Chapter 45: Chapter 45

3 MONTHS LATER.

"Are you sure that we really need all of this?" Dario asked me completely overwhelmed and sat with me in the large living room of the villa at the dining table. The villa, which fortunately has been completely renovated. Everything still reminded me of Gino here, but I liked living with him here in my memory than gradually forgetting him.

. as if I could ever forget him.

"Yeah," I replied, slightly irritated by Dario's aversion to sweets, while shoving the next fork of the next cake we had to try for our upcoming wedding into his mouth.

Of course, it wasn't easy to just move on after all this, but Gino loved me and in his act of saving me and Dario he had basically wished me a good life and I didn't want to waste a day of it. Otherwise it wouldn't have been fair to his victim and I wouldn't have forgiven myself for that.

I also loved Dario and grinned stupidly at him the moment I ran my finger up a piece of cream off the side of his lip and shoved it seductively into my own mouth.

"You're driving me crazy, don't you know that?" he said with a raised eyebrow and it crackled really hard between us, but before we could finally kiss eagerly, Enzo rushed into the living room and greeted us both warmly and then left alone to sit outside in the garden with his coffee.

"He's suffering like a dog," I told Dario sympathetically, but at the same time I had to admit that I probably would have been worse off without Dario by my side. After all, I also wore two engagement rings.because I would never consider taking off Gino's ring for even a second.

"I'm sure it'll get better soon," Dario said softly, who himself wasn't the same as before and then gave me a quick kiss on my cheek to get up after it. "I have to go, kid. I'll be back before dinner."

"Please take care of yourself," I breathed and briefly took his hand in mine to look up deep into his beautiful blue eyes. "I love you."

"I love you," he replied with a smile, then put on his dark jacket and quickly disappeared into the hallway, where two of his bodyguards were already waiting for him.

Yes, because of all the fuss about Giovanna and Giovanni, we really had a lot of enemies at the moment, but luckily nothing had happened until now, but somehow I was still afraid every day. afraid that the second man I loved would leave me, for that would be my certain death.

That's exactly why I hated that he had to keep doing the gun deals, but at least I helped him by doing a lot of paperwork for him and was more than grateful that Nunzio accompanied and looked after him on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, Nicolo was no longer with us because Enzo had sent him to relatives in Germany for fear that something terrible could happen at any time. He was supposed to do his Abitur and study there, only to return when everything was under control.

At least I would see him at the wedding.

"Is Dario gone yet?" Enzo asked, standing in the patio door to eye me questioningly with his coffee in hand.

"Yeah, he's on his way," I replied politely, letting my eyes wander over the many cakes on the table. The wedding was supposed to be in 2 months and a lot of relatives were invited, but I somehow had the feeling that I would be more afraid of something unexpected than I could really enjoy the day.

"Ludo, I have to talk to you," Enzo suddenly said seriously and ran past me to disappear behind me into his office and only come out again after a few moments. "I know you're in the middle of planning your wedding and I'm the last one who wants to keep bringing up the subject. But I thought you should know that his bad deeds were never really intentional."

"Enzo, what's going on? What are you talking about?" I asked, shocked at his sudden pallor, and looked down at his hands as he handed me a file that looked like it came from the hospital.

"He was a good man. with a bad part in him."

I stared at Enzo in confusion, carefully exploring the sadness in his eyes, which were only focused on me, and then opened the folder with a trembling hand, only to freeze immediately.

"That can not be true.."

And after reading this file, it was clear to me that Gino was definitely dead and with that, the last spark of hope died in me.

GINO MANCINI

"Can you hear me?"

The nurse's shrill voice, which didn't wake me up for the first time, once again made me growl slightly and when I opened my eyelids only with the greatest effort, she looked at me in shock and immediately took a step back from my bed.

"So I'm still alive," I grinned to myself in amusement and took a deep breath while the nurse blushed bright red at my cursory glance into her eyes and quickly left the room.

Since I still felt exhausted from my operation despite my joy, I closed my eyes again and reviewed the last few months.

When I was so happy with Ludo, there were moments when I didn't recognize myself. I never wanted to be selfish.never wanted to hurt her or make her feel mistreated, but I always felt like I couldn't do anything else.

When this constant headache was added to that, I decided back then to see a doctor on my own, who suddenly explained to me that I probably had a brain tumor that was responsible for the headaches and also for my behavior.

What what is that fucked up shit?!

I didn't even know anymore what I really was and what only the tumor determined. At least it was an explanation for why I often couldn't think straight and acted without thinking.

Anyway, I went from doctor to doctor and everyone told me the same thing.

Six months.

Six fucking months?

Is this supposed to be my life? In addition, the thought that my little duck would have to watch me slowly dying? No! Never!

I knew she was involved with my brother.

But I also knew that she loved me. but it felt indescribably good to know that he would take care of her once I was gone.

I had planned everything differently, but this stupid whore Giovanna threw a spanner in the works.

It was too tempting to finally blow her damn head off to let her live. Also, I didn't want to die thinking that she might hurt Ludovica someday, because let's be honest.

My brother doesn't have the balls to shoot a woman in the head with cold blood.

But that's what I was there for.

"Mr Mancini?"

I opened my eyes again and looked straight into the eyes of the doctor I had finally found after weeks of searching in America.

There were only two options with him. Either I would die on the table, or I could live forever. The latter had probably happened after I've been waking up several times over the past few days.

"Thank you," I breathed hoarsely, wearing a dirty grin. Maybe my dark side wasn't just because of the tumor, but that wasn't too bad. She belonged to me, just like my anatra.

"Everything looks fine. The tumor is out," he smiled proudly, and I wouldn't have been surprised if this little bald guy had patted himself on the back as well. "But you have to stay here for a while, I hope you realize that."

"Yes," I replied, glancing at a postcard on my end table from Nunzio, who was the only one who knew I was alive and where I was. "But I have an important appointment in two months. Will I be fit by then?"

"Of course," he assured me, standing close to my hospital bed to study me with a smile. I hated his slimy way of treating me, but I also paid him a lot of money for it.

"What kind of date is it, if I may ask?" he asked curiously, glancing at the postcard.

And since I still loved my Ludovica more than anything despite my lack of a tumor, I looked at him with anticipation and bit my lower lip lightly.

"I'm getting my duck back!"

THE END