Chapter One

Italy…

Eric's pov

As we landed in Italy, the thought hit me before I could stop it—Janessa used to talk about this place back when we were in high school.

I still remember that afternoon, sunlight pouring through the classroom windows, dust drifting lazily in the air. She leaned over her desk, resting her chin in her hand, her voice soft but excited while the teacher kept teaching us about the history of italy.

“Eric… I want to go to Italy one day too. They say it’s the city of love like Paris.”

She giggled, not knowing what that did to me. Her chuckles have always been my weakness and my biggest happiness.

“Why don’t we go now?” I’d asked, pretending it was casual.

She shook her head, still smiling. “No… even if we can go there, we have to have a reason. If you already have a girlfriend and I have a boyfriend, let’s go to Italy together.”

You mean when the day comes we’ll be together? Because you’re the only one I’ll ever want, Janessa.

“Okay,” I’d said, forcing my tone light. “If you say so.”

“Boss,” Xavier’s voice cut through my memory, pulling me back to the present. “The car’s ready. Our business partner is already waiting at the meeting place.”

He opened the door for me. I stepped in without a word, letting the leather seat swallow me as the city blurred past the window.

When we arrived, the meeting was already laid out. Xavier took the lead, his voice steady as he discussed terms. I sat back, half-listening, my attention caught by the set of baby pictures Janessa’s aunt had sent me earlier.

She was beautiful even then—eyes wide, cheeks soft, smile too pure for the world she’d grown up in. Perfect. Not a flaw in sight.

I almost smiled. Almost.

Then one of her aunt’s teasing comments about her chubby cheeks made me chuckle, the sound breaking the flow of the room. Heads turned toward me, waiting for an explanation.

“What?” I asked flatly, my tone cutting the air. “Why are you looking?”

They looked away quickly. The meeting continued.

Leonard Kim, head of the Shadow Mafia in Italy, stood after a moment. He had that measured look, like every word was chosen for effect.

“Sir Eric, the other mafia organizations in America are in chaos. Since those three major groups were arrested with heavy evidence from a government spy, they’ve been scrambling to find new alliances.”

I set my phone aside and faced him. “Indeed.”

“I think you should be careful,” he said, eyes looking at me.

“Of course.”

He gave a slow grin. “Well… you have strong ties with the Bloodshed Mafia anyway. You don’t need to worry. After all, they’ll be your in-laws soon.” His laugh was loud, deliberate—meant to draw a reaction.

I tilted my head. “Are you saying I proposed an engagement at a young age for power?”

The amusement drained from his face. “That’s not what I meant—”

I leaned forward slightly, my voice calm but edged with something colder. “Careful, Leonard. I don’t mind people questioning my business, but if you ever question my fiancée’s worth again, even as a joke…” I let the silence hang, heavy. “There won’t be enough of you left for your men to bury.”

His throat worked. He glanced at Xavier, who stood just behind me, watching him like a hawk.

Leonard forced a thin smile. “Of course. No offense intended.”

“Good,” I said, leaning back as if nothing had happened. “Because when it comes to her, I don’t make distinctions between business and personal. Cross that line… and you’ll find out the difference between a partner and an enemy.”

The room stayed silent for the rest of the meeting.

When the meeting ended, the others began gathering their papers, but Leonard lingered by the table. As I stepped out of the room, Xavier stayed behind, his shadow stretching long in the afternoon light.

Leonard exhaled, his voice low. “Your boss… he takes things seriously.”

Xavier’s eyes didn’t soften. “That wasn’t seriousness, Leonard. That was restraint.”

Leonard frowned. “Restraint?”

Xavier stepped closer, his tone even but edged with warning. “You think Eric is dangerous when it comes to business? You haven’t seen what he’s like when it comes to her. If you value your position… your life… never bring up Janessa in that tone again.”

Leonard swallowed, the weight of Xavier’s words sinking in.

Xavier gave a small, cold smile. “Consider that your first and last warning.”

Then he walked out, leaving Leonard standing alone, the faint hum of fear settling into the air.

The drive to the countryside was quiet. After hours on the road, the gates of my villa came into view — tall, black iron, opening without a sound.

We pulled up the long driveway. The villa stood waiting, lights on, staff lined at the entrance.

I stepped out, giving Matteo a short nod as he greeted me. “Welcome back, sir. The guest suite is ready.”

Inside, Xavier set my briefcase on the table. “Security’s doubled. No one comes close without us knowing.”

“Good,” I said, glancing toward the windows. The hills stretched out into the dark. Quiet. Isolated. Exactly how I wanted it.

One day, Janessa would be here. Not as a guest — but as the madam of this place.

I had just loosened my tie when my phone buzzed. Roy’s name lit the screen.

I answered. “What?”

His voice was steady, almost too calm. “Your assistant Gilbert's niece Liam Smith and his whore girlfriend Reina took Janessa earlier.”

I froze. My grip on the phone tightened. “And?”

“I already saved her,” he continued, like he was talking about something as simple as fixing a flat tire. “She’s safe now. But you should know—they planned it for weeks.”

My jaw clenched. “Where are they?”

“In my basement. Alive… for now.”

I didn’t respond right away. My pulse stayed steady, but my mind was already turning, sharp and precise.

“Don’t touch them,” I said finally. “I’ll handle it.”

Roy hung up, and I slipped the phone back into my pocket.

Xavier was still in the study, reviewing contracts with our Italian partners. I could hear his voice through the slightly open door — calm, professional, in control.

Good. I wasn’t about to pull him away from that.

I walked straight to Matteo. “Get the helicopter ready. Now. No questions.”

Within minutes, the villa’s helipad came alive with rotor blades cutting the night air. I stepped inside, fastening the harness as the pilot glanced back.

“Destination?” he asked over the headset.

“Home,” I said flatly. “Fast as you can.”

The helicopter lifted off, the countryside shrinking beneath us. I leaned back in the seat, already picturing Liam Smith’s face when he realized who had come for him.