Page 56 of Her Cruel One-Sided Love

"Where is she,nonna?I need to talk—-"

"She's gone, Massimo."

The pain underscoringLa Strega'svoice lashed at his heart...because he knew his grandmother could only be hurting on hisfidanzata's behalf.

"I could not force her to stay, you understand? She could not even cry when she asked me..."

The first time Massimo had ever heard heard his grandmother's voice crack was when she had to tell him and his brothers that both their grandfather and father were dead. The second time...was now.

"She was in so much pain, bambino."

His heart threatened to collapse at the thought of Ysabel hurting to such an extent, and all because of his blind stupidity.

"It was just too much to bear, and so when she asked me to help her disappear..."

His fingers tightened around his phone. "Nonna—-"

"Mi dispiace molto." I'm so very sorry."But I had to say yes."

Fifteen

Miami, Florida

Three months. It had been three months since his ownnonnahad helped Ysabel disappear, and even though he had already spent a fortune of his own money in search of his missingfidanzata—-

Where are you, Ysabel?

It was often whispered about in Boston that there was no one better thanLa Stregaat making people...disappear. Most times, that typically meant the person missing was already six feet under. But in hisfidanzata'scase?

Massimo was the one who felt as if he had ceased to exist, the moment he found out that the only way to find the girl he loved was to beat his grandmother at her own game.

Where are you, ciliegina mia?

He had barely slept since she had gone missing, and it was only when he had almost gotten himself run over by a damn school bus that his eldest brother Giancarlo had reluctantly pulled rank and ordered Massimo to choose between two alternatives.

You will end up killing yourself at the rate you're going, and then what? Will you be able to make it up to Ysabel if you are already dead? Do all of us a favor, fratello—-either take a fucking break from searching for her or go on a working trip to Miami.

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