“You're being too reckless!!” I screamed over the roar of the engine, my voice hoarse from fear. Soni's laughter echoed through the air, a manic, exhilarated sound that sent shivers down my spine. She floored it, the Lamborghini surging forward like a bullet. I gripped the armrests for dear life, my knuckles white with tension. "Soni, stop! You're going to get us killed!" I screamed, but she just laughed, her eyes gleaming with a wild, unhinged light. The speedometer needle quivered at 150, 160, 170... and still Soni pushed the car, her foot heavy on the accelerator. I closed my eyes, praying that we'd make it out alive.Suddenly, Soni slammed on the brakes, and the car skidded to a stop. I gasped as I jerked forward with a shrill cry, my heart still thundering in my chest. “Woohoo! That was life!” Soni exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she turned to me with a grin. She was still revved up from the adrenaline rush, her cheeks flushed and her hair disheveled from the w
My eyes widened in shock as I spun back around to face Soni, my mind racing with questions. But before I could ask any of them, Soni grabbed my arm and pulled me towards her car. Opening the door, she pushed me in and bent over, opening the compartments in haste, “Don't open the door unless I say so.” Her stern voice suddenly rang as she pulled out two silver guns. “Are we under an attack?” my mind was racing with worst-case scenarios as I slid into the passenger seat, my heart pounding in my chest. Scenes from what happened in Turkey clouded my mind and I subconsciously gripped Soni's elbow. “Let's run.”She halted her movement and locked eyes with me, the corner of her lips raising ever so slightly, “I don't know how to run.” With that, she snatched her elbow from me and checked the guns. Seeing they were loaded, she cracked them and straightened her back. “Don't open the door no matter what,” she repeated before running towards the fleet of cars packed in the garage. I watched i
When we got to the villa, I hurried into my room to look at the shemagh. Luca said there was a map on it. I found the knitted scarf among my designer scarves in my walk-in-closet. It hung oddly, looking different and out of place. Taking it out, I held it up to take a proper look at it. All I saw was a black and blue knitting in the middle. There was no map or any other visible markings that looked like a direction. I turned it over, studying it carefully, but there was nothing. Just as I was about to give up, I heard footsteps. It must be Demir's. With that, I took the scarf along as I walked back into the bedroom. The moment I stepped into the room, our eyes locked and he strode over and yanked me into a fight hug. “I heard what happened at the mall,” he said. I was stunned, “So soon? Was it Soni?” Who else would tell him if not Soni? It hasn't been long since we were attacked.“This is my territory, Little one.” He pulled away, staring into my eyes, “Soni doesn't need to tell
The meeting with Professor Orhan had left me reeling in shock and wonder. The scarf, it turned out, held a secret map, intricately sewn along its edges rather than prominently displayed in the center. At Demir's request, the professor carefully transcribed the map onto a piece of paper, which was then handed to me. As for the pendant which I originally thought was a family heirloom, was cracked open to reveal a folded paper, yellow with age and adorned with intricate shorthand writing. Much to my surprise. The professor translated the message, which not only hinted at the betrayal from Bianca's family, but also at my Yaman family's good relations with Kaan of the Ferrente family. The box holding the pendant also held its own secrets. After the first skin was peeled off, it revealed a letter written in shorthand. It was a message for me. My father had told me to seek out Kaan of the Ferrente family, and give him the scarf and pendant, claiming Kaan knew what to do. Now it dawned
I had reservations about this plan from the start. A nagging feeling told me something was off, but I wouldn't uncover the truth by staying behind. Still, nothing could have prepared me for the shock that awaited me at the coffee shop. As I entered the VIP area, I was met with a room full of familiar faces - Luca, Bianca, Butler Marco, and Alessia, all gathered in one place. But it was Soni's presence that caught me most off guard. She lounged in her chair, exuding an air of nonchalant superiority, her arm draped lazily over the backrest as she gazed at me with a smirk. My eyes widened in shock, threatening to pop out of their sockets. Didn't Demir assure me that Soni would never betray him? A pang of sorrow struck my heart as I thought of my husband's unwavering trust in his daughter. He had confided in her, relied on her, and yet… "Welcome, Rena, we've been waiting for you," he said, his tone implying that I was a long-overdue guest at a party I never wanted to attend.
Bianca's voice cut through the air, "Rena, you may leave now."I stared at her, bewildered. What did she mean? Was I being dismissed, cast aside like a used pawn, now that they'd gotten what they wanted?I narrowed my eyes, a spark of defiance igniting within me. "Why should I leave?" I retorted, my glare locked on Bianca's.But she held my gaze, her eyes flashing with a sharp, malicious glint, her expression a masterful blend of sweetness and venom. Oh, wow, she'd finally dropped the facade, I thought, a wry smile twisting my lips. Finally, the real Bianca had emerged from behind the mask of sweetness and innocence. "Don't force me to throw you out, Rena," Bianca's voice dripped with malice, her threat hanging over my head.My eyes flashed with anger as I turned to Luca, my gaze piercing. "So, I've been used?" I asked, my voice low and even, but laced with a hint of betrayal.Luca casually shrugged. "That's not exactly how I'd put it," he said, his tone neutral, but his eyes dartin
Pain. My mind registered an excruciating pain shooting through my entire body. An involuntary groan escaped my lips as I arched my back, my muscles tensing in response to the agony. Trying to open my eyes, the world around me blurred, fading into a dull haze as the pain consumed me. I felt like I was being torn apart from the inside out, my very cells screaming in protest. A faint, desperate thought echoed through my mind and my lips moved; “Make it stop...please, make it stop…” I mouthed, barely registering my own voice. “Boss, she's awake.” “She's finally awake? Why is she so slow? I've been waiting for hours. Help her hasten it." ‘Splash!’Cold, icy water hit me like a slap in the face, shocking me out of the haze. I gasped, my eyes flying open as I struggled against the chains binding me to the wall. The pain still lingered, but it was no longer the all-consuming force it had been moments before. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from my vision. A blurry figure st
A hint of a smile played on Soni's lips as she said, “You played your part perfectly, Cousin. Thanks to you, we finally located their hideout.” Exhaustion and fear had rendered me speechless, but my mind was racing with a thousand unanswered questions. I wanted to know what Soni was talking about. Didn't she betray her father? How did she enter here, and my captors, what happened to them? What about Bianca and Luca? Too many questions, but my parched throat and weary brain couldn't seem to formulate the words.“Let's go home,” Soni said softly, wrapping a supportive arm around my waist, with one of my arms over her shoulder, as she guided me out of the dank, darkness of the dungeon. As we navigated the corridors, she moved with deadly precision, silently taking down the scattered guards who crossed our path, her movements a testament to her skill and training.As we emerged from the dungeon, I was stunned to see a cluster of familiar faces waiting for us. Raven, Black Cat, and seve
Kaan~Five years.Five goddamn years. I built an empire in that time. United the mafia families under my rule, spilled rivers of blood to become the overlord of Italy's underworld. Those politicians, businessmen, bankers, and demons who pushed Pablo to go against me, I made them all bleed. Slit their throats one after the other. I made men kneel, buried traitors, burned cities. And my name clawed its way to the most ruthless and most feared Overlord in history. I did it all, for her. For them. But no crown, no throne, no victory ever filled the void her silence left.And now… now the silence was broken.The moment I got the call, my heart stopped. She was awake, the doctor said. Just two words, but they shattered me more than any bullet ever could. I drove like a madman, ignoring every red light, every law, every rule except the one screaming in my chest: Get to her! The guards at the hospital entrance stood aside without a word. They knew better than to stop me. I stormed through
Alessia~They say you don’t hear the bullet that kills you.But I heard it.Not in the way of metal ripping through flesh – but in the silence before it. The moment the world goes still. When your heart finally realizes it’s run out of reasons to beat.That’s what I felt when I heard Kaan had taken Pablo’s head.He came for us like death with a vendetta. A storm that remembered every name. A god, bleeding but unbroken. I should’ve known he’d survive. I should’ve known love wouldn’t be enough to kill a man like him.Because I tried. God help me, I tried.I loved him once. Maybe I always did. But you can’t love a storm and expect to stay dry. You can’t want the throne and the king. And I wanted it all.That’s what ruined me.We’re hiding in what’s left of the Castellano estate. It’s nothing now – cracked walls, shattered marble, the perfume of gunpowder curling through the halls like incense for the dead. My people are scattered. My second-in-command is missing. And I have a bullet lodg
Kaan ~He holed up in a countryside villa near Caltanissetta, surrounded by luxury and fools. It was almost funny. He always thought money made him untouchable. Now, he hid behind marble walls while my soldiers scale them like wolves.We breach the gates in under three minutes.I stormed the hall myself – gun in one hand, machete in the other. Pablo’s men scatter like insects. I killed three before they could blink. Matteo dropped the guards near the staircase. Blood slicked the floors. Screams echoed off the high ceilings.Pablo tried to run but I seized him by the throat. He said a lot of jargon, but I only asked one question:“Who went after my family?”Without hesitation, he gave her up. “Alessia! It– It was her doing. I tried to talk her out of –”I drove the machete through his chest. I didn't care about his nonsense. I watched the horror in his eyes, the regret, and remorse. But it was too late. He should have listened when I warned him. Two down, one more to go. *******Pabl
Kaan ~He didn't speak. He was brave. But not brave enough. “Bang!” I put a bullet through his kneecap.“Ahhh!!” He screamed like a pig on a butcher table.“I’ll ask once more.”His lips tremble. “The Al…I don’t know her name, just…the Alessandro woman and Pablo. They brought maps. Codes. Said they had someone close to Ferrente feeding intel.”I already knew.But hearing it confirmed the truth I’d been avoiding.“I want every man vetted. Every file reviewed. If they’ve looked at me wrong in the last year, I want their head on my desk,” I snarl at Matteo.He nodded, his face paled. He was scared of me, I could see it. I take one last look toward the sea, where the fog has swallowed the horizon whole.You want a war, Alessia?You’ll choke on it.… We burned the docks by morning.No more shadows for the Vipers to hide in. No more Alessandro scouts weaving through cargo yards under the flag of smoke. The flames licked the sky like a beacon. But victory tasted like ash when you knew it
Kaan~I was halfway to Catania when the call came in.One ring.Two.Then silence.It wasn’t unusual. Not for men like me. Sometimes silence was safer. Cleaner. But something in my gut twisted the wrong way. Something colder than instinct, sharper than a blade. I stared out the window of the moving car, watching Sicily blur past.Then the second phone rang – the one no one was supposed to use, except one person. I picked it up immediately.“Soni?”Her voice was cracked glass. Choked with dust. “D– Dad…?”My blood froze. “Talk.”“They bombed it. The villa. It's – it’s all gone.”Everything stopped. My lungs. My pulse. The world. “What?”“I got her out. B– but Rena…. She… she's receiving medical care. We’re in the tunnels now.”“Turn the car around!” I barked the order. My driver didn’t even ask. He saw my face, and the fear in his eyes was answer enough.“Who did this?” I asked, voice low. I already know. It couldn't have been anyone but Pablo. “Dad?” she called. “Burn them to the gr
Rena~I knew something was wrong. When he kissed my forehead and my stomach, I was awake. But I didn't stop him from leaving. I knew it was important. I knew that to build a safe haven for our child, he needed to weed the poison out of the roots first.Still, when the door clicked shut and his footsteps faded into silence, my chest felt hollow.I rolled onto my side, placing a protective hand over my still-flat belly as I strained myself to get the note he left for me. It was a lullaby. I chuckled despite myself, because I couldn't tell if it was for me or our baby. But either way, I read it aloud, softly, my voice cracking with emotion."Little light in darkest night,Rest your soul, the world’s alright.Though I walk through storms and flame,My heart returns when you whisper my name."I pressed the paper to my lips, breathing in his scent faintly lingering on it. The tears came quickly - warm and silent - because it was for both of us. And because I knew what it meant.He was walk
Kaan~She looked at me like the whole world had just changed.And it had.The doctor’s words echoed over and over in my mind, warping time itself.Pregnant.My Little cat, my woman, my wife, was carrying my child.I couldn’t move at first. Couldn’t speak. I just stared at her, at the disbelief and wonder lighting up her beautiful face. The soft shine in her eyes. The tears she didn’t try to hide.And suddenly, nothing else mattered.Not the blood I’ve spilled. Not the empire I built. Not the war that was still waiting just outside the hospital walls.None of it.Only her.Only this moment.I dropped to my knees before her and laid my hands over her belly like it was holy. I bowed my head – not because I was defeated – but because I was undone. By her. By this.“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice too full to be strong.She touched my hair, so gently I nearly broke apart.I pressed my lips to the soft cotton of her dress, right where our child was growing, and closed my eyes. I couldn’t
Rena~His mouth was fire. His hands were everywhere. He pressed me down into the sheets like he was afraid I’d vanish if he let go. I could feel it - his desperation, his need, his relief.My robe fell open. His shirt followed. The space between us became airless.“I thought of you every night,” he whispered, voice hoarse. “I counted the days.” I said as my fingers desperately worked on his belt. Even after I was discharged from the hospital, he didn't touch me, afraid he'd hurt me. But it's been almost two weeks and I couldn't wait anymore. “You didn’t lose count?” His lips curled, his nose brushing against mine. “No. I carved each one into my bones.” The sound of his belt leaving his trousers as I pulled filled the air. He froze above me, eyes darkened, full of something dangerous and tender. “Say it again.”“I missed you,” I whispered. “I missed you so much, it hurt. I thought I'd die.”He kissed me. I moaned, my body arching from the bed, wanting to feel the heat of his body,
Pablo~They were all fools.The mayor. The other dons. Even Kaan, with his clean-cut suits and those sharp, unforgiving eyes. He thought peace could be bought with threats and forced surrender.I chuckled. The fool didn’t know we were already sharpening the knives, waiting impatiently to butcher him. The general meeting ended at dusk with Kaan’s agreement for a ceasefire, rebuilding the city, and unity for Sicily’s sake. The mayor looked like he'd die if Kaan didn't agree. And when the idiot did, the Mayor was like a newlywed, married for love. Stupid. It was comical. Kaan looked smug when Alessia stood and bowed her head to him, declaring surrender, begging him not to hurt her clan. What a performance, what a laughable joke. Everything made me laugh. Honestly, I couldn't stop laughing, even now. That bitch played him. She baited him. And the so-called almighty Kaan fell for it. “Hahahaha…!… We met an hour later in an abandoned stone chapel on the outskirts of Trapani. The per