She hadn't known about them.Not about the men her daughter had become entangled with. Not about the choices that had led them here. All she knew was that she had been searching—searching for a daughter who had vanished into the shadows of a world she never understood. The family business had crashed not long after their mother left but through it all she had loved the boys. Took them in and shown them the love that had been lacking all their lives. Everyday she had told Matteo about their mother since he had been too young to remember her.Not long after moving in with Nonna, Dante had left for New York. He needed something more, something solid to hold onto and it wasn’t long before he met Rafael. The Gambinos had always been powerful. Dangerous. A name that made men lower their voices and watch their backs. Rafael’s father ran the family back then, with his older brother next in line. But Rafael wanted his own legacy. So did Dante. They had been just two young men, desperate
Dante“Cut the shit." I said acidly.I was done playing games.Rafael sat across from me, lounging in his chair like a king on his throne. The dimly lit VIP lounge smelled of expensive cigars, whiskey, and power. Outside, the lounge throbbed with life—bodies moving to the heavy bass, laughter and shouting blending into the music. But in here, it was just the two of us. A battlefield made of velvet seats and polished wood.Rafael smirked, taking a slow drag from his cigar. "Damn, Dante. You haven’t changed. Always so serious.""Cut to the chase, Rafe. You know why I’m here." I said through clenched teeth.Not long after we split, Rafael merged his growing operation with his family's empire. And conveniently, a few years later, his father and brother died in a plane crash, leaving Rafe as the head of the Gambino family.I knew exactly how far he was willing to go to get what he wanted.His smirk deepened. He leaned back in his chair as he puffed out a cloud of smoke. "Oh yes. Nonna." He
DanteThe air in the lounge was thick with tension. Rafe’s men had their guns drawn, their fingers twitching over the triggers. But Rafe wasn’t hiding behind them—no, he was right in my face, gripping my collar so tightly I could feel his breath against my skin. “I could kill you right now and take that video,” he growled, his eyes locked onto mine. I let out a sharp, amused laugh. “You haven’t changed a bit, Rafe. Still predictable. Still incapable of thinking outside the box.” I yanked myself free from his grasp, straightening my suit with deliberate ease. “And that, my friend, will always be your weakness.” I finished.I let the words sink in before raising a brow. “Do you really think that’s the only copy?” My smirk widened as I watched his jaw clench. “This is evidence you don’t want getting out.” Rafe’s knuckles went white as he gripped the table, his eyes burning with rage, but he didn’t say a word. “So, this is how you do business now?” he finally ground out, gestur
She had thrown herself in front of me. I could still hear the gunfire echoing in my ears, tormenting me. Two to the chest. One to the abdomen. I could not stop my hands from shaking as I applied more pressure to the wound.Matteo was sitting against the car, his knees pulled up while his face was buried in his hands. Useless. He was always useless in situations like this. I called his name, my voice barely breaking through the thick haze of my panic. “Matteo.” I called loudly but there was no response. He wasn’t there. Only his body was, and his mind was somewhere else entirely.“Matteo!” I shouted, shaking him from whatever daze he had fallen into. His head snapped up. “Dante…” He responded finally but his voice was distant, his eyes glassy like he wasn’t actually seeing me. Nonna stirred in my arms, her breaths were coming in short, labored gasps. She lifted her weak and trembling hand to my cheek, cradling my cheek. Her fingers left warm streaks of blood on my skin and
The man tugged his baseball cap low over his face, while steadily avoiding the cameras. He looked down the corridor to make sure there was no one around before slipping into the room.The hospital room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Nonna lay still, her eyes closed with a tube in her mouth. The lights were dim which casted soft shadows across the sterile white walls.He stood by the bed, his hands were stuffed into the pockets of his dark coat. Minutes ticked by as he kept watching her, almost refusing to let go. The woman who had raised him when no one else had cared to.The woman who had wiped his tears when he was a child, she had taught him how to say his prayers and how to survive in a world that had no softness for people like them. And now she was here, trapped in a bed, her frail body covered in tubes and wires. A ventilator forced air into her lungs with an unnatural hiss. Her chest rose and fell, but it wasn’t real breathing. Machines were k
GabriellaThe cemetery was quiet except for the steady patter of rain, falling heavily on the black umbrellas. Despite the weather, the gathering was large. Rows of men in sharp black suits, their heads bowed, and women with veils pulled low over their faces. But they were only here to strengthen connections.At the center of it all, Dante stood alone, a towering figure of grief. His hands were clasped in front of him, gloved and steady. But his eyes were dark and empty as he dropped a single rose on the coffin. I stared at him as the priest droned on, reciting the words.The pain etched unto his harsh features was plain for all to see as Nonna’s body was lowered into the grave. Matteo stood behind him, crying loudly and I could not help it as my heart tugged with pity for the two brothers. Losing a loved one is never easy.I remember very clearly the nights after my mom had died. I’d cried myself to sleep under the wishing tree she used to take me to when I was little, begging for he
DanteMy jaw tightened as I looked back at my wife. “Stay here and don’t move,” I said.She opened her mouth to argue, but the look I gave her must have silenced her. “Dante, wait—”“Gabriella.” I started, my tone firm, leaving no room for discussion. “I mean it. Stay here.” I immediately turned towards the exit, meeting Rico at the front door.“Boss!” his tone was sharp and urgent. “It’s your brother” he finished.“What has Matteo done this time?” I groaned in frustration, rubbing my hand down my face.Rico hesitated for a fraction of a second, then said, “He was drunk… almost raped Hannah’s little girl.”A cold wave crashed over me. “Che cazzo?” I stopped in my tracks, my pulse hammering. “Where is he now? And what was that gunshot about?”“Well, Enzo stepped in. Tried to stop him.” Rico exhaled through his nose. “Matteo shot him. He’s in the boathouse.”I let out a stream of expletives as we walked towards the boathouse. The door was slightly ajar, and light filtered through the op
Gabriella“Get dressed,” Dante said suddenly, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. His voice was deep and steady, but there was something different about him today. Like he was more…expectant?“Huh?” I muttered as I sat up in bed, holding my head which was still groggy from sleep. Rubbing my temples, I blinked against the sudden brightness in the room as Hannah opened the curtains.“Let’s have breakfast together.” He continued. He looked better than he did these past few days. His dark hair, still damp from his shower fell over his forehead in waves as he stared at me.I hesitated, watching him before finally giving in. “Okay,” I said in reply. “I’ll be down in a few minutes”“Good. I’ll be waiting for you” he finished. I jumped in the shower as soon as the door slammed shut and in a few moments, I was walking into the dining room. There was a large mahogany table that could seat at least ten people. I stood at the doorway, unnoticed as I observed the interaction in the room.
The ceiling lights cast a soft glow on the polished marble floor, complementing the long, elegant corridor that stretched ahead. Jasmine and polished wood scented the air — a beguilingly muggy degree of elegance. The soft pat of their steps echoed, and the sharp knuckles of Sofia's heels shattered all their sounds like swords.“You never would have guessed you’d end up here. Sofia's voice reverberated back through the corridor, sharp and keening as a banshee's wail. Her comments carried a clear tone of mockery, and her eyes sparkled with a blatant joy that she always felt no need to conceal. Next to Gabriella, Hannah tensed, her fingers gripping Gabriella’s hand in silent encouragement. She sensed the tension emanating from her friend — the calm, accepting strength Gabriella had consistently displayed — but this moment felt distinct. Fragile. On the verge of collapse. "That's enough, Sofia," Hannah remarked tersely, her tone quiet yet resolute. Sofia simply laughed — a harsh, joyles
Weeks went by before Gabriella's weak body started to heal from the sickness that had seized her with unyielding force after her ordeal. She had previously been a lively presence, but now, she sensed that she was hardly living. The illness had exhausted her, stripping away the essence of who she used to be. There were times—shadowy, intolerable times—when she beseeched God, imploring Him to free her from this agony. She had pleaded for her life to cease, incapable of bearing the suffocating burden of her existence any longer. However, destiny had different intentions, and in spite of her urgent requests, she realized she was holding on to life, one delicate day at a time. When Gabriella was eventually permitted to return to the upper floors of the mansion, she was beyond caring. Her spirit was shattered to such an extent that she no longer felt affected by the murmurs that trailed her, the glances that seared her skin, or the burden of her husband's treachery. Dante, the person she
Somewhere in New York.The chamber was chilly. Not the sort of chill that could be remedied with a blanket or a heater — it ran deeper than that. It was the sort of cold that seeped into your bones and caused your skin to tingle, regardless of how many layers you had on. The air felt dense, imbued with a silence that weighed on the walls. It had a slight scent of aged perfume mixed with something more intense — perhaps fear. Bianca stood before the mirror, her fingers gliding mindlessly across the swollen area on her cheek. Despite the thick makeup, it still hurt — a dull, pulsating ache that throbbed with each heartbeat. The foundation was heavy and skillfully applied, yet the bruise’s intense purple still risked showing through. She flinched as her fingers glided over the sensitive skin. It wasn't her most serious injury, yet it somehow felt that way. She should have just stayed. The idea struck her once more, piercing and relentless, as it always did. Years had passed since she
The door clicked shut, and the sound made Gabriella freeze. She stood still, listening closely as the lock turned with a harsh, scraping noise. That sound told her one thing — she was trapped. Outside the room, she heard Dante’s voice, calm but firm. There was no kindness in his tone, only authority."No one goes in or out until I say so. Not even for food."His words hit her like a blow. Through the thin wooden door, she heard the quiet movement of the guards standing outside. They didn’t question him. They simply obeyed.She remained in place, listening intently until she caught the sound of Dante’s footsteps ascending the stairs to the more affluent, upper levels of the house. The stillness that ensued felt denser than the atmosphere surrounding her.Only then did she realize she had been holding her breath.Gabriella eventually scanned the space where she had been confined. It was tiny and barren, lacking anything comforting or inviting. The walls were empty, and the sole piece of
Gabriella“This is your new room now.”Dante’s voice cut through the silence like a knife. It was icy, piercing, and utterly conclusive, enveloping my heart with the heaviness of his words like steel shackles. He towered above me, his towering figure creating a shadow so immense it seemed to engulf me entirely. And at that instant, I understood — truly understood — that any remaining hope I possessed was quickly and irretrievably fading like sand slipping through my hands.My body was in pain. My back ached with agony, and the intense, glaring light streaming in through the windows caused my head to pound. However, none of it measured up to the pain in my heartThe ache of knowing that everything was falling apart. The memories of last night hit me all at once, crashing into me like a storm I wasn’t prepared for. The whispers. The accusations. The fear. It was too much, too fast — and then before I could even catch my breath, the door burst open. It slammed against the wall so hard
Matteo."Now get out. And pray you haven’t ruined everything." The door slammed shut behind her, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot. I stood there for a moment, fists clenched at my sides, as the walls seemed to close in — the weight of my own frustration pressing against me. Sofia. Reckless, impulsive, foolish Sofia. I’d known from the start she’d be a liability, but I needed her. At least for now. But if she kept pushing like this… well, even my patience had its limits. And Sofia was standing right on the edge of them. I began pacing, each step tapping out my irritation on the hardwood floor. Everything had been going according to plan — perfectly, even — until she decided to take matters into her own hands. I should have seen it coming. She was ambitious, but ambition without control was dangerous. And right now, the last thing I needed was danger from my own allies. I sank onto the couch — still warm from where she’d been sitting — and let out a slow breath,
Sofia.I had not expected the girl to deliver such a great job. I couldn’t believe it had worked. I couldn’t believe all it had taken to turn Dante against her was one reckless night of partying. Just one night — and everything shifted. I chuckled quietly, recalling the expression on Gabriella’s face as she understood there was no way to regain Dante’s approval. The ruin, the embarrassment. She had completed it. What now? Dante belonged to me. The idea sparked a wave of excitement within me. The thought of becoming the upcoming mistress of the mansion, along with its riches and influence, thrilled me to the core. I could already picture it — the lavish gatherings, the power, the pure opulence of everything. Before long, everything would be mine. With a pleased grin, I glided down the corridor toward Matteo’s room, my heels tapping gently on the glossy marble. The atmosphere was heavy with excitement. I opened the door without knocking, eager to revel in my triumph. Yet as soon as
Dante.Everything went still the moment she collapsed. The clang of chains hitting the metal pole resonated into stillness, a stark and conclusive tone that lingered in the atmosphere. Even her screams appeared to be overshadowed by the darkness, and for a brief moment, it felt as if the entire universe had stopped.The silence was unbearable. Maybe—just maybe—I shouldn’t have killed the poor bastard. But the thrill was there, undeniable and electric, pumping through my veins the way it had earlier. That sharp rush, that surge of power, was like a drug.But it was the anger that stayed. It simmered in my blood as I uncuffed her wrists, the marks on her skin standing out like bruised flowers. I cradled her like a child, her body limp and fragile against me. And then I stood over her, towering and silent, just watching her sleep. The room was filled with the scent of sweat, fear and blood. He had died for her—Elio—and she didn’t even know it.In the mafia, women don’t betray their husba
Gabriella"No." I whispered, panic clawing up my throat.Dante's grip on my hair got tighter. "Watch."I fought desperately against the bindings, the metal digging into my flesh; however, I was helpless. Enzo swiftly crossed the room, his gun shining in his hand.Elio's chest heaved and sank in quick, uneven gasps. His gaze fixed on me—imploring, urgent.A profound silence extended between us. And then the pop of the gunshot shattered it.Elio's body convulsed, blood pouring across his chest. A cry escaped my mouth as he crashed down, his head turning to the side."Please don't... no, no, no..." I cried, shaking my head.Dante's grip loosened, causing me to tumble onto the table. My vision dimmed as I watched Elio's body lie still, the light of life dwindling from his eyes.I could not catch my breath."You ought to be grateful to me, my dear," Dante whispered, sweeping my hair from my damp, sweaty face. "He was destined to die." He continued. "At least now... he passed away watching