SYLVIA'S POV "To the ground!"Mario's voice was sharp and commanding. I didn't hesitate—I threw myself down just as he did, but unlike me, he hit the floor with a pained grunt. His wounds. Damn it. He wasn’t even healed yet."Wait at the kitchen door. I need to get my gun."He didn’t give me time to respond before he was already moving, sprinting up the stairs like a mad man.I swallowed hard, my body pressed against the cold floor, heart pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears. A minute passed. Maybe less.Then—Bang!A gunshot.I sucked in a breath, my muscles locking up.Bang!Another.A strangled groan. A body hitting the floor with a dull thud.Oh, shit.A sickening silence followed. My fingers dug into the fabric of my pants. Was that him? Was he hit? Was he dead?I wanted to call out. I wanted to move. But if I was wrong, if the wrong person was coming down those stairs…Footsteps.I pressed myself against the wall, barely breathing.Then I saw him—Mario.Alive.I almost c
Sylvia’s POVI looked from one brother to the other, my brain short-circuiting.What the hell kind of twisted family reunion was this?Before I could fully process the situation, Gerard yanked my hair, making me yelp. “It’s good to see you again, brother.”“What are you doing here, Gerard?” Mario’s voice was sharp, his whole body tense. “It’s been four years. What do you want?”Gerard let out a dramatic sigh, like Mario had personally wounded his feelings. “Is that how you welcome your big brother after all this time? Nasty, I must say. I heard you’re married now. Congratulations, I suppose.”He beamed—like he was some kind of friendly visitor instead of a full-blown psychopath—and then, to my absolute horror, he yanked me along as he walked toward Mario.“Let her go.” Mario’s voice was deadly calm, but I could see his fingers twitch. “We can talk elsewhere.”Gerard laughed—loud, carefree, like this was all just a joke to him. “You don’t have to be scared of me, brother. And your girl
Sylvia's POV The room was dead silent for a moment. Then, the lights flickered back on, and Gerard stood in the doorway, grinning like a lunatic."I got you there, didn't I?" He beamed, looking downright pleased with himself, like he had just won an Oscar for Best Performance in Terrorizing His Younger Brother.I turned to Mario, expecting… I don’t know, maybe shock? Maybe rage? Maybe him flipping the desk and lunging at his brother like a feral animal?But no.Mario just sat there, staring at the bullet hole in his desk like it was an old, familiar friend. No blinking, no flinching. Just this tired, dead-eyed look, like this exact scenario had played out a hundred times before.That? That was unsettling.Gerard, meanwhile, sauntered into the room like he owned the place, spinning his gun in his hand like a cowboy in an old movie."Relax, hermano. It was just a little love tap. If I wanted to shoot you, you'd be bleeding all over that overpriced carpet by now. The carpet's ugly by th
Trigger Warning: This scene contains elements of sexual assault, which may be distressing to some readers. Please proceed with caution.Sylvia’s POVI lingered in the office longer than I should have. Mario and Gerard had already left, but I stood there, arms crossed, staring at nothing in particular, pretending I had business being there.Of course, I didn’t.I was stalling.And when the silence got too loud, I did what any rational person would do, I snooped around.My fingers trailed over the desk, pulling open drawers, flipping through papers. Nothing. The man was either annoyingly clean or he just didn’t trust leaving anything important in places people like me could reach.Fine.If his office had nothing, maybe his room would.I knew it was stupid, but I acted on it, slipping out and making my way up the stairs.Mario’s room was at the end of the hallway, and when I tried the handle, it opened easily.Not locked.Huh.Either he was stupidly confident no one would go through his
Mario's POVShe was still frozen in place, pressed against the wall, her eyes wide in shock as she looked at me. And then; I saw it.Pity.It hit me harder than anything else. Harder than the memories, harder than the rage that had been boiling in my gut for years. That look on her face, it was like she had already decided I was broken. That I was something to be fixed.I stepped back. My hands were still clenched. My whole body felt stiff, like I had been tied too tight, like if I moved too much, I’d snap in half.What the fuck did I just do?I had buried this pain for so long, locked it away so deep that even my own brother didn’t know the details. And now? I had handed it to her. Laid it all out like an open wound, a fucking invitation for her to poke and prod at it.Fuck."You—" she started.I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want to hear whatever was about to come out of her mouth."Get out." My voice was low, too calm.She hesitated. She was still looking at me like that, like s
Sylvia’s POVI was still shaking.For the first time since this forced marriage, I wasn’t mad at Mario. How could I be? All I wanted to do was pull him into my arms and rock him like a child, as if that could undo the horrors he had survived.I had so many questions. So many things that didn’t make sense.How could one person go through that much and still be standing? And his mother—what kind of monster hands their own son over to be used like that?My own past with my brother had nearly destroyed me. But Mario? His was worse. So much worse. I couldn't even begin to imagine it. The hell of everything he had gone through.And now, after everything, he had finally let me see it—the filth, the scars, the rot inside him. And what had I done? Looked at him like a kicked dog.No wonder he shoved me away.I exhaled sharply, pushing the thought down. No time for self-pity. I needed answers. If there was a single shred of evidence left of the people who did this to him, I had to find it.Whic
Mario’s POVI didn’t think. I didn’t need to.The second I saw them—Gerard, shirtless. Sylvia, on his bed. Laughing. My vision blurred with red.Before my mind could catch up, my fist was already flying. It connected with Gerard’s jaw, snapping his head to the side. The bastard staggered, but the smirk that followed only fueled my fury."You fucking stay away from her!"Sylvia gasped behind me, but I wasn’t looking at her.Gerard wiped the blood from his lip, eyes dark with amusement. "Didn’t know she was off-limits. My bad." His voice was mocking, slow. He knew exactly what he was doing—poking at the beast inside me. Purposely trying to reel me up to see how attached I was.I grabbed his collar, shoving him against the wall. "Say that again," I growled, my voice barely human.Sylvia was at my side in an instant, tugging at my arm. "Mario, stop! It’s not what you think!"But that was the thing—I didn’t know what to think.My head was still spinning from everything I’d told her earlier
Sylvia’s POVI woke up to warmth. An unfamiliar. It took a second for reality to catch up, for my brain to remember where I was.Mario’s room. No—my room.I blinked, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the light shade of lavender curtains. Beside me, Mario lay still, his breathing even, his arm wrapped tightly around my waist like he was scared I would run off.Last night’s conversation echoed in my head."Let’s just say I know a lot about you. Too much."My fingers curled into the sheets. How much did he really know? And how did he know it?I turned my head, watching him. Even in sleep, he looked guarded—jaw tight, brows furrowed like he was fighting something in his dreams. A part of me wanted to reach out, smooth the crease between his brows. But I didn’t.Because I didn’t trust him. Not fully.I moved slow. Careful. Inch by inch, I tried to pull away from Mario’s grip, but the second I did, his arm tightened around me. He mumbled something in his sleep, his voice
SYLVIA'S POVThe day dragged on painfully slow after Mario had left. I had the TV on, but I wasn’t really watching. Just noise filling up the silence. The apartment felt too quiet without Mario, and I found myself glancing at the clock more times than I cared to admit.It was a little past 1 PM when the doorbell rang.I paused, confused. Mario wouldn’t be back this early.I walked over and opened the door—and there she was.Beth.Her face was blotchy, her eyes swollen. She stood there with a small travel box in one hand, her other hand trembling slightly.“Beth?” I blinked. “What happened?”She didn’t answer right away. I took the suitcase from her and stepped aside to let her in. Her steps were heavy, almost reluctant, like even walking hurt.“I’m leaving,” she said, voice already cracking as she sank onto the couch. “He’s been cheating, Sylvia. Not once. Not twice. Four. Four different women.”Her voice rose with each word, and by the time she finished, she was crying again, wiping
Sylvia’s POVThe smell of bacon and hot chocolate drifted into my nose, gently pulling me out of sleep. I blinked one eye open, the morning light soft against the curtains. Mario was at the far end of the room, sitting on the couch with a book in his hands.As soon as he heard me stir, he looked up and smiled... wide, warm, and boyish.“Morning, sunshine,” he grinned, and just like that, my cheeks warmed. That was all it took for me to blush like some lovesick teenager.“You’re awake,” he said as he closed the book and stood up. He walked over, leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, then scooped me into his arms like I weighed nothing.“Mario—” I started, half-laughing, half-protesting.“Shhh,” he hushed me with a grin, carrying me into the bathroom like it was the most normal thing in the world.He set me gently on my feet in front of the sink. “Brush. Your hot chocolate’s getting cold,” he said, his voice lower now, softer, eyes on me through the mirror.I stared back
SYLVIA’S POVBeth was talking, but I wasn't listening to anything she said. I kept nodding at the right moments, hoping she wouldn’t notice how far gone I was.My chest felt tight. My palms were sweating.I knew Jackson.I knew his mouth.And I knew there was no way he’d be around Mario and not say something. He lived for chaos. For the shock. For the way people froze when they didn’t know if he was joking or dead serious.The worst part? I didn’t even have anything to hide… but that didn’t mean I’d told Mario everything.Not about high school.Not about the time I’d gone to visit a friend and ended up in a nightmare I couldn't speak of.Not about the shame, or how I’d buried it so deep I sometimes convinced myself it hadn’t happened at all.“…and I’m pregnant. Sylvia, are you even listening to me?”Beth’s voice finally cut through.I blinked, turning to her like I was waking up from a bad dream.“What?” I asked, my voice too soft.She stared at me. “I knew it. You weren’t listening.”
Mario’s POVThe change in Sylvia was instant.One second she was standing beside me beaming, the next she was stiff. Her body had stiffened like a statue, her smile vanished, and I could feel her retreat inward even as she stood right there.Then I looked at the man who had opened the door.Recognition flashed between them. His eyes dragged over her, slow and full of something I didn’t like one bit. Lust. Arrogance, and it made my jaw clenched.I wanted to grab Sylvia, take her right back to the house and away from whatever this was. But instead, the guy stepped forward, hand outstretched like nothing was wrong, like he didn’t just make my wife freeze up like that.“I’m Jackson,” he said, beaming like we were old pals.I took his hand and gripped it tighter than I needed to, just to make a point. His grin faltered for a split second.“I’m Mario,” I said, staring him straight in the eye. Then I added, louder, slower, “And this is my wife, Sylvia.”He nodded, stepping aside to let us in
Sylvia“Come on, let’s check out what your shopper got for me,” I said, tugging Mario’s hand after pulling away from our hug. But he didn’t budge.“I have a couple of things to—”“No, not right now!” I cut him off sharply, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I’m not doing this with you. If you were going to be so busy, why didn’t you just let me stay back in New York instead of dragging me out here, into the middle of nowhere to be bored out of my mind?”Mario sighed, already looking tired. “You needed a break from all that chaos.”“If I wanted a break and a solo vacation, I would’ve picked somewhere with palm trees and cocktails, not this lake house where the only highlight of my day will be waving at the neighbor.” I folded my arms tightly, my voice sharper than I intended. “You’re either coming upstairs with me or I’m walking right out that door.”There was a pause. Then another long sigh from him before he finally gave in, taking my hand and walking toward the stairs.“You’re so
Sylvia POVAt some point during the flight, I must've dozed off. When I stirred, I felt a presence leaning over me. It was Mario."I thought I’d have to carry you off the plane," he said with a soft chuckle, like the heavy moment we’d shared earlier had never happened, like he had not walked off on me.I didn’t say anything. Just sat up and stood, brushing past him quietly.We got off the plane, and someone gestured me toward a waiting car. Just before I stepped in, Mario walked up to me."I can’t come with you right now," he said, tone calm and collected. "I need to take care of a few things. I should be at the lake house in an hour or two."I nodded, giving a small shrug like it didn’t matter, even though I wanted to break down and ask why he kept on switching up on me.The car pulled away and the ride was quiet, the kind of silence that made you think too much. After nearly an hour, we turned onto a quieter road lined with beautiful lake houses. Most looked empty—probably because i
Sylvia POV"Is this really a good idea?" I asked for the umpteenth time as we stepped out of the black limousine and headed toward the private jet. And of course, just as I was thinking it couldn’t get worse, there they were, two reporters, chasing after us like paparazzi on a mission."Mr. Mario Salvatore, are you fleeing with your wife?" they asked, almost in perfect unison.Mario stopped in his tracks, staring them down. I swear, the way he looked at them made the reporters flinch, and I couldn’t help but notice how effortlessly he did it. He had that effect on people."If we were fleeing, trust me, you wouldn't know. Now, run along before I have you arrested for trespassing," Mario said, his voice calm but with a dangerous edge.The reporters didn’t hesitate for a second. They scrambled away, cameras in hand, and I swear I saw them look over their shoulders like they were trying to escape a wild animal. Mario turned back to me with a playful smirk."Do you think I’m scary?" he ask
Sylvia POVAfter a 15-minute drive, we arrived at the station, and I was immediately led into a small, cold interrogation room.“Do you want to tell us about what happened?” the detective asked, his tone calm, but his eyes were sharp and studying me, watching every tiny movement.“No. I would like to have a lawyer present first,” I said, keeping my voice even.He stared harder, like he was trying to get under my skin, trying to make me crack. But I didn’t flinch.“We’re only asking questions, that’s all,” he pressed.“I still want my lawyer,” I replied, firm.He exhaled slowly. “Okay then, do you have a lawyer you want to call?”“No,” I said. “I’ll wait for a public defender to be assigned.”“You’re sure you don’t want to call your husband?” he asked again, leaning slightly forward like the question might hit differently this time.“No.”He nodded, tight-lipped. “Alright. Then we’ll have to check you in as an inmate until we can get someone assigned. It might take a day or two.”I shr
SYLVIA'S POV The next two days went by in a blur. I ordered takeout, rotted away on the couch, my phone switched off, my eyes glued to the TV news channel, drowning in the endless cycle of my own destruction.When I wasn’t watching TV, I was reading every article I could find about myself. The internet had no mercy. Insults, mockery, people tearing me apart piece by piece, all of it made worse by the fact that I knew they were right. I had become the joke of the week, the woman who had lost control in the most public way possible.By the third day, Isabel had come by. She knocked on the door for nearly an hour, her voice getting more frantic with each passing minute. But I stayed silent.“I know you’re in there, Sylvia. Just reply, at least let me know you’re okay. Pick up the phone!” But I stayed quiet. I couldn't face anyone, not even her.On day four, things took another turn. The 5 o’clock news was on when everything went downhill again. I was curled up in a blanket on the couch,