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Chapter 48
Last Updated:
2025-02-17 23:50:12
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Sofia fidgets anxiously as she glances down at her hands. "I heard someone talking. Although it was brief, it sounded as though Luca was providing Gianni with details on Marco's whereabouts, movements, and other details that only someone close to him would be aware of.Although her words make me shudder, what sticks with me is the hesitancy in her voice. She doesn't seem persuaded. She seems uncertain about what she heard. And that simply strengthens my misgivings.I turn to her and stop pacing. What if, however, you misheard? What if Gianni is trying to make Marco doubt himself by using you? You acknowledged that you were unsure.Her eyes are wide with terror as she glances up at me. "I'm not sure, Francesca. Simply Keeping that to myself was not an option. I couldn't take the chance.Her worry is genuine. Is it warranted, though? Or is it lost? My mind is racing with questions, each one more perplexing than the one before it. And I can't get rid of the notion that we're all being pl
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The realization makes my chest constrict. He has been planning this. Everything. His strategy included chaos, betrayals, and leaks. He's here now to see it all burn.My hands tremble with rage as I take a step forward. “Gianni, you’re sick. Have you not been influencing everything? All of us, including Luca and Marco, have been pulling the strings.He doesn't dispute it. Rather, he simply smiles once more—that same icy, calculating smile."Francesca, you give me too much credit," he says with ease. "However, I do enjoy keeping things interesting."Every muscle in my body tenses with rage as I clench my hands. I know it won't help, but I want to yell at him and kick him out. Gianni lives on power and control, and he currently has the advantage.The worst thing is that I have no idea how to stop him.Francesca and Sofia are taken aback by Gianni's sudden appearance and get tense because they fear they might be playing right into his hands. How far has Gianni's influence spread, and what
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Gianni draws closer, his voice lowering to a low, almost intimate whisper. “Be careful, Francesca,” he murmurs, his breath chillingly close. “You have no idea what kind of world you’ve gotten yourself into.” My pulse skips a beat, his words shooting frost through my veins. There’s something about the way he says it....the subtle threat, the underlying warning....that makes me feel like I’m teetering on the verge of something far more deadly than I imagined. I stand my ground, refusing to let him see how rattled I am. “What do you mean by that?” I ask, my voice strong even though my insides are churning. Gianni’s smile remains, but there’s a darkness in his eyes now, a shadow of something more evil. “You’ll find out soon enough,” he adds, his voice silky but tinged with danger. “Just remember this: when the time comes, you’ll have to make a choice. And the wrong one might cost you everything.”My throat tightens, but I don’t let him see my dread. I can’t give him the satisfaction. I
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The second Gianni leaves, the silence in the room becomes suffocating. It’s as if his presence still lingers in the air, infecting everything. The chill he left behind seeps into my bones, making the space feel heavier, more oppressive. I glance at Sofia, who’s standing a few feet away, her arms wrapped firmly about herself as if she’s trying to hold everything together. She looks rattled more rattled than I’ve ever seen her. It’s as if Gianni grabbed inside her chest and twisted something inside. The sight of her like this simply accentuates the horror gnawing at my insides. What is Gianni planning? Why do I feel like we’re walking into a trap that’s bigger than anything I’ve ever imagined? Sofia finally breaks the silence, her voice faint and trembling. “He’s... he’s not going to stop.” She sits down on the edge of the couch, her hands quivering as she buries her face in them. “You don’t understand how dangerous Gianni is,” she says gently, the words scarcely audible but loaded wi
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Sofia glances up at me, and for a minute, I see a flash of hope in her eyes. It’s faint, but it’s there. “You really think we can stop him?” she asks, her voice apprehensive. I nod, even though I’m not fully sure myself. But I have to believe it. I have to think that there’s a way out of this disaster. “Yes,” I answer firmly. “We have to.” Sofia leans back on the couch, exhaling shakily. “I never thought I’d be standing on the same side as you,” she admits, her voice softer now. “But Gianni… he’s a monster. And we have to take him down.” There’s a harsh edge to her words, but I can tell that she’s starting to come around. She’s now seeing Gianni for what he truly is—a merciless manipulator who will stop at nothing to obtain what he wants. And for the first time, Sofia and I are linked in a manner we’ve never been before. “We’ll figure this out,” I reply calmly, trying to soothe both of us. “We’ll find a way to stop him, together.” Sofia catches my eyes, and for the first time sin
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"What happened, and why won't you tell me?" My voice breaks as I finally manage to speak. "Marco, I deserve to know." For a brief moment, I think I feel humiliation in his eyes as they move to mine. Then, as abruptly, his cold mask returns to its position. "I have nothing to say," The tears that welled up in my eyes are uncontrollable. With each second that goes by, it feels like he's getting further away from me. "Marco, please don't ignore me," I sob as I approach him. "Just talk to me, please." He furiously runs a hand through his hair as his face tightens and he turns away. "There's nothing to say, Francesca," I said. We're getting farther apart, and I feel like I'm losing him. Tears constrict in my throat, but I fight the need to cry. I refuse to cry once more. Not before him. "So that's it?" My voice trembles with anger and sorrow as I ask. "You just cut me off in this way? after everything we've experienced? He doesn't respond. The silence between us is stifling, full of
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"We've got a bigger problem on our hands, Francesca," Marco replies sternly. His hands hold the windowsill as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded as he stands by the window, gazing out at the city lights."What's happening?" I ask, attempting to control my nervousness. It seems like something new is ready to hit us every time I turn around these days.He doesn't look in my direction. "A competing family. They have relocated to New Orleans and are attempting to seize control of the city by using the havoc Gianni has caused.My stomach sinks. "Take command? What does that signify for us, Marco?"It means that we're losing control of the city," he says, turning to face me at last with icy, serious eyes. And we lose everything if we lose control. We cannot allow them to become powerful. We own this city.I get a chill from what he said. He's never been that concentrated and furious in my experience. I'm afraid of it."Are you aware of their identities? What do they desire? I in
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Marco approaches me while softly cupping my face with his outstretched palms. We're not going to lose everything. As long as I am still alive, no.He says things that should reassure me, but they don't. I am aware of the hazard. I am aware that we will be entering an unwinnable conflict if Sofia's plan fails.Sofia gets to her feet, ending our heated exchange. "We must move quickly. The competing family gets more power the longer we wait. And whether we like it or not, they will pursue us if we don't act quickly.Marco wipes a hand across his face and sighs. He appears worn out, as though the entire world is pressing down on him. It is, in a sense. Now that he is bearing the weight of the entire city, he must make a decision that could either save us or bring about our destruction.Finally, in a strained voice, he states, "I need time to think."Sofia understands and nods. But Marco, don't waste too much time. Time is running out, no time to waste please hope you get it.There is a de
Last Updated : 2025-02-19
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Sofia glances between us, her expression serious. “I’ll handle the logistics. We’ll move rapidly, and we’ll be in frequent contact. But be ready for anything.” I nod, my gut knotted with fear. Tonight, everything might change. We’re going to step into the dark, into the lion’s den. And there’s no telling what…or who…awaits us. As we prepare to go, the weight of the decision weighs down on me like never before. The hazards are larger than they’ve ever been, but we have no other alternative. We have to act. And we have to survive. As Marco, Luca, and Francesca prepare to meet the new opponent in the warehouse, the stakes are greater than ever. With the danger drawing closer and no way of knowing what awaits them, one incorrect action may cost them everything. Will they survive the showdown, or will the new adversary strike first? The night seems darker than normal as we make our way to the building. The address Sofia’s contact gave us looms in the distance, a scary shadow in the da
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I swallow hard, trying to ignore the increasing sensation of terror that seeps into my gut. “How do we even start looking for them?” I inquire, my voice barely above a whisper. “We don’t have any leads.” “We’ll get one,” Marco adds, his tone leaving no space for dispute. “Sofia’s contact is working on it. We simply need to be patient.” But patience is the last thing I have right now. Every second that goes by seems like another second closer to disaster. Closer to the adversary we still can’t see. As the minutes turn into hours, my anxiousness only intensifies. Marco and Luca are deep in discourse, contemplating various strategies and methods to gain the upper hand. But all I can think about is how everything appears to spiral out of control. I sat beside the window, staring blankly at the night sky, my heart heavy with terror. The more I watch Marco and Luca prepare for what seems like another battle, the more my imagination races with worst-case possibilities. “What if this nev
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Sofia arrives at the hospital two days later with a determined expression on her face despite her pallor. She enters the room and declares, "I've reached out to someone." "A former underworld contact." He may know the identity of this new adversary.I look at Marco, and I can see the discomfort in his eyes. "Are you certain we can rely on him?" Marco asks in a doubtful tone. "Sofia, we are in dangerous territory.""I understand," Sofia responds steadily. But there is nothing we can do. It's no longer just about us. We're all in trouble if this person is as dangerous as I've heard. We require every available assistance.Feeling conflicted, I bite my lip. Sofia is correct; if her contact can provide us with the answers we need, it may be our only option. However, I'm terrified of the idea of delving even further into the criminal underworld. We've already lost a great deal. How much more are we willing to risk?At last, Marco declares in a determined tone, "We'll meet him." However, we
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Her remarks were like a kick to the stomach. One more adversary. One more danger. It sounds worse than Gianni, this one."Are you sure, Sofia?" My voice is hardly steady as I inquire.With an agitated tone, she responds, "I'm sure." "You must use caution, Francesca. You're not secure. None of us is.As I hang up, my head is racing from the weight of Sofia's warning, and my heart is pounding. With my hands shaking and my face pallid, I turn to face Luca.I mumble, my voice cracking, "Luca." "There's another person. It was not only Gianni.As the truth sinks in, Luca's face hardens and his eyes widen. "Who?" he asks in a low, menacing voice."I'm not sure," I answer, my throat constricted. Sofia, however, believes that he is much more dangerous than Gianni.Tension permeates the air as the room becomes quiet. The fear is beginning to step in and envelop me like a thick mist.A fresh adversary appeared out of the shadows just as I believed that the situation was fully resolved. I'm not s
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"Is he visible to me?" After hours of sobbing and begging, my voice hoarse and sounds like a whisper.The physician gives a nod. "You can, but only temporarily. He needs to sleep.I move toward Marco's room without waiting for him to finish, my feet moving as if they were on autopilot. I must see him. He must still be with me, I must know that.I'm astounded to see Marco lying there so still as soon as I enter the room. He is connected to equipment, and the only sound in the room is the heart monitor's steady beep. He has bandages all over his body and a pale, almost ghostly face. He is, however, breathing. That is all that is important.To avoid disturbing the IV that is connected to his arm, I carefully take his hand in mine as I approach him. I clutch to the warmth of his flesh as if it were the only thing keeping me rooted.I tremble as I grasp his hand and whisper, "You're going to be okay." "You must be."I eventually give myself a moment of relief as I sit next to him. He is st
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I'm at a loss for what to do. I have no control over anything that occurs. I am unable to wage this struggle on his behalf. I can pray, though.I tremble as I say, "Please," tears streaming down my face. "Don't take him away from me, please. I can't let him go just yet. Not after everything.My body trembles with quiet sobbing as the tears become more intense and I bury my face in my hands. The Moon Goddess may or may not be listening, but I have to think she is. There must still be hope, in my opinion.I mutter, "He’s everything to me," while I cry. "Just give me more time, please. Let him live, please.The length of time I spend kneeling on the chilly floor with my hands clenched together in fervent prayer is unknown to me. The tears soon cease, though, and all that's left in my chest is an empty emptiness.I gently get to my feet, wipe my eyes, and go back to the chair. Luca turns to face me, worry shining in his eyes.He responds, rather quietly, "He’ll pull through," but I can he
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My voice cracks as I whisper, "I'm not losing you." Marco, can you hear me? I won't lose you.His head lolls to the side and his eyelids flutter close without a response."Marco!" I yell and give him a light shake in an attempt to encourage him to open his eyes and stay with me. He doesn't, however, move. I feel as though my heart is being torn apart as his chest rises and falls with feeble breaths."Assist!" My voice is rough with desperation as I shout. "Help, someone, please!"But now that the fight is finished and the enemy has been vanquished, the warehouse is eerily silent. I'm not heard. Nobody shows up.Even if the conflict is finished, the battle for Marco's life has only just begun, I know as I kneel next to him, his blood still soaking through my fingertips. Marco's life is in jeopardy, but Gianni is dead.Furthermore, I'm not sure if I'm strong enough to save him.As we get to the hospital, the world is a blur. I'm sitting in the back seat, holding Marco's head in my lap w
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Every time my heart beats, it serves as a reminder that time is passing. I can't let him go. Not in this manner. Not right now."Hold on," I plead once more, applying more pressure to the cut in an attempt to stop the blood flow. My fingers are numb from the chilly horror that grips me, and my hands shake with the effort. "Just a bit more time, Marco. Please.His eyes awaken and briefly fix themselves on mine. Maybe I'm seeing things, but there seems to be a faint smile. He is making an effort to remain strong and with me. I'm not sure how much longer he can fight, though, because his face is etched with misery.Abruptly, the sound is broken by a piercing scream. I notice Gianni as I look up, and my heart jumps into my throat. His back is against the distant wall as he stands there, his eyes wide with terror. Panic has taken the place of the arrogant look he had when he first entered this warehouse.He is flanked by Luca and a couple of the men from the enemy family. Either Gianni's w
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I see Marco amid the mayhem, firing at Gianni's men with his gun raised, as I peek around the edge of the crates. Beside him, Luca is engaged in combat with a fierceness I have never witnessed. With bodies moving in a haze of carnage and devastation, the warehouse resembles a battlefield.I see Gianni standing close to the rear of the room, his face still arrogant, as though he's taking pleasure in this, and my breath catches in my throat. My heart stops when he lifts his rifle and points it at Marco."No!" I scream, but the commotion drowns out the sound.The bullet just misses Marco by inches as he moves in time, but Gianni's expression indicates that this isn't the end of it. By no means.I hear a cry of pain just when I think it can't be much worse. I turn my head around, trying to find the source of the sound as my blood runs cold.At that moment, I spotted him…Marco….on the ground."No," I say in a whisper that is almost heard over the fighting noises. "No, no, no."Blood is stre
