Opening his eyes, Rene felt a deep ache in his back, and he rose, stretching out his bones as he stared around the living room of Ruby's home. Although it was the worst sleep he had had in his life, he was grateful that the old lady allowed him to stay the night when he asked."You are awake?" Ruby's sweet voice floated in from the kitchen, followed by the comforting aroma of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon.Rene smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes, ma'am. Sorry for the intrusion last night. I really appreciate your hospitality.""Nonsense," Ruby said, appearing in the doorway with a tray of breakfast. "Any friend of my son is welcome here. Besides, it’s been a long time since we’ve had guests."Rene's eyes lit up at the sight of the food. "Thank you, Ruby. This looks amazing."Ruby set the tray down on the table, beaming with motherly pride. "Eat up. You look like you could use a good meal."After digging into his breakfast, Rene paused two bites in and asked, "Where is Gunnar
The room went quiet as Gunnar looked around, taking in the bloody men on the floor and Rene’s unreadable expression. Then he rushed over to Ruby, his protective instincts kicking in. "Mom, are you okay?"Ruby, still shaken but relieved to see Gunnar, nodded. "I'm fine. Kia... he took care of them."Gunnar looked at Rene with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Who are you?"Rene didn’t answer right away, keeping his focus on the nervous loan shark boss. The boss, clearly losing his earlier confidence, shifted uncomfortably and said, "I don’t know who you are, but... I’ll give you my account number. I don’t think you can pay, but here it is."The boss quickly gave Rene the account details, which Rene noted down. He pulled out his phone and began transferring the money. The room was tense as they waited.When the transaction was complete, Rene turned to the boss, who was still staring at the phone in shock."Check your account," Rene said coldly.The boss checked his phone and his eyes wid
As the morning slowly went by, Erica Sullivan sat in the quiet corner of the bank, reviewing some documents. Just then, her phone buzzed, displaying an unknown number. Annoyed, she ignored it and continued with her work.Moments later, a message notification appeared on her screen. Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened it. Her blood ran cold as she saw a recent picture of herself sitting exactly where she was now. Her heart pounded, and the unknown number called again. With trembling hands, she answered."Who is this?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.The voice on the other end was chillingly calm. "Hello, Erica Sullivan. Age 34, born in Brookfield. Daughter of Thomas and Linda Sullivan, sister to Claire Sullivan, mother of little Jamie."Erica's breath hitched. "What do you want from me?""You've been a bad girl, Erica, lying about someone innocent. Now, since you like playing games with people's lives, let's play a game ourselves."She felt a surge of fear and
Scowling at her cousin, Maria rolled her tongue around her teeth, her patience hanging by a thread. She didn't reply but took a deep breath and continued walking toward the elevator. Jason’s threats hung like a dark cloud above her head, but she couldn't let them deter her, and she entered the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby.Minutes later, Maria entered the lobby, her heart pounding with confusion. As soon as Erica saw her, she rushed forward, dropping to her knees and resting her head on the cold tiles. Tears and snot ran down her nose, her body trembling."Maria," Erica sobbed, her voice barely audible. "I lied. Kia... I mean, I lied on your husband's name... he deposited the full amount. I didn't register it in the system. I... I'm so sorry."Dumbfounded, Maria felt her frustration grow, a surge of anger coursing through her veins. "Why would you do this, Erica? Why would you want to ruin Kia's reputation? What were you thinking?"Squeezing her eyes shut, Erica's so
Looking down at Erica, Rene sighed and then asked, "It's you... What are you doing here?"Lost for words, Erica stared hard, unable to look away and unwilling to answer until she managed to find her voice, which refused to cooperate with her, betraying her nervous state. "Uhm, I am sorry for lying on your name!"Silently, Rene’s eyes locked onto Erica, his gaze sharp and unwavering. He could see the fear etched on her face, her earlier bravado now replaced with anxiety. He waited for her to find her voice, his patience thin but his demeanor controlled.“Sorry?” Rene’s voice was low as he staring into her eyes, his tone making it clear he wasn't in the mood for evasive answers.Erica’s mouth opened and closed as she tried to speak, but no words came out initially. Her hands were trembling, and she fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, clearly struggling to regain her composure as she thought, 'It can't be a coincidence. The call... You... Someone threatened my entire family for me to conf
Drowning in the quiet of his office, Carlo Rossi sat there, nursing a glass of whiskey. The dim lighting cast shadows on the wall and his face as the old man stared into his drink, his mind lost in thoughts of the past and the responsibilities that came with his name.The sudden sound of the door slamming open broke his reverie. Jason stormed in, his face flushed with anger, his eyes wild with frustration. Carlo looked up, his brow furrowing at the intrusion."Grandfather, you won't believe what just happened in the lobby!" Jason's voice was a mix of rage and nervousness.Glaring at his grandson, Carlo sighed, placing his glass down on the desk before clasping his hands together, "Calm down, Jason. What is it now?"Jason took a deep breath, his chest heaving. "It's Maria! She accused me in front of all the employees! She humiliated me, Grandfather! And Kia... he had the nerve to threaten me!"Seeing that his grandson was actually serious, Carlo's eyes narrowed, a flash of anger crossi
With a weak smile, Maria took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, and placed her hand in Rene's."Let's go," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.Together, they walked down the long hallway towards Carlo Rossi's study. The silence between them was heavy with unspoken words and uncertainties.As they approached the study, the grand double doors loomed large, and Rene squeezed Maria's hand reassuringly before opening the door.They entered to find Carlo sitting behind his desk, his stern gaze fixed on them while Jason stood nearby, arms crossed, a smug expression on his face."Sit," Carlo commanded, his voice cold and authoritative.Staring down at the black couch, Maria and Rene obediently took seats in front of the desk, their hands still clasped together, and Carlo's eyes narrowed at the sight."Maria, Kia," Carlo began, his tone icy. "I've heard disturbing reports about your behavior today. Maria, you created a scene in the lobby and made serious accusations against Jas
The following morning, the first light of dawn was just beginning to filter through the heavy curtains of Maria and Rene's room. The peaceful silence was abruptly shattered by loud, relentless banging on the door.Rene, already half awake, gently turned to Maria, who had finally fallen asleep after a long, emotionally draining night of crying. She was curled up under the covers, her breathing even and calm. Not wanting to disturb her, Rene quietly got out of bed, wincing slightly as he stood. The noise continued, echoing through the room.With a deep breath, Rene walked over to the door and carefully opened it. His groggy eyes were met with a sight that jolted him fully awake. Standing in the doorway was Josh Sullivan, his face a storm of fury. Without a word of warning, Josh's fist shot out, connecting with Rene’s face in a brutal punch.The force of the blow sent Rene staggering back into the room, a sharp pain exploding across his nose. He barely had time to register what had happ
As the second tick by, Mr. Rossi stared at him in stony silence, the air between them growing thick and suffocating. The old man’s jaw worked, grinding slowly back and forth as he weighed the consequences laid so brazenly at his feet.Finally, he tilted his head ever so slightly, an almost imperceptible nod... like a viper sizing up its prey before striking."You overestimate your importance," Mr. Rossi said, his voice so calm it was almost a whisper. "Men like you are always so sure that the world will fall without them." He paused, then leaned in, close enough that Leonardo could smell the faint bite of expensive tobacco clinging to his breath. "It doesn’t."Leonardo’s expression didn’t flinch, but his hands curled into fists so tight that his knuckles blanched white."You’ve been useful, Mr. Varga," Mr. Rossi continued. "Valuable. I won’t deny that. But you're mistaking usefulness for irreplaceability." His lips twitched into a razor-thin smile. "And no man is irreplaceable."Leona
With the speed of 60mph, Leonardo’s car screeched into the underground lot of the Rossi Enterprise tower, the tires shrieking against the concrete. He barely threw it into park before he slammed the door and stormed across the lot, his boots pounding like war drums. His vision tunneled. His fists ached to hit something... someone.Moments later, Leonardo burst through the revolving doors of the Rossi Enterprise building like a storm tearing through glass. The receptionist at the front desk barely managed to look up before he blew past her, a blur of black leather and fury.“Sir! Sir, you need to-!” she called after him, but Leonardo didn’t even glance back.An unlucky employee, arms full of files, crossed his path just as he reached the elevators. Leonardo shoved her aside with a brutal swipe of his arm. She cried out, the papers flying from her hands as she stumbled to the floor. He didn’t stop. Didn’t apologize. His boots thundered against the marble floors as he stabbed the elevato
The bar was dimly lit, smoke curling lazily toward the cracked ceiling fans, and the low murmur of conversations filled the air like static. Leonardo pushed the door open with a grunt, the heavy wood creaking in protest. He paused for a beat, letting his eyes adjust. It smelled like old whiskey and regret... fitting, really.He hated places like this. Hated the desperation that clung to the customer like a second skin.He scanned the room once, twice, his patience already running thin. Then he spotted a familiar, irritatingly eager wave from a booth tucked near the back.Benjamin. Grinning like a rat who just found a hole in the pantry, waving him in.Leonardo sighed hard through his nose, squared his shoulders, and stalked toward him, his boots thudding against the sticky floor. His leather jacket creaked when he slid into the booth opposite Benjamin.“Why did you call me to this shit hole? What do you want?” Leonardo demanded, voice low, sharp.Already drunk, Benjamin didn’t flinch.
The morning sunlight spilled across the marble floor, golden and warm but not quite enough to soften the tension thickening inside the Rossi estate. Even though it has been two weeks, the walls in the mansion still whisper about the day Jason was slapped and every soul knew about it now.Madam Rossi stood in the hallway, quiet and still, her silk robe brushing softly against her ankles as she listened to the muffled voice of her husband behind the half-open door to his study.He had been up since before dawn, pacing, commanding, orchestrating this celebration as if the fate of the family hung on the thread of imported seafood and ambient lighting.She took a sip of her coffee. Bitter. She didn’t flinch.Inside the study, Mr. Rossi was in full control mode.“I don’t care how rare they are, Alberto,” he snapped into the phone. “You find the scallops. Pay triple if you must. I won’t serve frozen shrimp like some sad cruise buffet.”A pause, then he waved his hand as if dismissing a perso
As his gaze darted across the room, Rene kept the phone pressed tightly to his ear, Gunnar's voice echoing again on the other end."Hello, boss."The words rang in Rene's ear, but he stood motionless, letting the sound linger for a moment longer than necessary. He could feel the stares digging into his skin, hot and prickling, as if the entire room was holding its breath... waiting.After another moment of silent, Jason's frustration burst first."We can’t hear a damn thing from over there!" he snapped. "Put it on speaker, Kia. Now. Let us hear it ring so we can know when he answer.""Yeah, come on," Juan added, arms crossed, leaning forward. "Let’s all hear what he has to say.""If it’s the truth," Luis said, with a crooked smile, "you shouldn’t mind sharing it.""He’s right," Bianca chimed in, her voice cool. "Let Mr. Gunnar confirm that you weren’t with Layla. Or should we be calling her instead?"Even Vittoria, usually more reserved, nodded. "If you want to proof your inocence, It
The silence stretched, taut and expectant. The question lingered in the air like smoke... where was he this morning?Rene’s gaze swept the room, pausing momentarily on each face. They were waiting. Wanting. Ready to pounce.He could feel Maria beside him, her stillness louder than any words she could speak. And that silence... her silence, was what cut the deepest.He inhaled slowly, deliberately. “I wasn’t with Layla.”“Then who?” Madam Rossi’s voice cracked through the air like a whip.Staring at the stone-cold faces in the room, Rene hesitated, knowing full well the weight of the name he was about to speak. “Mr. Gunnar.”The room went still. Like a spell had been cast. Even the distant ticking of the grandfather clock seemed to pause.Mr. Rossi’s expression barely shifted, but Rene saw it. A flicker. Not a surprise. Not suspicion. Fear.It was enough.Rene locked eyes with the family patriarch and took a step forward, voice steady. “Yes. I was with Mr. Gunnar this morning. He reque
The sun dipped low over the horizon as Rene guided the car along the winding road back to the Rossi estate. Shadows stretched long across the dashboard, golden light dancing on Maria’s face. She hadn’t said much since they left the restaurant.Instead, she kept her gaze fixed on her phone, screen dimmed but not turned off. Her thumb hovered near the edge, as if deciding whether to press the number or not.Rene glanced at her, his fingers lightly drumming on the steering wheel. "You’ve been quiet."Maria didn’t look up."Everything okay?" he asked."Mmm.""That the same 'mmm' you give when you’re lying to me or the one when you’re annoyed at me?"She finally looked at him, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes. "Neither. Just thinking."Rene tilted his head, eyebrows raised. "About?"Maria took one last look at the number glowing faintly on her screen. Then slowly, deliberately, she pressed the side button. The screen went black."Nothing," she said.Rene didn’t believe her. He didn’t pu
The elevator doors slid shut, sealing Jason inside with his grandmother. The silence settled thick between them, unforgiving, heavy, like a noose tightening with each breath.Madam Rossi turned slowly, her gaze fixed on him with the cold weight of generations behind it."You should be ashamed," she said, her brows snapping together. "You stand there, hands in your pockets, watching your fiancée crumble under scrutiny... and you say nothing? You let her lie to you-to us. Do you think silence makes you honorable?"Jason’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing.Madam Rossi’s lips curled into a scowl. "You are a Rossi. You were raised better than this. If Layla is slipping, you are the one who should rein her in. It is your responsibility to keep your woman in check."His nostrils flared. “And what about Maria?” he snapped.Looking away from him for a second, Madam Rossi’s eyes narrowed.“She’s married, isn’t she?” Jason pressed. “To a man who doesn't even act as a Rossi should. But do I see
The sharp slam of Juan’s voice still echoed in Madam Rossi’s ears as she sat motionless behind her desk.Her nails tapped against the armrest... an erratic, frustrated rhythm. For a moment, she thought about pouring herself a drink, something dark and bitter to match the aftertaste of that conversation. But even that felt too indulgent.Instead, with a sharp breath, she stood.The air in her office was thick... thicker than it had any right to be. She needed out.Throwing on her tailored black overcoat, she moved to the door, pushing it open with more force than necessary. Her assistant, a young woman named Eloise, perked up from her desk outside, immediately rising.“Ma’am-”“I’m going for a walk,” Madam Rossi snapped without breaking stride.“Should I call for the car? Or-”“No.” The word came like a tense command. “Do not follow me.”Eloise froze, halfway to grabbing her clipboard. “Of course, ma’am,” she said softly, bowing her head.Madam Rossi didn’t bother to respond. She march