"Do you like my surprise, Amore mio?"Rosana was speechless. She couldn't accept any of it. This isn't real, she kept telling herself. Her Allen was in California, probably at work or home. This person sitting right here and looking lifeless wasn't Allen. It couldn't be him."Allen... Allen!!!" She rushed over and tried to save him but she couldn't. The ropes were too tight. "Allen, it's me. It's your Rose. Please wake up!"She cupped his face in her palms and sobbed quietly. She still couldn't believe any of it was real. Her Allen being tied up, the bruises, the blood... She couldn't believe any of it.Standing to her feet, she turned to face Sergio who had been quiet the whole time. Her eyes were red and filled with so much hatred. "What did you do to him, you shameless monster?""Take these robes off him. Let him go, please!""And why should I?" Sergio asked and walked further into the room with both hands tucked inside his trouser pocket. "I just want to know the man you love so mu
"Rosana!" Munika called out with a fake smile. She was surprised to see her approaching them quietly. "Sei bellissima" [You look so beautiful!]"Grazie!" Rosana was dressed in a long black slitted gown that hugged her body perfectly. Her blonde hair was neatly tied to the back, giving her a beautiful look. "Let's go!" She took a deep breath and walked over to him. When she noticed him staring at her with dark metallic eyes, she shivered. Why was he looking at her that way? She wondered. Was her look not up to his taste? She had not even applied so much makeup. A little powder, eyeshadow, mascara, and red lipstick were all she used for the night. But with the way Sergio was staring at her, she had the urge to run up to her room and wipe everything off.Why did she even wear make-up? It's not like she was going on a date with Allen or attending a party. She was going out with Sergio, a man who was more than a devil. A man who could kill without second thoughts or any emotions."Ro?"
Rosana moaned low in her throat and turned on the bed only to meet another body lying beside her. She smiled in her sleep and gently placed her hand on Sergio's hard chest, caressing him.She could still feel the distance between them so she inched closer and flattened her hand on his chest. Slowly, she lowered it to his stomach and grazed his abs and biceps with her fingertips. His body felt so... Perfect, she thought in her sleep.But Allen's body had never been like that.He didn't have a hard chest or biceps and abs and stomach muscles. He never considered workouts so he was plain. But he was still very much handsome and she loved him that way although she wished he had the body of most male models she saw on television and in magazines. She kept lowering her hand, knowing how much Allen loved waking up to her touches. When she reached his crotch, she palmed him through the fabric of his trousers, running her palm over his length, from tip to base. She moved her hand upwards and
After breakfast, Rosana retreated to her room, wondering what suddenly changed with Sergio. He took her out for dinner, shared the same bed with her, and also had breakfast with her. Was it a coincidence that it all happened after he forced her to end things with Allen? That monster, she huffed and went to stand in front of the window. How could he start acting nice toward her after he had crushed her world? Not only her world, hers and Allen's. They were going to have a better future together not until he came and blew everything away. Her mind drifted to Allen and she sighed despondently. Without being told, she knew he was so miserable. They had made so many promises to each other but she ended up breaking hers. "My Lady?" Carmencita called out from behind and Rosana turned immediately. She had called for the older woman. "Oh, Carmen, you are here!" "I told you I will be here whenever you need me" Rosana smiled and went to sit on the bed. She was glad to finally have someone t
> Rosana sat on the cold floor, barely able to move. She felt numb and her limbs were heavy. When the cold air hit her lungs, it felt like she was breathing in knives. A sense of dread and hopelessness filled her. She was never going to survive this, she was going to die. Her fingers and toes were the first to become frozen. She couldn't tell how long she had been stuck in there but she knew it was a very long time. Long enough for her heartbeat to slow down. There were three other people in the room but two had been frozen to death. She knew this because they weren't trembling and didn't move either. They just remained on the floor, curled up like a fetus. Over the past four hours, Rosana had gone from crying and shivering to her skin becoming very cold. It began to burn, and slowly she could feel her blood starting to freeze. Her lips turned blue and her whole face felt like they poured lava over it, and then stabbed it with a thousand knives. "Goodness!"
"Remember, he likes it hot," Munika reminded as they walked through the hallway together. "And do not forget to add all the powder too" "But... Why do I have to add all of it? It will be too much for him" Munika chuckled lightly. "Nothing can be too much for Sergio. But it will be enough to blow him out" Rosana nodded and turned the corner, heading towards the kitchen. She was holding the small wrap in her hand, trembling. What if everything goes wrong? What will happen to her? What will Sergio's reactions be? Nothing good, she concluded. After Munika left her room the previous night, she had laid back, thinking everything through. If the plan worked, she'd be free. But if it didn't... She'll be so doomed. He would kill her this time without any mercy or second thoughts. But she could still back away now it wasn't too late. She could turn around, go back to Munika and return whatever she had given to her. Then she'd go back to her room and stay indoors like she always has since sh
"Water... Water...!" Rosana cried and tried to raise her body from the floor. She was in a room covered in white. The walls, floor, and ceiling, as well as her clothes. She was deprived of all colors. For Three days, she was imprisoned without food and water. The only thing she could remember was being caught by Sergio's men. She had screamed, cried, and fought hard but that didn't stop them from dragging her back here. She was thrown into the white room. A cell that was soundproofed, and void of any sound, voices, or social interaction. She could not hear anything but herself. "Somebody... Help... Please..." "Sergio... Please..." "Please... Get me out of here!" She had not seen the outside world for three days. No one came to visit her, including Sergio or Munika. Well, what did she expect after adding an unknown powder to his coffee? What did she expect after trying to escape his claws? That was the greatest mistake she had made. One she regretted over the past three days. She
"You should get rid of her sooner, you cannot trust her. With what she did, she is capable of doing anything. Lei può distruggerti!" [She can destroy you!]Sergio turned around to face her. His right hand held a glass of gin, while his left was behind his back. He took a sip from the glass, his metallic eyes pinned on her. He didn't utter a word but she already felt goosebumps across her skin.Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself, wondering why he was staring at her that way. Did Rosana tell him the truth? She wondered. Or did he find out that she was the one behind everything?The thought of that made her tremble but she managed to keep a calm facade. She had to act strong and be ready to deny whatever he was going to throw her way. Besides, she wasn't the one that added sedatives to his coffee and tried to escape. Sergio stared intently at her, his gaze sharpening. It was the same way he looked at powerful men and caused them to tremble at his feet without words. He didn'
Enzo's mind reeled, struggling to process the revelation. The past and present collided, threatening to upend everything—the secrets she'd kept, the lies she'd told, and the truths she'd hidden, partially exposed. What more could she have hidden from him?Rio, oblivious to the turmoil raging within Enzo, happily jumped up from his seat. "Catch me if you can!" Then, he ran off.Enzo, familiar with the game, stood up and ran after him, trying to catch him. The sun-drenched playground echoed with Rio's laughter as they chased after each other. Suddenly, Rio's eyes sparkled with excitement, and he waved enthusiastically."Mammà! My Mammà is here!" As Enzo's gaze followed him, his blood ran cold. Frozen in place, he watched as Lucretia walked towards the playground, her strides elegant, as always. She scanned the playground and once she found Rio, she smiled softly. "There you are!" The boy sprinted toward her with a ball in hand. "Mammà, come see! I made a new friend, he saved me from
Rio stepped out of the room, his small frame trembling. He had watched the scene unfold through the window and though he hadn't seen everything, he knew the unknown man had saved him. He had defeated the bad man who now lay motionless on the ground.Enzo, sensing his presence, shifted his gaze from the lifeless man. His eyes locked on Rio and for a moment, he froze. Those eyes... They were identical to Lucretia's, deep green.His expression faltered as a flicker of emotion crossed his face. The resemblance was uncanny—the same deep green that had haunted him for months. Memories came flooding back, but he locked them away and hardened his expression."Are you okay?" He asked and Rio nodded, taking small steps forward. "You should not be out here""Yes. Nana Silvana said to stay inside, but then, the bad man came." Nana Silvana? Enzo had thought the woman was the boy's mother. "You are safe now.""And the... And the bad man?"Enzo's expression softened. "He will never harm you again,
"Once I'm gone, lock the door from the inside," Silvana instructed Rio, her expression serious. "Do not go outside. Do you understand?""Yes, Nana." He nodded solemnly."Remember, do not open the door for anyone except your Mammà or me." "Yes, Nana," Rio replied, his brows furrowed with concern. "Is Mammà alright? I saw bruises on her face this morning"Silvana's face softened. Despite Lucretia's attempt to hide from the boy, he had noticed the bruises anyway. "She is... alright, dear, you do not have to worry about her. That is why you must stay safe inside and keep the door locked. I will be back in no time"With a reassuring smile, Silvana departed and Rio obediently did as instructed, his mind filled with worry. His mother's changed behavior troubled him and the fact that she wasn't herself anymore. The past few months had been filled with hushed conversations between Aunt Silvana and his mother who often whispered of "Paying the price" and that "He's coming for her." Rio could
NEXT MORNING~Lucretia stood at her kitchen sink, bracing herself against the cool countertop. The trembling of her hands subsided slowly as she gripped the edge of the sink, her head bowed in exhaustion. She couldn't sleep the whole night as the image of the men who had attacked her kept flashing in her mind, including the mysterious man who had saved her. Her thoughts swirled, reliving the terror of the alley. Each memory triggered a fresh wave of fear that made her stomach churn. She retched, but nothing came up. Her fingers instinctively went to the tender skin of her neck where Domingo had gripped her and she winced at the haunting memories it brought back.Enzo should've killed her at once, instead of letting her live. She had felt the life draining out of her when he encircled his fingers on her throat, but then his hands had fallen limp as he slipped away.Attempting to calm her racing heart, she forced herself to breathe deeply. If not for the mysterious stranger, she'd be g
"No, it isn't!" Lucretia gritted and darted towards the narrow gap between two dumpsters. Before she could make it through, she was grasped by the hair and tossed harshly to the ground."Always thinking you're fucking smart" Domingo laughed and walked over to where she was now struggling to raise herself from the ground. He crouched in front of her and grasped her hair, pulling her head backward so she was now looking into his face."But you're not!" He added and landed a hard slap on her face that sent her back to the ground."What the fuck do you want from me?!?""From you? Oh, everything!" He replied languidly and grasped hair one more time."Why? I did as you fucking asked!""That's what I thought. Until I found out the mission was unsuccessful, you fucking failed" He responded and smacked her on the cheek once more. "And he is alive!"Lucretia spat our blood as she struggled to get up from the ground. "He's fucking dead, I saw it, you saw it. Unless you were fucking blind"Domin
The leather strap cracked against Alberto's back, the sound echoing through the room. His cries were all that was heard, his pleas for mercy drowned out by the relentless cracking of the belt. "You should have taken the throne," Sergio repeated, each word punctuated by another strike. His expression remained impassive, his eyes glinting with cold intensity.In rapt silence, the men who had been ordered out of the meeting room and the soldiers watched, witnessing Alberto's public downfall. They all knew Sergio was merely toying with him. An actual fight would've ended in minutes, with Alberto broken and covered in bruises. But instead of using his fists, the Don had chosen to wield his belt as a tool of discipline.The measured strikes, the steady pace, and Sergio's unruffled demeanor served as a potent reminder of his unshakable power and authority. This wasn't about vengeance, neither was it a punishment. It was a deliberate showcase of his supremacy."Please... forgive me! I am you
•••TWO WEEKS LATER••• ☠️🏴☠️THE CAPITAL🏴☠️☠️The door to the meeting room swung open, and Sergio walked in, his presence grasping attention. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his shirt crisp and white, his tie knotted to perfection. But it wasn't his impeccable attire that drew the eye. It was the cold aura that swirled around him like a dark cloud.As he entered, the room seemed to grow colder, the air thickening with an almost discernable sense of fear. The mafia members, dressed in tailored suits, felt a shiver run down their spines as their hearts raced in unison.Hastily, they scrambled to their feet with their heads bowed in terror and their eyes fixed on the floor. Not a sound was made and not a muscle twitched, as they froze in place. Sergio's gaze swept the room, his eyes lingering on each member. His face remained calm, but his eyes burned with an icy intensity that seemed to pierce the very souls of those before him.With deliberate slowness, he made
"It's a miracle!" The Doctor exclaimed, snapping him out of his thoughts. "The Don is awake, and we owe it to these two little champions"A sudden shiver ran down his spine, as though a cold breeze had swept through the room. But it wasn't the temperature that caused the shiver—it was the unmistakable sensation of being watched.He could feel a pair of eyes digging into his back, boring into his skin. The sensation was familiar, yet it sent a trail of shivers down his spine. Without turning around, Sergio listened to the Doctor who continued talking. As Sergio finally turned to face the room, his breath hitched in his throat. His eyes locked onto Rosana's, and time seemed to stand still. She was standing just a few feet away, her teary blue eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made his heart skip a beat. The children were with her, but his gaze was drawn only to Rosana—his Bambolina.In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the questions, not the doubts, not the fears. All that
In the depths of Sergio's subconscious, he had heard a faint whisper that echoed through the darkness. It was a soft, insistent voice, a gentle tug on the seams of his mind."Papà!""Daddy, wake up!" "We want you to eat lunch with us!"The voice was like a ray of sunlight, piercing the fog that shrouded his awareness. His subconscious stirred, ever so slightly, as the twins' words resonated deep within him. The voice grew louder, urgent, and more like a chorus."Please, Daddy, wake up! We miss you! We miss sharing your favorite sandwich with you!"Sergio's subconscious began to stir, like a sleeping giant awakening from a deep slumber. Memories of laughter, sunny days, and family meals together began to surface, tantalizingly out of reach.The twins' voices grew more insistent, piercing the veil of his unconsciousness. "Daddy, we love you! Come back to us!"At that moment, something shifted deep within his mind. A spark of recognition. As he slowly emerged from the darkness, it felt