Share
THE SET UP
Related chapters
The Mafia's Pawn A DAY OF JOY
“And now, shall we all rise to our feet as we present the valedictorian award to none other person than..,” the Mc instructed, and we all rose to our feet. “Who do you think it'll be?” Amelia asked.“I don't…” I started only to be cut off by the MC.“Cleo Benson,” he announced, his voice cutting through the tensed air of the hall. The crowd erupted in applause and gasps, filling the room with a vibrant energy. I looked around in shock as the sound of my name seemed to echo in the hall. My heart stopped as I stared into nothing, I staggered and sank into my chair, my hand gripping the edge of my seat. Were they cheering for me? Or was there another Cleo Benson I wasn't aware of?“Go, Cleo!” Amelia shouted, her voice rising above the others. “You've got this!”It took a while for me to accept reality, but the cheers didn't stop. I was urged to come up stage, so I confidently rose to my feet and raised my gown slightly to avoid tripping, my hands trembling as I carefully walked up t
The Mafia's Pawn A DAY OF SORROW
But it wasn’t my mother. A man’s voice came through the line, calm but with an edge that made my heart sink. “Hello, is this Cleo Benson?”“Yes, who is this?” I asked, my breath catching.“This is Dr. Stevens from St. Mary’s Hospital. Your family has been involved in an accident. You need to come to the hospital immediately.”For a moment, I couldn’t speak, my throat tightening as the world around me seemed to spin. “What do you mean?” I finally managed to say, my voice cracking. “Why would they be involved in an accident, mother clearly said there was traffic?”There was a pause on the other end, one that felt like an eternity. “Please, Miss Benson, you need to come here right away.”I didn’t wait for further explanation. Panic surged through me, and I bolted from the venue, leaving a trail of stunned onlookers in my wake. My heart pounded as I raced through the hallways, out the doors where I hailed a taxi. As the taxi sped towards the hospital, my thoughts were a chaotic whirl of
The Mafia's Pawn BLAME IT ON ME
My breath caught in my throat, the words cutting deep, but I couldn’t muster the strength to argue.How dare she talk about my mother that way? I had nothing left to give, no fight, no energy to defend my mother’s memory. Instead, I could only sob quietly as I sniffed back the anger burning within me.I knelt by the graves, my tears mixing with the rain that began to fall, and gently placed a single white lily on each tombstone. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I’m so, so sorry,” I repeated, pressing my hand to the cold, wet earth, feeling the chill seep into my bones, and closed my eyes, silently saying goodbye to the people who had been my entire world.“You have just 2 minutes to shed your crocodile tears,” Aunt Lydia said harshly. “Meet me in the car,” she declared as she began to walk away.I stood up, wiping my tears as I tried to regain some strength to fight back. I wasn't going to stay silent anymore.“Those weren't crocodile tears, Aunty. You've just lost y
The Mafia's Pawn THE UNINVITED GUESTS
"A visitor?" I echoed, my voice laced with confusion as I stood drenched in the entryway. I wasn’t expecting anyone, especially not now that I had just lost my family.Who could it be?My coursemates?Friends or… A sudden thought flashed through my mind, and I glanced down at the ring on my finger. Could it be Miley? I gasped in shock as my heart fluttered at the thought of him. We hadn't spoke since my graduation, I was too weak to talk to anyone or pick calls. To be frank, I hadn't even touched my phone or eaten.Quickening my pace, I hurriedly squeezed the rainwater out of my hair, wiping my face as I made my way into the house. I pushed past the unsettling feeling that something wasn’t right, focusing instead on the possibility of seeing my fiancé.But as I entered the living room, I froze in confusion. The back frame of the man standing by the window was vaguely familiar, but wasn't Mileys’, I couldn’t immediately place where I had seen him before. "She’s here," Aunt Lydia
The Mafia's Pawn BE MY BRIDE
“Be my bride”The words hung in the air, so surreal that they felt almost like a bad joke. My body reacted before my mind could catch up, a cold sweat broke out across my skin, and my hands began to tremble uncontrollably. I stared at him, waiting for the punchline, for some sign that this was all a twisted prank. But his expression remained cold and unyielding. Slowly, my shock gave way to anger, a burning heat rising from my chest to my throat. How dare he? How dare he corner me like this, making such a demand? The laugh that bubbled up in my throat was bitter, laced with the terror I tried so desperately to suppress.“Sorry for the laugh, but are you serious right now?” I asked, my voice laced with derision. “You must be out of your mind if you think I'd agree to this.”“Cleopatra!” Aunt Lydia scolded, her voice sharp and devoid of warmth. Despite the warning, I couldn’t stifle my laughter. The idea that Russo, the infamous Mafia Kingpin who had had a one nightstand with seve
The Mafia's Pawn THE EDGE OF DEFIANCE
Russo's point of viewThe moment I uttered the words, “Kill her,” I watched Cleopatra closely, waiting for the inevitable reaction. Fear? Yes, she had every reason to be afraid. But what I was truly interested in was how she would respond when her world was ripped away from her. Would she crumble, beg, or perhaps fight back? I was damn curious.To my satisfaction, she didn’t disappoint. Her initial shock, the disbelief that flickered in her wide, tear-filled eyes, was quickly overtaken by defiance. A defiance that, had it come from anyone else, would have been amusingly naive. But from Cleopatra, it was something far more intriguing.When she laughed in my face, mocking the very idea that she could be forced into such a situation, I felt a sliver of respect for her. It takes a certain kind of person to laugh in the face of danger, to try and reclaim some sense of control when it’s being ripped away from them. That was something I could admire, even if only a little.But then again,
The Mafia's Pawn THE BREAKING POINT
Cleo's point of viewThe slap from Aunt Lydia stung more than just physically; it was the final blow that severed whatever ties I had left to her as my family. The realization that the only family member I had left had just disowned me settled over me like a heavy blanket, suffocating and cold.Russo’s words echoed in my mind as he loomed over me, his presence inescapable. “Don’t keep me waiting.” He was demanding my submission, demanding that I accept the life he was forcing upon me. But as I stood there, trembling and alone, I couldn’t find it in myself to fight back anymore.“I have nothing left to lose,” I whispered, my voice hollow, devoid of the fire that had fueled me before. What more could he take from me? My family was gone, my freedom was gone, the only thing I have left was my pride, and even that, was something Russo could strip away in an instant. He stared at me for a long moment, the gun still in his hand, the acid still burning in the air between us. I could see the
The Mafia's Pawn FRACTURED CONTROL
Russo's point of viewI sat in my room, the weight of the day pressing down on me like an invisible shroud. The confrontation with Cleopatra had been intense, and while I had maintained control, her words had dug deeper than I cared to admit. The word “pathetic” echoed in my mind like an unwelcome guest.But as I leaned back in my chair, letting the silence and warmth of the room envelop me, my thoughts were interrupted by the sudden buzz of my phone. The number on the screen made me sigh, it was my grandfather, the Don of our family, the man whose legacy I was meant to carry forward.I knew why he was calling. The pressure had been mounting for months, and I had done everything to keep the inevitable at bay. But there was only so much I could do before the old man’s patience wore thin.With a resigned breath, I answered the call. "Nonno," I greeted him, keeping my voice respectful.“Enzo,” his voice came through the receiver, strong despite his age. There was no warmth in it, only th
Latest chapter
The Mafia's Pawn THE SET UP
The Mafia's Pawn A DANGEROUS DEAL
The Mafia's Pawn INTO THE UNDERWORLD
The Mafia's Pawn SHADOWS OF THE PAST
The Mafia's Pawn A GROWING BOND
The Mafia's Pawn THE MORNING AFTER
The Mafia's Pawn CROSSING THE LINE
The Mafia's Pawn THE SPARK OF SOMETHING NEW
The Mafia's Pawn SURPRISE AT THE BEACH
