Mag-log inA murmur rises at the entrance. A tall man I think I recognize walks in, and several men approach to greet him.“What’s Ferretti doing here alone?” my uncle asks.“Looks like Lucchese is snubbing us,” Edoardo replies disdainfully.The man approaches our table with firm, imposing steps, as if nothing around him matters. I don’t know why my heart begins to race.“Good evening,” he greets.His deep voice sinks into me, and a shiver runs down my spine, raising goosebumps on my skin. But it’s not the kind Edoardo gives me—of fear. This is… different.“Fabrizio Ferretti,” my uncle says, standing to shake his hand. “A pleasure to welcome you to my city. But where’s your boss?”“My boss?” he asks with a challenging smile—perfect teeth framed by a shadow of beard that makes my stomach flutter. “You mean our boss.”My uncle adjusts his collar, visibly uncomfortable.“Antonio is busy,” the blond man explains. “As you can imagine, it’s not easy taking the reins of the entire organization.”“Espec
The ceremony drifts through my mind like a storm cloud. I don’t pay attention to anything the priest says—I don’t care, not really. They’re all empty words, meant for couples in love, not for women condemned like me. He shouldn’t be speaking of love and commitment, but of death and disgrace.“Bianca Isabel Bernocchi D’Angelo, do you accept Edoardo Rinaldi Tortolani as your lawful husband?”The priest’s question hits me like a bucket of cold water, jolting me out of my stupor. I don’t even know when they asked him, but I assume they did—and of course he said yes. As for me, my voice won’t come.I look at the priest; his face is blurred. I don’t know if it’s the veil’s tulle or the tears filling my eyes. Edoardo squeezes my hand and throws me a threatening glance, but my lips remain sealed.“Bianca,” Edoardo whispers under his breath, and I can already feel the punishment that will come later.I’m disobeying him. I’m making a fool of him in front of his people, and this will cost me dea
BiancaAri and I fix our makeup as ordered and leave my room. She doesn’t let go of my hand, and I’m grateful for that support until the very last moment. Otherwise, I might collapse.At the bottom of the stairs stands my father, smiling wider than I’ve seen in years. How I wish that smile came from knowing his daughter would be happy, like a normal father. But no—his happiness has nothing to do with mine. It comes from closing a profitable deal, even at my expense.I descend each step slowly, like cattle heading to slaughter. Cecilia, my stepmother, smiles victoriously, finally free of me—the nuisance who never stayed quiet.When I reach the bottom, my father grabs my arm, practically ripping me from Arianna’s grasp.“You look beautiful, daughter. No doubt you inherited your mother’s beauty.”Cecilia scowls at the compliment, and it could almost pass for a tender father-daughter moment—until he adds:“You’ll make your husband very happy. He’s going to enjoy you.”Acid rises in my thr
BiancaWhen I was a little girl, I loved reading fairy tales—stories about princes who arrived to rescue princesses from tall towers where villains kept them captive, orphaned princesses without mothers to protect them, at the mercy of wicked stepmothers and fathers who did not care.It didn’t take me long to understand how similar my own life was to those stories: a mother who died so young I can barely remember her, a stepmother who hates me, and a father who cared about nothing beyond the business deal he could close with me. My family were the villains, without question—and everyone around them, their accomplices.The Sicilian mafia in Bcago. Cosa Nostra.For many years I believed that one day everything would change—that a fairy godmother would cross my path and a brave prince would rescue me. But as the calendar pages kept falling and my body began to change, I realized that would never happen.It took some time, but I finally understood that the world around me is dark, filthy,
Excerpt for the next book (Fabrizio and Bianca)The cold pierces my bones like sharp daggers tearing through my flesh, but I would choose this a thousand times over rather than endure one more second of the filth of those bastards. I’m no saint, and I don’t pretend to be. In some ways, maybe I’m even worse than they are. But even I have my limits, and this nest of depraved old men has crossed every single one of them.I brush the snow off one of the garden chairs and drop into it. My ass freezes instantly, and I curse Antonio under my breath for making me come to this shithole of a city. I can’t wait to stop doing it—at least this regularly. Being here brings back memories. Painful memories I’d rather leave buried.I pull a cigarette from the inner pocket of my coat to warm myself a little, but my fingers stiffen as I try to light it. The smoke slides into my body like a small wave of warmth, and I groan in satisfaction as I exhale.As I smoke, I stare at the house in front of me. No
AriannaI look at my husband lying on the couch with our little one sleeping on his chest, and I can’t believe we’re really here—that we finally have Gianna in our arms.I feel truly exhausted after the delivery and I should take advantage of the fact that our family has left to get some rest, but I can’t stop looking at them. I’m hopelessly in love with both of them. And I think Enzo feels something similar, because he can’t stop staring at his daughter, completely captivated. He strokes her back, her tiny head, kisses her, and it’s as if—just like me—he can’t believe that beautiful little thing was made by the two of us.I think if there’s anything that can compete with the magic of seeing your child for the first time, it’s seeing the love of your life become a father.Enzo turns his face toward me as if he can feel the weight of my gaze, and I smile when I see his.“You should sleep. You must be exhausted, and this young lady is going to want to eat again any moment now.”“I am, b







