The mansion on the seaside cliff was unusually lively today. The engagement party of Carlo Ferretti and Isabella Cavalieri wasn’t just a union of two powerful Mafia families; it symbolized their collective expansion into international territories. The Cavalieri family had flown in hundreds of members from Europe, while the Ferretti family made an equally impressive show of force, gathering nearly all their key figures. Adding to the grandeur were representatives from other factions hoping to curry favor with the two Mafia dynasties.The whole thing felt like a royal wedding—lavish and over the top.For Carlo, this wasn’t just another party—it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He had spent over two decades fighting for recognition within his family. While his initial agreement to marry Isabella had been a strategy to save Lyla, recent developments had shifted his perspective. Just before the engagement, his father, Leonardo, had visited him in the hospital despite his failing hea
Lyla sat quietly at a secluded table, her gaze fixed on the center of the grand ballroom. There, Carlo, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, was recounting the story of how he and Isabella met and fell in love.Just minutes ago, Blake had escorted her to this dimly lit corner. He had placed her at an inconspicuous table, posted two men to keep an eye on her, and then disappeared.When she arrived, she caught the tail end of Leonardo’s announcement—Carlo being granted the family name and partial control of its power. Carlo stood proudly beside his father, with his mother on the other side, her arm looped around Leonardo’s, her smile radiant. They looked like the perfect family, united and unshakable. Carlo’s expression was brimming with triumph, his striking green eyes gleaming with ambition and a hunger for power—something Lyla had never seen in him before. In that moment, he felt like a stranger to her.Now, the spotlight had shifted to Carlo and Isabella. The stunning, confident
The mansion was enormous, filled with laughter and brightly lit from corner to corner. Lyla fought back tears and nausea as she tried to navigate her way out, relying on her memory of how she had arrived. She was aware that Carlo was silently following her, but he dared not call out to her in front of the crowd, and she dared not stop. They weaved through the bustling throng of guests, Lyla quickening her pace with each step, until she finally reached the dark, desolate vineyard.“Stop following me!” Lyla couldn’t hold it in any longer. The emotions she had been suppressing erupted as she turned to Carlo and screamed, her voice raw and miserable. “Don’t you have more important things to do? Go back! Be a happy fiancé! Why should you care if I live or die? I don’t need you anymore! I never will!”Her screams were filled with such pain and despair that she seemed like a porcelain doll, covered in cracks and on the verge of shattering at any moment. Carlo’s instinct was to rush forward a
"Who is this woman?!" Isabella quickly approached Carlo, her eyes sharp with suspicion as she examined the disheveled, tear-streaked woman before her. The stranger's casual attire was out of place for the elegant engagement party, and she clearly wasn’t one of the household staff either.Carlo clenched his fists tightly, avoiding Lyla's gaze and refusing to meet Isabella's eyes either. His voice was cold and detached as he replied, "I don’t know. Just some crazy woman. I found her acting suspicious, so I followed her out to check. No big deal. I'll call Hudson to handle this. Come on, babe, let’s head back. We shouldn’t keep the guests waiting."He grabbed Isabella’s arm, attempting to lead her away, but she jerked free. "A crazy woman?" she snapped, clearly irritated. "I won’t allow anyone to ruin our engagement party. There’s no need to bother Hudson over this."With a sharp snap of her fingers, two burly men stepped out from the shadows at her beckon. Speaking in Italian, one asked
"Who the hell do you think you are to order me around?" Lucas stormed forward, grabbing Carlo by the collar, his voice shaking with fury. "I warned you—if you hurt her again, I’ll never forgive you.""What the hell does this have to do with you?!" Carlo snapped, shoving Lucas's hand away. He didn’t even know who he was truly angry with, but the storm of emotions raging inside him demanded release. "She’s carrying my baby! Of course, I’ll protect her and the baby. This is none of your fucking business!""Enough!" Lyla’s voice cut through the tension, low but sharp. She clutched her still-flat stomach, her eyes brimming with pain and despair. "This isn’t your baby, Carlo. And I will never let you see it. You don’t deserve to be a husband, a father, or to be loved!"Though she spoke quietly, afraid of being overheard, her words were like daggers. The raspy, restrained anguish in her tone sliced through the night, hitting Carlo like a blow to the chest. His voice trembled as he tried to p
Hudson’s words left Lucas frozen, unable to recover from the shock. Before he could fully process what he had just heard, Hudson continued, “Listen, Lucas. Ending the pregnancy is for everyone's best. Without the baby, Lyla will have no ties to Sir Carlo. Mrs. Bianchi won’t waste her time going after her, and she’ll lose her value to Blake. Her life will be spared, and you won’t have to pay an even steeper price. Isn’t that a better option than killing her outright?”Hudson’s voice buzzed in Lucas’s ears, like an incessant drone.He couldn’t deny the fact that Hudson's words were convincing. Without the baby, the bond between Lyla and Carlo would be irrevocably severed. A few minutes of tense silence passed before Lucas made his decision.“What do you want me to do?” he croaked, his voice rough with resignation. “I can’t guarantee it will be completely safe to… end it. You clearly have a plan, don't you? What is it?”“Of course, I have a plan,” Hudson replied smoothly, unfazed by Lucas
The car sped down the desolate highway. Lucas told Lyla that Carlo would surely send someone to search her mother’s house. It was safer to stay away from her mother, both for Camilla’s safety and her own. He promised to take her to his hometown—a peaceful, quiet place where she could stay until the baby was born.Lyla, unsure where else to go, silently agreed to his plan. Resting her head against the window, she watched the scenery blur past like a fast-forwarded film. Her mind wandered back to moments with Carlo—his sudden appearances, abrupt disappearances, his truths and lies, and the magnetic charm that had once captivated her. She found herself questioning: was it the man she had fallen for, or simply the physical connection between them? More than once, she wished it had only been about his looks—the sculpted body, the possessive control, and the irresistible allure. If that were all, she wouldn’t be in this much pain. There wouldn’t be the betrayal, the despair. The only ce
Lyla woke up in an unfamiliar room. As she slowly opened her eyes, the dimly lit space made it difficult to observe where she was. The high ceilings and vintage furniture exuded an air of luxury, yet it felt cold and impersonal. Heavy curtains blocked out any light from the outside, leaving the faint, warm glow of a bedside lamp as the room's only illumination.This was clearly not a hospital, but the IV in her arm told a different story. For a moment, she was disoriented, her sense of time muddled. What injury had she sustained? What illness was she recovering from? Fragments of her past—the fight in the prison and the car accident—flashed in her mind. Then, a sharp pain in her lower abdomen pulled her back to reality. A flood of memories surged forth—she might have lost her child.Panic took hold. She sat up abruptly, ignoring the tug of the IV, and instinctively placed her hand over her abdomen.“Lyla, you’re awake. Are you okay?” Lucas’s voice came from beside her. Once a source o
Lyla woke up in an unfamiliar room. As she slowly opened her eyes, the dimly lit space made it difficult to observe where she was. The high ceilings and vintage furniture exuded an air of luxury, yet it felt cold and impersonal. Heavy curtains blocked out any light from the outside, leaving the faint, warm glow of a bedside lamp as the room's only illumination.This was clearly not a hospital, but the IV in her arm told a different story. For a moment, she was disoriented, her sense of time muddled. What injury had she sustained? What illness was she recovering from? Fragments of her past—the fight in the prison and the car accident—flashed in her mind. Then, a sharp pain in her lower abdomen pulled her back to reality. A flood of memories surged forth—she might have lost her child.Panic took hold. She sat up abruptly, ignoring the tug of the IV, and instinctively placed her hand over her abdomen.“Lyla, you’re awake. Are you okay?” Lucas’s voice came from beside her. Once a source o
The car sped down the desolate highway. Lucas told Lyla that Carlo would surely send someone to search her mother’s house. It was safer to stay away from her mother, both for Camilla’s safety and her own. He promised to take her to his hometown—a peaceful, quiet place where she could stay until the baby was born.Lyla, unsure where else to go, silently agreed to his plan. Resting her head against the window, she watched the scenery blur past like a fast-forwarded film. Her mind wandered back to moments with Carlo—his sudden appearances, abrupt disappearances, his truths and lies, and the magnetic charm that had once captivated her. She found herself questioning: was it the man she had fallen for, or simply the physical connection between them? More than once, she wished it had only been about his looks—the sculpted body, the possessive control, and the irresistible allure. If that were all, she wouldn’t be in this much pain. There wouldn’t be the betrayal, the despair. The only ce
Hudson’s words left Lucas frozen, unable to recover from the shock. Before he could fully process what he had just heard, Hudson continued, “Listen, Lucas. Ending the pregnancy is for everyone's best. Without the baby, Lyla will have no ties to Sir Carlo. Mrs. Bianchi won’t waste her time going after her, and she’ll lose her value to Blake. Her life will be spared, and you won’t have to pay an even steeper price. Isn’t that a better option than killing her outright?”Hudson’s voice buzzed in Lucas’s ears, like an incessant drone.He couldn’t deny the fact that Hudson's words were convincing. Without the baby, the bond between Lyla and Carlo would be irrevocably severed. A few minutes of tense silence passed before Lucas made his decision.“What do you want me to do?” he croaked, his voice rough with resignation. “I can’t guarantee it will be completely safe to… end it. You clearly have a plan, don't you? What is it?”“Of course, I have a plan,” Hudson replied smoothly, unfazed by Lucas
"Who the hell do you think you are to order me around?" Lucas stormed forward, grabbing Carlo by the collar, his voice shaking with fury. "I warned you—if you hurt her again, I’ll never forgive you.""What the hell does this have to do with you?!" Carlo snapped, shoving Lucas's hand away. He didn’t even know who he was truly angry with, but the storm of emotions raging inside him demanded release. "She’s carrying my baby! Of course, I’ll protect her and the baby. This is none of your fucking business!""Enough!" Lyla’s voice cut through the tension, low but sharp. She clutched her still-flat stomach, her eyes brimming with pain and despair. "This isn’t your baby, Carlo. And I will never let you see it. You don’t deserve to be a husband, a father, or to be loved!"Though she spoke quietly, afraid of being overheard, her words were like daggers. The raspy, restrained anguish in her tone sliced through the night, hitting Carlo like a blow to the chest. His voice trembled as he tried to p
"Who is this woman?!" Isabella quickly approached Carlo, her eyes sharp with suspicion as she examined the disheveled, tear-streaked woman before her. The stranger's casual attire was out of place for the elegant engagement party, and she clearly wasn’t one of the household staff either.Carlo clenched his fists tightly, avoiding Lyla's gaze and refusing to meet Isabella's eyes either. His voice was cold and detached as he replied, "I don’t know. Just some crazy woman. I found her acting suspicious, so I followed her out to check. No big deal. I'll call Hudson to handle this. Come on, babe, let’s head back. We shouldn’t keep the guests waiting."He grabbed Isabella’s arm, attempting to lead her away, but she jerked free. "A crazy woman?" she snapped, clearly irritated. "I won’t allow anyone to ruin our engagement party. There’s no need to bother Hudson over this."With a sharp snap of her fingers, two burly men stepped out from the shadows at her beckon. Speaking in Italian, one asked
The mansion was enormous, filled with laughter and brightly lit from corner to corner. Lyla fought back tears and nausea as she tried to navigate her way out, relying on her memory of how she had arrived. She was aware that Carlo was silently following her, but he dared not call out to her in front of the crowd, and she dared not stop. They weaved through the bustling throng of guests, Lyla quickening her pace with each step, until she finally reached the dark, desolate vineyard.“Stop following me!” Lyla couldn’t hold it in any longer. The emotions she had been suppressing erupted as she turned to Carlo and screamed, her voice raw and miserable. “Don’t you have more important things to do? Go back! Be a happy fiancé! Why should you care if I live or die? I don’t need you anymore! I never will!”Her screams were filled with such pain and despair that she seemed like a porcelain doll, covered in cracks and on the verge of shattering at any moment. Carlo’s instinct was to rush forward a
Lyla sat quietly at a secluded table, her gaze fixed on the center of the grand ballroom. There, Carlo, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, was recounting the story of how he and Isabella met and fell in love.Just minutes ago, Blake had escorted her to this dimly lit corner. He had placed her at an inconspicuous table, posted two men to keep an eye on her, and then disappeared.When she arrived, she caught the tail end of Leonardo’s announcement—Carlo being granted the family name and partial control of its power. Carlo stood proudly beside his father, with his mother on the other side, her arm looped around Leonardo’s, her smile radiant. They looked like the perfect family, united and unshakable. Carlo’s expression was brimming with triumph, his striking green eyes gleaming with ambition and a hunger for power—something Lyla had never seen in him before. In that moment, he felt like a stranger to her.Now, the spotlight had shifted to Carlo and Isabella. The stunning, confident
The mansion on the seaside cliff was unusually lively today. The engagement party of Carlo Ferretti and Isabella Cavalieri wasn’t just a union of two powerful Mafia families; it symbolized their collective expansion into international territories. The Cavalieri family had flown in hundreds of members from Europe, while the Ferretti family made an equally impressive show of force, gathering nearly all their key figures. Adding to the grandeur were representatives from other factions hoping to curry favor with the two Mafia dynasties.The whole thing felt like a royal wedding—lavish and over the top.For Carlo, this wasn’t just another party—it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He had spent over two decades fighting for recognition within his family. While his initial agreement to marry Isabella had been a strategy to save Lyla, recent developments had shifted his perspective. Just before the engagement, his father, Leonardo, had visited him in the hospital despite his failing hea
Lyla felt like she’d been hit over the head, her mind foggy and spinning. Stumbling, she grabbed onto the table for support, picking up the invitation and staring at it as if she didn’t recognize the words. She flipped it over, studying it again and again.“No… I don’t believe it,” she murmured, her voice trembling as if she were trying to convince herself. “He told me Isabella was only six. They… they can’t be getting engaged.”“Oh, so that’s what he told you?” Blake sneered. “No wonder. When you heard it yourself that day, I thought your temper would have you walking out on him for good. But looks like even a stupid lie like that was enough to fool you. Ah, poor girl. I almost feel sorry for you.”Lyla shook her head, unsure if she was rejecting Blake’s words or denying that Carlo had lied. Her eyes filled with tears, but she bit them back. “No, you’re lying. You’re just using me to hurt him!”Blake clicked his tongue, his expression laced with fake sympathy and disdain. “Why don’t