CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHTMAXIMOI stared at the image on my phone, the knife in my stomach twisting deeper and deeper. Aria was pregnant?My mind reeled as panic surged through me, my heart racing and my fists clenching. Aria was pregnant? Carrying our baby? Our offspring?My shock dissolved into overwhelming fury as the urge to kill Roberto with my own bare hands filled me. How dare he lay a hand on her, especially after knowing that she was pregnant?I ran a hand through my wild locks, feeling my throat constrict as I continued to stare at the message. Anger boiled inside me, a raging beast fueled by the thought of Aria, my pregnant wife, in pain. I felt betrayed and furious, but not just at Roberto. I was angry at myself for walking away from her that day. If I had stayed like my heart had wanted, maybe just a minute or an hour longer than I did, I might have found out that she was pregnant. I would have taken her with me. I had thought I was protecting her by staying away, but now i
CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINEARIACold sweat dripped down my forehead despite the chilly atmosphere in the dark room. My head felt light, my body was heating up. The cold floor bit against my open wounds, sending sharp jolts of pain through my body. My whole body hurt, but when I tried to change my position by sitting down, I realized I could barely move my legs. My stomach twisted painfully, the pain getting worse with each passing second.“Help...someone,” I gasped in pain, clutching my stomach with one hand. My lungs felt heavy with each breath that I took. My throat felt constricted as I tried to call out again, this time louder.I didn’t know what was happening. All I knew was that my body didn’t feel good. At that moment, I felt another sharp pull in my lower stomach, this time more painful and agonizing than the last. I let out a low groan, the sound echoing in the empty room. Tears stung my eyes at the knowledge that no one could help me. Placing my palms against the cold floor, I
CHAPTER EIGHTYMAXIMOPanic surged through me as I cradled Aria in my arms. Her body felt limp, and her skin was cold against mine. “Aria, please!” I choked, desperation clawing at my throat. I could still feel the warmth of blood seeping through her dress, soaking her clothes and drenching my arm. So much blood...our baby!A wave of dread crashed over me. “Maximo!” Lorenzo shouted, his voice cutting through my panic as he rushed towards the car. I carefully laid Aria in the back seat before slipping in, my heart racing. I could hardly think straight; all I could focus on was getting her to safety, making sure that she and our unborn child survive this.Lorenzo jumped into the driver’s seat, and we sped away from the junkyard, the night air rushing past us. The city lights blurred into streaks of color as we sped past the buildings and roads. My hand clutched Aria’s firmly, and as I stared at her pale face, I was thrown back to a time when Aria had hurt herself. The memory hit me li
CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONEARIABeep. Beep. Beep.The rhythmic sound of the heart monitor pulled me out of my dreamless slumber. My eyes slowly blinked open, my eyelids heavy and my body weighed down by an ache that felt bone-deep. The air smelled sterile—a mixture of strong antiseptic and something faintly metallic. As my eyes adjusted to the pale white ceiling tiles above me, I realized I was in a hospital.And that was when the memories hit me. Gunshot. Blood. Pain. And then...nothing. My heart raced as fragments of memory clawed their way to the surface, but it wasn’t until I turned my head that the fog truly started to clear.Maximo.He was sitting on the sofa beside my hospital bed, his head bent downwards in his hands. His dark hair was a mess, like he’d been pulling at it or running his hands through the thick strands. His broad shoulders were slumped forward, and his entire body radiated exhaustion. Seeing him there tugged at something deep inside me, something I thought I had stopp
CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWOMAXIMOI let Aria’s words sink into my head before finally speaking.“What do you mean by never?” I asked, my voice low but tense. Aria’s eyes, tired but steady, met mine. “I don’t know, Maximo,” she said softly. “I just... I need a break. From all of this. From everything. And I don’t know how long that’s going to take.”Her words were like a punch to the gut, and I struggled to breathe past the tightness in my chest. “I don’t care how long it takes,” I finally said through gritted teeth. The intensity of my words seemed to shock her as her eyes widened a fraction.“Maximo..."“I don’t care how long I have to wait for you... for us,” I continued, leaning in to take her small hands in mine. “I will wait until the time is right.She stared at me for a few seconds before pulling her hands from mine and twisting her head away from me.“I want to be alone.”I gulped, her words sinking into my chest. “You want me to leave?”“Yes,” she said with a slight tremble to her
CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREEARIAIt was my second day in the hospital, but it felt like I’d been here forever. I didn’t want to open my eyes. I didn’t want to go through another torturously long day stuck in a hospital room. But today, even before opening my eyes, I noticed that there was something different in the hospital room. Instead of the usual sterile smell lingering in the air, the air smelled different.It was fresh and floral, soft and sweet, curling into my senses like a gentle embrace. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. But when I opened my eyes, reality greeted me. I was still in the hospital room painted in muted whites and greys, and the faint hum of machinery was like background music to my ears.I turned my head to gaze out the window blinds, and that was when I saw the source of the lovely scent. It was a vase filled with roses—deep red, soft pink, and pristine white—sitting on the small table by my bed.I stared at them, surprised. They hadn’t been there last night. M
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOURARIAI blinked once, twice, trying to find out if what I just heard was a joke. When Maximo continued to stare at me with that same serious expression in his eyes, I realized that he might actually be serious.“What do you mean we need to leave Milan?” I asked, my voice cracking slightly as I stared at him. His words remained hanging in the air, impossible to grasp.He inched closer to me in the bed, his grey eyes steady on mine. “Exactly what I said, Aria. I’m done with this life. I’m done with Milan. I’m done with the mafia.”I blinked again—that seemed to be all I knew how to do now—and my breath caught in my throat.“You can’t just be done with the mafia,” I finally said, turning to look at the opposite wall. I couldn’t bear to look at his face, not while I rejected him again.“I can, and I am,” he said firmly, and I felt the bed dip as he sat in the space beside me. “Don’t you guys...swear an oath or something?” I asked, refusing to let myself believe that th
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVEARIAMaximo’s promise to stay by my side was more than just words. He has been with me at the hospital ever since, helping me with everything I needed—helping me sit up when I felt weak, coaxing me to eat when I had no appetite, and ensuring I rested when I stubbornly claimed that I wasn’t tired. This new side of him, so tender and attentive, warmed a part of me I thought was still frozen.Even Dr. Rossi noticed the change in me. “You’re smiling more these days,” she said with a small grin during one of her check-ups.I smiled at her. “I guess I have a lot to be grateful for. I’m recovering, my baby is okay..."“And your husband hasn’t left your side in days,” she said, her knowing smile deepening.I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, unable to hide my blush. “And that.”She chuckled lightheartedly. “Keep that attitude. It’s good for you and the baby.”Despite my brighter mood, one worry lingered like a shadow over my heart. Isa. Memories of her terrified face
CHAPTER ONE HUNDREDEPILOGUE (Eight Months Later)ARIA“Maximo,” Dr. Marini said, adjusting her glasses as she peered at him from across the table. “We’ve talked about this. You can’t solve everything with threats.”Maximo, sitting beside me in a perfectly tailored suit, crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “I don’t threaten,” he said smoothly. “I give options. It’s not my fault people don’t like the consequences of the second one.”I stifled a laugh, earning a sharp look from Dr. Marini. She was one hell of a woman. Soft when she needed to be, but also scary nonetheless. It was why she was the only woman in the Cosa Nostra who could call my husband by his first name. I still wasn’t sure how I should feel about that.“Aria,” she turned her attention to me, “how do you feel when Maximo behaves this way?”“Honestly?” I said, tilting my head. “It depends. Sometimes, it can be infuriating..."“I didn’t even do anything,” Maximo grumbled beside me. “Do you know what other dons do
CHAPTER NINETY-NINEARIAThe sting in my hand was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. Maximo stood frozen for a moment, his cheek reddening from where my palm had connected. And then, to my utter disbelief, he laughed—a low, bitter sound that rumbled deep in his chest.“Wow. And here I was thinking you would be happy I’m offering you an easy way out,” he murmured.An angry snarl slipped past my lips as my hand shot up again, ready to slap him a second time. But before I could bring my hand down on his cheek again, he caught my wrist in midair. His grip was firm but not rough, and despite everything, a small, pathetic part of me was happy that he was touching me again.Piercing, grey eyes bored into mine with a mix of frustration and something else I couldn’t quite place.“Aria,” he said sharply, his voice edged with irritation, “I thought you’d be pleased.”“Pleased?” I yelled, my voice rising as tears burned in my eyes. I wrenched my hand free from his grasp, glaring at him th
CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHTARIAIt had been five days. Five days since Maximo killed Lorenzo. Five days since Maximo last spoke to me or looked at me.The house felt colder than usual, and the silence pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket. I’d spent the entire day trying to distract myself from the ache in my chest, but nothing worked.I had tried cleaning the kitchen even though everything was already spotless, scrubbing every surface until my hands were raw. Maria panicked when she saw me, and when she tried to shoo me away from the kitchen, I reminded her that I was her boss’s wife. I did it a little too harshly, I’ll admit, but I’ve been on an uncomfortable edge ever since.I prepared lunch with the rest of the kitchen staff. At first, there was an uncomfortable silence due to my presence in the room. But after I urged them to ignore my presence, a soft conversation amongst the maids followed, and I drowned myself in the city gossip I never knew could distract me.By mid-afterno
CHAPTER NINETY-SEVENMAXIMOA sharp scream pierced the room as Aria crouched to the floor. My heartbeat thudded in my ears as Lorenzo’s head snapped back, crimson blood staining the wall behind him as his body crumpled to the floor.Silence followed, but it was so loud that it felt like a roar.I stared at the lifeless heap on the ground, at the way his blood—my blood—pooled beneath him. My hand stayed clenched around my gun, trembling as I tried to make sense of what was in front of me. The pure rage that had driven me seconds ago evaporated. It was now replaced by a hollowness that spread through my chest like poison.I did it. I killed my brother.The realization ripped through my chest, leaving behind a void so vast that it threatened to swallow me whole. Lorenzo’s face was frozen in a blank state. I stared at his once-sharp features—features that were almost identical to mine—and the slack and lifeless face stared back at me. His eyes—eyes that used to glint with mischief, love,
CHAPTER NINETY-SIXMAXIMOI stood there, gun in hand, staring at my brother as his smirk spread and his mocking laughter echoed around the room. It wasn’t the laugh of someone remorseful or regretful. It was the sound of someone who had nothing left to lose.“You’ll have to be more specific,” I said through clenched teeth. “What exactly did you mean when you said you’ve been behind everything?”Lorenzo tilted his head, his smirk widening. “Do you really want me to go into detail? Are you sure your heart would be able to handle it?” He asked with a mocking pout.My anger burned hotter in my chest, and I tightened my grip on my gun. “Start talking.”“Fine,” he huffed, but then his eyes glinted with malice as he began to speak. “Do you remember when we were boys? How I did everything right? I trained harder, studied more, followed all the rules of the Cosa Nostra, and yet..." He waved a hand as his voice took on a bitter edge. “Yet you—the reckless, weak son—were chosen to lead.”“Yo
CHAPTER NINETY-FIVEMAXIMOI couldn’t wrap my mind around what Aria had just said. Her words echoed in my mind, loud and jarring like a bullet through the air. It didn’t make sense. It couldn’t be true.“I don’t believe you,” I finally said, and I saw the way her eyes fell.“I’m telling the truth, Maximo. What will I gain by lying about this?”I gritted my teeth and stepped away from her, needing to clear my head. The woman I loved just told me that my own blood brother, whom I’ve known my whole life, is planning to have us killed. What the fuck was I supposed to make of that?She took a step towards me, and I raised my head to look at her again. My eyes narrowed at her as I tried to understand if she was lying, if she had misheard something, if this was some kind of sick joke. “Have I ever done anything to break your trust?” She asked, and I could hear the hurt in her voice. The fear in her eyes and the slight wavering in her voice were too raw to be fake.“Are you sure?” My voice
CHAPTER NINETY-FOURARIAMy heart thumped heavily within my chest as I slowly turned to face him. The air between us crackled with tension as Lorenzo’s dark eyes fixed on mine. I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat, pretending I didn’t hear or understand a single word of his phone call. “Oh, Lorenzo, I hope I didn’t interrupt your call,” I chuckled lightly. “I was just walking around the compound, admiring it for one last time before we finally leave. I didn’t expect to bump into you.”His expression was unreadable as he studied me for a moment too long, making my stomach churn with nerves. My palms were slick with sweat, and I clasped them tightly behind my back to keep from fidgeting.“You didn’t interrupt my call,” he said finally. His voice was smooth but sharp, like a blade wrapped in silk.I faked a frown, pulling my brows together. “But you look upset. Irritated even.”He chuckled, and the sound was more of a harsh one than an amused one. He took a step closer, and
CHAPTER NINETY-THREEARIAThe morning air was cool and quiet as I stepped outside. My shoes crunched lightly on the gravel path as I stepped away from the main house. For a moment, I just stood there, letting the breeze brush over my skin. It felt so peaceful out here, and I didn’t feel like I was suffocating.I didn’t know why—maybe it was the weight of finally leaving Milan all behind—but I felt something uneasy gnawing at my heart.Someone had just tried to kill Maximo yesterday. Whoever it was had succeeded in killing Luca. I’d tried to calm Maximo down yesterday. I’d offered him the comfort I could give, but deep down, I was troubled and scared. I barely slept a wink last night, even after Maximo and I retired into bed. I kept thinking about the blood I washed off his clothes and body. Luca’s blood. I kept thinking about how, even though we were so close to leaving, it still didn’t make me feel at ease. There was still someone out there who wanted Maximo dead. And heck, the perso
CHAPTER NINETY-TWOMAXIMOLuca’s funeral was set in the small graveyard of a chapel on the outskirts of the city--a place Luca had picked years ago in one of his rare candid moments. “My Papa was buried here. If I’m ever killed, I want to be buried here too,” he’d told me once. I never thought I’d be standing there, watching it happen.The air smelled of fresh-cut grass and incense, the kind that always felt heavy in my lungs. A priest stood by the white coffin, and in a steady voice, he recited prayers that pierced the thick silence hanging over the men who surrounded the grave.Dark suits, stiff shoulders, and lowered gazes--it was the mafia’s version of grief. None of the men spoke, though I caught a few glances aimed my way. Pity. Respect. It all weighed heavy in their eyes. I ignored them all and returned my gaze to the coffin resting over the open grave.Luca’s mother stood closest to the dug ground before us. My heart clenched as I watched her small frame sway slightly under th