Matteo was identified as having a connection with the mafia boss because of his uncanny resemblance to his father.
His wife died 20 years ago due to an illness. Matteo's father had resorted to alcohol to deal with his grief.
This intoxicated rich man was seduced by his mother, a hotel worker, who pretended to be his dead wife. Matteo's father had sex with her by mistake, believing she was his deceased wife.
The next day, his father was enraged and beat and threw the woman out of the room. None of them had anticipated that it would result in a child.
For Matteo, returning to this powerful family was both a blessing and a curse.
His father had three children, two sons from his second marriage and one daughter from his first wife. They were engaged in a battle to become the next boss of the clan. Matteo had no desire to be involved with this family or their power struggle. However, his sudden appearance put pressure on all of his half-brothers and sisters and made them unite to deal with him and other cousins as potential threats to their position.
His father's attitude towards Matteo was mediocre, without any obvious ignoring or favouritism. After monitoring his every move for two years, they started to take measures against him. The consequence of their behaviour was the emergence of Matteo's cruel side in his revelation of their tricks.
Matteo was in a position that was unfair and faced setbacks in his life. Fortunately, his grandparents found him to be well-educated and hardworking, without the messy lifestyle of their other grandchildren. As a result, safeguarding him and preventing their mischievousness.
Matteo's life returned to its former state, and he continued his studies and established a law firm successfully. It was ironic that someone who was the grandson of a famous mafia boss would aim to be on the side of the law, making it laughable.
Suddenly, Selena was hugged and focused her attention on Matteo, worried about his mental health.
His childhood trauma caused him to have an aversion to women's touch. The biological mother and adoptive parent blamed his existence and abandoned him in cruelty. Even the woman who got close to him in the name of his teacher was trying to use him to get close to his adopted father. His severe aversion to women's touch was due to the emotional traumas he had suffered.
Their journey was filled with ups and downs, but they eventually triumphed and established normal intimacy. Matteo's red eyes caught Selena's eye and made her heart tremble. Her sole desire was to erase all those horrible memories and experiences and be free from this suffocation.
Selena wrapped her hands around Matteo's head and laid it on her chest.
" It's okay. I am still here and I will be for the rest of my life."
Selena kept repeating this phrase for a long time until she sensed that Matteo's mentality was stabilizing.
When she thought everything was fine, a commotion occurred on the deck.
Rows of bodyguards took up the space surrounding them and led the two women away from them.
Selena was reminded of how their usual life had turned into something dark after that incident at the pool area.
Although she was the one who purchased the tickets, she was still surrounded by bodyguards who were hiding in the shadows on the cruise.
After aiding them in getting to their rooms, the bodyguards once more disappeared into the surrounding environment.
'I am sorry,' the hoarse voice of Matteo echoed through the silent room.
Having known each other for 12 years, it was unnecessary to express everything in words. Selena knew the reason behind his apology. His inability to control his temper and allow bodyguards to intervene had caused them to be in the spotlight. The gaze of other passengers towards them will no longer be the same from this point forward.
" It doesn't matter. It's been a long time since I got used to it.
As Matteo heard her reply, he placed his head on his hands and ceased to speak.
Selena looked at the dejected Matteo and regretted uttering her harsh words. To make Matteo happy and escape from the special banquet, she bought the tickets and arranged the trip herself. After having a heart attack last year, Matteo's father, the gang leader, resigned from his leadership position. After nine years of struggling within the family and demonstrating his loyalty and indifference to competing for the next head of the gang, others have abandoned their hostility and threats towards Matteo.
Despite this, it didn't eradicate the memories of years of suffocation and hardship from their minds. So attending the selection banquet would make their resistance meaningless.
Selena managed her disappointment by breathing deeply and walking towards Matteo.
Hugging the man into her blossom, she said with a soft voice.
" It's not your fault. It never occurred to me that they would interfere with the incident. Otherwise, I would have dealt with them in other ways."
Deep down Selena was a little sceptical about their behaviour. Matteo's explosion was not the first time it had occurred in a public place.
It's possible because they were always in the country and not travelling abroad that they acted differently.
Selena did not dwell on it any longer and put her attention back on her husband.
"Tomorrow, the ship will reach the G country. I was eager to see those historical places, you know. Tonight, let's ensure we get a good night's sleep and relax."
Selena's cheerful chatting helped to ease the awkwardness in the room.
Despite his flaws, she fell in love with this man. He was the one who persuaded her to follow her dream of studying medicine when she was uncertain about her future. She is now a newly graduated neurologist working at one of the most famous hospitals in the country. This 4-day trip was a result of her first payment and the bribe she made to her colleagues to change her night shifts.
Matteo was also occupied with establishing his footing in a competitive field of work, making it hard for them to see each other often.
Both of them needed some alone time to bond.