Chapter 57- Fever Dreams and Reality
Lucia Comciousness returned sigwly, like swimming up through layers of dark water. The silk sheets felt coal against my skin as awareness gradually Giltered back the gentle hum of climate control, the subtle scent of fresh flower, the soli Italian cotton of the nightgown someone had changed ine into
My bedroom in the penthouse, Home Though the word felt complicated now.
“Welcome back to the land of the living”
Julia’s voice made me turn my head carefiddly, finding her curled to the armichair beside my bed. Her usul polished appearance showed signs of strain – designer clothes slightly rampled, stark circles beneath expertly applied concealer suggesting sleepless nights.
“How long?” My voice can
came out rough from disse.
“Four days.” She moved to help me sit up, adjusting pillows with practiced care. The fever finally broke last night. You had us worried, sorella,”
Four days. Four days of fever dreams and fragments of memory, Dante’s voice in the villa, cold and dismissive as he reduced me to buslinets termis. The weight of my run as I’d played my part in that careful performance. Vincent’s satisfaction turning in shock as the trap sprung differently than he’d planned
“Here” Julia pressed a crystal glass into my hands, the water deliciously cool against my parched throat “Small sips. Doctor’s orders.”
Teamplied, using the moment to study my surroundings with tacizal precision Papa had drilled into us since childhood Fresh roses in Waterford crystal – not the usual white ones Dance preferred for political appearances, but deep red blooms that filled the air with heady perfume. A Hermes throw blanket I didn’t recognize draped across the foot of the bed. Medications arranged with military precision on the bedside table,
“The others?” I asked, noting the signs of multiple caretakers in the room.
Taking turm keeping watch,“ julia’s smile held genume warmth. “Sofia’s been researching every fever remedy known to medical science. Maria
practically moved in – the’s only gone home to change clothes. And Mama….” She laughed softly. “Well, let’s just say the kitchen staff is exluusted from preparing her healing beaths.”
Romano sisters had become real family somewhere between contract and
Something twisted in my chest at the genuine concern in her voice. The Ro
chans. Their worry fels authentic in ways that complicated everything
“And Danter
Julia’s expression shifted slightly. “It’s been, landling things.”
The careful phrase carried weight I wasnt ready to examine. Because Danie handling things usually involved carefully calculated violence wrapped in perfect political polish.
“Help me up“” I pushed back covers, needing to move, to think, to process everything that had happened.
“The doctor said you should rest-
“Please.” I met her eyes steadily. “Ineed.. I need to clear my head.”
She studied my face for a long moment before nodding. Her hands were gentle as she helped me stand, steadying me when the room tiled
slightly
“Small steps,” she cautioned as we made our way to the en–suite bathroom. “You’ve been through a lou”
The woman in the mirror looked like a stranger – my skin too pale, dark circles beneath my eyes despite days of sleep, hair falling in tangled waves past my shoulders. I touched my reflection carefully, noting the slight tremor in my finger.
“Turun you a bath,” Julia offered, already moving to the massive sooking til. “Some of that lavender oil Sofia brought might help…”
“Actually,” I managed a small smile that felt more genuine than I expected. Think Td like a few minutes alone, To… process.”
Understanding flickered across her face. “Of course. I’ll be right outside if you need anything”
The door closed softly beland her, leaving me alone with my reflection and the weight of everything Td been 100 feverish to properly examine.
The contract sat in my vanity drawer, carefully hidden beneath expensive cosmetics and designer perfumes. My hands shnok slightly as I retrieved it the expensive paper feeling like lead in my grip
Legal language stared back at me, reducing marriage to carefully measured terms and precise obligations. Every aspect of our relationship detailed in clinical bullet points and binding clauses.
Two years
The duration seemed both endless and insufficient now. Because somewhere between contract and cluos, between his control and my defiance, between performance and truth…everything had shifted.
won the odec of the massive rub, letting cool marble ground me as memories flickered through my mind. Dante’s voice in the villa,
olitical convenience. The way he’d reduced every relationship to careful business terms, collecting women like assets
to be ru
was from
inning,” he’d said, voice carrying that aristocratic boredom that had cut deeper than any blade. “A mutually
ems that felt real. The way he’d defended me to business rivals, his hand possessive buy lower back. How he’d protected
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Chapter 37- Fever Dreams and Reality
his sisters with fierce devation while teaching me to embrace my own power. The rare times his careful control cracked, showing glimpses o something beneath perfect political polish.
Or had that all been perfonsiner tool
The contract’s weight telt heavieras understanding crystallized. Because Dante Romano had been bred for power, raised to see every relationship as a tactical advamage to be managed. His entire world operated on rare ful calculation and precise control.
Did he even know how to love? Really love, without contracts and terms and carefully negotiated boundaries?
My fingers traced the signature lines where we’d hound ourselves to this elaborate carate. The precise strokes of his name next to mine, turning
marriage into just another business transaction
A knock interrupted my darkening thoughts.
“Lucia?” Maria’s voice carried gemme concem. “Sofia’s here with some
some soup. T
Think you could try eating something!”
I quickly returned the
contract to its hiding place, rebuilding careful walls before opening the door. The youngest Romano sister’s face lit up with real jay at sering me vertical
“You look better!” she moved to hug me carefully, her designer perfume familiar and comforting. “Though you’re still too pale. Mama says you need proper Italian food to rebuild your strength.”
Sofia appeared behind her, carrying a silver tray laden with what looked like enough food for an army. “Small portions” she assured me, seeing my expression Bui you need to eat something.”
Theirg
e grouine care made my chest ache is they fussed over me, arranging pillows and adjusting blankers until I was settled comfortably in bed. The soup did smell amazing–some traditional recipe their mother had probably spent hours perfecting.
“The doctor says you should be able to return in normal activities in a few days” Sofla chatted as she poured tea into delicate cups. Though you’ll
need to take it easy at first.”
“Any nomul activities in particular you’re eager to return to?” Maria’s grin turned wicked. “Perhaps involving our brother and ”
“Marial” Sofia scolded, but her eyes danced with similar mischief
Their teasing felt natural, shterly, real in ways that complicated everything. Because they genuinely believed in the romance they thought they sai between their brother and me. Believed in love over careful busined arrangements
on the foundation for a while. Some of the youth
“Actually.” I kept my voice steady as I sipped perfectly prepared tea. “I was thinking of focusing on
center projects need attention”
Understanding flickered across Sofia’s face. “Lucia-”
“And campaign season is busy.“1 continued smoothly, nor meeting her eyes. The elections coming up soon. Everyone needs to maintain focus on priorities.”
The sisters exchanged looks heavy with meaning I wasn’t ready to interpret. Because they knew their brother knew his careful control, his precise planning, ha inability to let emotion interfere with strategy.
“He was here, you know.” Maria said quietly. “Every night while you were fevered. Wouldn’t leave until the doctor assured him you were stable
My hands tightened on delicate porcelain. “Campaign responsibilities
“Didn’t matter.” Sofia’s voice was equally soft. “Nothing mattered except making sure you were safe. Protected. The way he looked at you when he thought no one was watching”
“Don’t.” The word came out sharper than intended. Please just… don’t”
Because hope was more dangerous than any fever. More lethal than careful business arrangements or political convenience.
“We’ll let you ress.” Sofia squeezed my hand gently as she gathered the ten things. “But Lurial Sometimes the most carefully controlled people are the ones most afraid of losing what really matters.
They left me alone with that dangerous observation, closing the door softly behind them. The contract seemed to burn in my vanity drawer, its weight stretching across the room like physical presence.
Two years.
Twenty months left of careful performance and political convenience. Twenty months of maintaining perfect facades while protecting both our families‘ interests
Twenty mouths of pretending my heart hadn’t shattered watching him reduce everything to business terms,
My phone sat on the bedside table, screen dark with days of disuse. With trembling fingers, I pulled up my calendar, scanning familiar obligations and carefully scheduled appearances.
Time stretched ahead like carefully mapped territory campaign events, charity functions, family obligations all precisely arranged. Every moment choreographed for maximum political impact.
Just like he planned everything…
The thought settled cold and heavy in my chest as I finally faced trath I’d been avoiding since finding those contracts. Because Dante Romano had buh his empire on control on careful calculation and precise planning and never letting emoting interfere with strategy.
He’d caught me to embrace my own power while keeping everything categorized in proper boxes. Showed me how to turn passion into tactical
Chapter 37 – Fever Dream and Reality
advantage, how to use emotion as carefully deployed weapon
But real love! The kind that burned beyond careful contracts and political convenience? The kind that couldn’t be contained in legal terms or measured in business advantages”
Maybe he didn’t know how to navigate that territory. Maybe none of us did, raised in this world of power plays and perfect performances.
The contract sat in my drawer like a map to safer ground. A carefully planned exit strategy when everything threatened to spiral beyond precise control.
Twenty months
Maybe it was time to start counting down instead of trying to deny the inevitable. To remember this was always meant to be temporary, no matter what my treacherous heart tried to believe
Bechise some people were built for power, not love.
Dante had never pretended to be anything che, Right?
Heel tears
The thought hun more than fever ever
Ever could
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