Chapter 14: Kissing Her

Mia was utterly shocked and terrified to see Alessandro before her. She couldn't believe that after six years, her nightmare sat before her. When Alessandro kissed her with longing and desperation, her confusion only grew. Wasn't he the same Alessandro who loathed her so much and never wanted to kiss her lovingly, but only wanted to induce pain from their physical intimacy? But in that kiss, Alessandro had poured his heart and all his feelings, making Mia almost freeze as she was not accustomed to him showing affection. Alessandro finally broke the kiss and murmured while caressing her face, his pained gaze observing her wounds, "You're alive! You're alive!" Mia thrashed her body and tried to push him away. "Get your hand off me, you jerk. I am not your wife!" she yelled with hatred. She knew better than to give up and let him think she was his wife, Aria. So she decided to hold her ground and was determined to make him believe that she was Mia Peterson, and she didn't know him. Her life was better off without him. She didn't want to go back to that hell again. And when she thought of her children, her determination only strengthened. She didn't want her children to suffer like she had all her life. "What are you saying, baby?" Alessandro whispered, taken aback by Mia's outburst. Baby?! Mia rolled her eyes at his endearment. He had never called her with any endearment before. However, Alessandro never believed his heart was deceiving him. Every heartbeat of his knew this woman was his wife. His Aria. "You are Aria. My wife!" He declared, and cupping her face, he kissed her again, harder and deeper this time. Mia gasped at the intensity of the kiss. Her lips parted and Alessandro's tongue intruded into her mouth. She felt her traitorous body melting in his strong arms despite the pain from the earlier torture by Vanessa and her henchmen. Her devil husband still had that effect on her. But she didn't want to show any emotions, so she remained cold and tried not to respond to his kisses, although it was becoming harder not to kiss him back with each passing moment. As if God had heard her pleas, Vanessa's sharp shriek made Alessandro pull away, sending a glare in her direction. "Alessandro, what are you doing? She is not your wife. She is that bitch interior designer. Did you forget to take your medicine again and start having hallucinations?" Medicines?! Hallucinations?! Mia was confused. As far as she remembered, Alessandro was in perfect health when she left six years ago, and he still looked like his fittest right now. What was Vanessa talking about? But her thoughts were interrupted by Alessandro's growl. "Shut the fuck up, Vanessa! If you value your life, get the fuck out of my sight before I kill you for assaulting my wife." Vanessa's jaw dropped and practically touched the floor, her eyes widening almost cartoonishly. If Mia weren't terrified by Alessandro's proximity, she would have laughed at Vanessa's hilarious expression. However, Mia's expression mirrored Vanessa's. She couldn't understand why Alessandro was angry at Vanessa or why he wanted her to go away. He had always wanted to marry the supermodel, and that was why he had tried to get rid of his wife. Now, he was getting the woman of his dreams, but he was holding Mia instead. Ugh! Mia mentally groaned at the realization that Alessandro Valentino was the most complicated man she had ever met. She could never read what was going on in his mind. She feared it might be a trick to lure her back to that hell and trap her, torturing her for running away from him. She shook with the thought and quickly became more determined. As she tried to wriggle out of Alessandro's steely embrace, she shouted, "Have you hit your head somewhere, mister? I told you, I am not your wife. I am Mia Peterson, the interior designer your fiancée kidnapped and assaulted. Now release my hands and legs before I call the police," Mia threatened, clenching her teeth in anger. Alessandro watched her in shock. "Don't say that, baby!" Alessandro muttered, his voice incredibly softened as he spoke to Mia in contrast to his yelling at Vanessa a moment before. "I will throw this woman in the dungeon and make my men torture her until you forgive her. Or if you want, I will leave her there to bleed until she dies for what she did to you. But please, don't be angry with me, my love," Alessandro literally pleaded. Mia wanted to beg him desperately to drop the act and show his true colors, but she knew better than to reveal her identity and admit that she was his wife, Aria. "Wait a moment, sir! Why will you do that to your beloved fiancée?" she snorted mockingly. "By the way, do me a favor and untie my hands and legs, let me go from here, and I won't say a word to anyone. I will forget it ever happened," she offered and tried to break the restraint around her hands. Alessandro's hand quickly went to the restraints on Mia's wrists, and he began untying them. He shook his head, mumbling, "I'm sorry, baby. Let's get you out of here, and I'm taking you to a hospital. Maybe you're in shock and don't remember me. Yeah, that's right. You're in trauma." He quickly released her. "God, what don't you understand? I'm not in shock. I'm not your wife," Mia groaned in frustration. "Yeah, yeah, baby. Let's have a doctor check on you first," he said. Before Mia could protest, he scooped her up in his possessive arms and began walking out of that filthy place. His assistants, who had come with him, stood behind him, watching their boss with shock and astonishment as he begged his wife to recognize him. Alessandro Valentino, the most ruthless and dangerous man in Italy, had never begged anyone in his life. Suddenly, Alessandro stopped and turned to his assistants, gesturing to Vanessa. "Take care of her," he ordered in a dangerous tone that made Vanessa tremble with fear for her life. "No, Alessandro, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Vanessa kept screaming, but Alessandro turned a deaf ear to her cries. He strode straight to his car to take his wife to the hospital and ensure she was alright.