It had been three months since Donato's birthday. Three long months in which life had changed quietly yet beautifully for everyone.

In Italy, Donato and Kiara had grown inseparable. The misunderstandings that once created cracks between them slowly disappeared, replaced by a deeper attachment, stronger trust, and a dangerous kind of love that consumed them both completely. Meanwhile, in India, albert and kavya story had been unfolding just as intensely.

Albert had fallen hopelessly. Completely. Irrevocably. For Kavya Rajput. And the worst part? The woman terrified him almost as much as she fascinated him. At first, after arriving in India with the family, Albert could barely even approach her properly.

The memory of Kavya pinning Gia onto a café table with terrifying calmness still haunted him. Every time he tried to flirt confidently, one sharp look from Kavya was enough to make the mighty Romano heir forget his own name.

But then unexpectedly, everything changed. One afternoon, Kavya herself had called him. "Back in Italy, you showed me your world," she had said casually. "Now come. Let me show you Rajasthan." And from that day onward-Their story truly began.

Albert followed her everywhere like a loyal shadow while Kavya tested his patience in every possible way. She dragged him through crowded local markets under the scorching heat, mocked his terrible Hindi pronunciation, forced him to eat insanely spicy food that nearly killed him, and laughed mercilessly whenever he struggled to sit properly during traditional family gatherings.

But Albert endured all of it. Gladly. Because every second with her felt worth it. Slowly, Rajasthan became less about places and more about her. The deserts. The forts. The lakes. The old streets glowing under lantern lights.

Everything looked beautiful because Kavya existed inside it. And somewhere between late-night chai conversations, accidental hand touches, silent stares, and endless bickering-Albert Romano fell deeply in love.

Finally, unable to hold himself back anymore, he confessed to her after one month. Not dramatically. Not perfectly. Just honestly. "I like you, Kavya," he had admitted nervously. "No... actually I think I'm already gone for you."

Kavya had not accepted him. But she had not rejected him either. Instead, she folded her arms, looked at him with those sharp Rajput eyes, and said calmly, "Then impress me properly." And God-She made him work for it.

For two whole months, Albert Romano practically lived to prove himself worthy of her. Kavya tested him endlessly. Sometimes intentionally ignoring him for days. Sometimes ordering him around shamelessly. Sometimes challenging his patience just to see if he would stay.

And he stayed. Every single time. Because by then, Albert knew one thing clearly- There would never be another woman for him after Kavya Rajput. Then came the day everything exploded.

Mrs. Aravi Romano was preparing to return to Italy after spending months in India. The entire family was gathered in the mansion hall discussing wedding preparations, relatives, and future plans when Aravi suddenly looked toward Albert casually and announced,

"We found a girl for your marriage. Everything is fixed. Your wedding is in two months." For a second-Albert's soul nearly left his body. His face lost all color instantly. "What?" he almost choked.

Aravi continued sipping her tea normally like she had not just destroyed her son's entire existence. Albert stood up abruptly. "No," he said immediately. Everyone looked at him. Aravi slowly raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"I won't marry anyone," Albert declared firmly.

Now the room grew silent. Meera tried not to laugh because she already knew exactly what was happening, while Kavya sat quietly on the other side pretending absolute innocence, though the corner of her lips twitched dangerously.

Aravi placed her teacup down calmly and asked, "Why?"

Albert inhaled sharply before finally saying the truth that had been burning inside him for months. "Because I love someone." That made the entire room still.

Aravi looked at him carefully. "Who?"

Albert's eyes unconsciously drifted toward Kavya for a brief second before he answered softly, "Kavya."

The silence lasted barely two seconds. Then suddenly- Aravi smiled. A calm. Knowing. Dangerously satisfied smile. "Good," she said simply. "Because she is the girl I chose for you."

Albert blinked. Once. Twice. His brain completely stopped functioning."...What?"

Meera burst out laughing immediately while Kavya looked away, trying to hide her smile. Aravi leaned back comfortably and said as if discussing the weather, "Yes. I chose Kavya to become your bride from the very beginning." and i know you like her too." from the beginning."

Albert stared at his mother in absolute horror and disbelief. "You knew?"

"Of course I knew," Aravi replied casually. "Kiara told me everything." And naturally-Who told Kiara? of course her hubby." Albert closed his eyes dramatically and dropped back onto the sofa like a defeated man. "So everyone knew except me?" he asked weakly.

"Yes," Kavya answered finally, unable to stop smiling anymore.

Albert looked toward her slowly. "And you?"

Kavya tilted her head innocently. "I was testing you."

That nearly made him cry for real. "For two months?!" he exclaimed.

Kavya shrugged calmly. "Rajput girls don't fall easily."

Albert stared at her for a long moment before suddenly muttering under his breath, "I survived mafia wars just to die in Rajasthan." The entire hall burst into laughter while Kavya finally looked at him softly- And for the first time since they met-There was no teasing in her eyes. Only acceptance.

Present:

and now here in italy The massive romano living room, usually elegant and calm, was now filled with anticipation, chatter, and excitement. Everyone from the Romano family had gathered there, waiting for one single phone call that would officially decide the next grand wedding of the family.

Albert Romano's wedding. And the groom himself looked like he had lost every last bit of patience remaining inside him. For the past four months, Albert had practically become unbearable with his constant begging for the wedding date to be fixed quickly.

Ever since returning from India, the man who once used to avoid emotional conversations now spent hours staring at his phone, waiting for Kavya's calls, smiling at random messages, and acting like a completely different person. He wanted her here. With him. In Italy.

Not behind a screen. Not through calls. Not through late-night messages. He wanted his future wife beside him. And everyone in the family knew it. Nonna sat proudly on the center couch while Alessandro Romano calmly sipped his coffee beside her.

Sofia and elio were already bickering over snacks on one side of the room while Elana silently scrolled through her phone. Enzo, donato and Rose sat together on another couch, laughing about something old again, completely lost in their own little world of memories and friendship.

And right there-Sat Kiara . Quiet. Beautiful. Smiling when needed. But not truly present. Her brown eyes drifted across the room and landed-again-on Rose. Rose was sitting extremely close to Donato. Too close.

Her shoulder pressed against his arm while she laughed freely at something Enzo said. Sometimes she hit Donato lightly while talking. Sometimes she leaned toward him while laughing. Sometimes Donato casually fixed her hair away from her face like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And every single one of those tiny actions pierced Kiara silently. No one else noticed it. But she did. Every time. Four months had passed since Donato's birthday. Four months since that night. Things between her and Donato had grown deeper after that. Much deeper.

They had become closer emotionally, physically, mentally-like a real husband and wife finally learning each other completely. Donato had become softer with her. More attentive. More affectionate. He loved her. She knew that. She could feel it. But still-

Rose remained. Not distant. Not less attached. If anything, Rose had become even more involved in Donato's life after returning. She visited the office almost daily. She came to the mansion constantly. The trio-Donato, Enzo, and Rose-often went out together like old times.

And though Kiara never tried to stop them...A part of her kept hurting. Because Rose never maintained distance. She was always attached to Donato naturally, effortlessly, fearlessly. Like she belonged there. And Donato never pushed her away.

Kiara had complained many times during these months. Every single time, Donato would pull her close, kiss her passionatly, and reassure her softly. "There is nothing like that sweetheart." "She is family." "She is my best friend." "You are my wife."

And Kiara always nodded. Always smiled. But somewhere deep inside her heart, a fear had quietly built a home. Because Donato may have looked at Rosie like family... But Kiara was not blind. Rose's eyes sometimes carried emotions that did not look sisterly at all. And that terrified her.

Her thoughts broke when suddenly Albert stood up again for what was probably the tenth time in the last fifteen minutes. "Why is the call taking so long?" he groaned dramatically while pacing around the room. "Nonna, call them again."

The entire room burst into laughter. "Sit down, you impatient man," Nonna scolded while trying not to laugh herself. "The wedding is not happening tonight."

"For me it should," Albert muttered seriously.

Enzo almost choked on his drink laughing. "Brother is suffering badly."

"I am," Albert admitted shamelessly. "Do you know what long-distance love does to a man? I haven't hugged my fiancée in months."

"Fiancée?" Sofia smirked. "Interesting. Last month you were crying because you thought mom fixed your marriage with another girl." The room erupted again. Albert glared at everyone dramatically while Donato leaned back on the couch, smirking lazily. "You cried that day," Donato reminded him.

"I did not cry."

"You almost fainted mom told me."

"I was emotionally overwhelmed."

"You were crying," Enzo added calmly.

Rosie laughed loudly while holding her stomach. "Oh God, I wish I had seen that."

Albert pointed at all of them with betrayal in his eyes. "You people are horrible human beings."

"No," Nonna corrected proudly. "We are family." The warmth in the room deepened instantly. Even Kiara smiled softly seeing everyone together. Then suddenly-Donato's hand moved toward hers naturally under the table. His fingers intertwined with hers. Firmly. Possessively. Like he always did without thinking.

Kiara looked toward him. Donato was still talking to Enzo casually, but his thumb rubbed softly against the back of her hand absentmindedly. A tiny gesture. Small. Simple. But somehow enough to calm the storm inside her chest for a moment. Because no matter how much Rose's presence disturbed her...At the end of the day-This hand. This man. This place beside him-Belonged to her.

The loud ringing of the phone instantly cut through the playful chaos in the Romano mansion's living room. Everyone stopped talking at once. The teasing. The laughter.The sarcastic comments. Everything vanished in a second. All eyes turned toward the phone lying on the center table like it carried the fate of someone's entire life.

And honestly-for Albert, it actually did. "Stop," Albert warned dramatically, pointing toward everyone like a strict teacher. "No one is going to say a single word." Immediately everyone placed fingers over their lips in exaggerated obedience. Even Enzo leaned back with amusement while Rosie struggled not to laugh.

Donato smirked. "Look at him. The man who terrifies half of italy on boardroom is having a heart attack over one phone call." Albert glared at him sharply. "Brother, if you ruin this moment, I swear I'll remove you from the inheritance."

That made the entire room burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Nonna calmly picked up the call. The moment she answered, silence fell again. Complete silence. Everyone watched her carefully while she spoke to Mrs. Dhani Rajput on the other side of the call. Her expressions kept changing softly-sometimes nodding, sometimes smiling thoughtfully.

Albert looked like he was about to collapse from anxiety. His knee bounced continuously. His fingers tapped nervously against the armrest. Rose leaned toward Enzo and whispered dramatically, "He looks like a bride waiting for wedding results."

Enzo nodded seriously. "Worse. Brides are calmer."

Donato almost laughed seeing Albert throw murderous glares at both of them. Minutes felt like hours. Finally- Nonna ended the call. The room froze. Nobody dared to speak. Albert held his breath completely, staring at her like his entire future depended on the next words from her mouth.

Nonna slowly placed the phone down on the table. Then she took a long dramatic breath on purpose. "Nonna..." Albert whispered painfully. "Please." That made everyone chuckle. Finally she smiled warmly. "So," she began calmly, "Mrs. Rajput spoke with the pandit."

The entire family leaned forward together. "And according to him..."Albert's heart almost stopped. "Fifteenth June is the most suitable date for the wedding." For one second-silence. Then the entire Romano family erupted. Cheers exploded across the living room. Elana screamed excitedly. Sofia nearly jumped over the couch.

Enzo clapped Albert's shoulder so hard that he almost fell sideways. Donato laughed loudly while Alessandro shook his head at the madness surrounding him. But Albert-Albert stayed frozen in his seat. Like his brain had stopped functioning. Like he could not fully process the words.

Twenty days. Just twenty days. Then slowly- very slowly-a disbelieving smile spread across his face. "In just twenty days..." he whispered softly to himself, almost emotionally, "I am going to marry my tiger." The softness in his voice instantly melted everyone.

Because this was Albert Romano. The feared businessman. The cold strategist. The man people hesitated to even approach. And here he was-completely, hopelessly in love with one Rajput girl. Everyone smiled at the sight. Then chaos started again.

"Yes," Donato said dramatically, "Albert Romano is finally marrying his tiger."

"The same man who once said marriage is a distraction," Enzo added.

"The same man who got scared after one glare from Kavya," elana teased mercilessly.

"That woman trained him properly," Rose declared proudly.

Albert covered his face with one hand while everyone laughed at him shamelessly. "I hate all of you," he muttered.

"No," Donato corrected immediately with a smirk. "You love Kavya Rajput." That made the teasing even worse. Albert shook his head helplessly, but the smile never left his face. Because for the first time in years-he truly looked happy.

Not the polished smile he showed the business world. Not the controlled expression of a Romano heir. This was different. Soft. Real. Warm. His mind had already drifted thousands of miles away-straight to Rajasthan. To Kavya. To her sharp tongue. Her fearless eyes. Her royal attitude. Her laughter. And now- in just twenty days- she would become his wife.

______

After the wedding date announcement. The peaceful living room from a few minutes ago now looked like the center of a celebration. Everyone was talking at once, laughing loudly, teasing Albert without mercy while the poor man sat there looking both embarrassed and impossibly happy.

Even Alessandro Romano, who usually maintained his composed and intimidating aura, had a faint amused smile on his face watching his eldest son behave like a lovestruck teenager. Albert, meanwhile, looked completely defeated by happiness.

A permanent smile refused to leave his face. Every few seconds someone would call him "Tiger's husband," and the man would actually blush.

Enzo and Rosie were laughing nonstop on one side of the room while Sofia dramatically announced that she would personally welcome Kavya at the airport with royal treatment because "a queen deserves a queen's welcome." Nonna was already discussing decorations and guest arrangements with Aravi while the rest of the family threw random wedding ideas into the conversation.

The entire mansion felt alive. Warm. Happy. Like joy itself had settled inside the Romano family. And among all of them-Kiara was the happiest. Her eyes sparkled continuously as she listened to everyone talking about the wedding. Every mention of Rajasthan, traditions, outfits, ceremonies, music, family gatherings-it all filled her heart with warmth.

For the first time in years, a Rajput wedding was happening with complete happiness. No force. No pressure. No sacrifice. No tears hidden behind bridal veils. Kavya had chosen Albert herself. And Albert adored her like she was the center of his universe.

That alone made Kiara emotional. Because she knew what weddings in powerful families often looked like. Deals. Compromises. Responsibilities. But this-This was love. Pure love. And soon her entire family would be here in Italy.

Her grandmother. Her aunts. her siblings, Her relatives. The Rajputs and Romanos together under one roof. The thought alone made her chest feel full. A soft smile stayed on her lips as she quietly watched everyone from the corner of the room.

Albert arguing dramatically that twenty days was still "too long" because he was "emotionally suffering." Rose laughing so hard she nearly fell sideways on the couch. Donato shaking his head while hiding his amusement.

Enzo calling Albert pathetic. Everything felt so normal. So beautiful. So complete. But slowly- Very slowly-Kiara's smile started fading. Because another thought suddenly entered her mind. And the happiness inside her heart weakened instantly. Her father. Krish. Ayush. None of them would come. The excitement around her suddenly began feeling distant. Muted.

She already knew how things worked in the Rajput household. Dhani Rajput would never personally invite them. Especially not her father. Not after everything. And if there was no invitation, they would never come on their own. Her fingers slowly tightened around the edge of her dupatta resting on her lap.

The loud voices around her continued, but Kiara's mind drifted far away from the room. She imagined everyone arriving in Italy. The laughter. The ceremonies. The family pictures. The wedding rituals. And then imagined empty spaces beside her. No father standing there. No Krish creating chaos. No Ayush silently watching over everyone.

The thought hurt more than she expected. Because no matter how broken the relationships were-They were still her family. they were rajput too, And somewhere deep inside herself, Kiara still longed for one impossible thing. To see both families together.

Happy.Without hatred. Without distance. Without years of pain standing between them. Her eyes lowered quietly. The happiness around her suddenly felt bittersweet. Around her, the Romano family remained busy celebrating, too lost in excitement to notice the slight sadness that had appeared on Kiara's face.

Only one person noticed. Donato. From across the room, while listening to Enzo and Rose arguing about wedding music, his eyes drifted toward his wife automatically. And the moment he saw her expression-His smile faded slightly. Because he knew that face. Knew that silence. Kiara only became this quiet when something was hurting her deeply.

_______

Kiara walked silently toward their room, her steps slow despite the storm running inside her chest. The excitement from a few minutes ago had faded somewhere between the crowded living room and the quiet corridor leading to their bedroom. Behind her, Donato followed without a word. He had noticed it instantly-the sudden silence, the dimness in her eyes, the way her smile had disappeared after everyone got busy discussing wedding preparations.

The moment they entered the room, Kiara moved straight toward the balcony. The evening sky outside was painted in deep orange and fading gold. A soft breeze moved through the curtains, carrying the distant sounds of laughter from downstairs. But Kiara stood there quietly, both hands resting on the balcony railing, her eyes lost somewhere far away.

Donato watched her for a moment before walking toward her slowly. Without saying anything, he wrapped his arms around her from behind. His warmth surrounded her instantly. Kiara's tense body softened the moment his chest pressed against her back. She leaned into him unconsciously, closing her eyes for a brief second as if finally finding a place to rest her thoughts.

Donato lowered his face near her neck and kissed her cheek softly. "So," he whispered against her skin, his voice low and gentle, "what is bothering my baby now?" Kiara smiled faintly. The pet name alone always melted something inside her. She tilted her head slightly, giving him more space as his lips brushed softly against the side of her neck. A quiet shiver passed through her body.

"Ro..." she whispered softly, almost hesitantly. "Should I ask you something would you do that for me?"

Donato tightened his arms around her waist immediately. "Of course, darling," he murmured without missing a second. "I can do anything for you. Just tell me." This time his lips pressed slowly against her neck, lingering there warmly.

A soft breath escaped Kiara's lips at the sensation before she finally spoke. "Everyone is coming for Albert and Kavya aunt's wedding..." she said quietly. "The whole family will be here. Everyone will celebrate together happily..."

A smile touched her lips briefly. "For the first time... it feels like a real happy wedding in Rajput family history. A wedding where the girl is marrying the person she chose. Where she is happy. Where nobody is forcing her." Her voice softened emotionally. "I'm really happy for Kavya aunt."

Donato listened quietly, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder. "But..." she whispered. The single word carried all the heaviness in her heart. "But dad, Krish, and Ayush bhai won't come." Donato's expression changed slightly. Kiara looked down at her own fingers gripping the railing tightly.

"I know dadi sa," she continued softly, "she probably will not even inform them properly. Forget inviting them warmly." Her voice cracked a little. "But I want all my family there, Ro. All of them."

She slowly turned inside his arms and looked up at him with vulnerable eyes. "I want dad there. I want Krish and Ayush bhai there too." Her voice became smaller. "Will you make them come here? Would you do that for me?"

For a moment, Donato simply looked at her. Then his entire expression softened completely. He cupped her face gently in both hands like she was something precious. "Sweetheart," he said softly, "if you want them here, then they will be here."

Kiara stared at him silently. "You don't have to worry about anything," he continued calmly. "Just wait and watch." A faint confident smirk appeared on his lips. "This Donato Romano will make sure every Rajput is present at Albert's wedding." His thumb brushed softly under her eye. "Mr. Singh, Krish, Ayush brother... all of them." Then he leaned closer and whispered against her forehead-"I promise you."

The moment the words left his mouth, something emotional broke inside Kiara. Her eyes filled instantly. Without thinking, she grabbed his face and kissed him deeply. It was sudden. Full of emotion. Full of gratitude.

Donato froze only for a second before kissing her back just as deeply, pulling her closer against him. The evening breeze moved around them while they stood tangled in each other, holding each other like home. When they finally pulled apart, Kiara kept her forehead against his. Her eyes were shining now.

"Thank you so much," she whispered emotionally before kissing his forehead softly. Donato did not reply immediately. Instead, he pulled her into his chest and held her there tightly, one hand moving slowly through her hair. His voice came low and steady above her head.

"I will do anything," he whispered, "that makes my wife happy."

______

Other side of the city, The room was dark except for the faint golden light falling from a single lamp placed near the massive wooden desk. Silence ruled the space. Heavy. Cold. Dangerous.

Lucas sat in his chair like a king ruling over shadows, one hand resting against the armrest while the other tapped slowly against the glass beside him. His sharp eyes remained fixed on the man sitting across from him.

The air itself felt tense. "Sir," the man finally spoke carefully, breaking the silence, "your intuition was right." Lucas did not move. But his eyes narrowed slightly. "Vittoria..." the man continued, opening the file in his hand, "she did not leave Donato willingly."

Lucas leaned back slowly. "They made her leave." For the first time, a flicker crossed Lucas's cold face. "The stalker you were talking about," the man said quietly, "the one obsessed with Donato Romano... they threatened Vittoria's father. Forced him to send her away from the country."

The room fell silent again. The man hesitated before continuing. "And now she is gone from Donato's life... just like the other women." A pause. "Like Tara." The moment Tara's name entered the room, Lucas's jaw tightened sharply. His fingers stopped moving. A dangerous darkness passed through his eyes.

"So it is true," Lucas muttered slowly, his deep voice dangerously calm. "That stalker never left Donato."

The man nodded carefully. "No, sir. They never stopped." He swallowed lightly. "Even after Tara's death."

Lucas's eyes turned colder. "I thought after killing Tara they disappear," he said quietly.

"No, sir," the man answered immediately. "They did not even allow any woman to remain close to Donato for long. Every woman connected to him eventually disappeared from his life."

Lucas stared at the darkness ahead silently for a few seconds. Then another thought struck him. "Then how," he asked slowly, dangerously, "is his wife still unharmed?"

The man stiffened. "That," he admitted carefully, "is the exact thing confusing me." Lucas's eyes shifted toward him sharply. "You told me to investigate Donato's wife," the man continued, opening another file. "And I did." He adjusted the papers nervously under Lucas's silent stare.

"I found nothing suspicious directly connected to her. Her name is Kiara Singh Rajput. She is from Rajasthan, India. Daughter of Shivam Singh Rajput, CEO of Singh Group. Granddaughter of Jaswant Rajput, former head of Rajput business empire."

Lucas listened quietly. "She studied MBA," the man continued, "later joined her brother's company." Then his tone shifted slightly. "But... around almost three years ago, she had a major accident." Lucas's eyes lifted immediately.

"She almost disappeared for months," the man explained. "There are barely any records about what happened during that period. Everything is strangely unclear. After months, she suddenly returned, completed her studies, joined the company again... and year later, married Donato Romano."

Silence. Lucas's fingers tapped slowly against the armrest again. "almost three year ago..." he murmured thoughtfully. Something about the timing disturbed him. His eyes darkened slightly. "That sounds suspicious somehow."

The man nodded carefully. "But sir," he added quickly, "there is one person who definitely knows about the stalker."

Lucas looked at him immediately. "Who?"

The man lowered his voice slightly. "Enzo Moro."

Lucas's eyes sharpened instantly. "Donato Romano's best friend," his right hand," the man continued. "He found out about the stalker around four months ago. I could not gather complete details, but I confirmed he knows something important."

The room fell deadly silent again. Lucas leaned back slowly into his chair. "Enzo Moro..." he repeated softly, almost thoughtfully. Then a faint dangerous smirk appeared on his lips. "That information alone is enough for me."

The man lowered his head silently. Lucas stood up slowly from his chair and walked toward the dark window overlooking the city lights below. His reflection stared back at him through the glass, cold and unreadable.

"You keep eyes on Donato's wife," he ordered quietly. The man nodded immediately. Lucas's gaze darkened further. "If that stalker is still roaming around Donato Romano..." he said slowly, "then why has Kiara romano remained untouched?" His voice turned colder. "Why did they not hurt her?"

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