Arya’s brows furrowed. “Did you just hesitate?”, she asked, squinting her eyes. “Yes, I did”, he answered. Good boy. He didn’t try to deny that. “Why?”. “I used to be a ladies man. I don’t have to get ladies, they come to me. I like to believe I still draw in the ladies”, he said with a prideful smirk. Arya gasped. “What’s that supposed to mean?”, she asked angrily. “That I am an attractive man who ladies can’t get enough of. For example, you. You simply just can’t get enough of me”, he said with his signature smirk still on his face. “Look who’s being silly and easy going all of a sudden? What happened to the grumpy old Don?”, she asked. “The grumpy old Don is just stating facts. You can’t deny it”, he said. Arya smirked too. She was beginning to love this new side of her. “Yes, I can. I have seen more attractive men”, she said with a devilish smile and leaned back on her seat. She waited for his reaction and she got it.The immense satisfaction she felt as his
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT AND MAY BE TOO SENSITIVE FOR SOME READERS. “Wow, he had exquisite taste”, she remarked. Leonardo raised an eyebrow. “You’ve never said that to me”. “Well, because you don’t”. His frown deepened. “You do realize I’m carrying you in my arms, I might just let you fall”. “No, you won’t”, she retorted. “Try me”. “A while ago I liked you, now I don’t. Put me down”, she said. “As you wish”, he said and further proceeded to attempt dropping her. She gasped. “Leo!”, she screamed his name in annoyance. “What? I was only pulling your legs”, he said and dropped her on her feet carefully. “Thanks”. They walked into the Villa and Arya’s mouth dropped. She had mixed feelings for Don Vito, she couldn’t decide whether she hated him or admired him but she knew they would get along when it comes to style and fashion. The villa still had maids and guards who were constantly on duty but the it barely got guests. “I really
The Beginning of the Hell yet to unleash. Arya loved the small village. It was so much different from the hustle and bustle of the big cities and the luxurious streets that led to her husband’s villa. The environment was picturesque, with cobblestone streets, historic architecture, and a close-knit community atmosphere. The people were friendly and welcoming, with a strong sense of tradition and pride in their heritage. She admired their warmth, hospitality, and love of good food and conversation. Life in the village revolved around family, local festivals, and traditional customs that created a charming and authentic Italian experience. “It must be so peaceful here. I wish we could stay forever”, she said in amazement as they stopped at a fruit stall. “Benvenuto, cosa desidera comprare?", the seller asked. Welcome, what would you like to buy?. Arya smiled and looked at the fruits on display. It looked a bit spoilt and damaged unlike the fresh ones she was used to.
“You know I have no say in the matter”, Giovanni, the village chief said. “I don’t know. I hope you’re not doing this due to bribery”, Leonardo said pointing at the pile of cash on a tray with his eyes. His boys searched his house and found them hidden in the walls. The chief must have gone through a lot of trouble to hide it. Giovanni turned his gaze to the tray. “Oh, that. I have business with the other villages and I’m trying to stay safe. You can take them, take it as a welcome gift”, he said, chuckling awkwardly. Leonardo felt insulted but it was okay, he would deal with the situation. “You run this business with what money? From what I can tell, this village’s main source of livelihood is agriculture. How can you get so much money when the village has no good soil”, Leonardo asked. “The village may be poor but I’m not. I can afford food”, Giovanni said with a frown. “Now, let’s come to that. You’re selling off fruits in the market square for exorbitant prices. I
Arya and Leonardo got to the resort mid afternoon so it was no surprise they found none of their relatives in the villa. The maids and guards watched them walk in awe. It was evident that they had missed their boss. The female one though, not the male. Rosa and Ana rushed towards them. “Welcome, Don. Welcome, la moglie di Don”, they greeted. Leonardo sighed. At least during their time away he didn’t have to share her with two pesky people. How annoying! She enveloped them in a hug. “I missed you guys”. “We miss you more, la moglie di Don”, the girls said in unison. Arya gave it a thought. She was her own person and she should be regarded with her own title, not her husband’s. “Regard me as Dona henceforth”, she said to them. They looked between each other and nodded. “Now that that is out of the way, what have I missed?”. *********************** The Marcello’s all sat down at the table for dinner. Amelia and Bianca had almost suffocated poor Arya in
“I’m impressed, Rob”, Leonardo said as he went through the documents and files on his laptop. “Always at the service of the mafia, Don”, Rob responded. A knock was heard on the door followed by Russo’s head peeking through. “I heard you were back, Don. Came to show my respects”, Russo said, stepping into the office at Leonardo’s approval. “Russo, I trust you handled the rat in your care well? Have a seat”, Leonardo said, not looking up from his laptop. “Straight to business. I handled the situation very well. You’d be pleased with the results”, Russo answered. Leonardo turned to him. “Really?”. “Yes, Don”. “Go on”. Russo stood up and walked out of the office. “Have you been keeping an eye on him?”, Don asked. “To the farthest extent of my power, yes. But he likes to handle things alone, with no guards around”, Rob answered. “That is something”, Leonardo commented. “It is. He seems to know what he’s doing, but I can’t help but wonder about his method”, R
WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SEXUAL CONTENT AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR SOME READERS SONG RECOMMENDATIONS: UNTHINKABLE (I’M READY) BY ALICIA KEYS, AND COMING DOWN BY THE WEEKEND “What’s wrong, Arya?”, he asked with confusion etched on his face. Arya felt hot with fury. “Why the hell are you here? And what has she done?”, Arya asked. Rosa, who came into the room with her, shifted uncomfortably. It was obvious she was the tattletale and she was scared what the Don would do. Luckily for her, Arya wouldn’t let him do shit. “I know I was supposed to come to you but I am still working. As for her, she’s a spy and I’m questioning her”, Leonardo said. “Spy? Oh, Christ! Ana is my sister although not biologically. She can’t be a spy”, Arya defended the girl on her knees sobbing. “Dona, let’s calm down and talk”, Rob said. Leonardo smacked his forehead lightly. Who the fuck tells an angry woman to calm down? Rob made the situation worse. “What did you say?”, Arya aske
Arya sighed as she recalled the last months. Just like her husband predicted, the other family protested against him and he spent the last few months cutting down each family tree. Her father on the other hand who now had Maria at his side had backed off and she hope it stayed that way. She’d hate to have her husband murder him. She hated it had to result to murder but her hands were tied. It didn’t help when she realized she was having twins. She remembered the day they found out fondly but also with dread. FLASHBACK They were at the hospital and she was lying on the bed with her obstetrician. “Don, this is amazing. You’re having twins”, the doctor said. Arya’s emotions were all over the place. “Leave us alone”, Leonardo said to the doctor with a smile. The doctor exited the room. “I’m so ecstatic”, he said to Arya. She smiled awkwardly. “What’s wrong?”, he asked when he noticed her expression. “I was scared of bringing one child into the unsafe wo
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