I quickly blinked the tears in my eyes back to where they came from. The night was too special for me to wear a gloomy look like my entire world was crashing, even though I see it gradually threatening to. I let Maria lead me by the hand until we were out in the living room where Gio was busy with his airplane. I didn’t want to push him any further to leave the toy at home so he wouldn't be in a bad mood. I wasn’t even ready for his drama tonight.“Thank you for being a pillar of strength when mine is failing, I don’t know what I would have done without you”, I told her sincerely.“I am your best friend and sister so please give me all the flowers in the world”, she responded with a contagious smile I couldn’t resist.“We are running late Gui”, she told me before rushing off to grab Gio by the hand.“Aunty Maria, will my daddy be at the gala?” Gio asked, but since he wasn’t referring to me I looked away and grabbed my car keys.The drive to the Skylar Multipurpose even tower was fun a
I tasted blood before I felt the pain. Metallic. Warm. Thick. It filled my mouth as I lay sprawled on the marble floor whose cold surface was slick with my own blood. My ribs ached and my vision blurred but I refused to cry out. I wouldn’t give them that. A shadow loomed over me.It was Alessandro Ricci, my father.His polished black shoes stopped inches from my face and sparkled despite the destruction he had just inflicted. When I was a child, I used to trace my fingers over those shoes, giggling as he soon lifted me onto his lap. Now, they stood as a silent reminder of his power—the kind of power that could snuff me out with a single word.“You embarrass me, Giuliana.” His voice was quiet as he spoke and made him sound more dangerous than if he’d been shouting. “You shame this family.”I swallowed the blood in my mouth. “I—”A sharp pain exploded in my side as he then kicked me again and sent me rolling onto my back. I gasped as the ceiling above me became blurred. The chande
Seven years.Seven years since I had lain bleeding on the cold marble floor of the Leonetti villa while my father’s shadow loomed over me like the devil himself. Seven years since I had been branded a traitor, beaten and discarded like yesterday’s trash. Seven years since I had sworn through the blinding agony and salt searing my wounds that I would return—not as the naive daughter of an underboss but as something much, much more.And now, here I was.The jet’s door hissed open and the warm Sicilian air, thick with the scent of the sea,curled around me. The sun dipped toward the horizon and casted the tarmac in amber and gold. My Louboutins clicked against the concrete as I stepped down with steps that were deliberate, controlled and callculated.I had not come back as a girl seeking her family’s approval.I had come back as a woman they would learn to fear.A small hand which slid into mine grounded me immediately.It was that of Giorgio, my son.At six years old, he was already a
Power had a scent.It wasn’t just the cigars and aged whiskey that clung to the air like ghosts of old men nor was it the polished mahogany or the faintest trace of gunpowder embedded in the stone walls. It was something deeper and older and it was woven into the very foundation of the Leonetti compound.It smelled like blood in this place. Like betrayal. Like history.The gates groaned shut behind the Mercedes as it drove past it and seemed to seal my past and my future within these walls. The Leonetti estate stretched for thousand of acres and was a sprawling testament to generations of wealth that had been built on fear and respect. It hadn't changed much. The ivy still crawled up the stone walls, the vast terraces still overlooked the Sicilian coastline and the watchful eyes of soldati still tracked every movement with quiet menace.Despite its majestic beauty, I knew that the heart of the estate had long since rotted.When I stepped out of the car and held my son's right hand,
Some ghosts refused to stay buried.That was the thought that came to my head as I heard his footsteps before I saw him. The footsteps screamed of the blatant confidence of a man who had walked these halls his entire life…a man who had once walked beside me as if we were equals.Tht footsteps could only belong to Enzo Salvatore.He emerged from the shadows of the corridor as I walked down it and I could see that his presence was a deliberate obstacle in my path. The marble floors gleamed beneath us and the flickering sconces casted a warm glow on our bodies but there was nothing warm about this encounter. My son had gone ahead of me to our quarters and I was going to meet him there and now this…interference was happening."Giuliana."His voice had deepened since I last heard it. It was richer and rougher. It was the voice of a man who had tasted power and developed an appetite for more.Looking unimpressed, I let my gaze trail over him.He was dressed to project authority—he was weari
The Leonetti family dinners had always been more battlefield than tradition and this one was no different.The table was the same as I remembered—an ancient slab of mahogany that was large enough to seat two dozen and was polished to a mirror shine. The silverware gleamed under the chandelier’s glow while the heavy scent of truffle, wine and power sizzled thickly in the air.Everything seemed perfect but beneath the elegance and the bouquet at the table, tension simmered everywhere like an untended flame.I adjusted my napkin with movements that were slow and deliberate. As Giorgio sat beside me, his small hands were folded over his lap and his posture was impeccable as always. His custom-made suit, a deep navy that whispered of control, matched mine. His presence at the table alone unsettled the entire family even though none of these wolves would admit it.I smiled at that. I smiled even more as I felt their eyes on me while they waited and calculatedAlessandro struck first."You'
The house was not the same as I had left it.Seven years ago, I had walked out of the Leonetti estate as a disgraced daughter and exiled by whispers and betrayals. Now, I walked these marble floors as something far more dangerous—an outsider with the power to break them all.Francesca had spent years ruling this house in my absence. She had been wearing the mask of the perfect Donna, pulling the strings behind my father’s decisions and whispering into my grandfather’s ear. But masks were just that—thin and fragile things. And I thought them useless. I had never been one to play pretend. For that, Francesca despised me. She made her first move at breakfast.I was seated at the long dining table and reading through financial reports on my tablet while Giorgio sat beside me and stirred his espresso with the mannerism of a seasoned diplomat. Francesca looked at us and smiled. I could easily see that it was calculated because it didn’t reach her eyes."You must be exhausted from your tri
I have always known that Dominico was a deadly man and I have tried all these years not to get in touch with him but seeing the way he bonds with the same my child makes me want to hate him the most.A little smirk curved on his lips as he looked at Giorgio with some sense of admiration or so I thought.“He is a really smart kid I must say”. He commented then signaled the maid to serve him a glass of wine. My stomach churned but I quickly found a way to hide all that emotions in my stomach. There was no way I was going to let a man as ruthless as him see my weak side. They all thought I am still that weak lady who left to die a few years ago yet I came back stronger and better, not to be with the joke sitting across me on this table but to execute a bitter sweet revenge.“I didn’t know you would return to marry my brother as the family had planned” I raised my head to look over at the fourth Capo. He definitely doesn’t know who I am and what I am capable of doing. Teo is definitely no
I quickly blinked the tears in my eyes back to where they came from. The night was too special for me to wear a gloomy look like my entire world was crashing, even though I see it gradually threatening to. I let Maria lead me by the hand until we were out in the living room where Gio was busy with his airplane. I didn’t want to push him any further to leave the toy at home so he wouldn't be in a bad mood. I wasn’t even ready for his drama tonight.“Thank you for being a pillar of strength when mine is failing, I don’t know what I would have done without you”, I told her sincerely.“I am your best friend and sister so please give me all the flowers in the world”, she responded with a contagious smile I couldn’t resist.“We are running late Gui”, she told me before rushing off to grab Gio by the hand.“Aunty Maria, will my daddy be at the gala?” Gio asked, but since he wasn’t referring to me I looked away and grabbed my car keys.The drive to the Skylar Multipurpose even tower was fun a
I didn't know how to react when I got back from the hospital. Usually DNA results take a few days but this didn't take longer than an hour. I knew Gio was his actually but at some point I was nervous and scared that the tough Capo might reject my son and I do not want that. He had all the bond with him yet I couldn't trust him with that decision. “Gio, are you going for the Mediterranean gala night?” Maria asked as I sat thinking about all that could happen to me if I wasn't careful with the places I went to.“Gio? You hear? Her voice came ringing in my ears. “Pardon me?” “I asked if you would be attending the gala night. It would be fun and trust me you're enjoying yourself”, she went one with all she thinks I could do in a gathering as prominent as the Mediterranean gala night. It was a great event with a calibre of men from all the corporate industries as well as the government. Did I even mention the Mafia lords from all over the region? All the ones I have heard and haven't he
I quickly helped Giorgio into the car and when I saw she was about to go into the car I blocked her way with my body. She paused, looking me daringly in the eyes.“Why didn’t you tell me all these while Gui? I asked her. I didn’t know how I felt at this point, maybe disappointed that she kept a secret like that from me. “I had to hid him Dominico, it was for the good of the child, I don’t want him in your world, I don’t want him known by your enemies, that is the reason I kept him away from you, I don’t want to be in your life if that’s what you think this is”, she said the words with a hint of seriousness and brushed passed me. She got into the car and sat waiting for me to come take them home. Inside of me was the excitement of a man who had just been told that his wife was having a new baby but deep down I blamed Gui for not telling me about my heir on time. I got into the car and drove them right back to her house. She didn’t say a word to me while she got out of the car but I
We got into the reception, I was in front with Giorgio on my neck, while Giuliana followed behind us like she doesn’t know why we are here. Good morning sir”, the nurse greeted with a bright smile starching on her face. I have always known her from the days I had to bring my father to the hospital for checkup and also book appointments with the doctor.“Lisa, good morning”, I answered her as she scanned from Giorgio to Giuliana still holding strong to the smile she had on her face.“Is Dr. Brian in”, I asked, holding her gaze.“Yes, he is but he has a client he needs to attend to at the moment. You do mind giving him sometime or maybe you can check back later or leave a message if it isn’t that urgent!, her tiny voice filled the hall. On the other side where loved ones who had come to see their sick friends or family, the nurses paced the hall to and fro and also spoke in hushed voices to themselves.“Well, it’s urgent and I really want to see him”, she looked into her computer and t
Guilliana didn’t hesitate to bring the boy home the next day. I had told her to come at exactly 12 pm but she was here thirty minutes before the agreed time. The mom was quiet this time compared to other days. I have met him all jolly and fun. He had his eyes facing downwards to his shoes as I approached them in the waiting area.“Why didn’t you bring the boy to Guilliana?” I was concerned a bit and the moment I looked at the young lad before my convictions grew that he could be my seed. “Hey you okay? Why are you both sitting here? You should have—“I was still talking when she cut me off sharply. “You don’t want us Dominico, let’s just have this done with and we will be gone from your life forever”, she spoke in a tamed tone unlike the shaky one she had come with yesterday. I rolled my eyes, waving off her words immediately.“I guess we have to set out for the hospital then, we don’t want to keep the doctors waiting”, I told her. “Giorgio, you good?” I asked but he cleared his th
I knew there was a problem when I saw her looking all bruised and sad, but I never thought it would be as serious as this. My hands akimbo, I stood perplexed and watched her disappear through the door. I shouldn’t have been so hard on her and I completely understand why she didn’t want the boy to associate with me. After all, I am a mafia lord, a bad influence on a smart kid like Giorgio. I was still having a long thought when I heard my name. “Boss Dominico your father seeks your presence this minute”, the maid told me and left. I puffed hot air from my mouth. For a very long time I haven’t been this confused and shocked but now I was because I couldn’t even remember whom I was with on that particular night. She smells and feels familiar but I couldn’t wrap my fingers around it. What if she was right? I thought deep as I strolled back into the inner chambers to meet my sick father. Or was she trying to tie that boy to me to spite my brother? The thoughts kept flooding my head and
He stood. Shocked. Eyes fixed on me as I gave a vivid description of what happened that night. I could tell he still remembers my smell and how my hands felt on his skin the day we kissed in the bathroom corridor. He just cannot believe that he has a growing seed form his many flirtatious escapades. He has always thought himself as the smartest and the most dangerous but now I can see that asides the manly dominance he has there was really no big deal about handling a mafia team. For seven whole years I have kept the boy away from him and even when I returned to town he never suspected a thing until now that I needed help to protect Giorgio. He looked away, too ashamed to look me in the eyes for outsmarting him. His heart just couldn’t decide which part to begin with whether to get upset or help me secure a plan immediately.“Tell me it’s a lie Dominico, tell me she is just a bloody liar and a thief as she has always been”, Enzo was already panting like a bulldog wagging its tail read
The Salvatore mansion was bigger and larger than ours. It had large rooms I couldn’t make out of what was in them. As I followed the lead of one of his men, the one I could sense was Dominico’s second in command, I ran my eyes through some of the doors facing the corridor on the right. When I thought our journey had come to an end and I would soon have to spill all the secrets that made me run from my home like a criminal on the run.“He is not in his chambers, I bet we would find him in the upper room”, He told me as he punched in the numbers on the elevator, the door instantly popped open and the man beckoned with his head for me to go in first. I did. Following all his instructions carefully.The elevator stopped the moment it reached the third floor. The house had its radiance and a sweet woody smell lingering from used perfumes and diffusers burning from the corners. I could barely trace it. He let me stay out for a while then later returned in a few seconds.“You may come in ma’
“Impossibile!” she exclaimed, eyes almost popping out of their sockets. “Don’t be like Maria, it’s—“I couldn’t complete my statement before she cut me off. The expression on her face still spoke volumes of the shock. This time with a more serious look in my eyes. She cupped her hands on her mouth. “Tell me it’s a joke Gui, tell me you are lying”, she wiped the invisible sweat off her face and settled her ass slowly on the single sofa opposite mine. I nodded my approval again “How did that even happen Gui, you barely left this home seven years ago and your father let you go to those parties—“, It didn’t happen while I was here Maria, I left remember, I was accused of theft and I didn’t do it”, “Yeah, I know Gui and you my trust till now but how did you—? I mean. Dominico— How did that even happen?”, she couldn’t get the whole news wrapped around her head like a veil, she wanted to unfold everything at once. “It was at a party in America. I didn’t know I was going to meet him there. I w