(Lisa's POV) The sickening sound of something I couldn't quite describe penetrated my ears. My eyelashes fluttered before I slowly opened my eyes. My head hurt, and for a moment, everything around me was dark. It wasn't until I regained my sight that I saw the clan's doctor packing syringes into a plastic box. She didn't seem to notice me, so I intentionally cleared my throat. Her eyes instantly shifted from her work, and when she realized I was awake, she rushed to my side. "Thank God you're finally awake," she said with relief. I tried to sit up in bed, but I was too weak, so she helped me. "Thank you," I muttered, and she beamed at me. "It's nothing, Lisa. What matters most is that you're awake." "What happened to me? All I remember is passing out after I drank the pineapple juice Nadia gave me," I murmured. "The drink was spiked with barbiturates." "Barbiturates?" I furrowed my brows. "Yes. It's a dangerous drug when taken excessively. But what matters right now is that
(Writer's POV) "You should have been careful, Vanessa!" Enzo scolded her loudly. Vanessa had managed to escape from Alessio's house to meet up with Enzo. "I have always been careful, Enzo. I didn’t know Alessio would be awake at that time. I thought he would have been tired after having sex with Lisa, which was why I snuck into the kitchen to call you and inform you about Lisa winning over Salvatore," Vanessa explained. "But still, you should have been more careful!" he scolded again and took in a deep breath. "How were you able to survive? Alessio kills his enemies without thinking twice." Vanessa smirked and crossed one leg over the other, picking up a cigarette from an ashtray. She was wearing a black jumpsuit, which made her look younger than her age. "Lisa was able to bail me out. She used her relationship with Alessio to blackmail him." "And that devil complied?" Enzo asked, sounding surprised. "Yeah, he did. He's head over heels for her. And as for Lisa, I have
(Writer's POV) Ivan's eyes slowly opened when he heard a knock on the door. He stretched his whole body, blinking sleepily, before getting up to open the door for whoever was outside. "Isabella?" he yawned, trying to see her clearly. "Can we talk for a few minutes?" she whispered. "Let it wait until tomorrow morning," he replied, attempting to shut the door in her face, but Isabella held it, preventing him from slamming it. "I thought you said you were on your monthly flow. Don’t tell me you changed your mind and want to have sex with me," he said, and Isabella kicked his knee. Ivan pressed his lips together to suppress the pain. "I know I agreed to be friends with benefits with you, but I am not here for sex. It's about Vanessa." "Vanessa?" Ivan uttered, sounding serious. Isabella nodded. "What about her?" he questioned. "Can we talk inside your room? Or should we find a safe place to talk?" she asked, and Ivan opened the door wider, allowing her to enter. "So,
Isabella groaned in pain as Vanessa stabbed the knife into her back. Vanessa pulled the knife out and tried to stab her again, but despite the pain, Isabella grabbed the blade. The sharp edge cut through her palm, drawing blood. Vanessa, determined to kill her, struggled to overpower her. All she wanted was to eliminate Isabella so no one would suspect her. "Who are you?" Isabella winced in pain, but Vanessa remained silent, knowing Isabella might recognize her voice. Desperate, Isabella tried to remove the mask Vanessa was wearing, but Vanessa fought to keep it on. Their struggle continued until Vanessa finally overpowered her. Vanessa stabbed Isabella again, this time in her stomach, then kicked her hard. Isabella screamed in agony as she crashed to the ground, landing in a pool of her own blood. But Vanessa didn’t care—her only goal was to ensure Isabella didn’t leave this fight alive. She raised the knife to strike again, but then she heard the pounding footsteps of Ales
(Writer's POV) A few days later, Isabella was discharged from the hospital and was brought home by both Lisa and Ivan. Vanessa quickly rushed to her the moment she saw her, pretending to be meek and innocent as always. "Isabella! Where the hell have you been? I was worried about you," she said in an innocent tone, though she wasn't happy to see Isabella. She wished she had ended Isabella's life when she had the chance. "Worried about me?" Isabella scoffed and glared at her. "Were you really worried about me, or were you praying so hard for me to die?" "Isa, don't be mean. Vanessa is only worried about you," Lisa defended Vanessa as always. "It's fine, Lisa. You don't need to defend me. I don't know why she suddenly grew suspicious of me, but I hope one day she believes I'm innocent of what she's accusing me of," Vanessa said and then smiled. "I prepared some food. You should eat," she smiled at Isabella. "No, thanks. You must have poisoned it," Isabella rolled her eyes. "Isa
(Lisa's POV) Alessio and I walked hand in hand as we climbed the hills together. I felt happy about it because even if I didn't say it out loud, people would be able to tell that he was mine. We arrived at the top of the Gianicolo hills, and as usual, there were a few people there to watch the sunset. It was always mesmerising to see the sunset. Alessio and I found a spot, but I was the one who was more thrilled to watch it. He wasn't a lover of sunsets; he had agreed to come because watching the sunset made me happy. "It's about to start," he informed me, and I nodded eagerly. No matter how many times I had watched the sunset, it always felt like the first time, so I always got excited. I had shared a few precious memories with my mom while watching the sunset, which was why it never felt old to me; it always reminded me of her. "Aren't you going to scream like you did before?" he asked, watching me with a smiling face as the sun began to set. I grinned and shook my hea
(Lisa's POV) I stared at my dad, completely shocked to see him in Italy. He, on the other hand, was also shocked to see me, since I had told him countless times that I was working in Japan. "Dad... what are you doing here in Rome?" I asked, my shock evident. He was the last person I would expect to bump into here in Italy. My dad was silent for a while before he finally spoke up. "I came here to visit a friend. I was exploring the beautiful places of Rome when you suddenly bumped into me," he paused and then asked, "What about you, Lisa? What are you doing here? You said you were working in Japan, right? So what are you doing here, and why do you have tears in your eyes?" He fired off so many questions at once. It felt like he was a godsend that heaven had sent to me because right now, I was on the brink of losing my heart from too much pain inflicted by Alessio's words. "Dad," I whimpered, walking closer to him and wrapping my arms around his waist as I sniffled. "Is ever
(Lisa's POV) The drive back home was a silent one. I sat in the back seat with my dad instead of the front seat with Alessio. With every passing second, he glanced at me through the rearview mirror, but I pretended not to notice. His words still lingered, and if not for my dad sitting next to me, I would've argued with him again. "Are you okay?" my dad whispered, and I nodded with a smirk. We arrived home, and my dad and I got out of the car, but Alessio didn't. I expected him to blindfold my dad so he wouldn't know the way into of the house, but he just drove off after I got out with my dad. He didn’t say a word to me, and it kind of stung my heart. "Why did he suddenly leave like that?" my dad asked, and I forced a smile so he wouldn't notice the sadness in my eyes. "I'm sure he has something important to do, Dad." "His behavior sucks, Lisa." "That's how he is. He's a mafia boss, remember? They tend to act that way." "I don't like him for you." "I know you don't, and I ca
(Lisa's POV) I went back to the head teacher's office with Alessia, and Kayla's mom smirked at me, her arms crossed. "Are you here to finally kneel before me?" she asked, her voice laced with pride. My anger was burning, but I was trying my best to stay calm, and it was all for Alessia. "I thought this was a preschool where kids are brought up in love, without anyone being treated unfairly." "What are you talking about, Ms. Simpsons? You should be apologizing, not telling us how to handle this school. We treat every kid equally," the head teacher said, while Kayla's mom blew air onto her manicured nails, awaiting an apology that would never come. "You call this treating every kid here equally?" I fumed, showing them the bitten wound on Alessia's wrist. "Kayla was the one who bit my daughter first, and rather than handling the situation equally, you pinned the blame on my daughter!" I snapped at Alessia's teacher. Being a mother has really changed me a lot. I was no longer the
(Lisa's POV) "Thank you so much, mister!" I thanked the repairman with so much excitement in my voice after he handed the phone to me. "It wasn't easy to bring it back to life, but I'm glad I did," he said, smiling back at me. I grinned at him, placing the phone on my chest with a broad smile. "The phone must be of sentimental value to you, right?" he asked, and I nodded with a smile. "Was it given to you by your boyfriend?" he teased, but I covered his question with a laugh. I paid him for his service before leaving. The excitement inside of me didn’t leave my face for even a second. I was just so happy to have the phone back to life. Returning home, I sat on the sofa, watching the videos of Alessio from five years ago. It’s been five years, but I never get tired of watching him. I was addicted to watching the videos of him, and anytime I did, I always had this sad smile on my face. Oftentimes, I wondered how life would have been for the both of us if I hadn’t betrayed
(Alessio's POV) It's her birthday today… it's something I can't forget, since everything about her was stuck in my brain like a tattoo. If she were here, we'd be celebrating her birthday, but I don't want her to be here, neither do I want to see her. Five years have passed, but the pain still lingers as if everything had happened yesterday. Her betrayal is still intact, and the pain she inflicted on me when she betrayed me is still fresh. It's like it never heals no matter how much time has passed, and it only makes me burn in fury. Do I still hate her? That I can't really tell, but one thing is for sure, I never want to see her face again. It would only remind me of how much of a fool I was for falling in love with a woman like her. She took my love for her for granted. Even when I didn't tell her how much I loved her five years ago, I did say it so many times through my actions and the way I treated her differently. I never want to see her face. She and my mom are
(Lisa's POV) "I think it's best if you get a new phone, Miss," the phone repairman advised, but I shook my head in disagreement. It was my very first gift from Alessio, and I couldn't let go of it. It's been five years since I last saw Alessio. Five years, but nothing seems to have changed. The feelings I have for him was still there like it was just yesterday, but my betrayal toward him still haunts me in my quiet moments. Every day I long for him—for his smile, for his touch, and to hear the way he talks. But I was scared... scared to reach out to him and most especially scared to go to Italy. I knew I could easily see him if I went to Italy, but the deadly warnings he gave me before we separated were still fresh in my ears, so I couldn't dare go back to Italy even if I desperately longed to. The only thing that was left with me were the memories of my life with him, before my unforgettable betrayal. "You need to try your best. The phone is important to me, and it's not so
(Lisa's POV) "It's been a while, Lisa. How have you been?" Nathan asked me with a smile. I furrowed my brows at him, wondering if he had forgotten what he did to me, but nevertheless, I beamed a smile at him. If he hadn't shattered my heart, I wouldn't have gotten the chance to know a man like Alessio. "I've been good. What about you?" I asked, trying my best to be formal. There was no reason to be informal with him. "I've been good too. Where have you been all this while? I constantly go to your workplace, but all what your boss keep saying is that you're on a business trip. I couldn't go to your dad, because you must've told him what I did to you." "Exactly, Nathan. I'm glad you still remember what you did to me. So why do you keep going to my boss asking about me?" I asked sharply. "It's because I miss you, Lisa," he murmured, and I chuckled, finding his words so funny. "You miss me? What about the woman you were with? Didn't she sponsor your business like you claimed
(Lisa's POV) I betrayed the man I love and the man who loves me, and no matter what my reasons were, it wasn't justified. I had a chance to ask him about it, but rather than confronting him, I acted rashly. He lost everything. A lot of innocent souls died because of me, and it's best if I leave. If he had wanted to kill me, I would have accepted it, but since he wanted me out of his life, I will do as he says, even though it hurts being separated from him. Staring at the entrance of the airport, my tears fell down my cheeks, but I wiped them off with a sob. With the despicable thing I have done, I don't know if I could live a normal life. I will forever be haunted for betraying him and for killing innocent souls. I sniffled one last time. I made to enter the airport, but I bumped into someone. "I'm sorry," I managed to say, but fresh tears fell from my eyes and down to my cheeks when I saw I had bumped into Angelo. "Angelo," I said, nearly breaking into tears. I had
(Alessio's POV) "How long have I been unconscious?" I asked. "For a few days," Ivan answered. I sighed, trying to sit up on the bed, but Ivan quickly stopped me from doing so. "You shouldn't do that yet. Your wounds are still fresh," he said, but I ignored him and sat up on the bed, enduring the pain. Every part of my body was filled with injuries. It hurt and itched at the same time. "Where's Salvatore?" "He left a few minutes before you woke up," Ivan replied. "Is it true that Enzo destroyed everything, including my house and the clan?" Ivan looked at me and sadly nodded his head. "We lost the mobsters at the clan. The innocent maids also died from the explosion." "No single person survived?" I asked, hiding how bad I felt. "No one, Boss Alessio. We have nothing left," Ivan answered, wiping his tears, as he was too emotional to control them. I failed to protect my men. If I hadn't been trapped under Enzo's custody, none of this would have happened. "Aren’
(Writer's POV) "What did I just hear you just say? You gave who to who?" Salvatore sneered. He had booked an early flight to Rome so he could know the happenings of the clan, only for him to meet dead monsters and a destroyed clan. Lisa took in her lips, unable to say anything. Salvatore had always said she'd betray Alessio, and she felt so embarrassed because his instinct came to pass. She betrayed the man who loves her. A man who always showed up whenever she was in danger. She made a promise… but couldn't keep her promise. She was just like his mother. "Have your tongue been cut off? Repeat what you just said!" he snapped at her, and tears strolled down her eyes. No matter how much she cried, it wouldn't justify what she had done. "I didn't mean to betray him," she began sobbing. "I thought he killed my dad, so I gave him an apple injected with succinylcholine. He became weak because of it, and Enzo was able to trap him. Enzo has him in his custody and it's all
(Writer's POV) "Did Don Alessio answer the phone?" Isabella asked Ivan in a panicked voice, while Ivan shook his head with a sigh. "Why would Lisa even think of leaving the house?" Isabella murmured, her worries palpable. She had earlier gone to Lisa's room to talk to her, only to find out she wasn't in her room. When she got worried, she asked Ivan for help, and he looked into the surveillance cameras and they both found out that Lisa had sneaked out of the house by secretly entering the car trunk of Alessio's car. "Do you think Don Alessio has seen her already?" "I don't think so, Isabella. It's unlike him not to answer the phone either. Something seems off and I can feel it," Ivan muttered. Isabella swiped her hand through her hair in frustration. "Why can't Lisa just believe that Vanessa was indeed a spy?" "Asking questions won't do. If Alessio still doesn't know she's not in the house, then we should find her before he does." Isabella nodded, and just as they were about t