MenaI remained quiet as Alessio led me through the garden back to the ballroom. Meanwhile, my mind raced, wondering what he was planning to do, and what he so desperately needed to show me to convince me that we would not be able to push our issues aside.His hand was still wrapped around mine as he walked to the back and he raised his hand to ask for attention. “Everyone,” he called out loudly.Anxiety filled my stomach as I tried to prepare myself for whatever was about to happen. Why would he need an audience to prove me wrong?The music stopped abruptly, and all eyes turned in our direction. It was silent, and everyone was curious. "Dad, come here," Alessio beckoned.Domenico, along with the rest of the Fanuccis, including Gian and Dante, made their way over. As they gathered around, I noticed a large curtain behind us. I wondered what would be behind it, and it added to my worries.Why were we standing in front of it?"I can give you a speech, but I won’t because there’s no need
MenaLeaning against the door, I closed my eyes as I waited impatiently. The silence from inside was killing me, and with each minute ticking by—I had yet to hear a reaction from Alessio.My mind raced with all sorts of thoughts about what he might be doing, what he might be thinking, and so on. I only knew one thing, and that was that a reaction would come.It had to because describing Alessio as anything but a hothead would be an understatement.I had already concluded he was crazy, and that was putting it mildly.As more minutes passed, my anxiety grew. The longer the silence, the worse I feared his outburst would be. Now that I sat on my own, I had time to think about my feelings and once again realized that bothering him with this news, especially tonight after he had a few drinks, might not have been a smart decision.After my talk with Gian in the car, it became obvious that the topic of betrayal was something sensitive to this family. It was for that reason that Grandpa Fanucc
Mena“Before and after,” I spoke without a second thought. “I told you, we might not always agree—but I love you, and I’ll have your back, no matter what.”In that moment, I realized I had already made my decision—and this time I hoped he could hear my sincerity. This was the path I chose—to stand by Alessio no matter what, and I would not go back on my word ever again.“I’m with you.”Alessio released a relieved sigh. "And you’ll have to be patient with me because I clearly still have a lot to learn—but I do know that I have to stop you from whatever you planned on doing because I can’t lose you," I continued, my voice softening.The gun might’ve been lowered, but his rage wasn’t. His breaths were heavy, and I could sense it took him every bone in his body to stay calm.I reached up and cupped his face, gently forcing him to look at me. "I know it’s difficult, but you need to relax.”I slowly took his hand and led it to my stomach, reminding him of the other news I had just shared wi
MenaWaking up in Alessio's arms felt as comfortable as I remembered. It had been a long time since I had done that, and now I knew to cherish this feeling.He was still asleep, which was unusual for him. Alessio was an early bird. He must’ve been really exhausted with everything going on. His ability to sleep despite the stress surprised me because he was the type who usually couldn't rest if something was bothering him.Smiling softly, I gently drew circles on his chest with my finger. Despite everything that had happened, we made sure to have a proper reunion last night. I had missed his touch, the way he made me feel—everything.It was something we both needed before we would dive any deeper into this Isaac hole.Afterwards we talked for a long time. I told him about everything regarding my trip to Towson—how I visited Isaac’s ex-wife and what she had told me. I could tell it was tough for Alessio to hear all this. He tried to keep calm, to hide his emotions, but I could see he wa
Alessio“Daddy!”Naty’s voice filled the halls as she burst through the door, Melody and Mom trailing behind her. She ran into my arms, and I scooped her up before twirling her around in a big hug. As always, she greeted me with cheerful giggles. I had a fucked-up day yesterday, the days before that, and today would be no different—but if there was someone who managed to make me smile, it was her.“Hey!” Mena laughed beside me, playfully snatching Naty from my arms. “You mean, Mommy!” she corrected her with a grin.“Yes, Mommy!” Naty planted kisses on her cheek. Watching them together did something to my heart, and knowing we would soon have a new addition to our family felt like a blessing.I greeted Mom and Melody with the same energy, but soon after, my spirits sank. How could they not when the one I had referred to as a brother turned out to be a fed?“Where’s your dad?” Mom asked, pulling me back from my thoughts."He wanted to visit Stefano’s grave one last time," I told her. He
AlessioDante inhaled sharply, then exhaled slowly, his usually sweet expression hardening. "Are you fucking with me?" he asked, waiting for the part where I would tell him it’s a joke—but it never came."Gian’s little trip was to collect evidence. Mena has a whole folder and everything, so even if I want to deny it…""You can’t," Dante finished for me.It was silent for a moment as I thought about how far Gian and Mena had gone to gather evidence. I figured they must have done it because Gian knew how highly I thought of Levi—or Isaac. I had really put him on a high pedestal, and had always been good to him. I respected him so much, both Gian and Mena thought I would’ve believed his word over theirs—but I would’ve never done that.They could’ve told me without any evidence, and I would’ve believed them—because they meant more to me than they could ever think.Although I wasn’t the best in expressing my feelings to them, my brothers meant the world to me."Does Dad know?" Dante asked,
AlessioI looked at Donni, not knowing where to begin. We had gathered in the basement. Dante, Mena, and Pilar were also present—and I could sense Donni’s nerves as all eyes were on him. Everyone else in the room knew what was going to happen and were probably anticipating his reaction as much as I had. They were all aware of how close Donni had been to Isaac.Gian had already left on a three-day errand with him. If anything, he deserved a gold medal for being able to spend any more time with that con artist. Personally, I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle it.“Do I have something on my face or…?” Donni’s eyes moved side to side."Donni, I’m going to tell you something—and I need you to promise that this basement will stay intact.”Mena let out a small chuckle, probably remembering the state I had left our room in after reading through those papers. I had been a wreck."Is that the reason why all of you are looking so pale?" Donni joked, trying to lighten the mood, but his voice betra
MenaSmiling at the sight, I looked down at Alessio as he rested his head gently on my stomach. We were lounging on the sofa in the living room. Other than the sound of nature coming through the open windows, it was completely silent.His eyes were closed, but I could hear the sound of his breaths. We had just come back from the doctor’s office to confirm the pregnancy. He had made me an appointment with the family doctor because according to him that was the only person capable of taking good care of me and the baby.I was only four weeks pregnant, and it felt surreal. There was a tiny new life growing inside of me, and Alessio accepted it without a single complaint. It was a feeling I had never experienced before.My fingers found their way through Alessio’s hair as I cherished our moment for as long as I could. It amazed me how much calmer he seemed whenever his focus turned to our baby—but as soon as his mind wandered away, his expression would tighten.All he wanted was to get to
IsaacIt was only afternoon when Isaac carried a large bucket of grapes back into the mansion. As he walked, he was surrounded by the giggles of the children running around him.Among them were two of the many children of Amaro Ortega, a ten-year-old and an eight-year-old girl. They reminded him so much of his own daughter.The older one, Milena, looked up at him with wide curious eyes. “Can I help you carry the grapes, Mr. Isaac?” she asked.Isaac glanced down at her with a kind smile. "Maybe next time, kid. You know your brother doesn’t like you working."“So what? He doesn’t like us talking to you either, but I still do it,” Milena retorted. Isaac chuckled softly as the kids ran off.He had been brought to the house of Amaro Ortega, Julian’s brother. Amaro was a lawyer, a good and quiet man who didn’t say much. When Isaac first arrived, he had prepared himself for the worst, expecting some form of punishment or at least harsh treatment for all the damage he had caused the Fanuccis.
MenaI smiled down at the baby in my arms, his tiny fingers curled around mine as I admired how perfect he was. His full head, his dark eyes, the little sounds he made.Naty sat on Alessio’s lap, her eyes warm and curious as she gazed at her new baby brother.“What do you think?” Alessio asked her. “Do you like him?”Naty giggled in response. “He’s really cute, and I already love him so much!”Alessio and I shared a smile. Over the past months, we had both worried about how Naty would adapt, but for now, she seemed to be doing just fine. The delivery had been smooth, just as smooth as the pregnancy. Alessio stayed by my side the entire time, and I hoped raising him would be just as easy.I was still at the hospital, and after some visits, it was finally just us—a moment of peace.Naty reached out and gently grabbed the baby's hand, giving it a little shake. "Hi, baby—it’s your big sister," she spoke softly, a pout on her lips.The baby cooed, and we all laughed softly. "Does he have a
Mena "Look, Mommy, it's pink!" Watching her excitement filled my heart with warmth. "Is it for me? Can I open it?" Naty asked eagerly. "Is this the thing that's better than the candy ring?" Flustered, I looked at Alessio as he took the box from her. "I will open it for you, and while I do that—there’s something I want to ask you," Alessio spoke tenderly. He took Naty's hand across the table, and she smiled at him. I relaxed in my chair, wondering what he was about to ask her. “I’m not good at speaking,” Alessio began, “But I want you to know that what I’m going to tell you comes from the bottom of my heart,” his voice was sincere. Naty nodded, giving him her full attention as her eyes turned wide. For a moment, the air filled with silence as Alessio paused, thinking about his words. "Naty,” Alessio said, nervously. “Having you and your mommy in my life is one of the best things that ever happened to me. I love everything about you, I will always be there for you—and I will do
MenaI wrapped a scarf gently around Naty’s neck, making sure she was warm for the evening. She looked adorable in the dress I had chosen for her, for the dinner Alessio had planned.He hadn’t told me much, only that a driver would take us to the location. Whatever he told me, I just went with it—because I was too tired to investigate. I had already done that a lot lately.Naty showed me a wide grin.“What is it?” I asked, curious about the reason behind it."Nothing, I’m just really happy," her eyes sparkled.I immediately pulled her into my arms, caressing her hair with my fingers. She was really happy, that’s all I wanted to hear. After everything we had gone through, this was what she deserved. A joyful and carefree life.“Come on, let’s go,” I took her hand in mine.As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I noticed Liza in the foyer. Our eyes met and a smile spread across both our faces. It was the first time I had caught her alone since she handed me that letter. The letter that
AlessioI stepped into the room, letting the door slam shut behind me. Isaac, who sat on the bed, his back turned against me, turned instantly and our eyes met. His were full of regret, but mine were empty.He looked different, better indeed.His face was still bruised, his neck where the scissors had been, bandaged—but overall he looked good.I stuffed my hands into my pockets and leaned back against the door, watching him in silence. Would he be the one to speak up, act like we were just two old friends catching up—or perhaps offer an apology—or was he really smart enough this time to know he had to keep his mouth shut?Minutes stretched out, and neither of us broke the silence until he finally spoke."I know you still have a lot of questions," Isaac began. “And if you want to know more, I can explain—“I grunted. “There’s nothing more for you to explain, and I don’t have anything else to say to you,” I spoke coldly. "I’m here to give you instructions, and that’s it."Isaac nodded,
AlessioI sat in the chair in Julian’s office, waiting for the man to arrive. He had called me yesterday, told me Isaac was fully recovered, and now it was time to figure out what came next.Quite some time had passed, and I began getting impatient when the man decided to walk in at his own time, with two glasses in his hand. “Ah, if it isn’t my favorite fed lover,” he greeted me, handing me the drink before making his way over to his chair.A grin spread across his face, as if he was proud of his own joke. I scoffed, eyeing the drink in my hand.“The drink isn’t poisoned if that’s what you’re thinking,” Julian spoke.I released a chuckle, setting the glass down without taking a sip. “It’s not that,” I said. “I trusted you when I asked for your help, and I trusted you when I left Mena in your care—but now, I just want to discuss what needs to happen to Isaac.”“And that’s why you won’t drink?” “I don’t have time to drink,” I stated, my tone urgent.Julian’s expression changed, and
MenaI stared at my reflection in the mirror of the boutique, the dress hugging my flat belly. “Can you believe there’s a baby in there?” I caught Pilar’s gaze through the mirrors.It had been a few weeks since everything settled down. Life had returned to normal, or as normal as it could be for us. Domenico and Giulia had returned to Italy, and Alessio was back to his long hours leading the Fanuccis.“I’m sure it’ll grow,” Pilar smiled. “But have you already thought about what we’re going to do if you go into labor while I’m away on a gig?”I pouted, as did she. Pilar would soon be heading back home to continue her career, and I understood she had her own life to lead. As much as I wanted her to, she couldn’t stay here forever. The thought of not having her around had already started to make me feel lonely. She wasn’t just a friend, over time she had become like a sister.She was the one who always had the best advice, the one who made me laugh and forget the stress around me. Who wo
Alessio"Being a good leader means doing what you believe is right, even when it’s hard. You’re doing that. And that’s why you’ll be a great head of this family."I tried to focus and pay attention to Dad’s words, but it was difficult since I didn’t deserve them. After we’d arrived back at the mansion, I found myself in the study with Dad and my brothers to discuss today’s events.As far as he was concerned, Isaac had died. That’s what his little spy, Gian, had told him—and that’s what I would make him believe for the rest of his life.That didn’t mean I didn’t feel bad. I felt like shit. Lying to my family on such a scale was something I had never done before. I had always tried to prove myself and do whatever was necessary to keep this family together—but this time I failed.It was as simple as that. Letting Isaac live? I had no real explanation for why I did what I did. The only thing I knew was that Mena told me to listen to my heart, and it answered for me."I knew there was no r
MenaJulian walked over to his little bar and showed off his three special bottles. "What do you want to drink? Tell me.”I examined each bottle, picking it up to inspect it closer before letting out a deep sigh. I knew I couldn’t touch it, but looking would be alright. “I think I should probably take the one without alcohol.”He looked surprised. "You don’t drink?" Julian questioned."I do...just not now," I replied, setting the bottle back down gently.As Julian looked down at my stomach, I wondered if he knew what I meant. “Hmm,” he hummed, not going into it any further. He grabbed another bottle, waving it in the air.“I think this one is for you,” he poured me a drink. Then he led me to a sofa."You remind me of my niece," Julian started talking as soon as we sat down. He swirled the drink in his hand. "I haven’t seen her in a while, but she’s just like you."“What am I like then?"Julian smiled, "You’re soft, determined, and have these curious eyes—like you want to know everythi