Alora's POV The tension in the air was thick as everyone awaited Dante's response to Bianca's request. Hell no, this girl gave me bad vibes, and I definitely would not like to live with her in the same house. Just looking at her gave me a bad feeling that things would not be easy. As I glanced at Dante, I prayed in my heart for him to say no. Please, Dante, say no. Don't say yes. Dante sighed, running a hand through his thick locks of hair, making some strands fall on his face. I almost wanted to help him push them back into place. "Bianca, baby, I don't think it's a good idea for you to stay here, okay? You know your dad and how protective he is. He isn't going to be happy about this," he said, his tone calm. Bianca crossed her arms defiantly. "I am my own woman, Dante. I can take care of myself. Forget about my father—I’ll explain to him, and he will understand." Dante seemed lost in thought, the silence stretching on for a few excruciating seconds. Then he finally spoke.
Alora's POVFor a moment, everything froze around me as I watched Dante's bloody body being carried in, looking nearly lifeless. His skin was pale, and the sight of him in such a state sent a chill through me. I almost thought he was gone, but then I noticed the rapid rise and fall of his chest—a faint sign of life.Suddenly, Bianca's voice pierced the atmosphere. "Oh my God, baby!" she screamed, rushing forward, her shoulder almost knocking me off balance as she shoved past. "Alora, what are you doing? Move!" Her urgency snapped me out of my daze.We scrambled into the medical bay where we had treated Gianni earlier. The room filled with the scent of antiseptic, and the metallic clatter of instruments being set up echoed around us. Bianca surprised me with her speed and precision. She was clearly skilled, though it was easy to forget that when I was used to her prickly attitude. If she wasn't so annoying, I might have even respected how quickly and smoothly she moved.When Dante was
Alora's POVI had had enough of Bianca threatening me like she was some queen. I was my own person, and she had no right to talk to me like I stole her treasure. I walked into my room and slammed the door hard behind me.Just as I headed to the bed to rest and think about what Dante had said during breakfast, a knock sounded on the door. I groaned, covering my ears with the pillow, but the knock didn't stop. I sluggishly walked to the door. “Gianni, I swear if you don't–”Luca's smiling face greeted me from outside. Oh, it's not Gianni, then. “Hello, Alora. Can I ask you something?”“Uhh, sure,” I replied, staring at him skeptically. What exactly does he want to ask me? My heart thudded with anxiety.“Would you like to go out with me this afternoon? Just for a stroll in the garden. I want us to be friends, if you wish.”I furrowed my brows. Friends? Okay then. “Okay… but let me get a scarf. It's really cold outside.”“Sure, go right ahead. I'll be waiting for you in the living room,”
Alora's POV“What?” Three voices exclaimed at once—Luca, Gianni, and me.I glanced around the room, my eyes taking in the men, all staring at me with different looks on their faces. My pulse quickened. “What are you talking about?" This had to be some kind of prank, right? "Gianni, come on, you should’ve told me that the Mafia pulled these kinds of stunts on new people. This is serious! You all shouldn't mess with people's lives like this.” I laughed nervously, but my voice faltered when I realized no one else was laughing.This couldn't be real. It was a joke... right?The man carrying the item stepped forward, his expression stern as he spoke. “Boss, we found this in her room,” he said, holding up a glittering piece of jewelry. “It was hidden with her belongings in the back of the closet.” “What do you mean by saying I’m the thief?” I stammered, trying to process the words. “What are you even talking about? I haven't even seen the closet yet. I don't even have dresses yet.”Luca's
Alora's POVI sank down to the floor, crying, my head dropping as despair took hold. Who would plant such evidence against me? I hadn’t even been here for 48 hours, and things like this were already happening to me. Was this how life was going to be from now on? Maybe I should have just refused to stay here and gone out into the dangerous world outside.But deep down, I knew that wasn’t an option—I had already involved myself too deeply to try backing out now.“Alora,” Gianni’s soft voice sounded as he approached, his footsteps barely audible. “Are you okay? Oh my God, what did Dante do to you?” He knelt down beside me, his expression one of worry. “I’m going to go find him right now and give him a piece of my mind. He hurt you, didn’t he?”I wiped my eyes quickly and tried to smile. “I’m fine, Gianni. Really. You have nothing to worry about.”“Alora, you don’t have to pretend,” he insisted, his voice filled with concern. “Dante said or did something to you, didn’t he?”“Gianni, it’s
Alora's POVUnfortunately for me, Bianca began pacing, muttering under her breath, “No… they couldn’t have just left this here. I was here earlier, and this phone wasn’t here… I think someone’s here.”Feeling trapped, I looked around frantically. The restroom was my only option, but I knew it would be the first place she’d search. Left with no other choice, I took a deep breath, stepped out, and pretended I’d just come in, unaware of her presence. I “accidentally” bumped into her, letting my expression shift to surprise.“Bianca? What are you doing here? It’s late, and there aren’t any patients tonight.”She narrowed her eyes, a mocking smile playing on her lips. “Alora, I should have known. What are you doing here? Snooping around, trying to plant poison or who knows what else?”I frowned, holding my ground. “Bianca, you know I didn’t do any of that. You stole that evidence and planted it in my room.”She gasped, feigning shock. “What? How dare you accuse me of something so vile, Alo
Alora's POVDante finally freed me once we reached his office. He dropped me onto the chair, and the pain in my hand was unbearable, causing tears to stream down my face. He stood over me, frustration and confusion etched on his face."Alora, why are you doing this?" he demanded, his voice cold. "I took you in to save your life, but you’re making me rethink my decision. Please, tell me why you’re doing this.""Dante, I didn’t do anything wrong," I said, my voice trembling. "I don’t know why you keep blaming me. I’m innocent. Bianca is the one attacking me for no reason."Dante gripped his hair, then slammed his hand down on the desk, making me jump. "Alora, do you really think I’m a fool? Are you trying to make me look like the bad person here?""Dante, you’re not a bad person. You’ve helped me," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "But you can't trust Bianca… she’s planning something terrible, not just against me but against others. Against your family."He narrowed his eyes at me,
Alora’s POV"Hand it over," Bianca said.I tightened my fist around the USB flash drive. What could be in here, and how could I get this to Dante?"Don't even think about it," she said, as if reading my thoughts. "Hand it over. Now."I turned around to face her. "Or what, Bianca? What if I don't? I could just scream Dante's name right now. And what would happen?" I said confidently, though my insides were shivering with fear, my nerves on edge at the thought that any moment she could pull the trigger, and I’d be done for."Wow, I see you've grown confident, huh? You don't want to hand it over? Fine, I'll just shoot you, and Dante will come in here. Guess what I'll tell him?" She fiddled with her hair as a smirk stretched across her face. "I'll tell him you came into my room to steal from me. By the time he gets here, that flash drive will be in my keeping. He won't even know it exists."I took a deep breath. Okay, now she sounded scary. I needed to find a way out."So this flash drive
Dante's POV"And are you sure they’ll be in this building?""Yes, this is the one," Marco replied, his tone firm. "If the picture sent to Alora was real, then we know who has her. And we know what they’re capable of. Fortunately, we’ve destroyed most of their hideouts, leaving only a few behind. They probably don’t even realize we know about this one, which makes it their most secure location for now.""Perfect," I muttered, studying the map in front of us. "We’ll attack from here, push through to this side, and surround these areas. Once we do, we’ll find them, explode the area, and get out. Let’s move!"As Marco, Vittoria, and I prepared for the mission, the door suddenly burst open, slamming hard against the wall. Luca’s panicked face appeared in the doorway."Dante, you have to see this.""What now, Luca?" I barked. "We’re about to move out and get Alora and Gianni back. I don’t have time for any of your nonsense.""Please, Dante," he insisted, stepping closer. "You really need to
Alora's POVMy mind was racing with questions—questions I didn’t know if I was ready to get the answers for.“Gianni?” I asked finally, after a long ten seconds of silence. “I don’t understand.”He turned to stare at me, a small smile appearing on his face. “What don’t you understand, Alora?”“Gianni, I don’t understand how you have proof against Bianca. Isn’t that... like, what proof do you have?” I asked, my confusion evident.“Well, it’s a long story,” he replied. “But I have proof, okay? And I think if Uncle Luca is as wise as he claims, he should have noticed it somewhere in the house by now. I kept it in his room so it would be safer there. Since he and Bianca hate each other’s guts, there’s no way she can get into his room.”My eyes widened. “Wait, you mean you really do have proof?”“Yes, I do have proof, Alora. Trust me, in less than no time, Bianca will be out of Dante’s—and our—lives for good. Then you and Dante can start your lovey-dovey acts.”“Gianni!” I shouted, making
Alora's POVThe ease with which I had left Dante's mansion surprised me. But that is what happens when the person who is basically about to kidnap you gives you all the directions to follow. I had taken turn after turn, as he had directed me, telling me where to avoid going and which paths to take.He must have planted cameras everywhere, enough to tell me how to escape. I had copied all his instructions on a piece of paper, including what I was to do if someone started following me.When I got out, there was a black car waiting. A big, burly man stepped out and gestured for me to get inside.I climbed into the car, trying to ask questions, but the man didn’t answer any of them. He just drove, ignoring me entirely.We finally arrived at what looked like an abandoned warehouse. The place was eerie, and I almost thought of running away, but I reminded myself that I was doing this for Gianni's sake.Now, here I was, tied to a chair. They had thrown me in and tied me up without a word. Th
Dante's POV I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, glancing briefly at Marco, who was seated across from me. There was something off about all that had been happening these days, something I couldn’t put my finger on. I felt restless and uneasy, especially as I couldn't figure out anything. What was wrong with Alora? I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible had happened. "Luca, what happened to Alora?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm, although my heart was thumping wildly in my chest. He sighed heavily, as though he could sense my impatience. "Listen, I know what you're thinking. But you’ve got to understand me. I was only going to see how she was doing." A frown crept its way to my face. "Luca, didn’t I say you shouldn't go to Alora's room? Why don't you ever listen?" "I know you said to stay away from her, but you can’t blame me for wanting to check on her. She’s my friend, Dante," he emphasized. I sighed, pinching the tip of my nose. "Just get to the poi
Alora's POVDante’s carefree attitude about Gianni’s kidnapping didn’t sit well with me. Could it be a prank? Was it possible he had done it just to trap me? I shook my head. No, it looked real. Nobody would hurt a little kid—their own brother—in that manner for a prank.I paced back and forth in my room, my head spinning with confusion and worry. My mind was a mess, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t sit down. My eyes kept darting back to my phone. Could Dante have put some kind of chip on it to monitor my movements? Why would he just return it out of the blue?What was going on? Gianni had been kidnapped, and yet Dante seemed to be acting like it was a normal occurrence. Maybe it was just routine in the mafia world for someone to be taken. After all, I was the only one here who wasn’t used to this lifestyle. To me, it seemed strange and unreal, but maybe that was just how things went in their world.A deep sigh escaped my lips. I just hoped to God that I was wrong—that Giann
Dante's POVThe tension hung in the air as I stood up, my gaze fixed on Alora—her shaking form standing just a few feet away from my desk. Alora’s pretend act wasn’t going to save her this time. She had barged in, hoping she could trick her way out of this situation, but her plans were incomplete—too bad for her. I was already way ahead of her.Unfortunately, I hadn’t foreseen Gianni’s kidnapping, but having her here as my hostage would send a clear message to whoever had sent her: mess with Gianni, and she’s gone. If she was even important to them anyway."Dante, I’m talking to you. Gianni has been kidnapped," she blurted out, her voice trembling."Shut the fuck up!" I shouted, slamming my hand on the desk.She flinched, jumping back as if the force of my words had physically hit her. I almost laughed at the sight, but the anger boiling in me wouldn’t let me. Her wide, startled eyes locked onto mine.I stood and glided across the desk, closing the distance between us in seconds. "So,
Dante's POV“Vittoria, do you and Marco have a death wish?” I snapped. They shook their heads, eyes wide.“No? Good. Then shut the hell up and let me think.”I was pacing, frustration boiling over. Everything seemed to be going wrong. I’d just gotten a call that one of my warehouse shipments had been tampered with, only to get there and find nothing wrong.It was most likely a setup—a ploy to lure me out, to either attack me or distract me for something else to go down. My men were clearing the way for us to head back, while I was thinking of what could possibly have gone wrong. But these two idiots were making it difficult with all their mindless bickering.And, of course, they were talking about the one person I hated right now. Alora Marino. I couldn’t believe I’d even considered giving her a chance. And yet, after everything, she turned out to be the worst woman I’d ever met.“Don, I understand your frustration, but don’t you think all of this seems... weird?” Vittoria’s voice cut
Alora's POV"Uh, sir? I'll stop here," I told the cab driver, who had carried me a few meters from Dante's mansion. I was tailing Gianni. The little boy had boarded an SUV that seemed to have been waiting for him, and I had followed, tossing all rationality out the window.This could very well be a trap set up by Bianca, but I was beyond caring. After days of being cooped up in Dante's property, I was finally able to visit the outside world.A strange urge filled me—the urge to run, to start a new life somewhere else.As the cold breeze hit my skin when I stepped out of the taxi, I paused, considering—maybe I should just escape. This was my opportunity, right? Gianni had unknowingly helped me, and I could leave. If it were a trap, by the time they came for me, I’d be long gone.But I couldn't abandon Gianni. Not after all that happened today. Bianca might hurt him, or worse. No, I couldn't just leave him. I'd stay and—"Hey, lady, are you gonna pay me or what? I gotta go to work," a v
Alora's POVWhen Gianni stepped into the room, I kept my eyes locked on the door in anticipation of the person Bianca said was her supporter against me. But when nobody came in after almost 10 seconds, my heart dropped. It was Gianni? God no!As if confirming my thoughts, Bianca smirked."Gianni, go ahead and tell them everything."My eyes widened, and the question spilled out before I could control myself. "What is she talking about?"Without even glancing at me, Gianni turned to Dante. "I'm sorry, brother. I'm really sorry. But, Alora, indeed, did everything.""No! Gianni, what are you talking about? Just shut up. You don't even know what you're saying," I shouted, but he didn't look at me."Do not tell my brother to shut up, you stupid girl," Dante snapped, making me clamp my mouth shut. My heart was beating wildly in my chest.Bianca chuckled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh, Alora, the evidence is right here, and you’re going to deny it? If it was on camera or something, it