LOGINShare
Am I Really The Bad Guy Here?
Last Updated:
2024-11-23 10:13:06Related chapters
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Approached By A Stranger.
ALESSANDRA After that night, Leonardo never returned to the house. He stopped calling and texting me, and I lacked the courage to reach out to him. He had every right to be angry, but I wished he would give me a chance to explain.A few days later, I started working at the restaurant Le Jardin Des Saveurs as a gourmet chef. My employer, Mrs. Dubois, was very pleased with my dishes and always took good care of me. According to her, it was Leonardo who helped her start a new life after being abandoned by her husband and children.“I had stage 3 cancer once,” she confided. “My husband, who was Capo working for Davide, didn’t want the world to know the truth, so he locked me up in a hospital for treatment. When I finally recovered, I returned home to find he had taken a new wife, a new mother for my children.”My heart ached as I saw tears well up in her eyes. I grabbed a couple of tissues from the desk and handed them to her. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Dubois,” I said softly.She dismissed my
Last Updated : 2024-11-23UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Dante is Getting Married?
ALESSANDRA That evening, I decided to pay Mia a visit. When I entered her room, I found her lying on the bed, her entire figure hidden beneath the sheets. Concern etched across my face, I dropped my bag to the floor and moved my tired body toward her. “What's wrong, Mia? Are you feeling unwell?”“D-Dante...” Mia sobbed, clutching the sheets tightly as I tried to pull them away from her.I stilled, my heart racing with anxiety and worry. “What happened to Dante? Is he dead?”“No,” she shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “He's getting married!”“What?”“Mamma just called me, and she said Valentina and Dante are getting married!” she informed me. I sank into the bed, trying to wrap my head around the idea that my former best friend was getting married to my brother-in-law. With both their personalities, I was sure they would never be compatible with each other but that was not my business anymore. “Well, maybe this is what is best for everyone,” I remarked. I knew Mia was n
Last Updated : 2024-11-23UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Alessandra's Dilemma.
ALESSANDRA My heart pounded loudly in my chest as I stood frozen before Rocco who was now standing before. I had no idea what to tell him and I was a hundred percent sure that he wouldn't believe a word I said. My mind remained black even when Bianca shot me a look, silently willing me to do something but I couldn't. “I should have known you were not to be trusted but now, I have proof,” Rocco's snarled, turning away from me. “Just wait and see what Leo would do when he finds out you are nothing but a traitor.”Guilt and anxiety flashed through my eyes as I tried to stop him. “Rocco, wait! It's not what you think-”“How boring,” Bianca commented dryly. She blocked his path and faced him. “If you want to tell him, then go ahead. But the truth was that I gave Alessandra a mission to find out if her hot chef colleague is single. She was supposed to ask him out for me, right, Alessandra?”I cleared my throat when I caught Bianca's look and replied, “Y-Yes, but I told you that Leonardo
Last Updated : 2024-11-24UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Meeting An Admirer of Italian Cuisine.
ALESSANDRA The next day, I had just finished preparing my first dish of the day in the restaurant when my boss called me over from the exit. The unexpected summon made me slightly anxious, but I quickly wiped my wet hands on a nearby napkin and hurried over to her.“Is there something I can help you with, Madame?” I asked.The old woman paused, staring through the door at the crowd of customers enjoying their meals. After a moment, she turned back to me and said, “There's someone who wants to meet you, Alessandra. He claims to be a friend of yours.”“A friend?” I repeated, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. Leaning over her shoulder, I scanned the room for a familiar face, but saw no one I recognized.Mrs. Dubois gently pushed me back, shielding me with her body as she spoke, “If you don't know anyone over there, then just tell me. I will go and fetch some of Leonardo's men over and-”“Wait, Leonardo's men are also here?” My heart skipped a beat as I stared at her with wide eyes. I
Last Updated : 2024-11-24UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Confessing The Truth To Her New Friend.
ALESSANDRAThe next few days passed like a soft breeze, dispelling the boredom and loneliness I had felt before. I spent most of my days working at the restaurant and my nights exchanging stories with my younger sister, Mia. Although she was still depressed with the news of Dante's incoming wedding, she seemed slightly better now that she had gotten a new internet friend. However, I had also acquired a new friend who always dropped by the restaurant to come and eat after work hours. Orlando was a very sweet man who constantly praised my cooking, sharing stories about his days campaigning for the position of the mayor of the city and he always left with an extra helping for his mother. One day, he asked, “I'm having dinner tonight with someone important, and I wanted to know if you'd like to be my escort for the evening.”I could tell he admired me, which was unfortunate since I already belonged to someone else. Noticing the faint blush on his cheeks, I couldn't help but tease him. “
Last Updated : 2024-11-24UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) An Unexpected Meeting In A Gambling Den.
ALESSANDRA I still have no idea how I managed it, but somehow, I reappeared before my husband in just thirty minutes. Dressed in a stunning green dress with a fitted bodice and a sweetheart neckline, I made my way toward Leonardo. The A-line skirt cascaded to the floor, sweeping gracefully across the stairs as I approached him.“All set,” I announced, still smoothing the curls pinned at the back of my hair, awaiting my husband's judgement. “How do I look?”He glanced at me, his expression impassive. “Good. Let’s go,” Leonardo replied curtly, grabbing my hand and turning to walk away. His words left a dull ache in my chest, and I couldn’t shake the pang of disappointment as I watched him disappear out of the house.His quick change of attitude left me extremely baffled as we rose the car ride in silence. At first, I thought he was acting like this because of a bad business call, but my unease increased when he started giving me one-word responses. “Is everything okay?” I shot him a q
Last Updated : 2024-11-25UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) The Monster She Just Discovered.
ALESSANDRA I felt like a complete fool staring at the face of my friend who pretended like he didn't know all through the dinner. Even worse, when I discovered that he could speak Russian as he conversed with my husband about secret matters. This situation only reminded me of the words that Bianca had been repeating since she met me. All men were liars and cheats. I couldn't help but make a face when I took the first bite of my meal. The pasta in my mouth felt rubbery and dry, something that even my younger sister would never cooked in a thousand years. “What's wrong, Alessandra?” Leonardo noticed my expression and turned his attention to me. “Do you not feel well?”“I think I need to use the restroom,” I rose from my seat, not casting a glance at either one of them. Leonardo immediately beckoned a nearby waiter and asked her to guide me so I left without looking back. After hiding in the restroom for a good thirty minutes, I decided it was time to come out before Leonardo came l
Last Updated : 2024-11-25UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Suspicions About Her Betrayal.
LEONARDO I paced back and forth outside my office, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I awaited Keith's diagnosis about my wife. Every fiber of my being wanted to burst into the room and confront the politician, but I forced myself to remain outside the door.“He's all tied up now,” Dante informed me, arriving with my new Capo, Rocco. “Do you want to meet him now?”I shook my head. “No, I need to stay here for Alessandra. Just keep the bastard conscious enough for me to deal with him later.”Dante, sensing my turmoil, placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “She’s going to be okay, mio fratello.”My heart clenched at the memory of finding her so beaten and broken. She had looked so lovely this evening before we left the house, but now her body was bruised and battered. Her face, once unblemished, was now swollen and covered in cuts and bruises.I felt like I was losing my mind each minute that passed without Keith's appearance but just when I was about to burst, the doctor fina
Last Updated : 2024-11-26
Latest chapter
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) The Reason He Married Her.
LEONARDO After making the phone call, I got up from the bed and grabbed a packet of cigarettes and a lighter from the bedside table. I walked to the balcony to clear my thoughts and plan my next steps for handling some unfinished business. The night sky was starless, clouds covering half of the bright moon.I lit a cigarette in my mouth and took a long drag. The nicotine sent a heady rush to my brain, making me feel much light-headed than before. The throbbing headache began to fade away as I released a puff of smoke into the air. Giovanni, my dear stepbrother. I had to admit he had done a very good job hiding in the dark like a cockroach. But if he thought he could reap my pained efforts and take over my mafia organization, then he clearly had a death wish. Now that I have talked to Charles, one of my clients who worked in the city's administrative office, there was no way he was going to survive past the week. As the mayor's defense secretary, Charles had major connections with
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Leonardo's Finally Awake!
ALESSANDRA A week later...I ate breakfast and was reading a novel when I suddenly received a phone call from Rocco. Anxiety gripped my heart as I picked up the call and said. “Hello, Rocco.”“Leo has woken up, and he's been asking for you.” He announced. “I'll text you the address so you can come visit him immediately.”I shot up from my seat. “Really? I'm coming!”My heart pounded in my chest as I changed my clothes and rushed into the waiting car. When we finally arrived at the location Rocco sent us, I was already a bit dizzy from anticipation as I entered the house, ignoring the guards’ greetings. I just wanted to confirm it myself. I needed to see him with my two eyes and touch him with my fingers to convince myself that he was truly awake. After taking several turns in the large house, I finally found Isabella in the hallway. As I closed the distance between us with hurried steps, I called out to her. “Isabella, where's he?”Isabella pointed at the door near her with a smile
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Spilling The Truth To Dante.
ALESSANDRA By a few minutes before six in the morning, Henrietta finally emerged from Leonardo's room, wiping her hands with a white handkerchief. She and Cortez looked exhausted, though Cortez tried to hide it better than Henrietta.She yawned and said, “He's out of danger for now. But he still needs to be checked for any other internal injuries and broken bones.”I turned to Cortez. “Is there something you can do about this?”“I'll make some calls to find someone in the city to help us,” Cortez replied grimly. “But that means we'll have to move him if possible.”I suddenly understood why they had been beating around the bush when speaking to me. The thought of Leonardo not being nearby sent a cold shiver down my spine. I needed him close, and I couldn't trust anyone else right now. I didn't want him out of my sight until he regained consciousness.A undercurrent of tension and unspoken words passed between me and my enforcer as we stared at each other. Henrietta's eyes darted betwe
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Giving Her What She Wanted.
ALESSANDRA After what happened to Keith, Rocco and Cortez decided to conduct another identity check of every single person staying was in the private house. I stayed behind, personally watching over my unconscious husband alone while they carried out their operations.Although I had been very firm and strong on the surface when facing Keith, the truth was that I was extremely shaken by the extent of my Father's vicious plans. If I had arrived a second later, I would have surely lost Leonardo. So who could I trust now? Who exactly was my ally and my foe here?A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. Since the knocks were light and gentle, I already had an idea who was the visitor was so I called out, “Come in.”Isabella poked her head in and said, “Cortez wanted me to tell you that he's going to personally fetch a doctor to treat Leonardo.”“Alright, thank you.” I replied. After carefully examining Leonardo's injuries, Rocco and I had come to the conclusion that his life w
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Taking Care of Her Father's Mole.
ALESSANDRA When I finally arrived at the address Isabella sent me, I rushed into the house to see Rocco talking to Cortez. He leaned against the wall, one of his hands holding his abdomen while he chugged down large gulps of whiskey from the bottle. I approached them quickly and asked, "Where's Leonardo? I want to see him right now.”“He's now receiving treatment from Keith.” Cortez replied. With a single glance, he grew alarmed as he pulled me close. “Is something wrong? Were you attacked?”I shook my head. “Not me. But I think Leo's in danger.”Rocco frowned. “What do you mean?”I told them what my younger sister, Mia had told me. The expression on both their faces was not pleasant at all, but then Cortez finally said, “I have already tightened security around the place, but I'll do an extra round just to make sure no one sneaks into the place.”“I'm afraid that person is already in this building,” I snapped, running my hand in through my hair. My mind raced as I thought deeply ab
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Leonardo's In Danger!
ALESSANDRA I paced back and forth in the living room of my private residence that evening, waiting for some news from Rocco and the rest. As soon as Sofia gave me that address, we held a meeting as soon as I got home. Rocco folded his arms and stared at the note on the table. “How sure are you that this isn't some sort of trap? We can't afford to have them ambush us.”I smiled reassuringly. “That's why we have Cortez here.”“Yes,” My second mafia lieutenant confirmed, stepping forward. “I'll have a few police officers on standby for backup, so they don't have the upper hand over us.”“But that would actually leave us defenseless here.” Rocco protested. “Well, it's not like they know our new mafia headquarters, and I'll just hide here until you guys return, so don't worry about it.” I assured him. When there were no further objections, Rocco finally fell silent, so we were able to make a very meticulous plan to save Leonardo. That evening, I stayed at home with my phone glued to my
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) You're Not The Only One Who Can Resort To Threats.
ALESSANDRA On the last day of the ultimatum, I sent word to Sofia to come for a meeting. Isabella and Rocco tried to convince me to wait until the ultimatum was over, but I just couldn't wait anymore. The previous night, I had a frightening nightmare that the couple had delivered Leonardo's corpse to me. That dream had scared the shit out of me that night, so I decided to take care of this mess once and for all. “What am I here, Alessandra?” Sofia questioned. Apparently, she wasn't pleased to be summoned on a Saturday because she had plans with Giovanni to go shopping. “Did you call us to give some good news about our agreement? Where's Dante?”“He's not here, and I didn't tell him anything about the deal you offered me.” I said. The couple's eager faces instantly dropped when they heard my words, but I didn't care. I came here for a mission, so I wasn't going to rest until I fulfilled it. Sofia slammed the table and fumed. “Then it means you are prepared to see your husband again
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Finding Sofia's Weakness.
ALESSANDRA After waiting for several days, Cortez finally returned with news about his investigation. According to him, Sofia was an orphan from the city of San Remo who snuck out the country illegally through a stowaway. She was then caught by a prostitute smuggling ring and worked for them for four years before she met Giovanni, who paid for her freedom. “Are you sure that's all you have about her?” I asked Cortez. A wave of desperation and helplessness gripped my heart when I discovered he had brought nothing useful like I'd hoped. Today was the second day after Giovanni had given us that ultimatum, but I still didn't have anything on him or his woman. The clock was ticking, and I feared Leonardo's life would soon be forfeited if I didn't do something. Cortez glanced away before nodding, “Yes, that's all I could find. You can ask somebody else to search if you'd like.”I observed him for a few more seconds, trying to see if I could actually trust him. After the little disagreem
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Everything In Life Needs A Balance.
ALESSANDRA Silence enveloped the room after my confession. Cortez didn't look as surprised as I would have imagined while Rocco's expression darkened as he tried to process what this revelation would mean for his friends. “Your father killed his brother?!” Isabella half-asked, half-screamed. I understood her reaction the most because I had struggled to live with the secret for years. In the mafia, everyone did anything they could for power and money. But there was one concept that was sacred to all, something that allowed them to preserve their last sense of humanity. Family. Both betrayal and murder of one's kin were frowned upon, and if someone dared to touch another's family, then that person was definitely prepared to go to hell and beyond that. That's why most grudges were always settled with a person's death. "I'm so sorry, Alessandra.” Isabella wrapped her arms around me as my vision blurred with tears. Rocking me gently, she added, “Now it makes sense why you didn't wan
