Chapter 96Alora's POVI held the weapon in my trembling hand, my heart racing. It wasn't like they were going to die with what I would do, but maybe they would sleep a little bit.The nurse was supposed to walk into my room any time now to administer my medication. I heard the doctor telling her he would take something from the medical bay. Everything was working in my favor.As she got closer to the bed with the sedative, I brought mine up faster, stabbing it straight into her arm and pressing the plunger. She screamed—all useless, though.Carlos had lured out Dante and the others, perfect timing for me. He didn't know he had done me a huge favor. Hopefully, no guards were in the corridor, or else I'd be a goner.The drug didn't take long to work, which meant they were probably using a very good one. This is the mafia, after all. I hid behind the door, waiting patiently for my next target.He walked in, whistling a tune. To think I admired this doctor—one of the best in the field. W
Alora's POVI was already anticipating them storming into my hiding place and tying me up, but when I heard Carlos asking Gianni if he had seen me, I knew there was still hope.However, Carlos being in Gianni's room made my stomach churn. He was going to terrorize the poor kid. Or maybe I was wrong because each time he asked a question, Gianni would just give a sassy answer in return.That's my boy.Finally, Carlos had his men search a little and leave Gianni's room.I almost banged on the wall for him to open up so I could check if he was okay when I heard Carlos, now whispering..."Little demon, you are going to fix all this. Or maybe leave it. And if your brother asks you what happened in here, you are going to tell him you were just throwing a tantrum because nobody paid you any attention."Despite the fear bubbling in my stomach, I rolled my eyes. What stupid plan was that? Gianni was no kid who threw tantrums. Dante won't believe that shit."You don’t tell him we came in here, o
Alora's POVAll the time I was hiding, I hadn't thought of how I would come out of my spot and go back out into Dante's room. By now, Dante would be scouring the entire place, searching for me.I massaged my forehead, feeling another headache forming. After fainting and being pumped with a large dosage of sedatives, I had gone through so much stress, which wasn't advisable.Gianni looked at me and rolled his eyes. "Are you dying?"Idiot."No. But I might as well die instead of being here, having to figure out how to go back out there."What was I thinking? And I had knocked both the doctor and nurse unconscious. I'm pretty sure he had seen them, and he would know something was up. So I couldn't even give an excuse. Ah, why did I have to be so dumb?"Gianni, don't just stand there. We have to think of something.""Uh. No. You have to think of something. You are the adult. Leave me alone."The sassy kid spat out, keeping a straight face.Adult, my foot."Maybe I could tell him, uh... I,
Alora's POVVittoria didn't respond, so Carlos asked again."Aren't you going to talk, daughter? Just tell me what exactly is going on, and everything will be all right. I just want to know what secrets she is hiding.""None of your business," Vittoria spat out, her eyes blazing with fire as she glared at Carlos.He looked taken aback and stayed quiet for a few seconds, then sighed."You shouldn't be rude to your old man now, honey. Come on, just tell me the secret. Or do you want me to have Dante look into you?" he asked, his eyes darkening with menace as he fixed her with a hard glare.Watching the exchange with wide eyes, I gulped, my heart racing.Vittoria was definitely going to tell him. I expected her to. She was trying to get on Dante's good side, right? So what better way to do so than to let Carlos know? That way, Dante would have no reason to doubt her anymore.She stalked closer to where he stood, leaning against the wall, each of her steps causing my heart to thump wildly
Chapter 100Alora's POV"Are you sure you're okay? If you aren't, we can go to bed. I won't mind," Dante asked me for the 15th time today.Before coming to meet him, I had made sure to hide all traces of unease from my face and to look as relaxed as possible. This didn't stop him from being worried every minute about how I was doing."Ugh, why are you acting like she's dying, Dante? She said she's fine," Gianni groaned.Clearly, he wasn't the only one tired of his brother's overprotectiveness. Seeing Dante about to scold the boy, I pulled his hand."Gianni is right, Dante," I said when I saw that I had all his attention. "I am very fine. Let's just have fun and enjoy this moment together, okay?"His eyes softened. "Sure. So what do you want to do?""I think Gianni can go first," I responded. "Gianni, what do you want to do?"He smiled, showing his full teeth. "I want to leave you guys and go to my room. I'm tired," he pouted.Dante scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Ungrateful brat. He isn
Alora's POVAs the next series of gunshots echoed, Dante held me down with him, shielding my body as footsteps pounded the floor, men running and screaming. My heart thumped with each shot, tears filling my eyes quickly.This is what I had been afraid of ever since, that one of these days something like this would happen. Although it seemed the mafia was prepared because the fighting back from Dante's side was strong. He hugged me, laying a kiss on my hair and wrapping his hands around me.I almost asked him why he wasn't fighting along with his men, but the comfort he was giving me was way better, and I preferred it that way. A shadow of fear crept over me. Where was Gianni? What about Vittoria and the others? What if someone had gotten hurt already?The gunshots sounded from everywhere. It seemed like the attackers were all around the house. This was too soon. I thought it would come later."Come on, we need to get you inside. Let's go. Make sure you move directly behind me, okay?"
Dante's POVI've been fooled one too many times in life. But as Don of a mafia, I'd learned not to let myself get affected by all that. It was like building a wall around your heart so you didn't feel anything, no matter how big it was.The outcome of today was going to prove to me whether I'd been a fool or not. As I held the note in my hand, I tried to read through it again. Maybe the stress was getting to my head. There was no way I was seeing Alora's name at the bottom.No way in hell.But even as I tried to deny it, the harsh evidence was glaring at me in the face."Gosh, what stupidity," Marco broke the silence. "They expect us to believe that?"Low chuckles erupted in my office. My men—Marco, Luca—everyone was laughing at how dumb the Americans were. Who would even send something like this and expect us to believe it?Obviously, they must have done proper research to know about Alora's presence in my home. They would try to distract us by making us think we had an enemy in our
Alora's POVI froze, feeling like my heart was slamming against my ribs. Captured and Luciano were the only words running through my mind. No. This wasn't happening. What the hell was he doing out here that led to him being captured?Just as I was thinking, four men walked in, dragging a very bloody Luciano with them. If not for how fast his chest was rising and falling, he'd have passed for a corpse. I jumped to my feet, tears long forgotten, and ran towards him.But a firm hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me back into a hard chest."Let me go." I thrashed around, trying to break free, but Dante's grasp grew tighter around my petite frame."Tie him up," he ordered calmly, making me struggle more. I slammed my elbow into his stomach, and because he didn't expect it, he let me go. Using that as my opportunity, I ran towards Luciano, whose hands were about to be bound by Rudolf."Let go of him," I groaned, pushing the big man
Alora's POV I was crying again while Marco and Luciano looked at me, both panicked, a tinge of concern all over their faces. Vittoria was laughing her ass off on the couch, and Gianni still seemed unbothered, typing away on his phone while his AirPods filled his ears. Dante marched in, his face already twisted with concern and anger because he suspected what was going on. "What is it, baby?" I jumped into his arms, letting my tears soak his crisp white shirt. I felt sorry for him. He was just about to go to a gala, but at this point, I doubted he was going to go anyway. "What is it, Alora? Who? Just tell me the name." I lifted a shaky finger and pointed at both Marco and Luciano, who were shaking their heads. Once Dante’s eyes fell on them, they both pointed at each other. "It was him, not me!" "I have told you guys to stop. You're grown men, for shit's sake. You know what? You are going to get punished for this." "Wait, what? Come on, Dante, it wasn’t even that serious!" Luci
Alora's POVI still couldn't believe I had two brothers. And that Bianca was my sister. We looked nothing alike.I was chubby; she was slim. I had black hair; she had blonde. I was good. She was evil.See? Nothing alike.Marco and Luciano, too, took it upon themselves to make me miss growing up with siblings. Yep, you guessed that right—annoying me."Marco, Luciano, if you don't get out of this room, so help me God, I am going to castrate you and feed your balls to my alligator! Get out now!"Vittoria screamed, making them stop snickering and start walking toward the door with their heads bowed.Both of them had something for her—I could feel it. But she hated Luciano and tolerated Marco, according to what she had told me."Luciano, give me the brush before you leave."Marco laughed at Luciano, who pouted and brought out the comb he was hiding in his pocket. They both walked out, and I turned to Vittoria, who huffed.“These men act like children. Tell me, how are they even in the Mafi
Alora's POV"Wait, what?"The men holding Dante back stepped aside, moving backward with their heads bowed. All the men who had entered with Dad did the same, placing their guns at their sides, leaving the guests to stand up—except for a few, who I now knew were working with Dad.The elders. Not surprising."What the hell is going on? You're supposed to have them at gunpoint until I say we leave. What is happening?""What is happening is that you, Giovanni, have just been outsmarted. You thought you were the most intelligent, you thought you were the wisest, and now what? You have been reduced to nothing. Boys, you can come out now."Marco and Luciano emerged from the corner, Marco giving me a small wink and a nudge on my shoulder."I never wanted to betray you. It was all part of the plan—infiltrate him, get his men on our side, and win," he whispered to me, making me nod, though I was still dazed."Yes, sister, it was tough, but with your help, we managed to do everything as we shou
Alora's POVNo.It couldn't be.Bianca froze, same as me, and everyone else, as we watched the man I thought was my father—and whom she thought was hers—walk up to us. He had glasses on, but I knew my dad, even if I hadn't seen him for some years, thinking he was dead.His words were still ringing in my mind."One of my children."Daughters? We were his daughters? Bianca was my sister? No. I shook my head. No, it couldn't be."What the hell do you mean, Dad? What do you mean by children? Do you mean...?" Bianca trailed off, disbelief etched on her face."Of course, Bianca. You are a very intelligent girl—catch up quickly. I am your father, and I am Alora's father. Just a few years apart and two different women, and I got both of you." He explained calmly, as if discussing the weather."Wait... so, all my life, when you left saying you were going on business trips, you were with her?" Bianca cried, tears slipping from her eyes.For me, shock was all I could feel—no other emotion. He ha
Alora's POVI ran my hands over the delicate ends of the mask I was wearing. Black. Paired with a black dress, black shoes. Everything on me was black. The dress was floor-length and hugged my curves.This was never me. I don't think I had ever dressed like this before. But Vittoria said, "The sexier, the wiser." Whatever that meant.I was coming in with Luciano as his date so that no one would suspect who I really was.My black hair was covered up by a blonde wig. Everything about me had changed, and only someone who knew me extremely well would even suspect I was still the same person.Black lip gloss as well. I didn't know if I was going for a Halloween party or a masked party.This ball was by Bianca's father, Giovanni—to celebrate his daughter's engagement to the Italian mafia don. How he thought that was going to happen baffled me.Grand. Elegant. Those were the words to describe the hall. The crowds were gathered, showing off their finest. And thankfully, Vittoria's choice of m
Alora's POV"Hey, little man, don't scare us like that again," I told Gianni as soon as I sat down by his hospital bed, where he was receiving his last infusion before being discharged.All in the same house."I didn't scare you, but that scary aunt—gosh, I hate her now. She just told me she wanted to show me something, and I followed, a-and—"My heart broke alongside his voice."It's okay, it's okay, don't say any more," I whispered, trying to stop him from talking. That kind of memory should be left behind. How was it that she had planned to kill a kid? It baffled me."Are you feeling any pain? Are you strong? Do you want something? I can get anything for you."Gianni rolled his eyes. Yes, he rolled his eyes at me. Again."Come on, Alora, I'm not dying. I'm just a bit weak, but I'll sleep, and I'll get stronger when I wake up.""If you're weak again, you should eat something. Let me go get something for you, alright?""No, I won't eat now. I'll eat later. Let's just—"A knock on the
Dante's POVI strolled into the dungeon, a small smile on my face.They thought they had won. They thought we would never know. Unfortunately for them, it was too late.Luca, upon seeing me, smirked, making Carlos turn to me with a smug smile. They had been chatting as if they were in seventh heaven, not knowing what fate awaited them. Or maybe they knew, but they thought they would take my happiness away with it.Hell no."Nice to meet you again, guys. How are you coping in this beautiful place?" I asked as they dangled from the chains in the ceiling."We are enjoying it just fine, aren't we?" Carlos sneered. "Making funeral arrangements already?"They had no idea that we had caught Rosa yet, and it was going to be painfully exciting to watch them see her drown in the same way she had planned to drown Gianni. Fortunately, something had distracted her, and she left the bathroom. That was how—why—we met him still fine."Oh, no, no, no. Don't worry. There's no need for a funeral. Why sh
Alora's POVThe world was falling apart, and it was all my fault. I shouldn't have kept quiet. I should have said something. All of this would have been avoided if I hadn't been such a scaredy cat. Now lives were endangered, including Gianni's. The one person I swore to take care of.As we ran down towards Vittoria's room, as the cameras had shown us, my heart was almost beating louder than the numerous footsteps hitting hard on the floor.Since the kid hadn't placed cameras in people's rooms, well, private areas, none of us knew what we'd find there.It could be an unconscious boy. A badly beaten one or, worst-case scenario—a corpse.I would never forgive myself if he was killed because of my stupidity.My nerves spiked as we ran in. Dante kicked down the locked bathroom door and went inside. Marco held me back from following them.I was the nurse. I was the one who was supposed to go in first. I glared at him. He probably thought he was safe. Ha! There was no way I was going to keep
Dante's POVEver felt like your heart was going to be ripped out of your chest? Or that it was beating at 250 beats per minute? That was exactly how I felt as we ran down towards Gianni's room. I had been a fool.The signs were there, but I chose not to believe them. I should have been wiser. I am the Don, for goodness' sake. If anything happens to Gianni, I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself.The moment we barged into the room, it was all chaos, making my mind buzz even more. Clothes were scattered around, his gaming instruments lay on the floor, and blood—so much blood that I couldn't comprehend what my eyes were seeing.Worst of all, there was no Gianni in sight."Gianni? Gianni?"Silence.Utter silence. Except for the noise from the corridor as everyone ran around, trying to spot him or the shooters, if they were still around."Gianni!"Alora's voice was shaky. When I looked at her, my heart clenched even more at the sight of her red-rimmed eyes. Marco stood beside he