30. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Isabella Bianchi

I t's been two weeks since Max kidnapped me. Not a day goes by that I don't think about those excruciating hours where I didn't know if I was going to make it out alive. I was lucky enough that Gabo put a team in motion to find me when he couldn't reach me. And even luckier that no one was harmed while saving me. The only scars I have now are the ones that can't be seen.

After years of trying to contact my parents and never hearing back from them, I got an email from my mom the day after my little speech that went viral:

"Oh, my sweet daughter. It's been so long. I know there's no excuse for our silence, but now that we know the three of you are doing so well, we would love to reconnect with you all. Where are you staying in Italy? Maybe you could send for us, we would love to see you. I heard you're dating a Godoy. We would love to meet him, and maybe talk business with him."

The nerve of this woman, asking for a flight and an appointment with Gabo. I guess I needed this to happen for me to believe what my brothers have been trying to tell me all along: our parents only care about money. Now that they know their sons are billionaires and I'm dating a billionaire, they want to be part of our lives. The math is mathing.

I don't want to add more invisible scars to my heart, especially to give a space in my life to people who don't deserve it. After a lot of thinking, I decided to block her email and never think about my parents again.

I'm lost in thought while letting Margareta spoil me with a delicious fresh pastry and a coffee when I get an incoming video call from Luca.

"Hi, brother dearest. How's everything going?" I ask once the video connects.

A warm smile spreads on my face as I see my brother is positively shining.

"Oh, everything is peachy. Is Gabo around?"

I twist my eyebrows in confusion. Why does he need Gabo? He could have just called him.

"No, he went into the office today," I say. The moment my brother moves the phone and Karina comes into view, holding a precious bundle of joy in her arms, everything makes sense.

"Well, it's his loss. We wanted you guys to be the first to see Enzo Bianchi," Luca says, his voice full of emotion.

"Oh, my goodness. Hi, baby. Hi. I'm Auntie Bella." I coo immediately at the phone, and Luca moves closer to Enzo. He's happily asleep in his mommy's embrace. His face is scrunched up, but he's the cutest baby I've ever seen. My heart expands with love for this tiny boy who I'll be able to spoil for the rest of my life.

"Isn't he the most gorgeous baby you've ever seen?" Karina asks, a beautiful smile on her face.

"He sure is. How are you doing, Kari?"

"I'm okay. The pain meds are working, so I'm feeling great."

I chuckle, and she gives me a small wave as she readjusts her position; maybe she's going to nap while Enzo is asleep. I've heard that's what moms are supposed to do.

"Thank you for calling us first. I can't wait to tell Gabo when he comes home tonight."

My brother smiles at the screen; I don't think I've ever seen him this happy. He's shining brighter than when he married Karina, and that says a lot.

"Just promise you and Gabo will come to meet your nephew soon," he says as his voice breaks. I hate that he has no family in Chile with him. I mean, Karina's parents are amazing, but I'm sure he wishes he had some support, as well.

"Of course, I can't wait to meet him. Gabo has some things at work that he needs to take care of, but I promise as soon as his calendar clears, we'll make our way to Alamo Peaks."

We chat a little bit more before saying goodbye, and once we do, my heart is full. I love my family.

We've been staying at the villa since the kidnapping, and I don't want to ever leave. Gabo has been going to the office in Bologna twice a week, and he's been handling everything else from home.

I've been trying to paint and dance, trying to get my groove back, but so far, nothing sticks. I didn't want to finish the summer class at school. I want to focus on getting better before I go back to uni, and I'm sure the gossip is running wild about the fraud of a professor who kidnapped the billionaire's girlfriend. Giacomo even reached out to check in, and I told him I wanted to postpone our project, which he completely understood. So maybe next summer, I can pick it up again when everything has died down.

I finished the assignment for Gabo's company since that was something I could work on remotely. I honestly loved it, so it was no hardship to finish my task. Both Gabo and the design team leader praised me, and although it felt good to be recognized for my work, I wanted to focus on my mental health first.

Every trace I make on the canvas reminds me of the cabin, the chains, and the weakness I felt when I woke up on that bed. I want all this pain to go away, lock all these memories away in a box, and throw the key as far away as I can. But that's not how life works, and I know I need to face my demons, but I'm not ready yet. I don't know if I'll ever be.

"Principessa," Gabo calls my name as he enters my studio. I turn around to face him, and he's looking so good in a pair of dress pants and a white shirt. This is his relaxed fit when working from home.

"Hey, G," I say as I extend my neck to kiss him.

"What are you doing?" he asks as he stares at my canvas.

"Nothing." My shoulders sag.

"This is not nothing, this is art."

"This is the mess I have in my head, G. I don't like it. It's heavy and sad and depressing. I don't like it," I say, pouting like a little kid who doesn't get her way.

"Bella, don't you see, my love? This is amazing. You're creating something beautiful out of all that pain and sorrow. You're creating light out of darkness. This needs to be celebrated too. It tells a story—a story of resilience and strength, of love and healing."

I love how he sees things in a different way. And he's right. I can see it now. The forest, dark and heavy, with clouds full of water covering the sun, a small log cabin that seems to blend in and disappear into the forest. I can see it all. The strokes are thick but determined, reflecting the anger I felt while painting this piece. The colors are dark, but there's a small ray of light. Gabo. He has been that little morsel of warmth and light that has transformed my life for the better.

"Maybe I need to see someone." I finally say out loud what's been on my mind ever since we got out of that forest.

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe I need to see a therapist. Cata said Matias has been seeing a therapist for a while, and it has helped him a lot. I know it's for different reasons, but maybe I need to speak with a professional as well."

"Hey, hey, come here," he coos as he opens his arms, and I go to him without protest.

"If that's what you feel you need to do, I fully support you. You know that." I smile against his chest, a reassuring feeling in my chest that this man is it for me.

"I know there are still many emotions to process. Many memories, many things… it's better to start now, Bella. Don't suppress those feelings. If you think speaking with a therapist will help, do it. Yell if you need to, trash this place, we'll rebuild. Do whatever you have to do to get those feelings off your chest," Gabo says as he places a kiss on my head.

That does it. My tears start flowing freely, and I yell against his chest as hard as I can while gripping his shirt.

"That's it, Bella. Let it out," he tells me softly as he caresses my hair.

I continue yelling and crying, not sure how long we stay like this, but I'm so thankful Gabo is my rock. He's been trying every single day to assure me it's okay to do this, that it's actually beneficial for me. It took me two weeks to believe him, but he never wavered. He was always kind and sweet, showing me his unconditional support. And if that isn't love, then I don't know what it is.

"I want to stay here with you, G," I tell him with a watery smile. I lift my head from his chest and look up at those deep brown eyes of his.

"We're here, love," he tells me, a little confused by my words.

"No, I mean, I want to live here with you."

Gabo lifts me from the ground and twirls us around the room. "Are you serious, principessa?" he asks, full of hope.

"Yes, I want to open a gallery in Bologna. I want to live here at the villa, at least during the warm months. I want to see you every single day, not just when I can travel here or when you can make time to see me in Chile. I want you, Gabriel Godoy. All of you," I say, a crooked smile on my face.

"Fuck, yes. I want it all with you, too."

We seal this promise with a kiss, our lives officially bound. Forever.