•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I lay in my bed, too sore, too tired to move. I replayed Nikolai's words again and again but I still couldn't make sense of them. “It was fun while it lasted...” It's like he stabbed me straight in the heart and as if it wasn't enough, he viciously twisted it. A marriage can't end just because he said so. What is wrong with him? I could feel it in his body language last night, he was off, and something about him was closed off. There is something that he isn't telling me. I can feel it. It's not something I said, no, it's way too small of a matter for him to act this way. There must be something else... something big. My alarm went off and I got startled out of my thoughts, I frowned as I looked at the time. I didn't sleep a wink the whole night. After Nikolai left, I kept thinking about him, where I went wrong, where we went wrong, and what could have possibly happened for him to act this way. I lazily got out of bed to get ready for college. I was
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ —WEEK 1 A week had passed by when he came to pick me up from college, and a week had passed by when I had last seen him. He dropped me off; went to the warehouse and didn't come back. I tried calling him, I asked the soldiers around the house, I called Scott, Bianca, and everyone I could think of to ask about Nikolai but no one knew where he was. I know Scott was lying, he knew where Nikolai was, and they are always together. He was lying because they didn't want me to know. Nikolai was doing it again, ignoring me without telling me anything, ignoring me without even a reason. It was not about our fight anymore. It was something else entirely. There was a reason only he knew. He kept talking in cryptic language and I'm not that smart to figure out what kind of mystery Nikolai is. I paced back and forth in the living room, I had called Bianca and asked her to come over. She recently met with Nikolai's father, maybe he knew something and he told her. Ann
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I grabbed two plates of lasagne the cook has made for me and walked out of the house. Lorenzo stood at the side, his hawk eyes traveling everywhere. "Lorenzo..." He turned to me, and the scar on his face looked really red in the morning light, "Yes?" "Did you have lunch?" His eyebrows pinched together, and he looked down at the plates in my hand and then back at my face. I offered him a plate with a smile. "I really don't like to eat alone..." The hesitation on his face was clear as day, he doesn't take bathroom breaks or food breaks, he only smokes and makes sure nothing gets to me and I'm perfectly protected. "Please, almost thirty soldiers are at the gates right now, I don't think anyone can get past them without alerting the whole army of you guys. So, it's okay for you to take a few minutes off." He reluctantly nodded and I handed him the plate. My gaze wandered to the giant metal gates. They were huge but you could see the street ahead from b
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "I love you, E!" B shouted before wrapping her arm tightly around my neck, "HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" "Thank you, B, I love you more!" I said hugging her back as hard as I could, out of everyone she was the one I loved the most. We were standing in the middle of a mall, Marco had driven me here after Bianca invited me to shop with her, apparently, she was planning my “surprise” birthday party and I needed the perfect dress to go with the theme of the party. My only role was to go in and out of the dressing room, changing dresses. "B, you're killing me!" I groaned as she tightened the strings of the dress from behind. "You know what? This dress sucks! Take it off!" A few moments later, a lady entered in a darkest blue short dress, and stars formed in Bianca's eyes. "This is our one-of-a-kind—" her words were still in her mouth when Bianca squealed and yanked the dress from her hands. "This is the one! E! This is the one!" she jumped up and down and s
•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ I watched through the glass as Bianca and Lorenzo dragged her away like a rag doll, that's how fucking drunk she was. I gripped the glass tumbler filled with whiskey that was in my hands, the urge to knock some sense into her was so fucking strong but I couldn't do it. Disrespectful spoiled little brat—she had always been one. I can't fucking understand how the fuck am I letting her get away with this. She called me a coward, she called me a fucking coward! Even my enemies know that cowardice isn't in my dictionary but Mrs. Evangeline Costello thinks that I am one. If that's what she thinks about me then I'm gonna let her think that. It will be the perfect revenge for the disrespect she had shown me today, I won't listen to her pleading, and I won't listen to her temper tantrums as well. Ignorance—it will fucking drive her mad, perfect punishment for her brattiness. The little show she put on tonight was to get my attention. This stupid girl has no idea that sh
•NOTE: Chapters 85 and 86 take place on the same day, on the same timeline• •Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I opened my eyes to a dimly-lit room, I could see the faint sunlight seeping into the room through the thick drapes. I squinted my eyes and swallowed, my throat had dried up and a splitting headache spread through my head. I sat up with difficulty, I looked to my side and saw a glass of water with two pills and a note that said: “Take these, you bitch! - B” Although, my head was hurting pretty bad; her note made me smile a little. I plopped the pills into my mouth and drank the whole glass of water in a single go. I got out of bed and noticed that I was still wearing the dress from last night. I did my daily routine; taking a shower with cold water also helped with the headache. Wearing some comfortable clothes, I went downstairs and saw Bianca sitting on the dining chair, eating breakfast. I walked to her, "You are here..." She stopped eating and shot me a glare, "I was wor
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ He turned and an inaudible gasp left my lips. It felt like it had been so many years since I last saw him. He had grown a beard, his bluish-grey eyes darkened as they raked over my body. "How did you get here?" that's the first thing he asked me. "Why did you think that I was Katerina?" He gave his head a shake, brushing his thumb over his lower lip, "Answer my question, Evangeline." I breathed out a sarcastic laugh, "I'm not here to answer your question; I came here to get answers." He let out an amused breath, leaned his butt against the dresser he was standing in front of, and crossed his arms over his chest, "And how do you plan on doing that?" I furrowed my eyebrows. He was acting as if nothing had happened between us, he was acting like the last one and a half months didn't happen, he was acting like he just didn't care about any of it. I took a deep breath in to remain calm, "Are you cheating on me? Is that why you are doing all this? Is that
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I was dressed up, my hair made perfectly, and my bag was resting beside me on the bed. I stared at myself in the mirror and saw my hollow eyes. I passed out last night when Nikolai injected me with something and I woke up in my bed at home. I didn't want to think about what happened last night. I didn't want to dwell on it. I had made up my mind. It was over. I was done. The face of Nikolai I saw last night, I never want to see it again. There was a monster behind those eyes, a monster he keeps under wraps in public. The monster that was glaring into my soul last night, the monster that sat over me, restrained me. I never wanted to see that monster again. I shook my head and pulled out a notebook from my bag. I ripped a page out of the notebook and wrote a note. After I was done, I placed my cell phone over it, leaving everything on my bed. I grabbed my bag and looked around the room. Tears brimmed at the corner of my eyes and I immediately went t
Oh my god! Oh my god! You guys! I can't believe this story ended already. I'm not done with Nikolai and Evangeline just yet! It had been an amazing journey for me here on Goodnovel and the response and comments from you guys made it all so much better. All I want to say is thank you so much for your support. Thank you for being part of this moment. If you loved the story and then please, please, please, write a review and give a 5-STAR rating! It would mean a lot to me! Okay, now who's ready for — Mafia Men 2: Lorenzo's gilded Cage? Comment down below and let me know if you are waiting for it! ❤️I love you all so damn much, thank you again! XOXO JANE DOE
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "Please, please, have mercy..." he groaned out, he could barely breathe but I didn't care as I jabbed another needle into his neck. I frowned, mockingly. "How can I? You don't fucking deserve it!" saying that, I slammed a plier onto his nose, probably breaking it. He let out gibberish as blood trailed down his nose, filling his mouth, and making him gag on it. I was in the tunnels under our mansion, torturing our captives—the ones who deserves it anyway. My hair was in a messy bun and I was wearing a light pink summer dress which was now covered in blood, filthy blood. My husband has gone out of the country leaving me alone with these imbeciles and Lorenzo. I went into the corner to get the toolkit when Lorenzo appeared beside me in a flash, "Let me get this for you." I smiled as we walked back to the man I was torturing. Phew! Even walking is a chore for me nowadays. Lorenzo opened the kit and before me; laid beautiful, the shiniest, and the sharpe
•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ "I wish you were here, Mama," I whispered as I rolled her diamond ring between my fingers, the same ring I bought for her from Sicily. She would have loved Evangeline. "Ready, Niko?" Scott's voice resounded in the room. I turned and saw Scott and Bianca, she grinned widely at me and ran up to me. She stepped closer to me and pinned a white rose boutonnière to the lapel of my tuxedo. She stepped back and smiled with satisfaction. "Now you look perfect! I'm gonna go check on the bride," saying that, she trotted out of the room leaving me alone with Scott. "What is it, Shitface?" "Nervous?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. I furrowed my eyebrows as I realized I wasn't fucking nervous at all. When I was about to get fake-married to Grace, I was going fucking crazy and the thought that Evangeline would be sitting with the guest made me lose my shit but today... I was about to get married to my wife and I felt content, relaxed, and calm. I clicked my tongue, "Not e
•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ “THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE BOLTON'S FAMILY MASSACRE” "Mama?!" I went into my parents' home, looking for my mother, "Mama?!" "Niko!" her voice filled my ears and my attention snapped in its direction of it. She stepped out of the kitchen immediately, her face contorting with glee as she saw me, and a wide smile appeared. A maid helped her take the apron off and she came running toward me. My mother, my beautiful mama. She pulled me in a hug, wrapping her arms around me. I rested my chin above her head and smiled, hugging her back. "Oh, I was so scared. I prayed day and night for you to come home safely. I hate this, Niko, first your father and now you. Every time you and your father stay away from home for more than a week, I die a little from the inside, Durak!" "I came to you the second the plane landed," I told her. She pulled back and held my hand, taking me to a couch, "Okay, what did you bring for your mama from Sicily?" She watched me with hopeful b
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I waited for a few moments and then moved closer to the window to see where he had gone. I noticed the flickering light of a drugstore as Nikolai stepped out of it. I frowned, he left me all hot and bothered to get medicine or some shit? Maybe, he was getting condoms or birth control pills. I was still in my thoughts when the door swung open and Nikolai grabbed me like a savage and hovered over me, shutting the door behind him and locking the car. In a second, his hand was on my neck, choking me, pushing me down into the seat. "Shit, you're so fucking hot and it makes me fucking furious that I can't fucking resist you." My hands went to his arm—the one holding me in place. "Furious enough to fuck me like you fucking hate me?" I managed to ask, remembering what he once said to me. A dark look flashed across his face, his eyes turned a shade darker, oh, he was furious alright. "Furious enough to fuck you like I'd fuck a lowlife whore who doesn't even deserv
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "B, I don't know why I am so damn nervous when I am already freakin' married!" I tugged at the wedding dress I was wearing, "Don't you think it's too tight?" "Maybe because now you are getting married to the man you love..." she said as a matter of factly, standing behind me as the woman adjusted the dress. I rolled my eyes, "He was always the man I loved..." I lightly touched the saleswoman's shoulder, "I don't think it's the right dress for me..." She gave me a polite smile, "I'll bring out a few more dresses, Mrs. Costello." Bianca blew out a raspberry, "Nope, he was the man you admired, you had a teen girl crush on him. My cousin, Niko is a handsome man, I have seen how girls throw themselves at him; you were just one of them that's why you jumped into marriage with him without even understanding what it was. You first married him because you wanted him but now it's different. Now you are marrying him because you love him, you need him because h
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ A huge cake was brought out, and Nikolai handed me a knife as I cut into it. His hand was glued to my back the whole night, he didn't let me out of his sight not even for a moment. I met with Alessandro after ages, I had met him once before in Sicily when Nikolai took me to the woods to shoot Grace. I stand corrected in my statement that Alessandro is still my favorite Costello of all—second to Bianca of course. "Happy Birthday, Mrs. Costello." I turned and saw Lorenzo with a gift in his hands. I pulled myself out of Nikolai's grip and jumped into his arms, "Thank you, Lorenzo!" "Here's your gift," he pushed it into me; he didn't hug me back as usual. "Thank you..." I took it and as I was about to hand it to a maid to put it with the mountain of gifts I had received tonight, Lorenzo stopped me. "Open it." I smiled, shaking my head, I pulled at the ribbon. I took off the lid of the box and saw red lipstick, "A lipstick?" "It's not just lipstick, it'
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "Is Nikolai going to be there?" I asked Bianca as I ran my hand through my wet hair, blow-drying them. Today was my twenty-first birthday. Bianca being a party animal as always decided to throw another party for me. Sometimes I think she just needs a reason for partying, nothing else. I really didn't want another party after what went down last time. Also, Nikolai still hadn't wished me. Ugh! I don't know why I keep wanting him and pushing him away at the same time, my indecisiveness was getting on my own nerves. I really don't know what I wanted. One second I want him and the next second I remember what I went through because of him and that scenario ends up with me in a comatose. Bianca was laying on my bed, over her stomach applying nail polish over her fingernails as she blew on them, "I don't know..." I raised an eyebrow, her tone seemed way too carefree to talk about Nikolai, "What do you mean, you don't know? Aren't we going to his nightclub?" Sh
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "I know things hadn't been the same between us since I came back but I promise you, no more bullshit..." I said, looking at her with hopeful eyes. "I really missed you, E, and you came back as a completely different person, I couldn't even recognize you." I grabbed her hand. "Hey, no, come on, it's still me, B, I'm right here." "Then you went into a coma and I felt so guilty and I cried because I thought I'd never be able to talk to you again and I wished I could just turn back the clock and hug you one more time—" I cut her rambling off and placed an arm over her shoulder, pulling her closer. I rested my head against hers and sighed. We were sitting on our living room couch. Nikolai had been sending Bianca back every time she came to meet me but luckily it was me who found her today because Nikolai wasn't at home. A maid told me he never came home last night. After an hour or so, Bianca left. We had lunch together and hung out, she had gossip about almo