Phew, that was so intense to write. Comment and vote... xoxo ✨
Third-Person Narration »»◈««◈»»◈««◈»»◈«« The doctor checked Lilianna's eyes with a penlight, gently pulling down her eyelids. Lilianna's gaze drifted, unfocused, taking in her surroundings with an unfamiliar and vacant stare. "She has dissociative amnesia," the doctor said, turning to Santino and speaking in a low voice. "She remembers most of her life but seems to have forgotten about the time she spent down here." Santino's eyes gleamed with a mixture of relief and triumph. "That's good. That's fucking perfect." "But," the doctor interjected, "although her child is gone, she's still lactating. Her body retains the effects of childbirth and new motherhood. This could trigger memories eventually. Something down here might remind her—" "Make it go away," Santino snapped. The doctor hesitated, his brow furrowing. "How?" Santino placed a heavy hand on the doctor's shoulder, the doctor was on his payroll and did whatever his boss asked him to, even if it was his own daughter, "Kee
Lilianna »»»◈««« I remembered. I suddenly remembered everything. It came in flashes, painful and blinding, then settled into the back of my mind like a festering wound. Marcello. I had named him Marcello. He was real, as real as everything around me right now. I held him, fed him, and put him to sleep for two whole days before he was ripped from my arms forever. A gut-wrenching sob tore through me, muffled by the gag. Tears flowed down the sides of my face as I shook my head, trying to escape the agony. My body trembled with the force of my grief. I can't do this. I can't do this anymore. The memory of his tiny fingers grasping mine, his innocent eyes staring up at me, was like a knife twisting in my heart. I felt every moment, every heartbeat, every breath I shared with him. It was all so vivid, so painfully real. And then it was gone. He was gone. But right now, I shoved the pain to the back of my mind. I had to stay focused, stay in this moment because there was another life to
Lilianna »»»◈««« At that moment, a sharp pain shot through my lower belly, making me scream. Just then, I saw Marco’s face as he stepped inside the abandoned hall. His eyes locked on mine, then flicked to Anna and Kason, fury darkening his features. “Drop your weapons!” Kason shouted, his gun now aimed directly at my chest. Though I knew he wouldn’t actually hurt me, his eyes were wild, using me as a pawn to manipulate Marco. My silent plea was clear as I shook my head, desperately begging Marco not to listen to him, to just leave. Marco’s gaze flickered between Anna and Kason, probably calculating an escape, but there was no way out—at least not for me. When our eyes locked, a disturbing darkness clouded his features, making him seem almost unhinged. A fresh wave of pain rippled through my body, forcing a pain-filled groan from my lips. I strained against the straps of the stretcher, the leather biting into my wrists and ankles as I tried to escape the pain that seemed t
Marco »»»◈««« I stood in the corner of the hospital room, my fists clenched, helpless rage boiling inside me as I watched Lilianna on the bed, her body convulsing with pain. The sterile white walls seemed to close in, the murmur of the medical staff a distant hum. Dr. Thompson, the head physician, approached me, "Mr. Costello," he began, "We're doing everything we can for her. The drugs she was given have induced a miscarriage, but we need to make sure the process is complete." I forced myself to meet his eyes, the fury barely contained. "Just make sure she’s okay," I said, my voice low. The medical team moved with precision, their faces masks of concentration. They performed a pelvic exam, and Lilianna's sharp intake of breath cut through me like a knife. An ultrasound showed remnants of the pregnancy, and blood tests indicated dangerous levels of bleeding. Dr. Thompson turned to me again, "We need to perform a procedure to remove the remaining tissue. It's critical for her we
Lilianna »»»◈««« I lowered myself onto the chair beside him, a bowl of soup trembling in my hands. His once strong frame was now a ghost of itself—gums bare with just a couple of teeth remaining, one eye an empty socket crudely sewn shut with rough stitches. I could hardly bear to look at him, my heart breaking at the sight of what he had become. His head turned sluggishly towards me, his frail body too weak to sit up without assistance. "Uncle Emilio..." My voice was barely above a whisper, choked with emotion. He blinked slowly, a flicker of recognition igniting in his remaining eye. "Lilly?" I inhaled sharply, blinking back tears. "You remember me?" A faint, sorrowful smile tugged at his cracked lips. "Why am I here?" I gripped the bowl tighter, my knuckles turning white. "I asked for you." "Why?" His voice was a fragile rasp, each word a struggle. "I missed you," I confessed, my voice breaking. "I missed you so much." His eye glistened with unshed tears. "You shouldn’t h
Marco »»»◈««« One week. It took Alessandro an entire week to track down her location. She was in Florence, Italy. He couldn't pinpoint her exact address, but he knew she was living in Le Piagge, a notorious area rife with gang activity. According to Emilio, she had our son. Lilianna let out a shaky breath, relief flooding her features. Without a second thought, she threw herself into Alessandro's arms. He stiffened, his eyes immediately locking onto mine, his hands gripping the armrests as if unsure of what to do. Lilianna pulled away slightly, her breath hitching as she took a step back, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Alessandro's gaze never left me, staring at me with a mix of fear and caution. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Thank you so much, Alessandro. I'll never forget this." I placed a reassuring hand on her back, feeling the tension radiate off her in waves. But she wasn’t done. With a sudden surge of emotion, she flung herself at him again, cl
Lilianna »»»◈««« "We're never going to find him, are we?" I murmured, my voice barely rising above a whisper as I leaned heavily against the crumbling wall of the grimy alley in Le Piagge. I scanned the filthy surroundings, the stench of decay and neglect assaulting my senses. Trash littered the narrow passage, and the flickering streetlights cast eerie shadows that danced on the graffiti-covered walls. A rat scurried across my path, disappearing into the darkness. My heart sank further. How could a child survive here? The thought gnawed at me. While I lived in my mansions and penthouses, my son was out there, walking these streets. Fear clutched my heart. Marco's fingers brushed my cheek, and I flinched, recoiling from his touch. Since that night with Kason and Anna, a chilling dread had settled deep within me. Any contact from Marco now made my skin crawl, dragging me back to those moments of utter helplessness. I couldn't forget how powerless I felt as Anna ruthlessly ended
Lilianna »»»◈««« I knocked on yet another door, each impact sending sharp stings through my bruised knuckles. My fingers throbbed, raw from the relentless pounding, but I couldn't stop. Marco and I had vowed to scour every house in this neighborhood. The door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged woman with suspicious eyes. Her frown deepened as she took me in, "Cosa vuoi?" she demanded. ("What do you want?") I held up a photograph of Beatrice Berlusconi, my voice trembling with hope. "Hai visto questa donna? Sai dove abita?" I asked. ("Have you seen this woman? Do you know where she lives?") She squinted at the picture through her glasses, her gaze sharpening as she continued talking in Italian, "Oh, that's Betty..." Relief washed over me, a powerful tide that nearly knocked me off balance. Marco stepped forward, his presence grounding me as he placed a steadying hand on my back. "Can you tell us where she is?" His voice was calm, but the tension in his grip showed his impatien