Arya waited till Leonardo was asleep before carefully moving out of his arms. They had gone a couple of more rounds after and even though her bones screamed sleep, she had to do what she had to do. “Princess?”, Leonardo called, his eyes half opened, hair messy and face sleepy. “I need to use the bathroom”, she said, feeling guilty she had to lie. Well, it wasn’t a lie. More like half truth. He went back to sleep and she walked into the bedroom to go through his phone. As she suspected, it was all work on his phone. His socials though, were popping with texts from a lot of females. She went through them and saw they were mostly popular models, actresses and celebrities. Irritation went through her. She didn’t realize women could be this cheap especially to a married man. “Bitches”, she said. Now more than ever she had the urge to become more active on her socials. The good part was that her husband aired them all. She smiled in satisfaction when she saw he had blocked off
“Let go of her arm”, Leonardo said. The drunk man didn’t listen. “Vamos a bailar, chica.” Arya freaked out and tried to pull her arm away. “Let go. I don’t want to dance”, she said and tried to push him without drawing attention. Leonardo took charge of the situation and pushed the drunk man to the ground. People closer to them were already staring. Only a matter of time before they start recording. “Don, we can leave now”, Rob said. Before he could respond, a woman approached them. She had green eye and was dressed in expensive clothes. She had on a smoky eye makeup, which enhanced her eyes and a black dress with. “Pablo, deja de faltar el respeto a nuestros invitados”, she said to the man on the floor. He stood up and walked away. “I’m sorry on behalf of my brother”, she said to Leonardo. Leonardo could not care less about her apology. He was busy making sure Arya didn’t have a scratch. The green eyed lady coughed awkwardly before speaking. “I’m Lima, by the w
Arya walked into the church with her security. As expected, she met Isabel, the Mother Superior and Manuel, the Mayor. “Welcome Dona”, Manuel greeted. “Hi, Manuel. How are you faring?”, she asked. “I’m very well. I was about to leave before you stepped in. Good bye”, he said and walked out. “He suspects someone must have leaked the details about the assassins”, Isabel said. “Hope he didn’t figure out who did it?”, Arya asked. “No. He didn’t. But I told him the Don is a smart man regardless of his age. He would know better than to give away his location”, the nun responded. “Okay, that’s great. Thank you once again for risking it”, Arya said. “Please sit. Your mother, Adriana, went through a lot of risks for me and the children in the orphanage. I can’t let the last piece of her get killed by greedy old men”, Isabel responded. Arya sat on the pew. “In time you will tell me about my mother. I wish I knew more about her bravery”, she said. “In time. Don’t take my n
Dolores’ green eyes moved sharply across the room. She was dressed in a satin gown and had on excess expensive jewelries. Her smoky eye make up accentuated her eye colour perfectly. She nodded in approval as the girls displayed their beauties. “Hurry up, girls. A good courtesan knows the value of time”, she said. The girls hurried to change their clothes or accessories that she told them to. “My queen, your daughter is here”, her assistant said. “Which of them?”, she asked with a bored expression. “Lima”, her assistant answered. “Lima? I’m surprised she still knows the way to her mother’s house”, Dolores said sarcastically. “Should I let her in?.” “Yes. Let her in”, Dolores said. Some seconds after, Lima appeared in her presence. “Mother, how have you been?”, she asked. “Same way you left me”, Dolores responded. “That’s why I’m here, mother. I want to move back home”, she said and fell on her knees. “And I want to retire and enjoy the rest of my life trav
Lima took deep breaths backstage. She wore her most expensive outfit and used her most expensive make up products for this event. She needed to imprint on him and gauge his reaction before coming up with her plan. The curtain dropped and through her veil she could see the light reflecting on her and the other girls. She knew this dance by heart but the fact that the Don was watching made her feel uneasy. The music started and so did their bodies. They danced along to the sound in seductive rhythm and the men cheered at them, occasionally throwing money and gifts at them. With the lights in her eyes, she could not get a clear view at the men’s faces but she assumed the Don would be at the head of the table. Sit up, wife. This mistress may have a trick or two up her sleeves. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Arya tossed around on her bed. She missed her babies so much but she tried not to think about it too much. She was regretting ever encouraging Leo to go to that
Leonardo walked out of the event the moment the dancers came out. He was already very occupied and didn’t have time for flimsy entertainment. Rupert appeared from the corner. “Oh, my. Mistress was not exaggerating. It’s like god amongst men”, he said to Leonardo’s hearing. Rupert was ignored but he didn’t give up. “My mistress is the best courtesan in all of Spain and even the whole world. She’s performing for you and that’s a very rare thing”, he said as he tried to push security out of the way to no avail. “Hey, back off”, one of the guards said. “And if I don’t? I wasn’t talking to you”, Rupert said. Leonardo walked out of the building without a glance at Rupert. "I almost wished he was gay, seeing as he wasn't swayed by my mistress's charms. Maybe then I'd have had a chance," Rupert thought, as he turned and went in search of Lima. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * “We have with us today, Arya Marcello. We all know she is our sponsor so feel free to
Lima was sitting in her room, alone. The Don was proving to be a tough nut to crack but she had to admit that was what she liked about him. Unlike every single men she’s met, he doesn’t seemed enamored by her charms. His attention barely left his wife the day they met for the first time. She would try every spell in the book, every trick in her hat and every single thing in her disposal to get him. And she would get him, use him and toss him aside like an old toy. An old toy she would definitely always go back to. She bit her lips at the thought. She moaned and touched herself thinking about him but was distracted by the knock on the door. “Mistress?”, Rupert’s voice was heard. She sighed in agony. “Yes? Come in”, she said and sat up. He entered the room. “Mistress, your phone has been buzzing non stop since your performance. Word has gone out that you are back in La Hermandad de las Estrellas apparently”, he said. “Oh, goodness. All these men but I only want the one
Arya rushed into the cabin as soon as the car stopped. She had to wash up because she had been throwing up non stop since the ride. Leonardo ran in after her but she locked the bathroom door behind her. “Arya”, he banged the door. “Go away, sicko”, she said and threw up again. “This sicko is not going anywhere”, he said and banged the door. She pour cold water over her face and took off her gown. She was standing in the bathroom in her underwear and heels. “I’m still here. Open the fucking door, Arya”, he said. She started brushing her teeth. “Go away”, her voice was muffled. “I’ll break the door in if you don’t come out before I loose my mind”, he said and she held the sound of him walking away. “Padrino, il tipo ha appena consegnato la, she heard one of the soldiers talking to him. (Godfather, the guy has delivered the cocaine). “Va bene, verrò a controllare presto”, her husband responded and shut the door. (Alright, I’ll come check it out soon). She would
Isabel cradled the baby close, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten as the infant’s soft cries filled the room. Her daughter. She traced the baby’s tiny features with trembling fingers—her button nose, her soft cheeks, and the tiniest fingers she had ever seen. A fierce protectiveness gripped her heart, unlike anything she’d ever felt before. But the moment of tenderness was fleeting. The cold, harsh reality of her situation came crashing down on her. She had no home, no job, and no way to provide for herself, let alone a newborn. The room reeked of decay and dampness, its peeling walls and rat-infested corners a far cry from the safe haven a child deserved. The baby’s cries grew louder, piercing through Isabel’s haze of despair. “Shh, shh, I’m here,” she whispered, rocking her gently. But the cries didn’t stop, and Isabel realized with a sinking feeling that the baby was hungry. She looked around the room, her heart racing. There was no milk, no clean water—nothing. Panic cla
Arya gasped, her eyes wide with shock. “You got impregnated by your mother’s boyfriend?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Isabel nodded solemnly. “I did. I did all I could as a pregnant teenager with no home. I wish I’d known about the convent back then—it would have made my life so much easier. With little to no source of income or support, I was miserable and alone in the trenches of this town after I had to leave the old one. I won’t bore you with all the details. But when I was in labor, I had to make some difficult decisions.” FLASHBACK Isabel sat in the corner of her dimly lit room, chewing on the last bit of food she’d managed to scavenge. Her stomach cramped painfully, but she wasn’t sure if it was from hunger or something worse. It had been four days since her last meal, and her body was weak, her limbs trembling with every small movement. The cramps intensified, radiating through her body, and a wave of nausea swept over her. She pressed her hands again
“By the time I turned sixteen, much had changed in my life, though little for the better. I was the scorn of the town, whispers trailing me wherever I went. It wasn’t just the shame of my past that followed me like a shadow; it was the doors that slammed shut in my face, the jobs that paid me barely half of what they should, the side-eyes from those who thought they knew my story. And then there was Mama’s boyfriend, Stanley, who moved into our already-cramped home.” FLASHBACK Isabel stumbled into the house after a long, grueling day of work. The sun had long since set, and her body ached with exhaustion. She immediately headed to the kitchen, her stomach growling in protest, but her heart sank when she found the pans empty. She had prepared the food earlier that morning before leaving, but as usual, there was nothing left for her. Not a scrap. Her younger siblings, Amanda and Jacob, had already gone out for their own work, leaving the house silent save for the faint rustling
Arya burst into the room, emotions swirling in a storm of frustration. Leonardo, shirtless and in sweatpants, lay on the bed with his laptop, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. When he looked up and saw her, his expression immediately softened. “What’s wrong, babe?” he asked, concern evident in his voice. “Fuck! I’m so tired of all of this! When does it actually end?” Arya's voice was thick with anger and despair as she shouted, letting out everything she had bottled up inside. Leonardo remained quiet, letting her vent, and placed a gentle hand on her back for support, feeling the tension in her shoulders. “We can talk about it when you're ready,” he said quietly, his voice calm and steady. She took a shaky breath, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Isabel said she’s my grandmother,” she blurted out. He froze, stunned by her revelation. It explained so much—Isabel’s secretive behavior, her willingness to help them even at great personal risk. “How do you fe
Arya walked into the Mayor’s office, her mind still swirling with thoughts of her time at the convent, which had ended permanently. Henry had called her the day before, insisting that someone come to the Townhouse to collect a certificate for her volunteer service. She had kindly turned him down, but Henry was insistent, not taking no for an answer. Arya found herself wondering where this sudden niceness was coming from. She didn’t trust a single soul in this town, not even after everything she’d done to protect herself, including running a secret background check on Ricardo—though he would never find out about that. “Ah, Dona, welcome to my office,” the Mayor greeted, his voice oozing charm as his secretary led her into the room. Across from him sat Isabel and one of the council members, Frederick. Arya couldn’t bring herself to look at Isabel, her gaze fixed firmly on Henry instead. “Thank you for having me,” Arya said, offering a smile that barely touched her lips. Henr
She took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. “It’s… it’s all too much, Leo. Everything. Isabel, the Sisterhood, my parents—I never even had the chance to mourn them, and now all of this…” He squeezed her hands, the warmth of his touch grounding her. “You don’t have to carry this alone. I know it feels like the world is crumbling, but we’ll get through it. We always do.” She gave a bitter laugh, wiping away a tear. “You warned me about this life. You told me it would be hard, that it would come with pain and danger. And I thought I was ready. But now…” He brushed a strand of hair from her face, his expression softening. “You are ready. You’re stronger than anyone I know. And you’re not alone.” She broke down into even harder sobs, and he just held her close, letting her cry against his chest. His arms were wrapped around her tightly, and he whispered soothing words, his touch gentle and comforting. As her body shook with grief, he fought the urge to share what had happe
By the time they finished work, dusk had settled over the city, casting long shadows across the streets. “I need to get back to the cabin,” Leonardo said, gathering his things. “My wife’s there, and we’ll wrap things up once we’re back.” He knew Arya had gone to the convent earlier to confront Isabel, and although his instincts told him she was safe, a faint sense of urgency nagged at him. Working here, dealing with everything else, had given her space, but he couldn’t help wanting to check in on her. Behind him, Ricardo and Rob were in yet another argument, voices rising and falling as they debated. Leonardo had long since learned to tune them out. Instead, he let his thoughts wander. Spending most of his childhood alone, with only the company of books he’d memorized cover to cover, he’d become accustomed to living inside his mind, finding peace there. But something shifted. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flicker of movement, something or someone moving too delib
Leonardo walked into the room to find everyone already seated, waiting expectantly. He took his seat, and Rob slid a few files across the table. “These are all we could gather, boss. I double-checked—it’s everything they had,” Rob said, his tone firm. Leonardo picked up the files, scanning through them quickly. Setting them back down, he looked up, addressing the room. “Someone is playing a twisted game with my wife. She suspects it might be the Mother Superior, but I’m not convinced,” he began, his voice steely. Rob tensed beside him. Usually, they didn’t discuss these matters openly, especially with others around. But Rob must have trusted Leonardo’s judgment since he didn’t attempt to question it. “Of course, we don’t suspect any of you,” Leonardo added, glancing around the table. “We trust you all completely, especially after the support you’ve shown. And if we need further assistance, we’ll reach out.” He nodded at Ricardo, who took the cue. “You heard the Don. We
Arya could hardly believe Isabel’s audacity. Her voice trembled with anger as she glared at the Mother Superior. “Don’t sit there on your high horse, pretending you don’t know what I’m talking about.” Isabel sighed, placing her reading glasses delicately on the table. “I get that you’re the wife of a very powerful man, a Don, but Arya, I don’t need to hear about the issues in your marriage. I have done nothing wrong, and I genuinely have no idea what you’re accusing me of.” Arya recoiled, taken aback by the indifference in Isabel’s tone. “What? Why would you say that?” “Why shouldn’t I?” Isabel responded sharply, her expression unreadable. Arya narrowed her eyes, studying Isabel's face. “No. Why would you assume this was about my marriage, Isabel? What makes you think that’s what I came here for?” Isabel raised an eyebrow, her mouth curling in a faint, mocking smile. “Oh, it’s not? Then I’m truly sorry for the misunderstanding. But tell me, Arya—what exactly are you accusi