The thugs moved swiftly at their leader’s order. They began to smash things all over. Camilla was shocked to see her new property being destroyed. Things got messier when one of the customers was being beaten. Others laid down flat and surrendered. The door was closed to the pastry shop, making it hard to escape, and those outside couldn’t help out. If anyone went against the Donatello family, his or her family would be killed. People knew this unwritten rule, and they took their eyes off this injustice. All the police chiefs in the region knew this as well, and they never answered complaints involving the Donatello family.The thugs knew their order, and it was to disrupt the public. They broke all the windows and every other valuable thing. Allen knew this couldn’t continue, and he summoned courage. Only one thug blocked the door leading outside. Allen rushed there and pushed the thug away. He opened the door quickly, but the thugs came at him.He held down the first and second thu
Alessandro looked closely at both Ruby and Camilla. They were two women whom he knew and had a sort of connection with. This connection wasn't ordinary. He knew Ruby had been Camilla’s customer since he met her in front of the bakery the other day.However, he wasn’t expecting to see Ruby with Camilla there when her pastry shop had suffered an attack from thugs.Ruby was the same way. She stood up properly and glanced at Alessandro with her heart pounding hard. She began to think of a suitable explanation, but she knew the implication if Camilla contradicted her."Alessandro,” Ruby hurled in a deep breath.“What are you doing here, Ruby?” Alessandro asked quickly.Camilla stood up and looked at both of them, curiosity swimming in her eyes. She was surprised to know that both of them knew each other.“I… I was, uh,” Ruby stammered. “I was passing by, and I saw the mess, and I had to stop by and comfort her. She looked down and, you know, I can’t stand a depressed person.”Camilla looked
He ended the call with Jax and returned to the restaurant. The ladies stopped talking the moment he came in. Camilla looked calmer than before, so he didn’t bother her. He had to solve things now.“I will have a company come over and sort these things out. You should go home for today, and we will take things from here,” Alessandro offered. Camilla didn’t want him to spend more on her, and she decided to reject him.“No, it’s fine,” Camilla replied. “You did enough with your investment. This should be done. I will clean up the mess, and I will sort myself out. I can’t thank you enough, though.”Alessandro sighed and moved closer to Camilla. He could sense what she was thinking, and he held her hands. Ruby thought she would have a cardiac arrest at this point. She knew Camilla would take Alessandro from her if care wasn’t taken. She had to do something about this.“I know what you are thinking right now,” Alessandro told her calmly. “You must think I shouldn’t be burdened. I would thin
“Don’t bother,” Alessandro said, before Jax used the truth serum. “This is a visible case already, and I do not wish to waste any resources on a truth that is clear to the human eye. The Donatello family had already declared war on my family, and they took their first step already. This is not their first act of terror, but I will use this to declare mine. I will no longer allow them to trample upon me.”“As it should be, boss,” Jax raised his head. He was looking so angry at this moment. Alessandro heaved a sigh and looked at the thugs.“Do away with them!” Alessandro ordered. He went outside while Jax got his gun. He shot every single one of them dead and strode outside to see Alessandro outside.“You have changed, boss,” Jax said carefully. He had been thinking about this for a while, and he ended up raising the topic. “If it was the formal part of you, you would kill those thugs with your own hands. Now, you have gotten too soft. Is it because you have gotten a woman under your sk
Ruby found herself tied against the pole. Some men were walking around, and they paid no attention to her. All she remembered was walking on the road. All of a sudden, she had men behind her, and she felt a handkerchief covering her nose. The rest was blurry. She fell unconscious, and she woke up in this hellish factory.Ruby looked around and tried to see if she would see any familiar features. However, she saw none. She had never been to such a place in her life. One of the men came near her and started to lick his lips.“She is beautiful enough. It is a pity she will need to be killed,” the man said and began to laugh after.“I still think we should ask the boss when he gets back for her. We should all taste what she has got underneath before she is killed. If we don’t take that much, it will be a waste for a lady with such beautiful skin. At least she should enjoy us as well on her way to hell,” another man commented. Most of them began to laugh hard now. Ruby’s heart was pounding
Alessandro was worried, and he didn’t know what he should do now. His uncle, Salvatore, had told him to calm down several times, but it wasn’t working on him. He didn't want an innocent lady dying over what she knew nothing about. Alessandro had already summoned his men, and they had split into searching all the warehouses in the area. If anything bad happened to Ruby, blood would flow in the streets, and most of it would be from the Donatello family. Alessandro had been calm for months, and he seemed to be taken for granted.“It makes no sense!” Alessandro exclaimed. “Those thugs of theirs died from trespassing. If they wanted revenge, our men should be their target. However, they dared to take Ruby and tie her down.”“Your relationship hasn’t been defined, boss,” Jax replied. “I am sure you are nothing but friends with both Ruby and Camilla. You need to make your choice quickly and stop keeping the other one in suspense. I say this for your own peace.”“Now is not the time for th
“Jax sprung into action and went to confront the person who shot the gun. It turned out to be some of Donatello’s family thugs, and they seemed ready to attack. They were six, and they outnumbered Jax, and he couldn’t fight them alone.However, he was not afraid. Every day had always been another survival day, and he was always prepared. The moment the thugs were about to attack, backup came for Jax. The men Salvatore had appointed to watch over Alessandro moved in with their big cars. They hit the thugs, with only one of the thugs unhurt. Jax shot him, and he fell. Those who had been hit by the car were injured, and they were vulnerable. Jax rushed inside to find Alessandro. Meanwhile, Alessandro had an issue with the receptionist. According to hotel standards, it was not acceptable for people other than the police to request log records or check customers' information. Alessandro heaved a sigh and stared at the receptionist.“Bring it out now or else; you are going to find out who
But Ruby didn’t give Alessandro any thinking space. She was angry, and she didn’t hide it for once. She took this as a chance to vent her anger. She knew Alessandro wouldn’t abandon her because of this. He had a soft heart, and, obviously, he could understand a jealous woman.“Talk to me, please!” Ruby screamed. Jax went outside at this point and manned the door. The hospital was still a private one, but the doctors could intend to come in and meet the argument.“Okay, I will.” Alessandro took a deep breath. “You need to understand that I never promised you anything that could drift towards a romantic relationship. Both of us are friends, and nothing is defined. In that case, I don’t think holding Camilla is something I shouldn’t do. Moreover, you didn’t know the situation that warranted me holding her.”Ruby was shocked to hear this. It was at this point she knew she had pushed him too hard. If she went harder here, even their friendship might end. Ruby needed to tread carefully. If
After finishing my meeting with the board of directors of the company I just bought, I called Camilla but she was not picking my calls. That was quite unusual. I called her about five more times but she still didn't pick up. Maybe she was swamped by work. I went back to the mansion after the meeting. After undressing and putting on something more simple I walked straight to my study to do more work. As I sat on the swivel chair in my study I checked my phone.I had missed calls from Santino. He must have been calling to plead for the release of his father and uncle but that is one of the last things I cared about at this moment. I'll make him suffer for his sins. I called Camilla back and she still didn't pick up.I decided to do some work before calling her again. After about one hour of working, I tried her number again. And this time it was not going through at all. I grew restless and worried, so I drove down to the bakery myself. Once I walked in, the store was brewing with a l
It has been four days since we opened the bakery. I had about a hundred thousand dollars sitting pretty in my bank account. Even though the money still belonged to Alessandro I couldn't help the feeling of pride that swelled within me at having that amount of money in my account. The same person who barely had a thousand dollars to her name eight months ago now has about fifty five thousand dollars which Is mine and a total of a hundred thousand dollars in my account. That is growth in my definition. I dreamt sweet dreams with these thoughts in my head. I woke up the next day feeling so fly and happy. Who says money doesn't buy happiness? I felt as though I could buy the world with just fifty five thousand dollars in my name. And people say that money doesn't buy happiness. What would happen when I have a million dollars to my name? I might as well walk on water.I stood from my bed. I put on the sound system and connected it to my phone and began to play music.I swayed my body f
CAMILLA'S POV“Ruby?” I answered with wide eyes.“What is she doing here?” Alessandro asked the question that was in my mind.“I don't know if she had mentioned that she had something to tell me. I guess that's why she is here.” I explained to Alessandro and I saw a frown crease his face. His face became suddenly distant. “Please let her in.” I told clara who immediately left the office. Probably not wanting to be tagged as a gossip, but it was people most likely like her were the greatest gossips of all time.“Why do you look so annoyed? you obviously don't want to see her, what did she do?”“Nothing really.” he shrugged, “I'm just no5 fond of her anymore.”“Does she still stay at your house?” I asked my eyes swimming in curiosity and he grimaced at me.“Gossip,” he teased and inlaughed “Oh please, Alessandro, just tell me. Why are you eating like a Saint now as though you don't ask me personal questions about people too. And by the way this is just my first time.”“I'm just doing
CHAPTER 98CAMILLA POVI winced, snuggling more into the soft pillow. My hands flew to my head immediately when I felt a sharp headache from hell. My head was throbbing so much as though there were invincible hands pressing my head together to squish out juice from it.Even with my heavy eyelid closed I could feel the full sunlight filtering through the curtains into the apartment. The apartment?How did I get to the apartment? I was at the club. Then I left with someone… Jeez. WHO THE HELL DID I LEAVE WITH??The question forced my heavy eyelids Open, sitting up immediately and backing myself against the headboard. I felt a presence beside me and when I looked I saw Alessandro and immediately a sudden calm settled around like a cold blanket of warmth. I hurled in a deep breath, slowly closing my eyes and opening it to catch myself. “Thank God, I wasn't picked up by some psycho.” I looked down at myself and a gasp escaped my lips when I realized I was wearing one of my night wears. Ho
CAMILLA'S POVTears slipped from my eyes immediately as the elevator shut against Alessandro and I let myself collapse to the floor of the elevator as it descended. The cold of the metal floor seeping through my dress, a mirror to the cold world we live in.Loneliness clothed me like a thick cloth. With no one to rest my shoulder and cry on except the one I couldn't let myself go to. He was my only true ally. Ruby was too busy plotting new tricks, and my mother doesn't give a rat's ass if I was dead or alive. Alone. Maybe I was a true workaholic, like Ruby always said. How can a full-grown woman like me not have friends? Could it have been because I didn't go to college?The ding of the elevator pulled me out of my daydream, and I scrambled to my feet immediately so I didn't leave the security personnel wondering if I was mentally stable.Once the elevator opened fully, I trudged out of the elevator into the hallway, where a few couples were dining and laughing. I looked at the main d
“I'm faring well,” she swirled the wine in her glass with fidgety hands. “What about you?”“Bad.” I said, leaning in to the table, and saw her face go blank. She might decide to hide her feelings, but I'm not about to hide mine.“May I know why?” She asked, setting her glass on the table after taking a sip.“Because I missed you.” I told her and saw surprise splash across her face before she masked it in careful indifference.“How did the advertisement for the bakery go?” she asked carefully, and I leaned back on my chair.“Yes, I'm done with it.” I said, taking a quick gulp of my wine to lubricate my dry throat, “We can open tomorrow and start preparing for the next few days and weeks because it will be such an intense period of growth.”“You are so confident in your strategies.” She said, and I smiled, looking up at the dazzling star-filled sky and inhaling a deep breath.“Of course. I have been doing this for years, so I kind of have a knack for things like this. I already know how
ALESSANDRO'S POVWith slouched shoulders, I left the room. With clenched fists I trudged towards the elevator. In as much as my chest weighed heavily with pain, there was a gentle rustling of inner peace I got because I showed her the only skeleton in my cupboard. Maybe I should have told her from the onset and then maybe dhr could have forgiven me since… but now?I just hope she finds a place in her heart to forgive me. I know it is not going to be easy, but I'll wait if I have to. And it would be worth all the waiting. The elevator dinged as we got to the ground floorI entered my car and my driver drove me back to the mansion. The drive to the mansion was a blur, completely consumed by the thoughts of how to amend Camilla's trust in me.Soon we were at the mansion and as soon as I got down from the car, I saw the rugged, burly profile of Jax, who immediately stood at attention, saluting me immediately he saw me. I saluted him back with a smile and he went at ease.“You are Welcome
Another hot tear slipped from my face and I shook my head, “No you have not.” I whispered in a broken voice.“I have never failed you, and I'll not start now. I'll stand with you till the end.” he promised me wiping my tears with his thumb and that only caused more tears to stream from my eyes. A dilemma. Trust the man I've grown to love or trust history that has rarely failed in replicating itself. Could there be a chance that we are the minute one percent that might survive this together?“I'll protect you with my life.” He said in a firm voice and I didn't even have an iota of doubt. I remembered the day he took a bullet for me. Maybe he could protect me.“Alessandro, you need to give me time to think this through.”He drew in a deep breath,“OK. I'll be waiting for your answer.”“Can I go now?” I asked again knowing he would most likely block my path again if I moved.“No. Not yet. I'm currently working on brand awareness and advertising at the bakery before we could open it again.
CAMILLA'S POVAlessandro's face suddenly lost colour when I asked about what he had wanted to tell me. This must be very serious.“Please sit down.” Alessandro gestured that I sit on the three-seater white sofa in the living room. Wary, I sat down carefully and saw a bead of sweat on his forehead as he sat beside me. What was wrong? Why is Alessandro so nervous? That was very unlike him.“I don't know how you are going to take this… but,” Alessandro began speaking in a low voice, “I want you to know that I am very sorry and I didn't plan to hold onto this for long. Please forgive me.” He went down on his knees and I gasped.“Alessandro, you are scaring me. Get up please!” I raised him to his feet but he resisted, “Tell me what is wrong.” I begged.He dragged in a deep breath and spoke, “I'm a mafia.” And I subconsciously Jerked back. His statement ringing like th4 Big Ben in my ear.“What did you say?” I asked again with wide eyes. I couldn't have heard what I heard. There must have b