Hey everyone! Just a quiote—this novel has longer chapters than my usual, around 2.5 to 6k words per chapter. Because of that, I'll be releasing 3 to 4 chapters a week. If you want to get ahead, though, you read up to 25 chapters in advance over on my Patreon:

  patreon./thefanficgod1

  Be sure to check out the auxiliary chapter ahe warnings before diving in. Thanks fiving this story a shot, and I hope you enjoy the ride!

  --

  Nero Principe had never been much of a partygoer, but tonight was different. He had just graduated from college with honors, and his friends had vinced him to celebrate with them in style. They had rented a swanky Italiaaurant in a er of the city to have a quiet dinner by themselves.

  Nero was dressed to impress in a tailored bck suit, with a crisp white shirt and a bck tie. He looked sharp, that was something Old Butler, Nigel, would not let him . He had alreferred quiet nights at home with a good book, but he didn't want to dampen his friends' spirits on this special night.

  Nero's girlfriend since high school was Maria, a woman of unwavering loyalty, independence, and strength. She had always been at his side, joining him on outings, having fun, and versing with his friends. Maria was a brilliant mind, having majored in art with an insatiable curiosity for innovation and discovery. She had the most boundless imagination, and paintings she created were representative of her free soul.

  Anthony, oher hand, had grown up in the harsh streets, surrounded by criminals and violence. Despite his tumultuous past, fate smiled upon him when Nero's Old Butler, Nigel, discovered him and brought him into their home to be Nero's friend and bodyguard when they were both just 14 years old. Even at such a young age, Anthony stood head and shoulders above his peers, wielding incredible strength and a powerful physique. Yet, despite his imposing appearance, Anthony had a love for literature and an affinity for poetry, ultimately leading him to major in the subject during his time at college.

  Sofia etite and bubbly girl, who had always cked warmth and prote. Her enter with Anthony in high school was life-ging, as he had saved her from a group of bullies, and they had been inseparable ever since. Despite her bubbly persona, Sofia was a tech-savvy geek at heart, and had majored in puter sd g.

  Donald, a blonde victim of bullying for most of his life, was on the verge of giving up due to the stant torment. Despite his young age, he was a cripple and had to rely on a e, which made him an easy target for cruel high school thugs. When Nero first met Donald, he felt pity and immediately offered to help. As they tio talk, Nero realized that Donald was at a critical stage in his life, and he khat he had to help him emerge from the darkness, or else he would be pgued with guilt if somethio happen.

  Their friendship blossomed, and they eventually attehe same college, although Donald chose to major in medie. His brilliance, even from a young age, propelled him to bee the honor student he is today. His passion for medie served as his driving force, and he persevered through every obstacle.

  Finally, there was Diego, the epitome of suave charm. Despite his ability to woo and charm women with ease, Diego had always been searg for true love, and his lu that regard had always been elusive. It wasn't until his first year of college that Diego came to realize that his unhappiness stemmed from his suppressed attra to mee still dating women from time to time, Diego came to terms with his true desires, realizing that the love he had been seeking was with a man.

  Across the table, Anthony was reting one of their high school adventures, his voiing with ughter as he poked fun at Diego for a failed date that ended with him slipping into a fountain. Diego, naturally, was quick to defend his honor.

  "Hey, not everyone have your brutish charm, Mr. Ant," Diego shot back, fshing his signature grin. "Some of us have to work a little harder to sweep people off their feet."

  Anthony smirked, leaning ba his chair. "Or into a fountain. Same difference."

  Sofia giggled, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "I don’t know, Diego. That fountain stunt might just be your best move yet. It’s all about leaving an impressiht?"

  "Impression?" Diego ughed, swirling the wine in his gss. "Try soaki shoes and bruised pride. But hey, at least the shoes were designer."

  Nero couldn’t help but chuckle at his friends' banter, even as he remained retively quiet. It was these moments—this ughter, this lighthearted teasing—that made him appreciate them more. Each of them had their own pasts, their own struggles, but somehow, together, they fit. Maria, sitting beside him, caught his gaze and smiled softly, her fingers brushing his hand uhe table.

  "It’s nice seeing everyone like this," she whispered, her voice gentle amidst the ughter.

  "It is," Nero agreed, squeezing her hand lightly. "They’ve all e a long way."

  As the night tihe versation moved from reminisg to toasting each other’s achievements. Donald, with his usual quiet demeanor, had been unusually vocal tonight, reting his ret achievements in medical school.

  "I swear," Donald said, his voice steady but with a flicker of pride, "if I have to memorize one more anatomy chart, my brain might revolt. But hey, at least I’ve got Sofia to bme for keeping me up te with g puzzles."

  Sofia grinned and nudged him. "Hey, sider it brain exercise, Doc. Keeps you sharp for those 2 a.m. surgeries."

  "Yeah, because being awake at 2 a.m. is so fun," Donald muttered dryly, earning a round of ughter from the table.

  These people—his people—had been through hell and back, yet here they were, strohan ever. Each of them carried their ow, their own stories, but they had chosen to stick by his side.

  By the time the night began winding down, they had shared everything from food to stories, from ughter to teasing. As Nero stood to leave, his hand to Maria, Diego couldn’t help but fsh a grin in their dire.

  "Leaving already, boss? You’ve barely had time to hear about my other fountain story."

  "I think one fountain disaster is enough for tonight, Diego," Nero replied, smirking slightly. "Besides, you don’t need me around to keep embarrassing yourself."

  Diego clutched his chest in mock hurt. "Ouch, straight for the heart. I expected more chivalry from you, Nero."

  Maria ughed, shaking her head as she squeezed Nero’s hand. "You’ll survive, Diego. We’ll get you a towel ime."

  As they said their goodbyes, Anthony raised his gss o time, his voice deep and steady. "To us. We’ve made it through the worst and e out stronger. Here’s to whatever es ."

  Sofia lifted her gss too, her grin pyful. "And to Diego’s date. Hopefully not near any rge bodies of water."

  The group erupted into ughter, and with a final k of gsses, Nero and Maria stepped out into the cool night air.

  Nero led Maria to his car, the sleek bck 1964 Aston Martin DB5 parked nearby, its polished surface refleg the streetlights. As he opehe door for her, she smiled up at him.

  "Still keeping the gentleman act, I see," she teased, settling into the passenger seat.

  "Only for you," Nero replied, sliding into the driver’s seat and starting the ehe soft purr of the Aston filled the quiet street as they drove off, leaving the restaurant and the ughter behind them.

  Maria rested her head on Nero’s shoulder as they cruised through the city, the lights casting a soft glow oreets. "You know, I never get tired of hearing everyone’s stories," she said quietly, her voice a gentle murmur against the hum of the engine.

  Nero smiled, his haly resting on hers. "Even when Anthony rets them for the huh time?"

  Maria chuckled softly, her voice tender. "Especially then. His retellings are always so poetic."

  Nero Principe was born into a powerful family in the criminal underworld of New York. His father, a high-ranking member of the Maggia, refused to submit to Kingpin, which ultimately led to the downfall of his family. Nero's parents and siblings were all killed, but a loyal butler named Nigel mao save him as a baby and took him away to Cambridge, where he was raised i.

  Growing up, aught he ways of the Maggia, instilling in him a strong sense of discipline, honor, and loyalty. Despite his traumatic past, Nero grew up to be a capable and intelligent young man, with a deep desire for revenge against Kingpin and those who had wronged his family.

  Nigel had taught him manners, discipline, and a dress code that mostly sisted of suits. Nero's family history had always been a source of pride and pain for him, and he was determio recim their pce of power in the criminal underworld.

  Shaking his head, Nero focused on the womao him. Tonight ecial in more ways tha marked a signifit milestone in their retionship. Tonight, they would finally take the step of their love and mate their retionship. In high school, Nigel had instilled in Nero a sense of chivalry and respect for women, which had guided him to wait until he found the right person to share su intimate moment with.

  To them, love was something that went beyond physical attra. It was a metaphysical e that bound them together, something that was meant to st. They had observed their peers around them indulging in momentary pleasures, but Nero and Maria khey were different. They shared a deep bond of trust and mutual uanding that was founded upon their shared values and beliefs.

  Though they had lusted after each other for years, their willpower and trust in one another had kept them from crossing that threshold. But tonight, the time had e for them to take that step forward, to express their love in a physical way.

  As Nero and Maria stood before each other, bathed in the soft light of dles, they could feel the air around them thiing with the weight of their anticipatioook Maria's hand in his, his eyes meeting hers in a silent uanding.

  "I've waited for this moment for so long," Nero whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "But before we proceed, I want you to know how much I love you."

  Maria smiled, her eyes sparkling with uears. "I love you too, Nero," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

  With a geouero leaned in and pressed his lips against Maria's, his heart swelling with joy and passion. And in that moment, they khat they had made the right decision to wait, for their love was something far more profound than any fleeting physical pleasure.

  As they kissed and their hands explored each other's bodies, Nero's mind suddenly went bnk for a single sed. In the , his focus returned, and he pulled back to look into Maria's eyes with love and fusion. Memories flooded his mind, images of their time together, of the love they had shared. As he gazed upon the beautiful woman before him, tears welled up in his eyes. Tears were for another life he lived, ohat wasn’t as fortunate as him.

  Nero Prince was a young man who lived a tragic life oh. Born into a family that gued by problems and strife, he was ruly loved or cared for by his parents. Growing up, Nero was always insecure and awkward, never really knowing where he fit iried to escape from reality by indulging in fi worlds, trying tet his real world.

  As he got older, Nero began to seek love and aowledgement from those around him. He thought he had found it in his so-called friends, but they too were only using him for their own gain. They would take advantage of Nero's good nature and e, leaving him feeling even more alone and vulnerable.

  Then, just whehought he had found true love and happiness, his girlfrierayed him. The pain abreak were more than he could bear. He felt like he had beerayed by everyone he had ever known and loved. In his despair, urs and alcohol, hoping to find some sort of soce.

  But it was all in vain. The pain was too much, and Nero eventually succumbed to his grief. He died alone and unloved, a tragic figure in a world that ruly uood him.

  "Baby, what’s wrong?" Maria asked, g her voice as she brushed a tear from his cheek.

  Nero swallowed hard, trying to make sense of the sudden flood of emotion. "I just... I realized how lucky I am," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "In another life, I wasn’t this lucky."

  Maria kissed him softly, her haing on his chest. "You are lucky. And so am I. Whatever’s going on in that head of yours... we’re here now. Together."

  In that brief moment, he had e to uand everything - that another soul who had died in another world had been reborn in his body, but since he was still alive, the memories of that soul merged with his It was a strange and disorienting feeling, made him love the woman staring at him with love even more. As he felt the pain of the soul, desperation and anguish of betrayal he felt…

  But then, a sense of reassurance filled his heart. Nero focused on this feeling, letting it wash over him, and he khen that he had to do whatever he could to make Maria happy. This woman was loving him deeply, and he would honor that love by givihe life she deserved. And maybe, if he lived a happy life, the lost soul would feel happy too.

  With a newfouermination, Nero pulled Maria close once more, their bodies entwined in a passionate embrace. As they tio kiss, he began to pour all of his love and his soul into their e, hoping that she could feel the iy of his desire.

  And as the night wore on, Nero found himself lost in the depths of their passion, caught up in a whirlwind of sensation aion that left him feeling alive and reborn. It was as if this love had given him a new lease on life, a reason to keep going, to keep fighting, no matter what challenges y ahead.