Mom's First Love
By Serena Heart
SYNOPSIS
For Amelia Beckett, uncovering her mother’s forbidden romance through a collection of hidden letters was one thing. But traveling from Australia to Italy to find the man her mother had loved until her dying breath? That was something else entirely. His name was Archer Bennett. A reclusive billionaire, father of five, and fresh out of a messy divorce. On the outside, his life seemed perfect—wealth, power, and a face straight out of mythology. But Amelia couldn’t fathom why her mother had loved a man like him. He was arrogant, distant, and the rumor running around town was that he was cheating on his wife with different women, and that was why she divorced him. And yet, the more time she spends in his world, the more she sees traces of the man her mother once loved. The way his dimples show when he smiles, how he looks at his children like they’re his whole world, how he seems to crave love but doesn’t know how to hold on to it.
But as secrets unravel and sparks ignite, Amelia must confront a haunting question: Is she chasing her mother’s story… or writing a dangerous new chapter of her own?
A tale of love, legacy, and the shadows we inherit, Mom's First Love explores how the heart can defy logic, time, and even the boundaries of right and wrong
Table Of Content
Excerpt
My laughter burst out, loud and wild, my head thrown back, throat bobbing like a Sicilian lizard in mating season. In Palermo, such a sound was unladylike, a scandal in our refined circles. A nudge under the table jolted me—Papa’s silent warning to behave, especially at such an important moment.I didn’t mean to defy Papa, the great Bernardo IV, Sicily’s most untouchable businessman. But the urge to crack his stone-cold poker face was too tempting. Everyone knew Papa was a mystery—unpredictable, his emotions hidden. Not even Mamma, God rest her soul, could read him fully. Yet I, Amelia, his only daughter, could make him human, even if just for a second.“ Sorry,” I said, faking a tear, “this is just too funny.” A lie. Ricardo’s words were boring; my pet jellyfish swimming in its tank was more entertaining. My laughter wasn’t for him—it was to rattle Papa and his stuffy colleagues. Ricardo leaned in, grinning through a mouthful of potatoes. “I’m glad I can make you laugh, signorina,” he said, his voice thick with confidence. That snapped me upright faster than the anger in Papa’s face could flash away, which I swear to God was faster than lightning speed. The reason for my laughter was not to make Ricardo blush like a cute little fish he had no business being associated with, but rather to annoy Papa and his colleague. And if, by a slim chance, any misunderstanding popped up in these assholes’ heads that I fancied Ricardo, then I had to switch up.
“It was not what you said but how you said it. Like a clown, caro.”
“Huh,”
Ricardo’s forehead screwed into two, and his mama beside him had her mouth popped open. Save for his papa, who didn’t react like he heard what I said.
I was about to repeat myself when Papa’s voice cut in with that Voldemort-impersonated scary voice of his, “Amelia, that’s unkind, especially to a guest.” I grinned, unbothered. “Papa, it’s a Gen-Z thing. Just a joke—Ricardo gets it.” Ricardo blushed again, as if I’d flirted instead of glaring. “I understand,” he mumbled. His father, Signore Pomelo, chuckled. “Gen-Z and their jokes,” he said, and everyone laughed, tension fading. They droned on about business deals, money, and the usual. I could’ve yawned forever, but one at a time, I’d act at the right time and show Papa: no one, not even a man nearly as rich as Elon Musk, could control Amelia. Lost in boredom, I didn’t notice Ricardo pull out his phone, breaking the table’s no-phone rule. My phone, left on silent mode on purpose, blasted Anaconda at full volume. Papa’s glare could’ve soured the wine, but I ignored it. Ricardo’s text lit up the screen: Can we talk privately, away from everyone? A naughty idea sparked, and I smirked. Papa would hate this. What would he do? What punishment would follow? The thrill of shaking him up coursed through me, mixed with guilt. Because, deep down, I loved Papa with all my heart. Even if he didn’t seem to care.
