18

There was so much to catch up on. They spent the next hour sitting close together, talking about everything from their nonexistent love lives to the grueling stress of university. Nina had actually just finished her degree, but she leaned in close, her eyes shining with excitement as she shared her real dream.

"I'm planning to go to fashion school," Nina revealed, her voice dropping to a softer, more emotional register. "I really want to follow in my mom's footsteps."

A collective wave of nostalgia washed over them both. Their mothers’ bond wasn't just a memory; it was the foundation of their entire childhood.

"You know, my mom's very last piece—the last dress she ever designed before she passed—is still with me," Nina said, looking at Rosa with deep affection. "Would you like to have it? I know how much she loved you. And honestly, would you ever want to pursue a career in fashion design yourself? We could do it together."

The question hung beautifully in the air as the two girls completely lost themselves in the past. They laughed, reminiscing about how they used to run around their mothers' workshop, frantically grabbing colorful buttons from the jars whenever the older women were putting together a garment. They remembered sneaking over to the heavy sewing machine when no one was looking, giggling as they pushed the heavy foot pedal up and down, dreaming of the day they'd make their own clothes.

"You should absolutely consider fashion school, Nina," Rosa said earnestly, squeezing her friend's hand. "You have the talent for it. We both know—"

Ding-dong.

The clear chime of the villa's doorbell echoed through the mansion for the second time that afternoon.

Rosa blinked, her sentence cutting short as she glanced toward the grand hallway. Is there another surprise going on today? she asked herself, completely bewildered by Giovanni’s sudden knack for hospitality.

Before she could even stand up, one of the maids opened the front door, and a young man stepped into the grand foyer.

Nina was the first to react. The second his face came into view, she shot up from her seat, her finger snapping out to point directly at his chest.

"What the hell is he doing here?!" Nina demanded, her voice practically vibrating the crystal chandelier above.

In total contrast, Rosa stood up with a massive, welcoming smile. "Leo!" she cheered, completely ignoring Nina's sudden combustion as she walked over and threw her arms around him in a warm hug.

Over Rosa's shoulder, Leo’s eyes met Nina’s. Nina's glare was burning with pure, unadulterated fire, her chest heaving with instant annoyance.

Leo slowly pulled back from the hug, a dangerously playful smirk spreading across his face.

"Calm down, Nina," Leo said, his tone smooth and entirely unbothered. "This is my brother's house, remember?"

He took a step forward, crossing his arms as he looked her up and down with an amused glint in his eyes. "I see you've still got that feisty attitude. Honestly, you might never find a boyfriend at this rate."

It was a blatant, shameless attempt to rage-bait her. And oh, it worked flawlessly.

Nina’s jaw dropped. What?!”* she shrieked. "Repeat that!"

Without a second thought, Nina grabbed a heavy velvet throw pillow from the sofa and hurled it directly at his head. Leo ducked just in time, laughing loudly as he bolted into the living room.

"Come back here, you jerk!" Nina yelled, completely abandoning her dignity as she scrambled over the couch to pursue him.

Within seconds, the pristine, intimidating, high-security mafia fortress was turned into a playground. The two of them began running wildly around the couches, dodging behind armchairs and throwing whatever cushions they could grab, behaving like absolute toddlers. It was a chaotic, hilarious mess—looking exactly like the chaotic kids they were always playing at thirteen years ago.

"I am not sick, Leo," Rosa said, waving her hand dismissively as she let out a small, self-conscious laugh. "It’s just a hangover. I don't need a whole doctor for a headache."

Leo smiled warmly, his demeanor completely shifting from the playful guy who was just dodging pillows to a deeply caring physician. "Trust me, when Giovanni calls, you don't argue. Besides, a hangover is still a medical state, and I happen to have the perfect remedy."

Rosa shook her head, a sudden wave of curiosity washing over her as she looked at him. She looked at his gentle eyes, his relaxed posture, and the genuine kindness radiating from him. He was completely different from the cold, lethal aura that his older brother carried.

"Leo... can I ask you something?" Rosa hesitated, her voice dropping to a quiet murmur. "How are you a doctor? I mean... how are you not in the mafia, just like Vanni?"

The question hung heavily in the air. Leo’s smile faded, replaced by a solemn, deeply emotional look. He glanced over at Nina, who was still standing by the couch, her eyes darting between them with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

"Come with me upstairs," Leo said softly, gesturing toward the grand staircase. "Let's give you that medicine, and I'll explain."

Rosa nodded and looked back at her best friend. "Nina, give us just a few minutes, okay? We'll be right back down."

Nina crossed her arms, still looking fiercely protective but nodding reluctantly. "Fine. But if he tries to rage-bait me again from the top of the stairs, I'm throwing a vase next time."

Once they reached the quiet privacy of the upstairs hallway, away from Nina's listening ears, the atmosphere turned entirely serious. Leo handed Rosa a small, specialized medical packet from his coat pocket, but his mind was clearly light-years away, pulled back into a dark past.

"Vanni didn't always use to be the ruthless Don you see today," Leo began, his voice thick with an old, enduring pain. He looked out the grand window overlooking the estate. "It all changed after our mother died."

Rosa held the medicine, completely captivated, listening to the tragic history of the family.

"When she passed, it completely destroyed him," Leo narrated, his eyes glistening with the memory. "Giovanni wasn't just grieving, Rosa. He was completely lifeless for four weeks. For an entire month, he couldn't talk. He couldn't speak a single word. He was just a hollow shell of a boy, completely traumatized by the loss."

Rosa gasped softly, her heart aching as she pictured a young, broken Giovanni trapped in that silent horror.

"And that was exactly when our father came," Leo continued, his jaw tightening. "Our father didn't care about our grief. He saw an opportunity. He came to the hospital and threatened to take *both* of us. He wanted to drag both of his sons into the syndicate, to turn us both into cold-blooded mafias."

Leo turned to look Rosa dead in the eye, his voice trembling with a mixture of profound gratitude and sorrow.

"But Vanni wouldn't let him. Even in his broken state, he protected me. Giovanni stood up and volunteered himself to our father. He surrendered his own life, his own future, on one strict condition: that our father leave me completely alone, and let me do whatever I wanted to do with my life. He took the entire burden of the Blackwood empire onto his own shoulders so I could be free to become a healer."

Rosa stood frozen, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. The revelation completely shattered everything she thought she knew about the dangerous man downstairs. Giovanni hadn't chosen this dark life out of malice; he had sacrificed his own soul to buy his younger brother's freedom.

"He endured all that darkness so I could wear this white coat," Leo whispered, offering Rosa a comforting, bittersweet smile. "That’s why I’ll always check up on you when he asks. Because underneath it all, my brother has the biggest heart of anyone I know."

Rosa swallowed the lump in her throat, deeply moved as she finally took the hangover medicine. "Thank you for telling me, Leo."

"Of course," Leo said, his usual lighthearted warmth instantly returning as he adjusted his jacket and began walking back toward the staircase. "Now, let's head back down before Nina decides to start tearing the rest of my brother's living room apart."