Chapter 17 - rare gentleness
Returning to the estate at dawn, Massimo's dress shirt was stained with blood and reeked of acrid gunpowder. Tessa had stayed up all night waiting in the living room. Seeing him return safely, she breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly grabbed the first-aid kit.
Massimo sat down on the sofa, taking off his shirt. His back and shoulders were covered in a maze of old and new scars, a testament to a life filled with violence and betrayal. Tessa gently disinfected a small cut on his arm.
"You don't have to throw yourself into such dangerous places personally anymore, Massimo," Tessa said softly, her eyes holding sincere concern. "Your empire is stable; let your subordinates do their jobs."
Massimo looked at her, reaching up to gently brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead. "There are some things a king is obligated to handle with his own hands, Tessa. Especially when it involves the safety of the woman he cherishes most."
The direct, powerful confession made Tessa's heart skip a beat. She blushed, looking down to bandage his wound. The distance between a ruthless boss and an ordinary girl was slowly being erased by love.
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The icy wall in Massimo's heart had completely melted.
👉 read part 18 to see their future.
