Life is like a roller coaster of unexpected changes, you never know when it will hit you or when it will take over you, at this point, I feel like it had just hit me and is about to take over me but I won't let that happen. Life has done me a lot of bad, it's time I take control and decide on what it cannot do to me."Youโre not listening to me, Delilah. This is madness. You canโt lock the place down with a bunch of mafia inside. Are you trying to make more enemies for yourself?" Alex's voice is filled with concern and disbelief as he challenges my actions, warning me of the risks involved."Iโm trying to find my dad," I assert, my determination unwavering."I understand that, but this approach won't lead you to him. You need to be smart about this," he insists, his tone firm."I am being smart!"Shaking his head, Alex persists, "No, youโre not. This isn't a smart move; it is dumbโฆ youโre being dumb!""Dumb?" I question, my eyebrow raised in skepticism.Alex sighs heartily, his voice
I cannot sleep! I didnโt even try to sleep.I didnโt want to sleep. All I wanted and could think about is how to find my dad because I am going crazy and itโs only a matter of time before I actually get crazy. My mind is going a mile a minute and my heart is numb, I cannot feel or do anything, everything around me is dense and I just cannot think straight. I need to find dad and I need to make sure heโs alright.I have lived the majority of my years thinking that my father was dead, I had normalized that thought even though it was never something I liked but after I found him and had been with him for two years, I realized how much I was missing out on and how much my life needed that bright light he shines. My father is my forever guy and I need him in my life, I canโt lose him twiceโฆ.. I just canโt.I have been on the computer for hours, watching the CCTV footage trying not to miss out on anything but it seems like there isnโt really anything to miss out on. Everything seems to be
I wish I had listened to Dad. He always told me that we have enemies and we need to keep it low but I didnโt listen, I did what my mind told me to do and I let him down. I am the reason for his distress once more. I should have known better, I should have protected him like he always does for me. I insert the flash drive into the system, initiating the upload of the footage. It progresses halfway when a knock on the door interrupts me. "Come in," I call out. In walks Kai, balancing a plate with a grilled cheese sandwich. "Kylie mentioned you missed breakfast, so I brought this for you," he says, approaching me with a warm smile."Thatโs sweet of you I'm really not hungry," I protest.He pauses, his gaze shifting to my rumbling stomach. "Your stomach seems to disagree," he remarks."Okay, I'm hungry, but I just don't feel like eating," I admit reluctantly."You've got to eat; otherwise, this might turn into an investigation about you fainting from hunger," Kai warns, a playful tone in
Shifting my gaze from the screen, I assert, "This isn't a kidnap case Kai, itโs a whole damn revenge plot and I think I know what is about."My heart crumbles into pieces as I try to make sense of the scene before me. How did I not think about this sooner? I let him find me, of course, he will plot revenge, he will do anything just so I could get hurt again. I should have known. Kai's voice drops instantly, and it's clear he's struggling to follow my train of thought. "What are you saying?" he asks, his confusion palpable.I point at the screen, and a surge of realization hit me. "I know whose hand it is.""Who is it?" he prods."It's Richie.""What!" he exclaims, disbelief coloring his tone. "Richie as in Richard Maranzano?"My eyes remain fixed on the screen as I confirm with a nod."But how? He wasn't even invited.""Yet he managed to slip in unnoticed, evading the cameras," I reveal. He is so snarky, I am still in disbelief of this, after everything he still had to guts to come t
Once we arrive, I rush out of the car and walk over to the front door. I knock and impatiently wait for someone to answer. I know I'm walking into the lion's den, but I don't care right now. All I care about is satisfying this anxious feeling deep within me. I need to find dad and make sure that heโs okay. Richie is capable of anything and god knows what he did or is about to do to my dad. I cannot imagine how much evil is in that manโs heart. Heโs done a lot but I think itโs time for him to hold onto his evil mind because I do not play when it comes to my father.Waiting for the door to be open, I could feel my heart beating out of my rib cage, I couldnโt believe that Iโm standing in front of Richieโs house, the same man I walked away from two years ago. I hate to see Richie by my side, it really hurts my heart but today I have no other choice. He took my dad and I have to get my father back. I need to do that. As I wait, I begin to tap my feet on the ground as I turn back to see Kai
His words reverberate through my mind like a relentless drumbeat, leaving me staring at him in utter shock. It's a recurring pattern - always papa. I should have seen this coming, Richie is just a puppet of Papa, heโs always been.Full of disbelief I question "Papa?" I couldnโt help but scoff immediately "I didnโt know youโre still Papaโs puppet, doing whatever Papa wants, whenever Papa wants. You never seem to have a mind of your own, Richie.""Thatโs not what I meant Rach." He says"Then what did you mean? That itโs all Papaโs fault or that you didnโt even know about the whole thing? Perhaps when kidnapping my dad papa didnโt tell you a thing about it did he?" I question knowing very well that Richie does whatever Papa wants without even asking any questions. Heโs just like a puppet, papa walks him through all day long. "I meant that Papa did nothing, although he was at the party." He says My eyes bulge as my heart dropped. "He was at the party?" I find myself whispering. I am in
I turn to leave, only to freeze in place as Richie utters, "You might want to know this. That night, Ezra wasnโt the only one who went missingโฆ Papa is missing too." His word hangs heavy in the air making my heart ponder in my chest. I turn to look at him "What do you mean heโs missing?""He never came back from the party. I looked everywhere, I searched everywhere but Papa wasnโt there." He says "Are you serious right now?" I askHe nods "Yes.""Ohh, well Iโฆ." Before I could finish the sentence, Kai interjects "Itโs none of our business. Your Papa or whatever the hell you call him is missing, thatโs not on us. Itโs on you so fix your shit alone!"Richieโs furrows, his jaw clenches as his breath drops "Say one more thing and I promise youโll hate the rest of your life."Richie is not someone that threatens so I can tell that heโs upset, though I donโt speak in their matters "I wish I could say that to you but youโre already hating yourself." Kai says Richie looks like heโs about to
All I ever wanted was to celebrate my dad and make him feel acknowledged. For the past years and even years before Dad had done many greats for people, heโs a warrior, a fighter, and maybe even the only Mafia king in history to have survived ten years in his enemyโs captive. Dad has done a lot for me and I just wanted to give back the good but unfortunately, I couldnโt. I made everything worse and now Dad is in a tight spot because of me. I screwed up my own dadโs life and I have to do whatever it is to fix it. I push the chair back as I stand up from my seat and walk to the window. I have been harboring these CCTV cameras for hours trying to figure out any clues or leads. The blurry footage loops endlessly, a frustrating reminder of how elusive redemption seems. Nothing is working out right now, I have done so many things, I went through the guest list again, I dug through Dadโs stuff to see if I could find something, I even made a list of people that hate my dad and went through ea
~ RICHIEโS POVWatching her sleep is something I would never forsake- I love it. I think of it as a small bonus from having the best night and the best sleep then you wake up to watch the best woman in your life sleep- It feels like a bonus to me. A sweet, sexy bonus.As I keep watching Rachel sleep, I canโt help but smile. Her peaceful expression makes my heart swell with love. I really love her and I love that I get to spend my days with her but thatโs not all I want. I want to spend the rest of my life with her and I want her to always be there with me. The thought of having Rachel all to myself for life fills me with excitement. I wish I could just marry her right now and make her mine forever. That idea strikes me like a bolt of lightning, and I canโt help but wonder if I should really consider proposing. Sure, it feels a bit soon, but whatโs the point of being together if itโs not to build a future and spend the rest of our lives together?My thoughts come to a gentle stop when
After dinner, Richie and I walk them out of the house, exchanging warm goodbyes and promises to get together again soon. As we close the door behind them, I feel a sense of satisfaction from the evening. Just as Iโm about to head to the dining area to tackle the mountain of plates, Richie suddenly grabs my hand, pulling me closer to him. He wraps his arms around me from behind, planting soft kisses along my neck. "Youโre not going anywhere," he whispers, his breath sending shivers down my spine as he kisses my neck again."The dishes wonโt wash themselves, you know," I tease, trying to keep the mood light.He chuckles softly, his voice low and playful. "The dishes can wait, but I canโt." With that, he turns me around, and I find myself gazing into his eyes, which sparkle with mischief. He smiles, leaning in closer, and presses his lips against mine with a tenderness that feels electric. Itโs soft and delicate, like the flutter of butterfly wings, lingering just long enough for me to i
It had been two weeks since Richie and I got together, and every single moment felt like pure bliss. I absolutely loved having him around; it seemed like every second was filled with joy and warmth. There was nothing that could make my life better than that. The peace and happiness I found in our relationship were incredible, and I could see that he was just as happy too. It felt like we had created our own little paradise together.After we decided to let go of everything that was weighing us down, we also made the choice to part ways with the diamonds. They couldnโt be destroyed, but they could definitely be hidden, and we made sure they were tucked away safely so they wouldnโt complicate our lives. I didnโt want anything causing drama or risking the relationships with the people I cared about most. It was high time I focused on living a good life, free of worries, and just enjoyed the love I had with Richie.At that moment, I was in the kitchen preparing a warm dinner for my guests
Iโve never felt as scared as I am right now. Seeing a box filled with my things shatters my heart. It feels like Richie has intentionally packed my belongings, wanting to cut me out of his life completely. He doesnโt need me anymore. I know what it means when someone puts the otherโs things in a boxโthey want to get rid of them, and itโs clear he doesnโt love me anymore. Tears well up in my eyes as my heart pounds heavily in my chest. I canโt understand why Richie is doing this, why he wants me gone. With my eyes brimming with tears, I glance at the letter. I open it, and my heart sinks. As I read each word, the pounding in my chest intensifies. The pain is overwhelming, and I canโt wrap my head around it. Why is this happening? Each line leaves me with more questions about what went wrong. Richie and I have had our fights before; weโve separated but always found our way back to each other. But now, it feels like thereโs no coming back. For the first time since we met, it seems like
I jump into a taxi and give the driver the address, my heart racing with every passing moment. As he starts driving, anxiety washes over me, and I canโt shake the feeling of dread mixed with hope. I really hope Richie is willing to talk because right now, all I can offer is communicationโjust a chance to express how I feel. I canโt do anything more than that, but Iโm really hoping he has room in his heart to take me back. The thought of not having him in my life feels unbearable. Itโs like a dark cloud looming over me, and I canโt picture my life without him. The thought of not being with him hurts so much that I can hardly bear the idea of living without him. Iโve thought about it a lot, and honestly, life without Richie feels like just existing on this earth with no joy or purpose at all.When I was leaving, Arthur offered to drive me to Richie, but I turned him down. I really donโt want Richie to think thereโs anything between me and Arthur because there isnโt. Heโs just someone I
I donโt waste a single moment as I hurriedly pack my belongings from the room, my heart racing as I step outside. Tomorrow can't come soon enough; I need to meet Richie and make sure everything is on track between us. I canโt afford to lose him again. Iโm done with the little arguments, the big blowoutsโI'm finished with all of it. Itโs time to step up my game and finally do the right thing.As I walk out of the room, dragging my small suitcase behind me, I catch sight of Arthur. He rushes over, concern etched on his face when he notices my bag. "Why do you have a suitcase with you?""Iโm leaving," I reply, my eyes scanning the hallway for Rebecca. I need to find her to say goodbye before I go."What!" he exclaims, his voice rising in disbelief. "Why? Did something happen? Is that why you look like youโve just cried?" He probes, but I keep moving, determined to locate Rebecca. The sooner I find her, the sooner I can leave and meet Richie to mend things between us."Rachel, come on, wh
I always despise the mafia men, the entire mafia world, and everything that comes with it. I remember the fire in my heart, how fiercely I want to ruin them, to shatter their existence completely. I hurl insults at them, calling them cruel, wicked, and so many other names, never imagining I could ever become one of them, never believing I could sink to that level.But after years of facing harsh realities, I become the very villain I loathe. The villain I refuse to acknowledge, the one I write about in all my stories, always as the antagonist. Tears stream down my face as fear grips me tightly, causing my head to throb and my heart to race uncontrollably. Iโm terrified of myself, scared that Iโve morphed into something I never thought I could beโsomething Iโve always feared. When I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror, I feel a wave of panic wash over me. I canโt bear to look at the person staring back, so I bolt out of the bathroom, as if Iโm fleeing from an unseen pursuer.
Rebeccaโs wedding is such a joyful occasion; it is filled with laughter and excitement. The atmosphere is electric, and I find myself having a couple of drinks at the reception. I promise myself I wonโt drink, but as I look around and see everyone toasting and enjoying themselves, I canโt resist. I get caught up in the moment and end up having more than I intended."So tell me one fun fact about you, Rachel," Arther asks me while we stand together at the open bar, the music softly playing in the background. We have been chatting for a few minutes, and I really enjoy his company. Heโs a cool guy, easy to talk to, and I feel a connection."I donโt have a fun fact," I reply, taking a sip of my drink and trying to think of something interesting."Come on, I know you do," he urges, a playful smile on his face."I donโt really have one, but I guess a fun fact about me is that I can stick my tongue to my nose," I say, feeling a bit silly but also playful."Really?" he asks, clearly intrigued
I wake up to a loud knock on my door, groaning as I rub my eyes with my hands, trying to shake off the sleep. Slowly, I push myself up from the cozy warmth of my bed, feeling the weight of exhaustion on my shoulders. I shuffle over to the door, open it, and there stands Rebecca, practically glowing with a wide grin plastered across her face. "Itโs my wedding day!!" she exclaims, her excitement practically radiating off her. I let out a heavy sigh, a mix of happiness for her and sheer tiredness. I really want to celebrate with her, but all I can think about is how much I need more sleep. So, I start to turn back toward my bed, hoping to catch a few more minutes of rest. But Rebecca, quick as lightning, steps in front of me, her eyes sparkling. "Itโs my wedding day!!" she exclaims again, her enthusiasm unwavering. I smile back at her, trying to muster some energy. "I know, and congratulations! But I really need some more time to sleep; I wasnโt able to sleep at all last night," I admit