Chapter 165"WHAT. THE. HELL. IS GOING ON HERE, ROSANA?" Mr. Santos thundered, his eyes blazing with fury.His eyes widened in disbelief, fixing on Rosana cradling Sergio's battered form. The sight was a slap in the face, contradicting everything he had manipulated her to believe. She was supposed to hate him, instead of holding him close. She was supposed to stand by his side, to join him in his quest for retribution, instead of doing the opposite!On hearing her father's voice, blood drained from Rosana's face. With eyes widened in terror, she tightened her grip on Sergio as though her life depended on it. When Mr. Santos saw her actions, his expression darkened into unbridled fury, his eyes blazing as he took a menacing step forward. Before he could get any closer, Federico intervened, positioning himself protectively in front of Rosana. He raised his gun as a silent warning and Mr. Santos halted, his chest heaving with rage. "What is the meaning of this, Federico?" He demanded at
Sergio's limp body was carefully carried into the mansion by Ville and Enzo. They had called a team of skilled Doctors and Nurses who transferred him to a room they had set up. Together, they worked to assess the extent of his injuries.Days passed, and Sergio remained unconscious, his body fighting to heal. The medical team tended to him tirelessly, working to mend his broken bones, tending to his injuries, and alleviating his pain.IV lines dripped vital fluids into his veins, while monitors beeped softly, tracking his vital signs. Nurses rotated shifts, while Rosana, Enzo, and the others kept watch, their faces etched with worry, and their eyes red from lack of sleep. "He is gonna be alright," Enzo said to Rosana after they left the room. "That son of a gun is stronger than you think""He is taking so long, I am afraid...""Nothing to be afraid of, My Lady. The Don is going to return to us" He replied with a smirk. "He does not have a fucking choice, we all need him"As they contin
WARNING: This chapter contains explicit descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some readers. It is not recommended for readers under the age of 18❌🚫Groans and whimpering cries filled the air as the soldiers dragged the broken men across the ground, their bruised and swollen limbs scraping against the stone. As the soldiers positioned them on wooden crosses, their eyes widened in horror, their screams shattering the air. "Per favore, abbiate pietà!" One of them begged, his voice cracking in despair. [Please, have mercy!]The soldiers secured their wrists and ankles with iron clamps, stretching their limbs taut. Enzo watched, unmoved, as the men's cries spiraled into anguished wails, their bodies trembling in terror."You should know the consequences of every fucking betrayal," Enzo said. "Una punizione spietata! [Ruthless retribution!"The sound of hammering echoed through the air as iron nails were driven into flesh and wood. The first strike sent shudders through thei
Chapter 168Fueled by rage, Alberto charged at Enzo who dodged and weaved, avoiding his blows. He landed a series of punches, but Enzo absorbed them, countering with a vicious kick that sent him crashing into a pillar."Oh, come on, is that all you've got?" Enzo asked, approaching him with his fists clenched. "You claim you are more powerful. Fucking show me what you've got. Show your fucking audience what you've got!"Alberto turned to face the audience Enzo referred to—his three new supporters who watched the fight in terror. In a fit of rage, he clenched his fist to strike, but Enzo blocked it, grasping his hand in an iron grip. With a swift twist, Enzo wrenched his wrist backward, exploiting the wound that was still tender from the previous cut he had given to him—a slit on his wrist.Alberto's eyes widened in agony as he felt the flesh around the cut stretch and tear. Blood gushed out, soaking the bandage and staining the surrounding area of his skin. As his grip intensified, wors
The sun beat down on the deserted landscape as the traitors' bodies hung, stretched out, and suspended in a gruesome display on wooden crosses planted in the dry earth. After being nailed inside the warehouse, they had been brought out so everyone could see.The air was heavy with the stench of death, decay, sweat, and fear. Flies buzzed around the wounds, feasting on the festering flesh. Their once-human forms were now twisted and broken, their bodies mingling with dried blood sagging on the cross in a helpless pose. Three of the men were dead while the remaining five silently prayed for death to escape the pain and suffering. The only sounds were the labored gasps and whispers of despair.One man's eyes rolled back, his head lolling to the side, while another's gaze fixed on some distant point, his spirit long gone from his body. A third man's body convulsed, his muscles straining against the nails. A crowd gathered below, their expressions frozen in terror. The crowd's silence was
YEARS AGO•••The sleek, unmistakable lines of a black McLaren, its tires purring with power pulled up in front of the grandest estate in the city. The house was owned by Carlotta, the midwife who had nurtured Alberto's early years. It was a symbol of gratitude, a gift from Alberto. Despite being surrounded by staff and security, Carlotta often complained about the emptiness in the house. Alberto had moved to his own house long ago, but visited regularly, ensuring her company four times in a month. This was one of such occasions.As the car came to a stop, Alberto emerged, his tall and imposing frame unfolding from the driver's seat. Inky dark hair. Piercing eyes. Strong jawline. A face so exquisitely chiseled, it only belonged to one person, Alberto.His muscles rippled beneath the fabric of his neatly tailored, charcoal-gray suit, accentuating his broad shoulders and chiseled physique. A crisp white shirt, adorned with a slim silver tie, added a touch of elegance. As he strode towa
Alberto's grip on the locket tightened as he opened it, his heart racing with anticipation. But what he found inside shook him to his core. Instead of a single picture of the woman Carlotta claimed was his mother, there were two images. The woman's picture remained, but the second one... Alberto's blood drained from his face as he realized it was the same man from the newspapers—the Mafia Lord.Memories flashed back to when Carlotta first showed him the locket years ago. She had used her thumb to cover the second picture, concealing the truth. But why? Why did she lie to him? Why did she hide the Mafia Lord's picture? What connection did she have to him? Had Carlotta been truthful about the locket's origins? Was the woman in the picture really his mother? Still clutching the journal, Alberto immediately opened it to the page where the locket had fallen out. To his surprise, he found additional entries, but they were dated and written in Italian. Fortunately for him, Carlotta had enrol
𝐴𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑙 6𝑡ℎ, 1982𝑇𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑦, 𝐴𝑙𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑠𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠. 𝐼 𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑑 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑐 𝑐𝑎𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡 𝑖𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦. 𝐻𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑠𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑒. 𝐼 𝑓𝑎𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑, 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑.𝑁𝑜𝑤, 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑎𝑠 ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑛𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑦. 𝐻𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑖𝑚.𝑇ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑠ℎ 𝑡𝑟𝑢?
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