Page 108 of Arianna

The flora and red geraniums that adorn the hotel facade were inspired by my great-grandparent’s love story, and it helps create a fairytale setting and romantic moments for our guests.

“Wow,” Closing the door to our suite, the most expensive one in the hotel, which takes up the entire last floor, I watch Arianna’s mouth forms a soft “O’ shape as she turns in circles, taking everything in. “This is…” she says loudly for me to hear, but then murmurs the rest. “Better than the picture in my room…” Pictures in her room? Then the thought that this sheltered, and once-angry princess never had the chance to experience the world.

The memory of the day she was brought to me with chopped hair and eyes with tears and ghosts in them flashes in my mind, angering me.

Not wanting the ugliness in my soul to touch the sleeping angel in my arms, I settle my breaths, stop for a second, and stare.

No place in the world does beauty like Paris, and there is no one more beautiful than Arianna at this moment. She fits in perfectly here, among fashion, luxury, and so much beauty.

She looks breathtaking today. Effortlessly stunning.

She is wearing a classic white button-down shirt with jeans, and she added a pair of stilettos. That outfit shouldn’t make her look as elegant as she does today, but the combination plus the diamond necklace. I got her for her last birthday makes her look like she owns this city.

I chose to ignore how my gift on her neck makes me feel because I have yet to understand this sense of pride combined with possessiveness.

The bellhops finish placing our luggage inside the room, and I move towards them to give them a little something for their troubles. My employees are well taken care of here in my hotel.

They leave, and then there is only us. Moving around the room, I look down at a sleeping Ellaiza, kissing her small nose. Fuck, how good does it feel to love this kid. All I do in life is for her.

“I’ll be at the bar if anyone needs me.” Banning smiles like a freak at us before hurrying out of the room. The man and his addiction to foreign pussy will be the end of him one day.

Walking towards Arianna, standing right in front of the double doors that lead to the balcony with a view of the magical city, I say. “Aimez-vous?”

She doesn’t turn to acknowledge my questions. Instead, she remains frozen with both hands on the balcony’s knobs. “Est-ce que je suis en train de rêver?” The simple words are draped with tragedy and broken promises, causing my chest to tighten.

Settling Ella on my left arm, I move from behind Arianna and open the double doors for her, revealing this magical city to this broken yet brave dream of a girl. “Bienvenue à Paris, ma chérie.”

Arianna takes a deep breath and turns her head towards me.

The moment she does, the wind is knocked out of me, leaving me feeling stunned and amazed, like a traveler who is experiencing this beautiful city for the first time.

Something in my chest cracks, maybe my heart or the walls I built around it long ago, at this moment with my child sleeping soundly in my arms and the girl who came to me with more demons than smiles finally laughing with her entire precious heart, I feel like I came home after years wandering in the cold and ugly unknown.

My head knows it is wrong to feel any type of way other than hate towards a Parisi. The problem is my head didn’t know how to keep up with my heart which was already pounding up a storm in my chest after being useless for quite some time.

Here I am, mind full of questions while the rest of me does not give a fuck.

The only thing that mattered was the feeling that coursed through my veins.

This strong determination that I need to claim what is mine.

All her smiles.

Her soul.

Her everything.

Mine.

"Les rêves ne se réalisent pas pour les filles comme moi." The smile falls from her face the moment the tragic words fall from her pouty lips. Dreams don’t come true for girls like me. “Et si par hasard elles se réalisent. Ils ne durent pas.” She whimpers out a frustrated laugh. And if by chance they do come true, they don’t last.

Sadness battles with the anger that strokes inside of me.

With the way the sight of her teary eyes incites me.

With the eye-opening realization that she was mine, she didn’t know it yet.

“A partir de maintenant, ils le font.” I vow, meaning every word.

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