All Chapters of Love & Vengeance : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Ricardo's POV The morning light filtered through the dining room windows, casting a glow on the polished mahogany table.I sat down at the head, holding a newspaper in my hand. But I wasn't reading it, every now and then my eyes drifted to the staircase, waiting for Vittoria.The maids told me that she was already awake and they told her to come down for breakfast. But why was she taking so long?Light footsteps echoed on the stairs. I didn't look up immediately, pretending to focus on the paper. But when she finally entered the room, I couldn't help but look her way.She looked…..beautiful, the bruises on her face were faint now, covered by the light makeup. She wore a simple white blouse and a black trouser, she left her hair damp and it curled at its ends.Her green eyes, though shadowed by exhaustion, still held that sharp glint in them.She stopped at the doorway, her eyes scanning the room before landing on me. “Good morning,” she said gently, her voice hoarse.“Morning,” I re

Vittoria's POV My eyes fluttered open, and I sat up, my body still tangled in the sheets. I hadn't even realized when I fell asleep.The afternoon light streamed through the windows into the room, casting a golden hue.Ricardo lay beside me, his breathing deep and steady, his chest rising and falling with every breath.He looked so peaceful in his sleep, unlike the controlled, icy appearance he always portrayed.As I watched him, memories of the morning filled my head causing my cheeks to heat up.I shifted away from him carefully, pulling the sheets around me as I stood up.The air in the room was cool against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. I quickly picked up another sheet and covered Ricardo's body.I looked around his room, it was so much like him, with the dark polished furniture, the rich, dark curtains and the faint scent of his cologne filling the air.Then something caught my eye. Near the far wall was a small opening, it looked like a vault or a kind of compartmen

Vittoria's POV“No. It's not possible,” was what I repeated to myself, over and over again as I watched where the stranger just left.“It can't be him, nobody survived Ricardo's onslaught,” I whispered to myself.Eric Gambino was dead, I was sure of it.But, the man I had just seen across the street looked just like him. It's not like I had known Eric for a long time but it was just the day before when I was with him.I shook my head vigorously, “It can't be him,” and walked down the street, hailed a taxi and went home.“Mama,” I called as I entered the house, she was in the kitchen already, about to make dinner.“You took your time Cara mia,” she said seriously as she turned to me. “I can explain.”“I know that you're an adult now, and you have a dangerous mission that you've imposed on yourself. But I'm your mother, and this is my house, you should tell me where you're going before you rush out. Do you understand?”I nodded slowly, and brought the takeout bag forward, “Actually,” I

Vittoria's POV I placed my hand in his without hesitation, we left the table and went outside the restaurant and up a flight of stairs until we reached the rooftop.The space was quiet with the skyline of Manhattan stretched out in front of us.He stood near the edge, his eyes on a large, modern hotel a few blocks away. The sign on top read, The magnolia.“You know, this hotel…” he started softly, his voice filled with wistfulness, “it was nothing like it is now, it was very raggedy, no one cared to stay there.”I looked at the hotel, it didn't look like it had ever been as bad as he said, but they must have renovated it.But what surprised me was the image of the formidable, polished man standing in front of me knowing about this hotel.I thought the Lombardi's were always rich, but then the memory of the documents I saw in his room came to me. Ricardo may not be who everyone thinks he is.“You…..lived here?” I asked, my voice filled with curiosity.He nodded and pulled a cigar from

Vittoria's POV Behind Marco, Mr Palazzo followed, his usual composure shattered.I sighed with relief and sagged against the wall, my phone slipping from my hands.The Lombardi men fanned out to secure the rooftop and I turned to Ricardo, he was still pinning Eric to the wall, his hands shiny red as he punched Eric over and over again.“Ricardo!” Mr Palazzo barked, running towards him.But Ricardo didn't stop, another punch landed on Eric's head with a loud crack. His face was a ruin now, his nose was shattered, one of his eyes was swollen shut but Ricardo's arm drew back again.“Enough!” Mr Palazzo shouted grabbing Ricardo’s shoulder, he wasn't strong enough to do much but Ricardo turned to look at him. “You'll kill him if you go on like this.”Ricardo’s eyes were wild, feral, it was a side of him I had never seen before. For a heartbeat I thought he was going to strike Mr Palazzo.“My intentions precisely,” Ricardo replied, his voice ice cold as he pushed Mr Palazzo off him and tur