Chapter 10: The Fiancée
The morning sun filtered through the large glass windows of the resort's lobby, casting long patterns across the plush sofas and polished floors. Auri had claimed her favorite spot near the window, sinking into the soft cushions with a book in hand. The tranquil atmosphere was a welcome reprieve after the intensity of last night's near-intimate encounter with Dante.
She let herself relax, sipping her coffee as she turned the pages, delighting in the rare feeling of being completely untamed, completely free. Dante had promised to handle client meetings today, leaving her time to herself.
Finally, she thought with a small smile, a moment to just breathe, read, and enjoy myself.
The quiet was broken by the sound of heels clicking decisively across the marble floor. Auri's eyes flicked up, casually scanning the lobby, expecting perhaps another guest or resort staff.
What she saw stopped her cold.
A tall, impeccably dressed woman entered, radiating sophistication and elegance. Every detail, from her perfectly tailored suit to the confident tilt of her head, demanded attention. Heads turned as she walked, her presence commanding the space. Auri's gaze followed her automatically, curiosity piqued.
The woman approached the reception desk, voice smooth and confident. "Excuse me," she said, eyes scanning the lobby, "could you tell me where Dante Moretti is?"
The receptionist looked slightly taken aback. "Pardon… who's asking?"
The woman's smile was faint, poised, yet carried authority. "I'm Olivia Ursa," she said simply. "Dante Moretti's fiancée."
Auri froze mid-page, the book slipping from her fingers and falling to the floor with a soft thud. She blinked, unable to comprehend the words she had just heard. Fiancée? Dante's fiancée?
Her mind raced, trying to reconcile the man she had spent the past days teasing, chasing, and resisting with this image of a poised, sophisticated woman claiming to be his partner.
What? Yesterday… last night… Dante… the terrace… the kiss… everything…
She watched, rooted to the spot, as Olivia received directions from the receptionist and turned, striding confidently toward the elevators and then presumably Dante's villa. Every step she took seemed deliberate, commanding, almost as if the resort itself bent around her presence.
Auri sank into the sofa, heart pounding. She stared blankly at the spot where Olivia had stood, her mind whirling with questions, doubt, and a sudden surge of jealousy she hadn't anticipated.
How… how could this be? she whispered to herself. Yesterday… it felt… real… and now…
Her fingers brushed over the book she had dropped, but the words blurred. She couldn't focus. The taste of confusion and betrayal lingered in her mouth, even though she had no proof, no knowledge, nothing but Olivia's confident declaration.
Her pulse raced, thoughts spinning. Dante had kissed her—had teased her, had been intoxicatingly close. Yet now, here was this woman, Olivia Ursa, poised and claiming him as her own.
Minutes passed, but Auri remained frozen, staring toward the elevators as if she might see Olivia emerge with Dante beside her. The world felt unreal, her pulse thrumming with anxiety and a sense of betrayal that she couldn't fully rationalize.
She remembered the night by the pool, the teasing, the near-kiss. Did Dante… was it… just… a game?
She shivered at the thought, suddenly aware of how deeply she had allowed herself to feel, how drawn she had been to him. And yet, now a part of her feared that everything had been temporary, that Dante had someone else waiting in the shadows all along.
Determined to find answers, Auri picked up her book again, flipping through pages mindlessly while trying to calm her racing thoughts. But every word felt meaningless. Her mind kept returning to Dante—his eyes, his voice, the fire she had felt when close to him, and now this… Olivia.
The lobby seemed smaller, stifling almost, as if every corner held the shadow of this new, elegant woman who had disrupted the fragile balance Auri had felt with Dante.
I need to know… she thought. I need to see him, to understand.
But Dante was tied up with meetings, unreachable for now. She had to wait. And waiting, for a woman like Auri—untamed, fiery, passionate—was torture.
The receptionist approached her quietly, trying not to startle her. "Miss… are you okay? You seemed… startled by Ms. Ursa."
Auri snapped out of her daze, trying to regain composure. "I'm fine," she said softly, though her voice betrayed a hint of unease. "I just… I didn't expect her to be here."
The receptionist nodded politely, though a flicker of curiosity lingered in her eyes. "Ms. Ursa is very… poised. She said she was looking for Mr. Moretti. I assume you know him?"
Auri's hand clenched the edge of the sofa. "Yes," she said carefully. "I… know him."
Her thoughts returned to Dante's villa, to Olivia walking confidently through the corridors, to the elegant, self-assured tone in which she had claimed him as her fiancée.
Fiancée. The word echoed in her mind. Auri felt a strange mix of jealousy, confusion, and an unspoken challenge rising in her chest. She had been swept away by Dante's charm, the playful teasing, the closeness they shared—but Olivia had just placed a stake, a claim, in plain view.
He kissed me… but she calls herself his fiancée… what does this mean?
Auri's pulse quickened. Her mind raced through the possibilities—was this an old engagement? A business alliance? Or had Dante lied to her, keeping her close while being committed to someone else?
The questions burned, unanswerable for now.
She picked up her book again, but the words no longer held meaning. She stared blankly at the pages, mind consumed by Dante, Olivia, and the events of the previous night. Every thought, every heartbeat, was a reminder that the rules she had tried to set for herself—untamed, independent, cautious—were now in jeopardy.
Auri had been fearless, playful, and bold, yet here she was, stunned and frozen, feeling a pang of vulnerability she hadn't anticipated. The untamed woman was momentarily shaken, caught between desire, curiosity, and the prickling fear that Dante's heart might not belong entirely to her.
As the elevators closed, taking Olivia toward Dante's villa, Auri finally dropped the book in frustration, the sound sharp in the quiet lobby. She rose from the sofa, pacing slightly, trying to shake the sudden sense of confusion and betrayal.
Her eyes flicked toward the resort's gardens, toward the villa area, imagining Dante's face, imagining Olivia's poised smile. Questions piled upon questions:
Who is Olivia Ursa?
Why didn't Dante mention her?
Was last night real… or just a game?
Her mind spun, heart pounding, realizing that the slow, tantalizing game between her and Dante had suddenly become far more complicated—and infinitely more dangerous for her untamed heart.
Auri sank back onto the sofa, head in her hands, trying to piece together what she knew and what she feared. But one truth was undeniable: Olivia's entrance had changed everything. And now, more than ever, Auri realized that she could never fall too easily for Dante, no matter how irresistible, no matter how intoxicating.