She’d come to Italy looking for the truth about her own family and instead she’d found her way home – and she’d never been happier.
Six months later
Samir stared at the email with a flash of impatience.
From: Fiero Montebello
To: HRH Samir al Husseini
Subject: Our grandmother
Samir,
Yaya had another stroke last night. I don’t know any more than that for now, but if you wanted to see her, you should come to Italy.
I know it would mean a lot to her.
Best wishes,
Fiero.
Samir read the email a second time, his lips forming a grim line. The last time he’d gone to Italy had been for his maternal grandfather’s funeral. Gianfelice.
He’d met them all then – The Montebellos – the family that had exiled his mother, leaving a gaping hole in her heart that no one had ever really been able to fill. Oh, she’d been an excellent Emira, but her estrangement had always weighed heavily on her, and Samir had grown up hating the people who’d been able to devastate his mother so completely.
And yet…
His mother had raised him to value the bonds of family, perhaps because her own parents had severed theirs with such ease, exiling Camilla, refusing to see her or speak to her even once Samir had been born. They’d never forgiven her for choosing to marry, and a man twenty years her senior. They’d deserted her, and Samir couldn’t forgive them for that.
His mother, however, had loved them to the end. Even after the hurt they’d inflicted on her, their cold rejection, she’d loved them. Camilla had spoken of Yaya right before her death. For his own sake, he was tempted to ignore the email, but for the mother he had adored, Samir knew what he must do:
Go to Italy and farewell the old lady who’d broken his mother’s heart. Though God knew it would bring him no pleasure.
THE END
Other Books in THE MONTEBELLOS All books are stand-alone, full-length romance novels.
REGRET ME NOT
JUST THIS ONE SUMMER
LOVING THE ENEMY
NOTHING LASTS FOREVER
IT STARTED WITH A LIE
BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN
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