•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
•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ "Niko, she isn't here! I have checked the entire building myself four fucking times, our men are all over the place!" Marco yelled over the phone, "She isn't here!" I got off my seat, "Well, fucking check the building again! How could you let this happens, Marco? If something happened to her, You are a dead man, you're a fucking dead man!" I hung up and called her cell phone instead. It rang and rang and rang but she didn't fucking pick up. I hung up and called Alessandro. Agitation rolled off me, I needed a fucking drink but I needed my wife more. "Niko?" his cold voice came through the phone. "I want you to track my wife's phone, NOW!" "Give me ten minutes." Hanging up, I went out of my office. Did someone get to her? If someone fucking kidnapped her again I'm going to burn the entire fucking New York City to the ground. Shit! How could I let this happen, I fucking promised her I won't let it happen again. I went down the elevator and it annoyed me how
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I shook my head, "I'm not going in there" Leo grabbed my arm and ducked as a helicopter flew by over us. There were tall trees all around us, we were in the middle of nowhere; we were not even in New York anymore and it had been just a few hours since I left with Leo. Leo opened up the trap door again and pleaded with me to get inside. "Evie, it's either this or Nikolai!" he whisper-yelled. Tears stung my eyes, taking a long, deep breath, I stepped down the unsteady wooden ladder that led to nothing but deep darkness. I couldn't see anything, the second my feet touched the ground I heaved a sigh of relief and looked up at the faint morning light coming from the trap door. "Leo!" I called and there was no answer. A certain tension and anxiety crept up as Leo didn't answer, I looked around the dark place, my heartbeat accelerating. Goosebumps crept over the back of my neck. Did he just leave me down here?! "LEO!" I called again and I was ready to clim
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ It's been more than one month in this hell hole. I haven't seen sunlight, I haven't breathed in fresh air. This is the worse kind of isolation I ever had to endure. Every time I feel like I'm finally gonna be free, I end up in a way worse confinement. I heaved a sigh and played around with the scrambled eggs on my plate. We have limited electricity down here, we have an oven, a microwave, and a refrigerator that we can use in the kitchen. In the storage room, the clean drinking water bottles, boxed ready-to-make meals, cereals, beans, and so many more things were available but I didn't feel like eating anything. I'm so sick of everything. I glanced at Leo, who was silently eating his food. Without even looking at me, he said, "Eat, Evie, you need food to survive." I blew out a breath, "What am I even surviving for? More confinement and isolation? Even if the people—who you refuse to name—will be here and take us out of here, what then? It's not like I can l
•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ "I swear I saw them, it was the same man that was in the news and the same girl was with him," a teenage boy explained, "They are living down there, I was sent to deliver the milk, I was supposed to just leave it in the middle of nowhere." "Then where did you leave it?" Scott asked. He pointed to the ground, "Right here, I put the milk right here and hid behind the bushes. I was curious." He pointed towards the area that was covered in leaves and tree branches, "The man came from under there." "You can leave now," I ordered. "But I can help—" "Leave," Scott told him. "Alessandro." Alessandro nodded and grabbed the boy's arm, taking him away from us. I went over to the pile of leaves and ordered my men to see what was under it. As they did, a trap door came into my view. I nodded to them to open it, it was way too quiet for anyone to be there. A broken-down wooden ladder was the way in, Scott and Lorenzo stepped down and I did as well. I had no fuck
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I embraced the challenge and trained day and night, battling tough opponents twice my size. No matter the odds, I pushed myself to no end. I sparred with opponents bigger and stronger than me, and though I endured a few defeats, I also savored some hard-won victories. Here, away from the rest of the world, I embraced complete autonomy. I was liberated to unleash my potential. No one hindering me. No one belittling me. Nobody could dictate how far I could go, nobody could dim my confidence, and nobody could make me succumb to doubt. I felt liberated. No dissuasion. No shackles. When I first started I didn't even know what I was doing but I always ended up surprising my own self. I was shocked to discover how much I had in common with him. Although I had initially thought our personalities were quite distinct, I eventually realized that a dark part of me lurked beneath the surface. I discerned that I was just as convoluted inside. There was a certain darknes
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