Clarissa POV It was incredibly difficult for him to let me go; he had trusted me enough to allow it. It's amusing how just hours ago I was determined to leave him, yet now I found myself promising to return. As much as I hated to admit it, he meant everything to me. I loved him, but the fear of reopening my heart to him was overwhelming. Still, I knew I needed him if I wanted to ensure safety for myself and my son. He drove me back to the forest where Ivan and his men were. As I settled into the car for him to drop me off, he reached out and took my hands. I looked up at him, tears streaming down my face. I sat there, staring blankly ahead, my fingers clutching the seat as the first tear rolled down my cheek. Dominic's gaze remained on me, filled with remorse. When he finally spoke, his voice trembled. "I'm sorry, Clarissa. You're enduring all of this because of me and my mistakes. I've done nothing but ruin your life, and I truly regret it." His hand gently cradled my face,
He regarded me as if I were joking. I could tell he was furious because I had taken the baby from him, but I didn’t feel remorse for taking my son away. I didn’t regret my choice, yet I wasn’t pleased with how things had unfolded either.“Talk? What are you talking about?” he snapped at me.“Vincent, you conspired with him, right?” I asked, and he narrowed his eyes on me.“We spoke a few times, and that’s all. He’s just a fool who seeks to…” he trailed off as the door opened, and we both turned to see who entered. It was one of the men.“Boss, there’s someone you would love to meet,” the man said.“Tell the bastard to…” he froze, and so did I, when Harper walked into the room. As soon as she entered, her eyes landed on me, widening in surprise, and I understood why.It seemed I had gotten to her before she arrived, and just as I suspected, she was here because she knew Ivan was the only one who could give her what she wanted, and I was right about that.As she stepped in, one of the m
I could sense the oppressive weight of her silence, thick and stifling. It was enough confirmation, and it sent chills down my spine."You didn’t tell him," I murmured, more to myself than to her. "You allowed him to think this was merely a petty rivalry. You let him believe you were just settling a score, Harper. You made him think Dominic and Vincent needed to be eliminated, right?" I questioned her.She remained turned away, her shoulders hunched as if trying to disappear. But it was too late for her to conceal herself now."This isn’t about revenge, is it?" I inquired, stepping closer. "This is about control. You believe that if you can eliminate your problems, if you can take down Dominic and Vincent, you’ll be free. But you don’t care what that costs me, do you?" I pressed her.Her head snapped around, her eyes wide with disbelief. "That’s not true!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. "I do care! I care about you, about your son! I’m doing this for you, can’t you see that?" she
Harper glared at me, silently urging me to stay quiet, but I understood that he needed to be informed.I came here not only for my son but also to change Ivan's perspective on his quest for revenge against Dominic. Vincent was cunning and intelligent, wielding a significant amount of power, just as I had anticipated.I was unaware of the extent of his power accumulated over the years, as both Ivan and Dominic were locked in their rivalry. What hidden schemes had he devised to achieve his goals?He was determined to become the Don, more resolute than ever, and for the first time, I felt a sense of fear regarding his capabilities. There was no way to eliminate him while Ivan and Dominic were preoccupied with their conflict."What do I deserve to know?" Ivan inquired again, and I took a step closer."I need you to hear me out. You've been deceived from the start, and it's far more complex than you realize," I stated, and he regarded me with raised eyebrows, urging me to continue."No, do
I was right, he wasn't going to let me go that easily.His hatred for dominic ran deeper then I had expected, comprehended, I thought when once I had told him he was being played by them he would change his mind concerning fighting dominic and maybe they could sort out their difference.The door opened and Harper stepped in, seeing her made me mad with rage, and for the first time I seriously hated her.I walked passed her in an attempt to reach out to my son, but her words cut me off“It for your own good” she breathed out and I signed as I turned to look at her.How dare her?How she wanted to tell me what was for my own good after she took away everything From me.“Stay away from my son, and my life, you have done much hate then good to me, and don't you dare try to tell me what’s for my own good and what's not, you lost that privilege”I said her eyes widen as she was shocked my my change of mood but I didn't care.I walked out of the room, as I looked everywhere to find my son,
I watched Dominic as he held our son, his face tight with concentration, eyes focused as if memorizing every inch of our boy's tiny features. I could see the effort he put into keeping himself together; after all, this was the first time he was meeting his son. My heart clenched as I felt the weight of that moment, and suddenly, it felt like time stopped."What’s his name?" Dominic’s voice, quiet yet edged with a tremor, pulled me back into reality. I hesitated. "I… I never got to name him. Ivan called him something…” My voice trailed off as I saw Dominic’s expression shift into a scowl, a deep crease forming between his brows.“I don’t want to know what he named my son,” he interrupted, his voice firm. “I’ll call him Leonardo.”Leonardo. I let the name settle in my mind. It had weight, grace. It was… beautiful. I nodded, a soft smile tugging at my lips. “That’s a beautiful name.”“It sure is,” he murmured, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes as he looked down at our son.As we drove
Dominic’s grip tightened around Leonardo as Vincent entered, that familiar look of smug satisfaction plastered across his face. My heart skipped a beat, the sight of him stirring a mix of fear and anger deep within me. His gaze moved over the room, landing on Dominic with a calculated smirk.I knew it, I knew it was him from the beginning, he was the one who set up the elders against Dominic, he did this, to show that Dominic isn't worthy to be the Don, so he could snatch power from him.The mafia elders consisted of ten mafia families who all came together to form the Italian mafia, and Dominic was the DOn."Vincent," Dominic spat, barely containing the rage simmering beneath his controlled exterior.“Surprised to see me?” Vincent asked, his tone mockingly polite. His eyes slid to me, lingering just a little too long, and I instinctively stepped closer to Dominic, feeling the need to shield both myself and our son.Dominic’s jaw clenched, his voice a low, dangerous murmur. "What are
Dominic POVI have never known what betrayal is. I watched my father rule all his life, and thought it would be so easy.My father was a wreck man, easily influenced by the men around him, the mafia elders, they were the pillars of the mafia, and everything more, the mafia wouldn't exist without these families. Growing up, I never knew of Vincent's resentment towards me, he was after all the odd one among us, we were all raised together, Ivan, Vincent and me.I was never close to Vincent, he was after all the mysterious one among us all, he had always loved to be behind the spotlight, and alone.His father was killed by the mafia when I was twelve, I watched it happened, he was a rapist, killer, and a powerful drugs lord, my father loving his brother so much had away ignored his wayward lifestyle, but when it his greed grew and he tried to kill me and my father, the mafia had no other option but to kill him.I never knew vincent resented me, so much, and honest , I didn't care, after
She was correct. I was his vulnerability; everything that transpired with Dominic stemmed from me. How had I failed to recognize it? His love for me nearly shattered him. He was a proud man, unwilling to acknowledge it, yet I had been the one to ruin him.The morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting soft rays across the room. I lingered in bed longer than usual, my body feeling heavy and reluctant to rise.Meanwhile, Dominic had spent the night in Camila’s room. I could hear her cries of ecstasy echoing through the walls, and all I could do was weep into my pillow.Leo nestled closely in my arms, his gentle breathing creating a soothing rhythm against my chest. The thought of leaving him alone in his room, fearing he might be taken from me again, was unbearable; I couldn't let him out of my sight.A sudden knock at the door jolted me. I sighed, shifting slightly without disturbing him."Come in," I called softly, pulling Leo closer.The door creaked open, re
I turned abruptly, my body instinctively orienting toward her.I wasn’t sure what I anticipated—surprise, anger, disgust—but what I received was far worse. Camila’s eyes widened, her pupils nearly engulfed by the intensity of what she was witnessing.Then the horror struck. Pure, visceral horror twisted her features as if she had been hit.Her voice sliced through the tension like a whip.“You… How could you do this?” she shouted.I stood frozen, my feet glued to the spot. Her voice echoed, and I could sense the pain lacing her words.Before I could respond, before I could even process what was happening, Dominic moved. In one smooth motion, he stepped in front of me, shielding me with his presence.“There’s no need to react or be dramatic,” he stated firmly. His tone was calm, yet the authority behind it made me flinch.Camila threw her head back and laughed, the sound sharp and piercing, as if ridiculing us both. Her laughter ceased abruptly, and when she turned to Dominic, her expr
There was no safety, no safety at all while Vincent and Ivan were out there.We worked tirelessly to find Vincent, but we weren't even close. Then, after three days, we received an unwelcome visitor.Harper just showed up at the mansion and wanted to talk. I didn't want to engage with her because of how she had treated and humiliated me countless times, but I couldn't turn her away.I walked into the courtyard where she sat, staring into space, and I could barely recognize her. Her hair was cut short, and she looked pale—too pale—and a bit thin.I stood there for more than a minute until her eyes fell on me. Then she smiled. I couldn't tell if it was genuine, but I knew she was trying to be friendly, which didn't sit well with me. I hadn't seen her for months, and honestly, I had never thought of her after all the harm she had caused me and our family.“Eve…” she stood up, calling me by my old name. I looked back at her with a poker face that revealed no emotions. I couldn't speak, no
Charissa povI followed him into his office, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched his broad shoulders tense. He didn’t say a word as he entered, leaving the door open just long enough for me to step through before he shut it firmly behind me. The sound of the latch clicking into place echoed in the silence, making me flinch.For a second, I stood frozen, unsure of what was about to happen. I thought he was going to yell at me. Maybe he would tell me how reckless I had been, how my actions had put us in even more danger. His silence only made it worse; the weight of it pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.But then, before I could say a word, he turned and pulled me into his arms. His embrace caught me off guard. I stiffened, my body unsure how to respond, but his arms tightened around me, holding me close, and gradually, I melted into him. I could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my back, and it was strangely soothing. “Dominic,” I whispered, my voic
I felt a little oppressed, to be sincere but that didn't stop me, three people had died last night and one of them was more than a sister to me ,and i wanted to see their death avenge by the man that killed then , nad the least thing i wanted was camilla adding him get away.Vincent was a nightmare and monster and he has caused me a lot of pain and sorrow, and more than anything I wanted him to pay for what he had done.I clenched my fists at my sides, my jaw tight. “I don’t have proof,” I admitted. “But I know she did it. She left last night, Vincent disappeared, and now she’s back like nothing happened? It doesn’t add up.”i said looking right into valentina eyes even though she was glaring daggers at me, i didn't care.Valentina’s lips curled into a sneer. “And who are you to make such accusations, hmm? You’re no one,Clarissa. Just the ex-wife of the Don. You hold no rank here, no authority. You should count yourself lucky that Dominic even lets you stay under his roof.”she snapped
Charissa POVIt didn’t make sense. One minute he was there, and the next, it was as though he’d evaporated into the air. All night we had searched everywhere, but there were no traces of him. I stood in the corner of Dominic’s office, disoriented, clutching the edge of the desk for support. The room spun with the weight of realization: Vincent had escaped. And worse, he was free. After all the pain and suffering he had caused it hurt knowing he was finlaly free.The pain of it twisted my chest. The bastard was out there, walking away from everything he’d done, while we were left scrambling like fools in his wake. Dominic didn’t take it well either,he never did when things spun out of his control. All night long, he’d been shouting orders, barking at his men to search every inch of the property. But it was useless. The house was upended,closets emptied, floors torn apart, drawers overturned—and still, there was no sign of him.I sat there in silence as one of Dominic’s men stepped
Third Pov“What do you want?”she asked him and he grin, finally geting the reaction he had wanted.“I need you to help me now, dominic cant find me, if you hide me, i cnat walked out cheerfully out of the gates, but you can aid me”he said.Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t deny it. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Vincent. What makes you think I’d risk my position to help you?” she asked him.Vincent leaned against the wall, his confidence unwavering. “Because I can help *you*. You want Dominic’s attention, don’t you? Want him to stop pining after Carissa and focus on you for once?” he said, uing his favioute tricks which neveeed failed him.That was how he had always got what he wanted, by using peoples want and needs to get them to aid him,or fall for his games.Camila’s expression faltered, just for a moment. But it was enough. Vincent knew he’d hit a nerve. “And how exactly do you plan to do that?” she asked, stepping closer to him. Her tone was skeptical, but curiosity flickere
Vincent moved with calculated precision the moment the gun went off in his hand. His body slipped into the darkness, quick and silent, as the sound of footsteps thundered down the hall. He pressed himself against the cold stonewall of the cells corridor, eyes sharp, watching as Dominic and his men sprinted past him, guns drawn and rage palpable in the air. The chaos his gunshot had caused was his opening, and he wasn’t about to waste it. Yet he knew this place like the back of his hand. He’d grown up within these walls, surrounded by secrets, blood, and betrayal. He understood the mansion’s defenses better than anyone. The guards, the locks, the escape routes,Dominic had fortified it over the years, making it nearly impenetrable. Escaping unnoticed would be impossible. But Vincent didn’t plan to slip out the gate unnoticed. He smirked to himself, the gun still warm in his grip. If he couldn’t run, he’d make himself a problem Dominic couldn’t ignore. He moved through the shadows
I pulled up in front of Dominic’s gate, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. My heart was hammering in my chest as I glanced at the dashboard clock. How long has it been? An hour? Two? I couldn’t think straight. All I knew was she’d left home and I knew so well she was coming here. A million worst-case scenarios raced through my mind. I prayed I wasn’t too late. The gate creaked open as soon as the guards saw it was me. Without hesitation, I drove in fast, tires screeching slightly as I swerved into the garage. Throwing the car into park, I jumped out and barked at one of the men standing nearby. “Wake the boss! We have a breach!” My voice was sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. The man nodded and turned to leave, but before he could take a step, the sound of gunfire shattered the tense silence. My stomach dropped. Two gunshots. My body froze for a split second, but then instinct kicked in, and I bolted toward the entrance to the u