And you were right. My heart will never belong to another man, mamma. My heart has always belonged to him and his heart belongs to me. It was destined.”
“You have known him for a matter of weeks, Elle!”
“No. I have known him much longer than that,” I said calmly, throwing down the sketchbooks in front of them on the coffee table. “See for yourself.”
They frowned in confusion as they lifted a book each and started flicking through my drawings, scribbles and ramblings, the mind of an infatuated teenager.
“I don’t understand…” Mamma started as she stared at the mountain drawing.
“I first met Alessio Barbieri eleven years ago when you had the treaty meeting here. I found him in my art studio. He stole my first kiss… and my heart that night.”
“Oh my god!” Liv gasped, her stunning green eyes wide in surprise. “How old were you?”
“Fourteen. And not a day went by that he didn’t cross my mind up until the moment I met him again. The night of your wedding.”
“My wedding? What? He was at the wedding?” she shouted in alarm.
I shook my head and inhaled deeply as I looked between them. Time to be honest with everyone about everything. No more hiding.
“I think you should both sit down and I will explain everything. From the very beginning…”
“That is…” Liv paused, searching for the right words. “Possibly the most romantically epic, but heart-breaking love story I have ever heard happen in real life! These things only happen in books, I swear!”
I giggled, nodding my head as I looked over at mamma. She was staring into space, digesting everything I had told her about Alessio and me.
“Mamma?” She moved her gaze to me as her mouth opened and shut. She was speechless. “Say something, please.”
“Elle… I don’t know what to say. I don’t know…” she rubbed her forehead. “If everything you say is true, I believe you are madly in love with each other, but I am hesitant. He is Alessio Barbieri. He is our enemy. That hasn’t changed.”
“He is not our enemy, Mamma! At least, he doesn’t want to be anymore! He wants to marry me and form an alliance with Giovanni.”
