HELENA’S POVI woke to an empty bed, cool sheets where Dante’s warmth should’ve been. A sliver of morning light crept through the window, casting shadows over the stillness of the hotel room. Groggy, I reached for my phone on the nightstand. 8:07 a.m. When had Dante slipped out? I pushed back a flicker of unease, but my chest tightened. Why hadn’t he woken me?I crossed the room to the small balcony, pulling back the curtains and letting the pale dawn spill in. Outside, the streets were deserted, save for a young guy huddled in a doorway, cigarette smoke curling in lazy spirals around him. I closed my eyes, trying to shake off the weird feeling creeping through me, then glanced down at my phone, dialing Dante’s number.Straight to voicemail.My heart kicked. I knew I was probably overthinking—Dante was capable, even in a strange city. But what if he’d gotten curious and wandered off? Or worse—what if his memory had… slipped? What if he didn’t remember me, didn’t know where to return?
HELENA’S POVI remember the first time I went for dance show with our aunt Mirabella, my mother’s ditsy younger sister whom my mother liked to refer to as untamed but in all honesty she was just very carefree and wild, always drunk and her hair always flew wild. I remember that night she had taken myself and Vivianna for a swan ballet show and it was my first time seeing ballet in real time. I was mesmerized, what fascinated me the most was the way they turned and spiraled around on their toe. How could human beings do that? I would wonder. I was curious, I wanted to do it, I wanted to dress up in that pretty dress and stand on one toe while my face shone and my hair sparkled.“Máma, máma. I want to be a dancer just like the girls in the show” I had screamed my mother’s ears off the moment we got home and she shot her sister a wiry look, but Aunty Mirabella already had her nose deep in a glass of wine.I didn’t rest until two weeks later when she had gotten tired of my whiny and enrol
HELENA’S POVIt took over six weeks of twisting, burning pain of physical therapy to get almost fully recovered, but no matter how many times the doctor told me I was improving the pain was still there –other than physical pain, there was the pain of losing a dream I hadn’t even begun to fully chase. The nightmares worsened every time and I was on that same stage with every one staring at me with dense looks, each time I could see my legs hang limp unable to lift it up head. Every time, those two men with the leather jackets mocked me with their evil laughter and the last time they smoked a cigarette while they did it.Each morning, I woke up covered in night sweats when the gunshots rang in my head. Each damn day I was losing my mind.We were back in Algreen Cove and for the first time I missed home and I wanted nothing more but to be back in this crime filled city that were run by the gangs and mafias of the town. It felt exhilarating in a way, to breathe the fresh tainted with gun
DANTE’S POVI should’ve known when Matteo came bustling through the house, his eyes wide anger and the first thing he did was to grab me by the neck and punch me in the face, I should’ve known really there was a possibility he’d find out especially when they were people like Gianna who had a secret vendetta against me.“You knew – you’ve known all these fucking while and you didn’t say anything” he roared angrily.Yes I’ve know he’s been my brother, my blood brother born of the same father but different mothers. I was no different than him right now when my father had brought him as a little kid to the house and called him my cousin.“He’s your Uncle Felix’s son” he said that cold morning, strapping a gun to his waist“Who’s Uncle Felix?” I knew all my uncles but had never had met an Uncle Felix. ‘“He’s dead son, stay focused. You gotta take care of your little cousin while I’m out of the house, you hear me or I’m gonna shove my foot far up your ass and it’s going to hurt” my father
MATTEO’S POVIt was that very morning Gianna had called me that she was going back to the States and she wasn’t sure when she’d come back, she had gotten the lead role in a seried and she was a hundred percent sure that this was going to be her big break. I was still groggy from my sleep, very much hangover and my head had already began to throb, the harsh ray of sun slicing through the room and directly at my eyes wasn’t helping matters at all.“I’ll drive you to the airport, where I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes” the words left my mouth before I could realize it. How on earth was I going to make it to her in twenty minutes with a blinding headache but I pushed myself off the bed, I needed something from her.“Aww pookie bear, you don’t have to worry about that – ”“Just wait for me okay” I cut through her words and ended the call before she had a chance to protest. I shot up from the bed and instantly regretted.“You know Matteo, you didn’t really have to go through this trouble”
DANTE’S POVI sat at my desk, my fingers drumming against the polished mahogany surface, but the movements were mechanical. My office was a reflection of everything I had built—expensive, imposing, and meticulously curated. The floors were black marble, sleek and smooth, a stark contrast to the rich, leather furnishings. The walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a panoramic view of the city below, a sprawling skyline that I had conquered, piece by piece. A large desk sat in the center, stacked with papers, some awaiting my signature, others waiting to be shredded. On the far side, a shelf full of rare books and a handful of prestigious awards stood proudly. Everything was organized, controlled—except my mind.I’d been trying to focus for the better part of an hour, but the same damn thought kept swirling in my head. Matteo. The bastard had been quiet for a week, but his silence was more unnerving than any of the threats he’d made before. It was like waiting for a
DANTE’S POVMy head was crowded and I couldn’t think properly. The weight of the charges, Matteo’s request and everything weighed down on my chest, crushing the air and leaving me breathless. That moment Paulo kept rambling in my ears about problems with the shipment and I had bigger problems.“Just deal with it Paulo” I said into the phone, and using every last bit of willpower in me to not crush the phone with my bare hands.“You don’t need to call me for every fucking problem Paulo – fucking deal with it. I have a lot on my plate” I yelled angrily and clicked the phone off, standing up immediately and took my keys and headed back home.When I reached home, I was greeted by Helena surrounded with shopping bags spread out across the room, a glass of wine in her hands and a sheet mask on her face. “You’re home” she said, peering at me and with an unreadable look on her face but she seemed elated enough and I didn’t want to ruin it with my sour mood.“Looks like you’ve been busy” I sa
HELENA’S POVImmediately I stepped out of the police station, they were still tears in my eyes when I pulled out my phone and dialed Matteo’s number, the metallic dial tone matched the frenzy beat of my heart. The cold sliced through the goose bumps on my skin and I wished Matteo wouldn’t pick but who was I kidding, he picked on the fifth ring, as if he did it on purpose – waiting for the last minute.“Helena” he said “This is quite a surprise”“Cut the theatrics Matteo” I said “Dante is in a jail cell right now because of you”“I hardly did anything” the cockiness in his voice was evident and I rolled my eyes, constantly kicking myself in the guts for even thinking about doing this but I had to do something, I had the sole power to protect Dante from going to courts and ultimately spending the rest of his life in prison. I loved him so much that if it required I had to sell my soul, then I’ll bloody do it.“Where are you?” I managed to say into the receiver “I guess I’ll be yours for
Chapter: The Weight of Leaving“Leave?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. The word tasted foreign on my tongue. “What do you mean, leave?”Matteo stood in the doorway, his tall frame silhouetted by the dim light filtering in from the living room. His expression was guarded, but I could see the tension in the way his hand repeatedly ran through his hair. “It’s not safe here anymore. Not for us. Not for Ava. The leaks, the attempts on my life… it’s escalating. There’s someone behind it, and I don’t think this is a war I’m ready to take. Not anymore.” He paused, his voice softening. “Especially now that I have people to consider—you and Ava.”The words hung in the air like a weight pressing down on my chest. I gripped the edge of the kitchen counter for support, feeling as though the ground beneath me had shifted. “Matteo, this is our home,” I said, my voice cracking. “It’s Ava’s home. We can’t just—”“We can,” he interrupted, his tone firm but not cruel. His dark eyes locked
HELENA’S POVFEW YEARS LATERIt was more than two years later, and I was still married to Matteo D’angelo, in fact we had a little girl now – Ava D’angelo and she was a splitting image of her father, they had the same piercing look, beautiful clear blue eyes but at least she had my hair.It was almost peaceful these past years, although I spent half of it looking over my shoulder thinking someone was going to sneak up behind me and press a cold hard pistol to my back, of course that never happened, apart from the few hiccups with the cartel and the company which by the way Matteo shielded me from – like I said it was almost peaceful but I could feel it in the air, like a smoke without fire, something was brewing and I could sense it. Matteo seemed more tense than usual, sometimes he went to bed still fully clothed, he mumbled in his sleep which wasn’t unusual but this time was different, he kept saying a name – Venza.The sky was a soft watercolor of blues and whites, with the occasio
Leadership wasn’t something you chose—it was something thrust upon you. After Dante’s death, it became clear who the next king of Algreen Cove was. The whispers had already started during the wedding reception, even as the gunfire echoed and the blood of Dante's last ploy stained the marble floors.Paulo had made his stance clear long ago. “I’m not cut out to lead,” he’d told me. And I believed him. Paulo was loyal, ruthless when necessary, and dependable in the trenches, but he didn’t have the vision or the temperament to run the cartel. That left the mantle of leadership squarely on my shoulders, a weight I had carried before I even realized I was strong enough to bear it.Two days had passed since the wedding. Two days of waking up beside Helena, the woman who had brought light back into my life in ways I hadn’t thought possible. She was mine now—my wife, the mother of the child growing inside her. I had her in my arms every morning, her soft brown eyes meeting mine as sunlight spi
HELENA’S POVA month later, it was my wedding day—a day I once thought I’d never experience again. Yet here I was, standing in the grand chapel with its towering stone walls, ancient wooden pews, and arched ceilings that seemed to stretch toward the heavens. The air was thick with the scent of lilies, and the soft hum of the organ echoed through the sacred space.Despite the joy and the wealth surrounding me, the past weeks had been tense. Every moment felt borrowed, every shadow held the potential for danger. Dante’s ghost lingered, not in whispers or memories, but in the palpable fear that someone, somewhere, was still following his orders. And yet, amidst it all, Matteo remained steadfast, his presence like a beacon guiding me through the storm.The flowing wedding dress hugged my body, a delicate lace overlay cascading down to the floor. Pearls lined my hair, glimmering like tiny moons against the soft waves. My hand instinctively rested on my abdomen, where a barely-there bump he
Two weeks passed since the night I stared at that little plus sign, and my world tilted on its axis. I'd managed to keep it to myself, burying the secret beneath a mask of normalcy. But today, as I stood in Vivianna’s hospital room, staring at her tiny, pink-faced daughter lying peacefully in the cot, I felt the weight of my silence crushing me.The words tumbled out before I could stop them. “I think I’m pregnant.”Vivianna whipped her head around, eyes wide in disbelief. “What do you mean you think you’re pregnant?”I sighed, wringing my hands together. “I am pregnant.”“For Dante?” she asked, her voice sharp and her gaze piercing.“No,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Matteo.”The name felt fragile in my mouth, as if saying it out loud might shatter something. Vivianna’s shock melted into something softer, though her brows still knit together.“And you ended things with him again because...?”“It’s complicated,” I said, pacing the room on quiet, restless steps. “Do you think
HELENA’S POVThe letter felt heavier in my trembling hands than it had any right to. I unfolded it slowly, the familiar scent of Dante—smoky, musky, and utterly suffocating—seeping out from the paper as if he had intended for it to linger. His handwriting sprawled across the page in bold, unapologetic strokes, commanding attention even in death.Helena,If you’re reading this, it means I’m dead.Congratulations. Or condolences. Whichever fits your mood better. If it’s Matteo who pulled the trigger—or ordered it—then he’s as much a fool as I’ve always thought him to be. But don’t think for a second that my death gives you freedom. You’ll never have freedom, not from me.Do you really think I’d allow you to be with him? Not in life, and certainly not in death. No, my darling, I’ve thought this through. I’ve ensured that if you ever dare to pursue a life with Matteo, there will be consequences. Dead men don’t just roll over, Helena, especially not me.I hired someone—a shadow, let’s call
HELENA’S POVThe city felt strange tonight—unusually quiet, like it knew what had happened. Even as I drove down the winding streets, tears streaking my face and my dress stiff with Dante’s blood, there was a hush that sat heavy in the air. It wasn’t peaceful, though. No, it was eerie, like the city itself mourned the life that had been snuffed out.Paulo had insisted I leave the hospital, promising me that Matteo would pull through. “Go home, rest,” he had said. “He’s going to be fine, I promise.”I wanted to believe him. I had to believe him.But Dante was dead. That fact alone had unraveled me.The man who had once held my heart so effortlessly and crushed it just as easily was gone. Dead. It didn’t feel real. He was larger than life, impossible to defeat, and yet, I’d seen his body sprawled on the ground. Despite everything he’d done—every cruel, merciless act—I couldn’t stop the ache that pulsed in my chest. A life had been lost, and no amount of hatred could erase the part of me
HELENA’S POVThe world had gone silent around me. My ears rang with the deafening echo of the gunshot, but my mind refused to process it. I crumpled to the floor, the weight of dread pinning me down. I couldn’t open my eyes. I didn’t want to.What if he was gone?What if Dante had finally done it?My heart pounded erratically, each beat clawing at my ribs as if it wanted to burst free. Somewhere in the haze, I expected Dante’s taunting voice—his self-assured arrogance slicing through the tension like it always did. But there was nothing. Just an eerie, suffocating quiet.My hands trembled as I forced my eyes open, and when I did, the sight before me turned my blood to ice.Dante was sprawled on the ground, a crimson pool spreading beneath him, staining the earth like a macabre halo. His lifeless eyes stared at nothing, the usual malice in them extinguished. I blinked rapidly, trying to piece together what I was seeing.“W-What…” My voice cracked as I struggled to comprehend.Then I sa
MATTEO’S POVHelena didn’t look back.She gave me a single glance as she stepped through the grand entrance of the masked ball, her red dress shimmering under the low lights like spilled wine. It was a glance meant to reassure, but all it did was tighten the knot in my stomach. As she disappeared into the crowd, I stayed behind, lingering by the car, letting the cool night air ground me.There was a heaviness to the night, a thickness in the air that clung to my skin like smoke. People filed into the hall, their laughter and idle chatter masking the tension beneath their ornate feathers and flashy masks. They came here to escape, to lose themselves in the decadence and mystery of the night.But I had no intention of hiding.My mask was a reflection of who I truly was—dark, daunting, and utterly unafraid. It wasn’t meant to conceal but to intimidate, to remind anyone who dared look too long that I wasn’t here to play their games. I was here for one thing, and one thing only.To kill Da