Chapter One

Forbidden love

Janessa's pov

A bullet rips into the wall, inches from my head. My body trembles; a silent scream is trapped in my throat. Roy, Eric, and Xavier stand there, grim-faced, offering no comfort. There is nowhere to run. This isn't just bad luck; someone has deliberately set us up. But who? Which of these three men—the ones I trust most—has betrayed me? Who is responsible for this chaos?

It all started months ago, on March 2, 2022, at 8:00 AM.

I woke up, got ready, and headed downstairs for breakfast. My dad was already eating with Lucy and Cole. I exchanged quick greetings before taking my seat. I still remember how hot the soup was when I sipped it.

“Janessa Collins, daughter of Thomson Collins, head of the Bloodshed Mafia… ironic, isn’t it? You’ve certainly made a splash in the papers. Everyone’s rather curious about what you look like,” my father mumbled, lowering the newspaper.

“Isn’t it fascinating, Cole? My little stepdaughter’s already eclipsed my acting career. Such a shame I didn’t have her kind of publicity.” Her smile didn’t even reach her eyes.

“Mom, please,” Cole murmured, his voice low and urgent.

“Excuse me,” I said, rising from my chair. “I have some business appointments to attend to.”

“Are you seeing Eric today? It’s about time you two got married. It would be… beneficial for everyone involved.” Her tone was sugary sweet, but the underlying threat was palpable.

“Mom, Janessa is still young. They shouldn’t rush into marriage, especially one arranged by the families. Developing genuine feelings is so important.”

“Twenty-three and still unmarried? Honestly, Janessa, you’re wasting precious time.”

“Your mother’s right,” my father added, without looking up.

“Yes, Father,” I murmured, my voice barely audible, as I walked away.

Of course that witch is always right, when did I even win an argument with her as my opponent?!

As I walked outside, I could feel the cold wind and the falling leaves from the trees. A white sports car stopped in front of me before I reached the gate. The car window opened, and there was Xavier Lopez, Eric’s underboss, giving me a charming smile.

He got out and opened the door for me, ensuring I wouldn’t hit my head. As we sped off, I stared blankly out the window. He was always a gentleman.

“Are you alright?” Xavier asked, his voice tight with worry. He glanced at me briefly before focusing back on driving.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about getting out of this life… eventually.”

“Love, you worry too much,” he said, squeezing my hand gently. “I’ll figure something out. We’ll find the right time. It’ll be alright.”

“Okay… I’m just afraid that sooner or later Eric will find out about our relationship.”

Even though Eric and I have known each other since childhood he rarely opens up to me. Maybe that's the reason why I didn't develop any feelings for him even though we got engaged.

I pulled out my phone, mindlessly scrolling through news headlines while Xavier talked. I couldn’t focus, his words washing over me, meaningless. I couldn’t bring myself to care.

Breaking News: Three Major mafia bosses arrested in a huge bust for crimes like extortion and drug dealing. A secret agent helped take them down, but his name is being kept confidential.

"Interesting," I said, turning off my phone and tossing it onto the backseat.

If this agent was as good as they said, the Bloodshed Mafia or the Riverblood Mafia were probably next. Maybe I could even use this to my advantage.

Suddenly, Xavier slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched, the car shook wildly before coming to a stop. Two men in black suits emerged from a car blocking our path. They looked professional, cold, and dangerous.

"What the..."

Xavier loaded his gun. When it comes to life related to the mafia, you always have to be prepared, because danger never leaves you.

“Janessa, stay down, okay?”

I nodded and calmly waited.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car, closing the door with a solid thud. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

I wanted to pull him back inside, to stop him from getting closer — but my body wouldn’t move, as if it had a life of its own.

Before Xavier could take another step, the two men opened fire. Bullets ripped into the car, the sound deafening. Xavier dove back inside, using the door as a shield. Thank god it was armored.

“Shit! I should have seen this coming…”

Xavier threw the car into reverse, slamming his foot on the accelerator. We lurched backward. They were right behind us, more cars joining the chase.

"I bet it's some enemy again," I said while helping Xavier buckle his seatbelt.

I just have to do something.

Before a moment of hesitation, I grabbed Xavier's gun, rolled down the window, and took aim. My hands were shaking, but my focus narrowed. I squeezed the trigger, the recoil jarring my arm. The bullet shattered the windshield of the lead car, and I fired again, hitting the driver. The car swerved, careening off the road and exploding in a ball of fire.

“You know how to use a gun?” he asked, his voice a mix of surprise and disbelief.

“Long story. Doesn’t matter now. Just drive,” I snapped.

Did I just…

We raced through the streets, the other cars still on our tail, until we reached a dead end, a narrow alley that offered no escape. They had us cornered. They stopped, surrounding us. Xavier cut the engine and raised his hands again as he slowly got out signaling me to stay and he closed the car door.

“How about we talk this out?” Xavier called, his voice deceptively calm. “Take me instead. Just let her go,” he said, tossing his gun onto the ground.

The man laughed, a harsh, ugly sound. "Nice try. You're no use to us. We're here for her. She's Janessa Collins, right?”

“She's not,” he denied.

“You can't fool us!”

How did they know? Only a few people knew my true identity.

I spoke to Xavier using the earpiece, "This guy must be involved with the mafia."

"You're right. Don't worry; I'll get you out of here safe," he responded, his voice low and assuring.

"Hey, you two, stop talking! And you, get out," the man barked, grabbing the earpiece from his ear.

I raised my hands while going out of the car.

"Okay, okay, easy there, tiger," Xavier replied, his tone laced with sarcasm and his hands up.

Then their boss came out. I can't recognize his face since he was wearing a mask, holding a picture frame of a man like he was going to a funeral.

He looks familiar somehow.