In a world of loyalty and deceit, Stefano Dante desires Teresa Ellis, the daughter of a man who was accused of treachery. He unleashed a spark of passion and revenge. But as they navigate the underworld, their forbidden love grows, and hidden secrets and lies threaten to destroy them. Stefano never expected to fall in love with someone like Teresa, but her fierce spirit and captivating beauty ignite a love that puts him off balance. Can their love redeem the past and forge a new future, or would it be a catalyst for destruction?
View MoreTeresa’s POV The air in the warehouse was thick with tension, the kind that made men sweat even in the dead of winter. A single dim bulb flickered above, casting uneven shadows on the concrete walls, making the blood already smeared on the floor look darker.The scent of gunpowder lingered from a previous death, this wasn’t the first life taken here today. It wouldn’t be the last.Carlo knelt on the cold ground, arms bound tightly behind his back, his face swollen and streaked with blood. His left eye was nearly swollen shut, his lip split open. Someone had already brutalized him before Vendetta even arrived.But torture wasn’t the punishment. Death was.And Carlo knew it."Please," he gasped, voice hoarse, barely above a whisper. "Boss, please, I... I have a family, I didn’t know... "Vendetta remained silent, watching him from her seat. She wasn’t slouched like a woman at ease, nor was she rigid. She sat perfectly composed, the kind of stillness that was unnatural, a calm demeanour
Stefano’s POVThe alley stank of damp concrete, oil, and the distant tang of blood, maybe his, maybe Vincent’s. The cold night air did nothing to cool the heat surging between them, their breaths coming in harsh, ragged gasps.Vincent wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve, smearing blood across his skin. His dark eyes, once calculating and sharp, held something else now, a flicker of uncertainty, confusion, but mostly, rage.Stefano barely had time to think before Vincent lunged again.This time, it wasn’t about technique. It was raw, feral. A ragged street fight between two men.They crashed into the ground, rolling, fists slamming against ribs, knuckles splitting against bone. The knife Vincent had once held clattered against the pavement, forgotten as they devolved into a savage, desperate brawl.Stefano’s body was screaming at him to stop. His muscles ached, his ribs burned from the hits Vincent had landed earlier, and his breath came out in short, sharp bursts.Too weak.The
Stefano's POV The morning air was crisp, a sharp contrast to the heavy burden weighing down Stefano’s chest. He pulled his coat tighter around him, stepping onto the cobbled streets of Rome with a single purpose, finding Vincent.He hadn’t seen the man in five years, not since his empire crumbled, not since everything he had built was reduced to nothing. He had believed that Vincent had betrayed him. That he had chosen Guillermo over him.But after what he saw yesterday, a new possibility gnawed at him. Had Vincent also been cast aside? Or perhaps had he run away, or had he been searching for Stefano by himself, perhaps he gave up on the Mafia and decided to leave the underground for good.But he still worked under someone else, something wasn't adding up, the picture didn't fit right together.Stefano needed to find out.But he wasn’t the man he used to be. Once, his name alone would have been enough to summon anyone he wanted. Now, he was nothing more than a struggling ghost of his
Stefano's POV Stefano walked away from the market, the weight of the money in his pocket feeling insignificant compared to the storm raging in his mind. The cobblestone streets of Rome stretched before him, narrow and winding, filled with the voices of merchants and passersby, but he heard none of it. His thoughts were consumed by what he had just seen.Vincent.The name burned in his mind, rekindling an anger he had tried to smother for five years. Stefano had believed... no, had known that Vincent had betrayed him, that he had abandoned their loyalty, sided with his brother, and left him to rot. It had been one of the many knives in his back that had led to his downfall.Yet today, he had seen something else. Vincent wasn’t working for Guillermo. He wasn’t standing at his brother’s side, reveling in his victory. He was someone else’s dog now. And for some reason, that made Stefano feel somewhat better.A twisted sense of relief settled in his chest."He didn’t betray me for Guiller
Stefano's POV Stefano gripped his phone tightly, his jaw clenching as Rico's voice crackled through the receiver."Go to the market district. Collect the taxes. Don’t cause a scene. Just remind them who they’re paying for protection, understood?"Stefano let out a slow sigh, his fingers tightening around the worn leather of his jacket. He hated his job, shaking down struggling merchants for scraps, but he didn’t have the luxury of choice. Not anymore."Understood," he muttered back, shoving the phone into his pocket.He pulled the hood of his jacket over his head, adjusting his cap lower over his face. Five years ago, people would have bowed at his feet in fear. Now, he walked among them like a ghost, blending into the filth of Rome’s underworld, just another nobody trying to survive.The market district was bustling, the scent of fresh bread, roasting chestnuts, and cheap perfume mingling in the air. Stalls lined the narrow streets, merchants shouting their prices to uninterested pa
Stefano's POV Five years later.Stefano woke to the sound of his upstairs neighbor arguing with her boyfriend again. The muffled shouts bled through the thin walls, a reminder that even in his lowest state, life around him carried on. He lay there for a moment, staring at the cracks in the ceiling, his body heavy, his mind numb."Those damn couples" he cursed under his breath.He used to wake up to the sound of waves crashing against the shore but that was a long time ago, the scent of saltwater lingering in the air. Now, it was cigarette smoke, sour beer, and the distant hum of Rome’s chaotic streets.With a deep sigh, he pushed himself up from the bed, running a hand down his face. His fingers brushed against the rough stubble on his jaw, a constant reminder of how little he cared to maintain himself these days.He dressed quickly in the same black button up and slacks he always wore, but the fabric was worn, the fit looser than it had ever been. He had lost weight, not enough food
Chapter 50Stefano's POV Stefano stood outside the villa, the crisp morning air biting at his skin. The world felt unnervingly still, as if it, too, was holding its breath for what was to come.He exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders, trying to shake the weight off his chest.He should feel regret. Should feel ashamed. A Don of the King Mafia in love with a slave? It was unthinkable.But he couldn’t bring himself to care anymore.He had spent so long trying to fight it, trying to convince himself that Teresa was just another woman, another pawn in the grand chessboard of his life. Yet the moment he had kissed her, the moment he had let the truth spill from his lips, he had felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time... The sweet taste of relief.There was no more pretending. No more running from the inevitable.He loved her. And for the first time, he wasn’t ashamed of it.But now was not the time to dwell on such things. He had done what was needed, but now he had other things to
Teresa's POV Teresa sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the torn fabric of her dress from the night before. The room felt suffocating, the air thick with memories of what had nearly happened.She had barely slept. The fear, the rage, the overwhelming sense of helplessness, it had kept her awake, staring at the ceiling, thinking. Thinking about the war she was about to wage, about what kind of woman she would have to become to survive.She had made her choice.She would become Vendetta.She would stop waiting to be rescued, stop being a pawn in the games of powerful men. No one would ever have power over her again.A sharp honk from outside shattered her thoughts.Her heart lurched.She stood quickly, peering out the window, her breath hitching at the sight of a sleek black car pulling up in the driveway.Her stomach twisted into knots.She wasn’t expecting anyone.Fear gripped her chest like an iron fist. What if it was Guillermo? Had he recovered already?
Stefano's POV Stefano stood in the dim glow of his study, a glass of whiskey untouched on the desk behind him. The early morning light bled through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room. He had been up all night, unable to sleep, his mind circling the same agonizing thoughts like a vulture over a dying carcass.Teresa.Her name echoed in his head, a whisper of regret and longing that he couldn’t silence no matter how much he tried to.He stared out of the window, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. It had been a few days since their last confrontation, since he had thrown cruel words at her, locked her away, and told himself it was for the best. He could still hear his own voice ringing in his ears, harsh and unforgiving."You will never see me again.""I will make sure you're locked up for as long as possible."The moment replayed in his mind over and over again like a film stuck on its worst scene. He hadn’t meant those words. Not in the way they had come out.
Teresa Ellis took a quick gaze out of the convent's stained-glass window, her thoughts began to drift deeply to the world beyond the sacred walls. As a novice nun that she became not by choice but by fate, she was expected to devote herself to prayers and service which her heart never agreed to because she yearned for a life of freedom and adventures.The Convent was situated in the heart of East Harlem and it was a sanctuary for the community. Teresa's mother was a devout Catholic and that was one of the reasons why the convent chose to nurture Teresa after her parents’ tragic demise. The sisters had now become Teresa's family but she couldn't just shake off the feeling that her life was meant for more beyond the Convent.As she began to ponder her future, a soft knock interrupted her thoughts. It was Sister Margaret, the convent's wise and compassionate leader. Teresa replied that she could enter the room."Teresa, My child, I need to speak with you," Sister Margaret said as her war...
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