Hey, everyone, I hope you guys enjoy today's update! And everyone calling out Adriano needs to understand that he can't do anything because neither he nor Vincenzo are in power. Realistically, going against a mafia capo, especially a father, would likely come with severe repercussions. The mafia is known for its strict code of loyalty and discipline. Betraying or challenging a capo could lead to serious consequences, both for the son and the family. The son might face physical harm or death as punishment for betraying the code of silence and loyalty. This might involve a public display of violence, such as a severe beating or even an execution, intended to serve as a brutal warning to others. The son could become a symbol of the consequences for disloyalty, instilling fear within the organization. The retaliation could also involve the son's reputation being tarnished or erased from the family.
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅New York... New York embraced me with the familiar sense of home, a sanctuary where I could finally exhale. Adriano maneuvered the car while I observed the trees blur by from the passenger seat."Claire," he called."Hm?" I responded absentmindedly."Say something."I shut my eyes, inhaling deeply. "What do you want me to say?""Anything," he urged.My eyes stayed closed; the tears from last night had drained me. No matter how I struggled, there were no tears left – just a hollow numbness."Thank you for the ride," I murmured in a low voice."Goddamn it, Claire, I'm so fucking sorry."I nodded, opening my eyes and meeting his gaze. "I know, you've said it a hundred times since I sat in this car with you. I know you're sorry, Adriano, so am I...""You have nothing to be sorry for, Claire," he insisted. A bitter smile played on my lips. "I do. Vincenzo will never forgive me.""It wasn't your fault."I sighed, the weight of regret settling in. "If I had told him the
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Dead... That's what I felt from the inside. A chilling emptiness consumed me as I huddled on the cold floor within the shadows of my family's home. My brother had brought me here after they found me pathetically paralyzed in my apartment. I, Vincenzo Capone, got outsmarted by the woman I loved. Loved? Loved. It's insane how, in mere seconds, your perspective on someone can take a wild turn.One second you love them more than the whole world and the next, you hate them with every fiber of your being. Your whole being caught in this intense switch, like a tug of war between what felt great and what feels like a punch in the gut.Love and hate, surprisingly alike, are these crazy powerful feelings that have a knack for devouring you from within, like flames licking at the edges of your soul.In the end, both have the power to reshape you, leaving imprints that linger long after the flames have subsided.Claire Parker — She had me hooked from day one. I spotted
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"Hello?" Her saccharine sweet voice echoed from the other end.A tumult of emotions surged within me—aversion, heartache. "Claire..." A sharp intake of breath from the other side cut through the silence. "Don't hang up," I sneered, my words dripping with a mix of bitterness and desperation."Wasn't going to..."A heavy silence loomed between us, a perplexing void where words seemed to evaporate. "Why did you do it?""What are you talking about?" Her nonchalant response only fueled my rage.In a heartbeat, my temper exploded. "GODDAMN IT, CLAIRE! FUCKING TELL ME!" She let out a chilling laugh, "Is it so hard to believe that I never loved you? I never even said it back, not even once, no matter what you said or did. Just fucking leave me alone now!" Her words cut through the air like icy blades, leaving a bitter taste of betrayal.My jaw clenched, and my teeth gritted so hard that a sharp jolt of pain traveled through my jaw. "You're wrong if you think I'll leave y
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"Is that really your plan?" I exclaimed into the phone, my pacing echoing in the living room."It's the safest option. If I let you slip through Vincenzo's fingers, he'll either kill me or, worse, never forgive any of us," Adriano replied in a hushed tone on the other end of the call. "We discussed this, Adriano. The moment I marry him, he'll surely kill me. I know him well enough to understand how a simple comment can trigger his anger. After what your father orchestrated, do you really think he'll easily let this go? He's marrying me to torture me," I stated, sitting on the couch and pushing my hair back."Maybe, but consider this: it's the best for all of us involved. We'll disclose everything the moment he's in power, or maybe even before if you two can find a—"I interrupted, firmly, "No! Not before he becomes Capo, Adriano. I'm afraid he might do something reckless. And your father, no offense, is a first-class jerk. He isn't even afraid to get rid of his own
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅The next evening, I found myself in a clinic, nerves dancing beneath my skin. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air as I sat on the examination table, my thoughts racing.Dr. Harris, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, entered, offering a reassuring smile. "Are you ready, Claire?"I took a deep breath and nodded, attempting to quell the nerves that fluttered beneath my skin. The room felt colder as I shifted my gaze to the medical equipment, its metallic gleam contrasting with the pastel walls.As the procedure began, a mix of discomfort and anticipation coursed through me. The rhythmic beeping of medical equipment and Dr. Harris's voice created a steady backdrop to my inner thoughts.I focused on a distant point in the room, trying to distract myself from the unfamiliar sensations.The rhythmic beeping of the medical equipment acted as a metronome, measuring the passage of time. Moments later, Dr. Harris spoke, "There we go. You should start feeling better
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Vincenzo departed for Chicago five days ago, and I found myself without a wedding dress or a wedding band for him.His silence left me yearning for a sign. No calls, no cryptic messages from unknown numbers; just an unsettling radio silence that instilled both fear and a profound sense of sadness within me. Preparing for the wedding on my own was tougher than I expected, with his absence hanging over everything like a dark cloud.Despite Bianca and Allegra's repeated offers to join me shopping, I politely declined. Even when Scott offered to pay for everything, I turned him down too. Numbness enveloped me; the idea of shopping for my wedding felt like an insurmountable task. It wasn't just disinterest – it was a profound disconnect from everything. I lacked the will to live, let alone engage in the preparations for what should have been the happiest occasion of my life. Bianca labeled it as depression, but I'm not convinced. It feels like even depression would hesi
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I don't know where I was, it was an apartment, not as lavish as Vincenzo's other apartments but it was nice and cozy. On the top floor, the distant dots of people below only intensified the isolation, intensifying the nervous flutter in my chest.The quiet felt thick, every little sound in the room like the ticking of the clock echoing louder than it should. It was like the walls were holding secrets. Unease tingled through me. After Vincenzo shoved me into the car, he hopped into another one and took off, leaving me stuck with that repugnant Antonio. He couldn't resist stealing glances at me every two seconds through the rearview mirror, probably hoping I'd initiate some conversation. But I wasn't giving him the satisfaction – my lips stayed sealed.Stepping out of the car, I realized why he'd sent me here. The entrance screamed high security – strict protocols, no way out except through an elevator guarded by his thumb impression and his voice command. It was lik
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I woke up in bed, though I had fallen asleep by the window in the early hours of the morning, observing the gradual illumination of the sky. Yet, inexplicably, I found myself tucked in bed with him standing by the bedroom window – shirtless, sipping his morning coffee.He glanced back at me and realized that I was awake. A look of complete indifference across his face before he returned his attention out the window. As I slowly sat up, I absentmindedly combed my fingers through my hair."I really thought that marrying you was going to be the happiest day of my life..." he voiced, gazing into the distance. I stared at the side of his face, I wanted to say how I had thought the same. The plan I had in mind for our wedding night, the things I wanted to tell him but couldn't. I had to wait. "Now it feels like I'm making the damn worst mistake of my life," he spat out, a bitter sneer contorting his face. "What the hell am I even doing? Marrying you after the shit you p