ANYA
My mind was in a mess. I felt like I was tumbling down a rabbit hole of confusion and despair. My whole identity was shaken – the parents I had known all my life were apparently not my real parents.
A whirlwind of questions stormed my thoughts. Who were my real parents? Why had I been kept in the dark? What other secrets had been hidden from me?
Before I could even process this revelation, Uncle Pietro roughly pulled me out of the room, yanking me away from the chaos of my thoughts. The sight outside was even more chaotic. Lifeless bodies littered the ground, a testament to the violence that had erupted in Vincenzo's wake.
Amidst the turmoil, my heart leaped at the sight of Vincenzo in the distance. He was fighting, as fierce and determined as I had ever seen him. He was fighting for me. The realization sent a shiver down my spine. Vincenzo was my protector, my own personal storm.
But the moment was fleeting. Uncle Pietr
VINCENZOI was pacing the hospital hallway angrily. Anya was in there fighting for her life, and it was all because of that fucker. The weight of guilt and anger pressed heavily on me. I should have protected her better. I should have prevented this.Right now, that bastard was in the dark cage, locked away where he belonged. I intended to make him pay for every bit of pain he had caused Anya. He was going to regret the day he crossed paths with us.My promise to protect her echoed in my mind, and I cursed myself for not being able to keep her safe. I shouldn't have asked her to trust me in that moment of chaos. I should have kept her out of harm's way, no matter what.Anya had been in surgery for nearly seven hours. The mere thought of her lying there, fighting for her life, sent waves of frustration and helplessness through me. The doctors had insisted that I leave the room, claiming I was disrupting their work. Matteo had to physically
ANYA"We are having a baby," Vincenzo told me. The weight of his words settled in my mind, leaving me utterly speechless. I didn't know how to react – whether to be elated or overwhelmed with emotions.After the nurse left, Vincenzo calmly told me the news again. I looked into his eyes, trying to decipher his feelings, but all I saw was love. It confused me even more. Was he truly ready to become a father or was he just trying to comfort me?“Vincenzo…” I murmured, my voice shaking with uncertainty.“I am so proud of you, Anya. Thank you for making me the happiest man on earth. Thank you for making me a father,” he expressed, genuine awe and joy evident in his face.I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, I was scared of the new responsibility that was growing within me, and on the other hand, I was overwhelmed by Vincenzo's reaction. He was excited about this child, about becom
ANYAErik's small hand reached out and touched my hair. I raised my head to meet his gaze. “Why are you crying so much like this?”Tears still shimmering in my eyes, I managed a smile. “I'm just really, really happy.”He turned his gaze to Vincenzo. “Does she cry like this often?”Vincenzo chuckled. “Yeah, she does. It's a miracle she still has tears left.”Erik then looked at Vincenzo, a determined expression on his face. “Thank you for taking care of her. I promise, when I grow up, I'm going to repay you somehow.”My heart swelled with pride and love for this brave boy. I had missed him beyond words. When Uncle Pietro had told me Erik was dead, I thought a part of me had died too. I couldn't imagine what life would have been like without him, my only living family. Meeting him had become even more crucial now, as I needed to learn about my true parents.Vin
ANYAI spent another three days in the hospital before finally being allowed to go home. Stepping out into the fresh air, I relished the escape from the hospital's distinct smell, which had become increasingly nauseating.Vincenzo, true to his overprotective nature, treated me like a fragile egg throughout our ride back home. I understand he cares deeply, but sometimes it feels like he's fussing over me too much.“Would you stop frowning already? It doesn't suit you,” he remarked, his eyes on the road.I snickered and shot him a mock glare. “I'm not sick, Vincenzo. I'm pregnant, pregnant!”He glanced at me and chuckled. “Do you think I don't know that?”“If you do, then you must know that it is not necessary to do this,” I retorted. He had placed a small pillow behind my back and adjusted my seat so that I was reclining slightly.“It's just for safety measures. We
ANYAI felt as if the ground beneath me had crumbled. Staggering backwards, I stopped breathing for a moment. Vincenzo's hands reached out to steady me, but my attention remained fixed on my uncle. This couldn't be real; he must be lying. My parents were my real parents, this couldn't be true.“You can lie to yourself by choosing not to believe it, but the truth won't change,” he sneered, his words laced with venom. “You are not a Chirkov, not by blood or any measure. You don't even have our blood running through your veins.”His words were like a dagger to my heart, each one piercing deeper. Anguish flooded my chest, threatening to drown me. “You're lying!” I spat, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and desperation.I swung my fist at him, my knuckles colliding with his battered face, and I hardly noticed the blood now trickling from my own hand.Blow after blow, I unleashed my fury upon him
VINCENZOShe was taking longer than expected, and my worry grew with each passing minute. When I entered the room, I found her on the floor, her face etched with misery and tears streaming down her cheeks. Seeing her like this twisted something inside me."Anya, why is it that every time I see you, you're in tears?" I asked, concern filling my voice as I knelt in front of her."It... hurts so...much." She looked at me with eyes filled with pain, trying to speak but struggling to find her words amid her sobs. I felt a pang in my chest, a deep empathy for her suffering."What hurts?" I asked, placing a hand gently on her arm. Her pain felt like mine, a shared burden I wished I could lift from her."Here, it hurts here," she managed to say, clutching her chest as if trying to physically contain the emotional turmoil within her."Anya, what's wrong?" I felt a knot of unease forming within me, a sense that something truly distres
ANYAEverything had gone relatively smoothly for the past week. I spent most of my time taking care of Alessia and Erik, as Vincenzo seemed to be occupied with some matters he referred to as "cleaning."To be honest, I had no idea what that meant, but I trusted that he knew what he was doing.Our nights together remained passionate and intense, but I noticed a change in his routine. He would slip away in the early morning hours, leaving me to wake up alone. I missed him terribly during those hours, but I understood that his responsibilities were vast.Now, though, an entire day had passed without any word from him, which was unusual. Even Matteo and Carlo hadn't heard from him, which definitely set off alarm bells. Vincenzo wasn't the type to disappear without a trace, especially not for this long.Two weeks later and my worries had grown into full-blown panic. His absence felt like a gaping hole in my life, and the uncertainty of
ALESSIALosing someone was very unfamiliar to me. It wasn't just a mere void; it was like the universe had collapsed in on itself, leaving behind an immense darkness that enveloped my entire being. Vincenzo had shielded me from this raw pain when we lost our parents, but now, he was the one I had lost.The memories flooded back, the ones I had tried to bury beneath the surface. I had been there when Mom died, witnessed the brutality first-hand.The image of those men, the glint of their knives, the desperation in Mom's eyes – they were etched into my mind forever. Vincenzo didn't know I had seen it all; I had kept that hidden, locked away deep within me.I didn't want their pity. I didn't want them to see me as fragile or broken. I didn't want Vincenzo to blame himself for not protecting me from the harsh realities. I had lost my parents in a way, and now, I was losing the one who had become my everything.Tears flowed freely
ANYAONE MONTH LATERI was incredibly excited today. I was finally going to become Anya Cassano. Since Vincenzo had asked me to marry him, I had been eagerly awaiting this day.I didn't need to call a makeup artist; I already had a professional makeup artist as my best friend. Alessia didn't allow me to see what she was doing until she was finished."You can look at yourself now," she said with an excited tone. With a shaky smile, I turned to the mirror and stared at my reflection.I gasped when I saw myself. I had never known that I could look this beautiful. One thing that stood out was my hair, which was packed into a low bun. White flowers were pinned around my hair, and an elegant crystal tiara graced my head.I looked at my face; shimmery mascara accentuated my eyes. She hadn't used false lashes but had simply applied mascara.The foundation matched my skin tone perfectly, and she had chosen a m
ANYATHREE MONTHS LATERI woke up with an uneasy feeling in my lower abdomen. My stomach tightened, and I moved around the room, trying to ease the discomfort.As I shifted, a sudden, sharp pain shot through me, causing my eyes to widen in alarm. My hand instinctively went to my belly, feeling the tension there. Oh, no. It couldn't be...The sensation of wetness between my legs confirmed my fears. My water had broken. Panic fluttered in my chest as I rushed to the bathroom, managing to keep my composure despite the urgency of the situation. I took a quick shower, changed into fresh clothes, and tied my hair up in a bun.Walking carefully, I made my way outside. The pain in my belly seemed to intensify, and I winced, my hand cradling the growing life inside me.Downstairs, everyone was gathered in the living room. Alessia, Cosima, and Blanca were sewing tiny clothes for my soon-to-arrive little angel. We had
VINCENZOFor days, I continued this silent vigil, finding solace in the mere sight of her presence. It wasn't easy to hold myself back, to resist the urge to wake her up and hold her in my arms. But I knew I needed time to heal, both physically and emotionally, before I could be the man she deserved.And then, after a week of watching and waiting, I finally decided that it was time. It was time to step out of the shadows and reveal myself to her once again.My heart clenched at the sight I met – my sweet angel was trapped in a nightmare, and this time, it was because of me. Her forehead was creased with worry, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried out in her sleep.I moved to her side swiftly, my heart aching at her distress. Gently, I shook her, trying to rouse her from the torment of her dream. Gradually, her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at me with a mixture of confusion and hope. She couldn't quite see me, yet.
VINCENZOI ended up staying in Emiliano's house for several days. It was a respite from the constant turmoil, a space where I could heal and gather my strength.He was not behind the kidnappings. Once I had regained a modicum of strength, Emiliano and I returned to the place where I had been held captive, and I found out that it was Maksim that was behind everything.Emiliano was angry but my anger burned hotter than ever. I was so full of rage towards Maksim. I took him to Emiliano's basement and tortured him in ways that vengeance itself couldn't even comprehend. The pain he experienced was but a fraction of the torment he had put me through. Finally, when I had sated my fury, I ended his life.Following that grim resolution, I ventured to Russia. I systematically dismantled every element connected to Maksim, eliminating threats, and imposing the Italians' dominance over the Russians.Once I was assured that the danger had been n
VINCENZORage nearly consumed me. Their games were becoming increasingly infuriating. I was sick and tired of their mindless attempts to break me. But I couldn't let their taunts get to me. I had to hold on, for Anya, for our unborn child.After the last brutal session of torture, they brought me to a doctor. As my body gradually healed, a sliver of hope ignited within me. I saw an opportunity to escape, to fight back. In my weakened state, I attempted to run, to break free from this wretched place.But it was futile; I hadn't regained my strength and they swiftly captured me again. Their retribution was swift and merciless, a stark reminder of my vulnerability.I had lost track of time, days blending into each other in this grim captivity. My family, my loved ones, must believe I'm dead by now. The thought of Anya grieving, thinking I was gone forever, was more painful than any physical torture they could inflict.Now, I found mys
ANYADays turned into weeks, each passing day a painful reminder of his absence. My heart ached incessantly, yearning for him. My baby bump had grown noticeably, a constant reminder of the life growing within me.I wished he could witness this journey, be by my side to share in the anticipation and joy.I had exhausted every avenue in my pursuit to bring him back. My visits to Emiliano's house proved futile, met with his adamant refusal to help. He had even turned me away during my last attempt, his rejection a heavy blow to my hopes.Sometimes, the doubt would creep in – what if Vincenzo wasn't really alive? Why would he stay away for so long?The pain of his absence was almost too much to bear, my world feeling incomplete without him. I was living day to day, finding solace only in the life growing within me.Alessia's persistence wouldn't allow me to wallow in my sorrow. Reluctantly, I got up from the bed and headed
ANYAIt had been three months since we discovered that Vincenzo was still alive, and despite our best efforts, his whereabouts remained a mystery. Every day, his absence weighed heavily on my heart, and the longing to see his face again was a constant ache.The presence of our growing baby was the only thing that anchored me, preventing me from completely succumbing to despair. Nights were the hardest – the loneliness and grief seemed to intensify when the world was cloaked in darkness.I spent most of my time in the penthouse. It held memories of our time together, a place where our connection had deepened. It was where I saw him at his most vulnerable, and it was there that he touched my heart in ways I couldn't explain.The search for him consumed me, but no matter how hard I tried, his trail remained elusive.Standing before the mirror, I took in my reflection. My baby bump was gradually becoming more pronounced, a sign o
VINCENZOTHREE MONTHS LATERPain was all I could feel, a relentless ache that seemed to infiltrate every fiber of my being. The torment I endured was beyond anything I'd experienced before. Days melded into nights, a haze of suffering that blurred my sense of time.My body was a canvas of bruises, each one telling a story of brutality and torment. Dried blood streaked my arms and legs, a gruesome testament to the violence inflicted upon me. Nausea gnawed at my stomach, a constant companion in this hellish ordeal.I struggled to piece together the events that had led me here, to this nightmarish existence. The memories were fragmented, like shards of glass in my mind. One moment, I was driving, the world spinning around me. And then, I woke up in this wretched place – a grimy, dimly lit room that reeked of despair.The people responsible for my captivity were shrouded in masks that concealed their identities.
ANYAIn the days that followed, I worked on keeping that promise. I embraced the waves of sorrow when they came, allowing myself to grieve, but also learning to balance it with moments of self-care and determination.I had made a pact with myself – to ensure that our child knew about the incredible man who had filled my life with love. I would weave his memories into the fabric of our child's life, ensuring that Vincenzo would always be present in some way.But alongside the grief and the determination to honor his memory, there was a growing fire within me. A thirst for justice. Vincenzo's death had to be avenged. I was done with being a vulnerable pawn that others could exploit. I wanted answers, and I wanted those responsible to pay.And that began with finding Matteo. I needed to know where Vincenzo's body was laid to rest, to bid my final farewell. I searched for him, questioning everyone I could, until I finally found him down