AlessioI tapped my foot impatiently, waiting for dad to finish his phone call. In the early hours he had already called me to his office, and at the moment he sat in his big chair, fully ignoring me as he discussed some sort of business.Behind him stood my uncle, Stefano, who also happened to be his advisor. Despite him being an almost 6'5 muscly beast, I had never feared him, liked him, nor admired him—but if looks could kill at the moment, I would've been dead by now.It was probably deserved after the scene I had thrown last night, when I had cut of my engagement with Maxine Baldini in front of everyone. To add fuel to fire, I had also announced my plans to marry the maid. Jimena.It was all an act, but the aftermath was very real.Ever since, the tension was thick. Dad hadn't looked at me since last night, and Dante who had sworn he wasn't into the maid, treated me like a ghost.Dad ended his call, meaning I could finally escape Stefano's dagger eyes. Not that it meant much beca
MenaPeeking out of the window, I could see we had reached the Fanucci estate. My heart pounded against my chest, and the reality hit me. It was all too overwhelming, and I couldn't believe that I had actually stepped inside of the car.This time around there was no turning back.Naty, who was sitting next to me with eyes filled with confusion had already been given simple instructions. No matter what happens, don't say anything unless Mommy tells you to.As understanding as she could be, despite her age, she had only nodded in agreement."We're here, Miss," the driver said the obvious. It also might've been because it looked like I wasn't getting out anytime soon.With a raising heart, I stepped out of the car, clutching my daughter's hand.Instantly the doors to the mansion opened, and the security stepped aside to let us enter. The scene seemed like something straight out of the movie.Letting my luggage be for now because I feared I would've gotten yelled at otherwise, I entered t
MenaWith a firm grip, Alessio led me through the mansion, straight to the lion's den. His room.The second he shut the door, he immediately pinned me against the wall. It wasn't aggressive, if anything it was gentle. His dark eyes were intense, boring into mine with a slight smirk playing on his lips.Avoiding his gaze was of no use because he wouldn't let me lose it.What did he want to discuss?Was he going to confront me about the lie?I had expected for him to be furious, to wrap his strong hand around my neck and choke me, so the fact that he didn't made me even more anxious."I should..." Alessio began speaking, then he shook his head. "No, let's switch things up," he bumped me, almost playfully. "How about you tell me what you think should happen to you?" His tone held some kind of mockery."I-I..." I failed to manage my voice. Perhaps preparing what I wanted to say would be better for the next time. Then again, it wasn't every day one was told to make up their own punishment."
MenaAlessio's words were clear: stay out of sight. So, I did what I had to do. This morning, I had taken Naty for breakfast with my own money, dropped her off at school, and then came back to the mansion immediately.Naty had no problem with the change whatsoever. She accepted this new reality without question, while I was crumbling—still wondering whether I had made the right decision or not.Not having anything better to do, I sat on the enormous bed, recalling my first night at the mansion. Alessio was away for business, and I couldn't call it a blessing nor a curse.He scared the shit out of me, but then again, I was forced to depend on him. The person who brought me here in the first place.He ordered me to follow the rules, so I did. I kept my mouth shut, didn't show myself—and just like he said, no one seemed to care. Whether it was because he told them not to talk to me or because they saw me as his fiancee that wouldn't last, they just didn't. Not even Liza.There was one rul
MenaAfter that strange run-in with Mr. Gatekeeper, I took a cab to the mall. Honestly, I didn’t even know what I was doing there, but anything was better than suffocating in that house. Some time to breathe without feeling like I was under a miscroscope.As I wandered around, I found myself going on a mini food marathon. I hadn’t realized how much I was starving until I ate ice cream, then ramen—followed by pizza. A weird combo, one that would leave me hugging the toilet, but it wasn’t like Alessio was there to smell it anyway.At least Naty had Melody, and just like last night, those two would most likely eat dinner at the children’s table. As long as she wouldn’t take over Melody’s attitude, I didn’t mind.Munching on my pizza, a thought hit me. How in the world was I going to manage my meals moving forward? I couldn’t just keep eating junk for the rest of my stay.I let out a breath, shaking my head. Here I was, right in the center of a mafia crisis, yet I was fixated on food. Go
MenaTime passed, and as much as I despised the idea, it was time to get back to the mansion. I waited on the cab, in an alley right around the corner of a mall. I couldn't help but wonder what Alessio was doing at the moment. He went away for business, but what kind of business?Whenever those thoughts crossed my mind, I seemed to realize the true situation. He did not have a normal job, that family was not normal anyone in this city knew that.God knew he was blasting bullets through somebody head.Perhaps something as disgusting as selling people, maybe even something horrific like organs?I cringed, shaking my head. Whatever it was, it was not legal. That much I can tell you."Mena," my thoughts got interrupted by a too familiar male voice. No, no, no...Instantly knowing who it belonged to, I took a deep breath and turned around with my eyes closed. I felt like sinking through the floor, because that probably would've been better than the confrontation that was about to follow.I
AlessioHoping this long day would eventually come to an end, I stared out of the window of the private jet, expecting to see something interesting, but there was nothing other than the sky.Flying from city to city, meeting with our buyers and doing dad's dirty work was not my favorite thing, but it was what I had to do to prove myself that I was perfectly capable of leading this family.Being at home was not a concept my brothers and I were familiar with as we were always on the move ever since we were young. Unfortunately, considering the circumstances, the vibe this time couldn't be any awkward.As usually, Gian was too busy hitting on the flight attendants. Usually I would've joined him, but now that I had used the maid as my escape, I was committed to play the devoted fiance, at least in public. It wouldn't last forever, just long enough to keep up appearances.Dante, who was still very much upset, had been staring at me for hours with glares strong enough to drill holes through
Alessio"Alessio!" One of our buyers, Mikael, stepped out of his mansion, greeting me with open arms.He was one of our biggest weapon buyers in the East, and a key player responsible for a huge chunk of our profits. We had the best weapons, and he had the best money, almost greater than the Fanuccis themselves."Mike!" I was forced to accept his welcoming hug. He patted my shoulder a few times, then he moved to my brothers.It was the final drop of the week, and we had arrived at the mansion with his usual order of a truck full of product, and about ten of our men."Look at you, becoming more buff. You might surpass your brother!" The man teased Dante, repeatedly punching his stomach. I chuckled, looking at my brother's proud face. Dante, who was the youngest and arguably the weakest, had been going to the gym nonstop—trying to prove something. It was cute."Start unloading the truck," I told the men, but Mikael raised his hand, signaling them to stop. "No need for that. We'll 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