He was directly in front of her now, and she took another step back, her body hitting the cold brick wall behind her. “If you don’t move back, I will knee you in the balls. Get the fuck away from me.” Leonardo had tried to calm himself down on his way here but all that blew to nothing when he saw the green eyed bastard trying to touch her waist. “I love your feisty side, princess. But no man touches what’s mine”, he said coldly. From the corner of his eyes he saw Mark was limp on the table. He fainted. What a pussy. “I am not yours, don’t you get it?”, she asked. He walked up to her and pulled her out regular part of the club to the VIP lounge. “Get away from me”, she tried to pull his hands away from her wrist. Leonardo didn’t bulge. He entered the VIP lounge and finally released her hand. “What are you doing here by this time without your security?”, he asked. She scoffed. “I don’t answer to you”. “Oh, you will”. “You can’t make me”, she returned. He
“What makes you think I’d want to stay here after the divorce?”, Arya asked. It’s been seven days since the night club incident and eight days since she found out his lie. Now, both of them stood in his room. She snuck in to get some of her new clothes but he entered the room before she could leave. Now, she was stuck there with him. She cursed her luck. “Do you think Carls would let you stay on your own? He’d come back to marry you off to someone else”, he said. “Too bad. I’ll be a divorcee and you know no one would marry a divorce in this kingpin world”, she threw back. “I see you’ve been talking to Bianca”, he said. “Yes I’ve been talking to your sister, is that also against your tyrant rule?”, she asked. Leonardo sighed. “I will agree to this divorce but you should stay here till you get your…”, she interrupted him. “I already have someone looking into it. For now, I’ll stay in an hotel”, she returned. He smiled. She must have forgotten who he is. “W
THE PREVIOUS NIGHT Leonardo got off the phone call. It took him a while but he finally decided on what to do. “Everything is in place”, he said to Rob. “Okay, Don. What is your next line of action”, Rob asked. Leonardo stiffened. He hadn’t really thought that part through. Or he did but was deciding against it. There was no way he was letting her stay there but he also couldn’t be violent. He smacked his forehead. They were finally making progress but he ruined it. At this point, he considered letting her go because he didn’t deserve her but he knew he couldn’t live without her by his side. “Don, we have to know the next step”, Rob said. “I heard you the first time”. Leonard sighed. What was a man supposed to do? “We will do whatever we have to”. “And the guards?”, Rob asked. He smiled. “Discard the old ones, they are useless. I need new and well trained ones”. Rob nodded. He knew what the Don meant. Play time was over and it was time for the Don to
Arya’s eyes fluttered open. “Ouch”, she said as the sun hit her eyes. She sat upright and rubbed her eyes, her memory slowly becoming clearer. She jumped out of the bed when she realized she was in her room or more precisely, Leonardo’s room. What the fuck? She remembered struggling with that strange man but he wasn’t Leonardo. She searched all around the room for her phone but she couldn’t find it. The door was locked from the other side. Bastard! She couldn’t believe he had kidnapped her. She banged on the door repeatedly. “Open the door”, she screamed. “Let me out of here”. Almost immediately, she heard movements from the outside and the door opened, revealing Leonardo in all his glory. He locked the door behind him. “Are you okay, princess?”, he asked with a cold voice. She scoffed. “Am I okay? No, no I am not. Why did you kidnap me?”. “I planned to but I didn’t”, he said. “What do you mean? I’m currently standing in your bedroom”, she said. “
Arya thought she had seen every side of Leonardo but she was terribly mistaken. He raked his hands through his hair again. “For how long?”, it was a stupid question, she knew, but it was the only thing she could think of. “Jeez, I......the day I saw you for the first time. I knew you were mine from that moment, princess. So no, you won’t be getting that divorce, let alone leave the country. Let another man touch you and I’d show you how easy it is to take a life for you”. Something had to be wrong with her because at his words, she felt the familiar tingle between her legs and her panties were dampened. She racked her brain for a response but she couldn’t form words. “I never thought I would ever see you out of words, my feisty little kitten”, he teased and touch her bottom lips. He rubbed his thumb on it for a little while before pushing it inside her mouth, slowly, maintaining eye contact. “Open your mouth and suck on it like a good girl”, he said and she obeyed.
Maria threw her burner in the metal trash can and lit it up with a lighter and a paper. She picked up the cigarette from the ashtray and took a puff. No word from Fin by this time only meant one thing. He failed to kidnap the bitch. A wise person once said if you want something to be done right, you have to do it yourself. She couldn’t agree more at this point. She drank from the bottle of whiskey. Maria stood up and staggered a bit but, she persisted and she walked to the mirror hung on the wall. She looked at her appearance. Her blonde hair was in a messy bun and she was naked. She had never had a problem with carrying out her plans, what was with Arya that she couldn’t? “That bitch must have a big old truck of luck”, she said and took a swing from the bottle. “But you, you don’t. Your parents died on duty and you became an orphan”, she laughed at herself. She studied her body. “I sure do look hot today, maybe I….”. A knock was heard on the door. She lo
Arya’s sad expression turned happy. “Yes, we are going to have a baby. Do we tell the family?”, she said. “For now, we’ll keep it a secret. The doctor already knows to not tell anyone else about the pregnancy until I say so”, Leonardo replied. He laid on the bed next to her and cuddled her with her head on his chest. “But why?”, she asked. “Because we just got back together, the family will be all over you and I can’t share. Besides, you just got kidnapped, I don’t think it’d be wise”, he said. Arya understood his emotions. But wait! She was having a freaking baby. Months ago she was refusing to get married but now, she is. Not just that, she’s pregnant. She bit on her lower lip. Excitement and worry rippled through her body. “I know you’re thinking as well. Just know I’m going to be here for you, we’re in this together”, he said, caressing her arm. “I know. It’s just the thought of having a baby, what if I’m not going to be a good mum?”, she asked. “You are
“What the fuck do I do now?”, Maria asked no one in particular. She had to check on Fin before he rats her out. She called his office and someone else picked up. “Nathaniel here, who am I speaking with?”, the voice from the other side of the phone asked. “Oh…I’m Maria and I wanted to speak to a certain Mr. Fin. Can you put him on?”, she bit her lips as anxiousness grew in her voice. “Mr. Fin can’t come to the phone now, maybe next time. If that’s all I’d like to get back to work”. She rolled her eyes. A new pawn she had to get under her control. “Do you by any chance know what happened to Fin?”, she asked. “He got fired and he is in trouble. Turns out he hasn’t been doing his job properly for a long time, stupid man. I always knew the Don was preventing his incompetence by not making him his right hand man”. “He’s in trouble? Why?”, she asked. “Lady, can you not hear me? Is that all you picked from what I said?”, he asked. Maria was taken aback. It felt l
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