Rosana followed him quietly. She was too traumatized to speak or notice that he was holding her with his bloodied hand. The same hand he had used in pulling out the man's heart.
When they finally arrived in their bedroom, Sergio opened the door and ushered her in. "Welcome home!"
She looked around the room in fright and finally turned to look at him. He was still standing behind the closed door, not making any attempt to step further into the room. She lowered her gaze to his hands and shivered when she saw it covered in blood.
"Why?" She croaked, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Why did you kill him?"
"He deserved to die, Amore"
"Aveva una famiglia" [He had a family]
Sergio scoffed and started walking towards her, causing her heartbeat to accelerate unusually. She took a step backward, trying to avoid him. If she had her way, she would've vanished completely.
"Do not try to run away from me, Bambolina" He groaned and took another step closer but she stepped away. She was shaking visibly and sobbing at the same time.
"No, stay away from me. You killed him... You..."
Before she could take another step backward, he caught her by the arm and pulled her to himself. "You cannot run away from me. Do not ever think you are capable of doing that!"
His voice was gravelly and it caused chills to run down her spine. She was so scared. She was scared of his cold voice, the deadly look in his eyes, his nearness... Everything about him scared the living hell out of her.
He finally stepped away from her and she heaved in relief. He had finally granted her wish, she thought to herself unknowing to her that he was only moving away so he could examine her wedding dress and how to take it off.
"Take it off" He ordered after what seemed like a minute. Rosana looked up at him in confusion, wondering what he was talking about.
"No!"
"No? Let's see about that!" He stepped closer and began pulling the gown from all angles. He was on the verge of tearing it with his hands.
"Stop... Stop!" Rosana's voice quivered and tears of fright brimmed her vision.
She couldn't stop crying because she witnessed a person being murdered for the first time in her life. Right in front of her, her newly wedded husband had tortured and murdered a man mercilessly.
"Stop, please..."
"No... Stop touching me. Take your bloody hands off me!" His white shirt was stained too and there were prints of blood on his face. But he didn't care. All he cared about was how to get rid of her wedding gown which was now ruined by the blood on his hands.
"What did you just say?" He paused and looked down at her with dark metallic eyes.
"Stop touching me!"
He grabbed her neck and she gasped, her eyes widening in shock. That was the last thing she expected him to do.
"You should not make me do this on our wedding night, Bambolina. You are mine and I will take whatever I want, whenever I want, wherever I want, and however I want, till death do us part, Mi Amor"
His eyes were swimming in darkness and she felt a trail of shivers running down her spine just by his stare. Without warning, he crashed his lips on hers, his mouth encompassing hers.
With his hand still wrapped around her neck, he tilted her head and angled for deeper contact. "Kiss me properly!"
But instead of that, she pushed him away and sent her shaky palm to his cheeks before she could even process it. Her body trembled in realization and her pulse pounded heavily. What has she done? She wondered in terror.
Sergio stilled. He couldn't believe he had just been slapped so hard. When he finally looked up at her, his eyes were bloodshot and dark. His hands were itching to retaliate so badly that they started hurting.
"Mi dispiace. I... I am not used to people forcing themselves on me" [I'm sorry!] Rosana uttered, keeping her head up and shoulders high. It took everything in her to stifle the panic that sliced through her.
"Non avresti mai dovuto farlo, Bambolina. Not even by mistake" [You should never have done that]
***
After hours of sitting and staring at the window, Rosana managed to slip out of her wedding gown and decided to take a shower. After taking a shower, she stepped out of the bathroom, wondering what she was going to wear. Her father had not even allowed her to pack her bags.
She walked up to the wardrobe and threw it open. She needed to get dressed before Sergio returned from wherever he went. He had walked out of the room like an angry lion and Rosana was still scared of what he would do when he returned.
To her surprise, there was plenty of female wear in the wardrobe ranging from different colors of underthings to sexy night wear and expensive dresses. Did Sergio get all those for her? She wondered.
She heard a soft knock on the door and gasped in fright. Who could that be? She thought as she quickly dressed up. She grabbed one of Sergio's long coats and covered herself up because the nightwear was too revealing.
"Good evening, My Lady" The older woman bowed once Rosana threw the door open. "Your dinner"
"Come in" The woman walked in and began setting the table. "Who are you?"
"I am Viola, My Lady. Your husband assigned me to take care of you"
"You can call me, Rosana. Rosa in short" She corrected but Viola shook her head immediately.
"I cannot do that, My Lady. The Don will have my head"
Rosana saw how terrified she looked and sighed. She couldn't blame the poor woman. She was also afraid of her own husband.
"Where is he? Are we not supposed to have dinner together?"
"I am afraid I do not know, My Lady," Viola responded, still bowing. "But you have to eat before going to bed"
The response didn't soothe her nerves. She had anticipated to hear that Sergio was not going to have dinner with her. That she was never going to see him again.
Quietly, she started eating alone with Viola keeping her company. Rosana noticed she kept bowing and wouldn't speak unless she was spoken to. Poor woman, she thought.
"Thank you for the meal, Viola, I enjoyed it" She lied. Viola smiled in satisfaction and started packing up the plates. "I want to go outside."
"It is late, My lady."
Rosana frowned. She wanted to take a tour around the house and see if there were any chances of escape.
"Can you lend me your cell phone? I want to call my mother and ask if everything is okay"
"I do not have a cellphone."
Rosana sighed in defeat. "Alright, then I will follow you around. I am bored and cannot stay here like a prisoner. Please do not tell me no, Viola, please!"
Viola could tell that Rosana was in deep distress. She felt sorry for her too. But she was scared of what Sergio would do when he found out that she had led his wife out of his room without his permission.
"Per favore, Viola, I will be quiet. I will return as soon as you do not need me anymore" [Please]
Taking a deep breath, Viola responded. "Alright, My Lady."
Rosana followed her around, admiring the interior of the house. All the maids and soldiers they came across kept bowing to her. After some time, she decided to return to the room with Viola behind her.
"What was that?" Rosana asked. It was the sound of something pleading desperately. "Can you hear it?"
"My Lady I..."
Before she could complete what she was saying, Rosana dashed toward the direction the sound came from. When she finally got there, she froze in front of the slightly opened door.
"My Lady!" Viola whispered and rushed over. Without looking into the room, she shut the door and led Rosana away.
"Who is she?"
"I am sorry, My Lady..."
"I said—Who is she, Viola?" Rosana had seen the lady who knelt before Sergio but she couldn't see herface.
"She... She is his mistress"
Rosana was dumbstruck.
If Sergio had a Mistress, what then did he want with her?
EPILOGUE>>PART 2After the handshake, they stood side by side in silence. The unexpected turn of events still shocked Alberto as he couldn't believe everything had gone smoothly, and he was now standing beside the one person he least expected to make amends with.As they stood, a question that had been nagging in his mind popped in and he couldn't resist asking. "About the scar on your chest... Did I do that? During the fight, I mean"More than once, he had caught glimpses of the scar when Enzo trained shirtless. And due to the depth, Alberto couldn't help but wonder if he was responsible for it."Nah. A girl." Enzo replied curtly.Alberto had not anticipated a response, but then, a girl??? Who could she be? What was her relationship with Enzo? The scar seemed too severe to be inflicted by someone Enzo didn't have a deep connection with. Alberto was curious, but he knew better than to pry even when the question still lingered in his mind. Just as they resumed standing in silence, Lucr
EPILOGUETWO YEARS LATER... The lavish table was set with fine china, crystal glasses, and silverware. Golden candelabras adorned the center, casting a warm glow over the spread of meat, steaming dishes, salads, desserts, and fresh fruits. The family had gathered for a grand Thanksgiving celebration with Ville, Carmencita, Lucretia, Alberto, and Alfonso in attendance. The twins, now 7 years old, burst with energy and raced around the dining room, pursuing Enzo. "I'm gonna catch you, Uncle Enzo""And why do you think so?" Enzo asked, breathing heavily as the twins continued their relentless pursuit."Because I'm the fastest""No, you're not," Vincenzo countered, trying hard to overcome his elder brother."I am""You're not!""I am"As the kids kept competing against one another, Alberto watched the commotion with a warm smile on his face, while sipping his whiskey. He hadn't expected an invitation from Sergio and was shocked when he received one. That was the first time he was dinin
Chapter 190Sergio's eyes locked on Rosana's as the air between them crackled with anticipation. It had been far too long since they'd last been intimate, and the tension was undeniable."Rosana." He called out and took a step closer to her. She stood frozen, her heart racing, as his fingers traced the curve of her spine. He gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and that sent shivers down her spine. With his eyes never leaving hers, he leaned in and grazed the curve of her neck with his lips. Rosana's eyelids fluttered close as she tilted her head, inviting him deeper. Just as she craved, he trailed kisses along her skin, each one igniting a spark that nearly engulfed her.Moaning quietly, she raised her hand to his chest and felt the warmth of his skin beneath his shirt. She tugged gently and Sergio's lips curved into a smile as he obliged, shedding his shirt to reveal the chiseled contours of his torso.Their eyes met once more, the connection between them wild and electri
As Rosana stepped into the house, she was immediately surrounded by the warm glow of twinkling candles and the sweet fragrance of fresh flowers. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in the breathtaking sight before her. What could be the occasion? It wasn't the twins' birthday nor was it their marriage anniversary."Welcome home, Mammà!" The twins chimed in unison, their faces lighting up with excitement. They stood in the entrance of the hall, each holding a bouquet of colorful flowers."Oh, thank you, my sweet knights," Rosana responded, her heart swelling with love and gratitude as she knelt to hug them. She then got the flowers and inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent."Welcome home, Amore mio. The kids wanted to surprise you. They've been working on this all day" Rosana's eyes met Sergio's, and she felt a flutter in her chest. He was now standing behind the twins with a warm smile on his face and deep down, she knew that this was more than just a sweet gesture from the
Chapter 188A MONTH LATER•••"Things have been getting better. Sergio is slowly putting the past behind him and doesn't avoid me anymore. My favorite time of the day is when he comes home to us."Lucretia's face lit up with a warm smile as she sipped her lemonade. "Oh, that's awesome. I'm thrilled to hear that, Ana, you deserve it."Rosana's expression turned thoughtful, and she inhaled deeply. "I still quiver thinking about how close I came to losing him.""Well, I'm glad you came to your fucking senses and made things right"The two friends lapsed into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts, reflecting on the twists and turns their lives had taken over the past few years. Lucretia's thoughts drifted back to the rough months that had passed. She remembered the pain and the fear, the sleepless nights and the endless tears. But most of all, she remembered the realization that had hit her like a ton of bricks—Enzo was still alive.She hadn't seen him again since that nig
FEW DAYS LATER>>> AT THE CAPITALThe Mafia men stepped out of the meeting room, dressed in black suits that fitted their muscular bodies perfectly. Their faces were expressionless, hidden behind dark sunglasses as they stepped out of the Capital, disappearing into waiting black vehicles. As the rest of the men left, Alberto hung back, helping Ville and Enzo with some tasks. Within the past few weeks, he had gotten along with Ville and Alfonso, but things were tougher with Enzo. No matter how hard he tried, Enzo either ignored him or gave him a menacing glare that left him shaken. Still, Alberto refused to give up. He was determined to make amends for his past mistakes and earn forgiveness and acceptance, especially from his half-brothers Sergio and Enzo."You should head back home," Ville said to him three hours later. "I'll finish up from here""Yeah... About that... I've got nothing else to do. I'd rather finish up with you than return to that cold empty house"Ville chuckled and l