Mag-log inGabriel's POV She was everywhere — in my thoughts, in my face, even in my actions. What hadn't I done to get rid of her? I literally did everything I could think of, except seeking therapy. There were so many reasons why I hadn't gone for therapy. What if the therapist wouldn't understand my plight? What if I ended up killing the innocent therapist just because he or she would struggle to understand me? So, I turned to painting. I painted with actual paint... and somehow, I still ended up staring at her face on the canvas. I also tried painting with blood, but stopped the moment I imagined her sitting across from me, frowning in disapproval. F**k! I sprang up and abandoned the painting. I was definitely going insane. A brief sense of relief came when I had to attend another meeting, this time with government officials. My grandfather had arranged the meeting, and I made sure to be there. I needed to keep busy in order to distract myself from Arielle who lived rent-free in
Gabriel's POV PRESENT I opened my eyes, took a long drag from the cigarette and released a thick wave of smoke into the air. With all the chaos that had happened in my life, I still wondered how I managed to scale through without going insane. Well... the Mafia. This empire helped me, and I'd always be grateful. As I sat out there, lost in thoughts, my gaze fell on a shadowy figure clinging to the wall that separated the estate from the outside world. The location of my room gave me a perfect view of nearly every angle of the estate. I squinted, trying to make it out more clearly. And then, I saw them. Several of them. Humans hanging along the wall. A slow chuckle slipped out of me. I put out the cigarette, crushing the tip in the ashtray. Massimo and his pathetic games. What was he thinking—that he could stage a siege on our clan at three in the morning? I stood up and moved inside. None of them would notice my movement. The balcony was cloaked in darkness. My room was e
THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Gabriel's POV "No. No. Don't take her," I yelled as the men dragged my mother out of the dark room we'd been locked in since morning. I struggled to go with her, but one of the bulky muscular men shoved me back, sending me crashing face-first onto the cold floor.As I scrambled up, the door slammed shut, and I was left alone in pitch darkness. I sat up, hugging my knees to my chest, slowly realizing that I was truly alone."Mom," I whispered, hoping she could hear me and reach out to me."Mom!" My voice became louder.I called her again. And again. And again. No one replied. No one cared.I blinked rapidly, desperately searching for a source of light. But there was nothing. Only a veil of absolute darkness. And when I couldn't take it anymore, I simply shut my eyes, wishing for sleep to take over.Time ticked by. I must have fallen asleep, but I didn't know for how long. When I woke up, I was trembling like a leaf.The hairs on my
Gabriel's POV As soon as we arrived at the estate, I ignored everyone and headed straight inside. My men knew better than to try having a talk with me. They were used to this kind of anger. My grandfather was receiving a drip through his cannula, Linnie standing by his side. Linnie had a perturbed expression when her eyes met mine, but she looked away immediately. She was probably cursing me out in her mind, judging me for walking in with an angry face. But that didn't bother me. I was done caring about what she or anyone had to think. "What a surprise, Luciano. You didn't tell me you'd be coming home," he said. "Buorno giornata." I muttered with a quick bow and walked away, hoping he wouldn't try to start another conversation. With calculated steps, I strode into my dark room—a perfect reflection of my current state. I hurriedly tugged off my tie, unbuttoned the upper buttons of my shirt, and rolled up my sleeves. As I headed for the door, I caught my reflection in the mirr
Gabriel's POV Sitting back regally against my study cushion, I stared into space, swirling the drink in my glass, maintaining a calm composure despite the rage simmering within me. A feedback from Alessio, whether positive or negative will determine how I would eventually react. I waited calmly, quietly, suspending all other activities. The ticking of the golden clock on the wall only intensified my impatience. And just as the clock struck 9 PM, Alessio walked in. "Did you find her?" I asked, my gaze fixed on the glass of vodka. "I found the hotel she checked into but—" "Did you find her?" I repeated, my tone sharper. "No." I scoffed, dropped the glass and stood up immediately. My mood totally shifted. "I followed her brothers and traced the hotel she stayed in. But she exited the hotel today. She's being careful about her movements. It seems like she doesn't want to be found," Alessio explained. I began to pace back and forth across the room, my face red with frustration.
Maven's POV Ever since Arielle left the house, we agreed not to go after her. We gave her space because that's what she needed. Eryx didn't like the idea, but I convinced him to let her be. She easily got irritated when she was angry, so it was best to leave her alone.Days had gone by, and we still hadn't heard from her. We called but couldn't reach her. I tried Violet's number a million times so I could speak to Arielle, but she never picked up. She was probably still mad at me.After a week, Eryx and I stopped by Violet's house. That was the place we assumed Arielle would be.When Violet opened the door, I couldn't help but let my eyes linger on her pretty face. She'd been avoiding me for weeks."Um..." She cleared her throat. "How may I help you?""We want to talk to Arielle," Eryx said, his eyes drifting into the house.Her eyelids fluttered and she suddenly looked startled. "She's... she's not here," she stuttered."We're not here to take her away," I said softly, looking inte







