CHAPTER 1

"I'm excited!" Marcella gently touches her belly. "Oh! The baby kicked. Feel it." She holds her husband's hand and puts it on her belly. His face brightens as he feels that the baby kicked again.

"I'm happy to see you happy." He smiles and kisses Marcella's palm. "Thank you for enduring everything, mia amata."

"I'm really excited to know our baby's gender." Enrico carefully guides his wife to go downstairs. Her pregnancy is quite sensitive so he gives her extra care and attention especially that she is carrying his heir.

"I hope it's a girl." The curve on her lips is constant and her eyes are twinkling as she imagines herself carrying her little one.

"I want a boy." Enrico utters unconsciously that makes Marcella stop.

"But I want a girl." Her eyes become teary and emotional.

"Don't... Don't cry, mia amata." He is used to her sudden changes of emotion since she conceived their first child. "I would gladly accept our little one no matter what gender he or she is."

"Really?"

"Yes. Shh." He wipes her tears and kisses her forehead. "Let's go. We might get late from your appointment."

When they reach the last step, one of Enrico's men makes haste and stops in front of them. Based on his expression, the man is going to tell him bad news.

"I'm sorry, mia amata." He is worried because he knows, even though his wife isn’t talking, she is disappointed. "I need to fix this business or else--"

"Everything will turn into chaos. I know, Enrico. You may go. I'll just inform you later." She doesn't look at him in the eyes. Marcella goes inside the car and leaves disappointed.

She can't believe that he will choose the business over this special day for her. 

'It's always the Mafia over everything, over me.' She should have used to it otherwise she won't survive from this family of her beloved.

"Go with her. Keep my wife safe." He commands his men and heavily sighs before going inside his car.

+++

"Congratulations, Madam. You're carrying a twin." The doctor announces as she got her ultrasound. 

"W-What?" Her eyes widens and later on, tears roll down from her eyes due to great joy she is feeling at that moment.

"They are both healthy and fine. Don't forget to take care of yourself, don't skip meals and of course, your vitamins. Your two angels will come out soon."

"Yes. I will. Thank you, Doctor."

She was smiling the whole ride while staring at her babies' first photograph. She can't wait to tell her beloved husband that the unusual size of her belly is not something to be bothered by. It's too big for the normal size because there are two lives inside her.

Marcella's guards take care of her until they reach the main door. She is confused to see a lot of uniformed men at the entrance. As if there is a meeting happening inside.

"Where is Enrico? I want to see him."

"He's inside the conference room with the whole family, madam." One of them informs her. 

"Take me there." The guard slightly bows his head and follows her.

Her heart is abnormally beating fast, a sign that she is feeling nervous. Of all days, why did the whole Giordano clan reunite inside their mansion? What is the meaning of this?

"I'll announce your arrival---"

She signals the guard to stop what he was about to say when she hears a voice that makes her whole system crumpled.

"...kill the other one."

"No! You can't do this to my child!" Enrico is furious.

"We have no choice, Enrico. You are the head of this family and there must be only one heir."

"Then I will choose who will be my heir. No need to harm anyone, especially my flesh and blood." He said with a warning in his voice.

"Twins in our family are cursed. They will just split the clan into two."

"Right. It has not just happened once, twice but thrice." The woman in her purple dress speaks with elegance. "Do we have to deal with other conflicts when we can do something to prevent it from happening?"

"Choose," One of them looks at Enrico with expressionless face. "A stable Mafia without the other child or..."

"You're being irrational here!"

"... Or protect that cursed child and everyone in this room will be against you."

Marcella can’t listen anymore. She can't believe that Giordanos are these kind of heartless people, willing to sacrifice her child just to prevent their shitty belief from happening.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Marcella attempts to escape, to hide her children but the guards are too tight.

"Don't you dare hurt my wife!" Enrico pushes everyone around her and even points his gun on them.

"I beg you, Enrico. Please... Spare my children." She doesn't hesitate to bow down on her knees in front of the Mafia Boss.

"Mia amata..." He immediately holds his wife and helps her to stand but she's too stubborn to listen. She knows that he will do what his family wants. 

"I'm sorry..." Enrico suddenly changes his soft expression into a fierce one. "Take her to the room and lock her up. If something bad happens to them, all of  you will face the consequences."

He turns his back on them while his hands are clenching.

"I hate you."

He halts for a moment, feeling broken because of her words but doesn't look back. His heart will just burst if he sees Marcella's disdained eyes. He loves her and their child but in order to maintain peace in their family, he needs to reach their expectations.

'I'm just doing this for the sake of everyone... for the sake of the Mafia.'

The thought of losing one of her twins makes Marcella sick. She tries to be strong, not to affect her babies' health. They also need to be strong to protect themselves from this family. 

'I'm sorry, children. Unluckily, both of you will be born in this unmerciful family of Mafia.'

Tears fall  down at Marcella's cheeks as she hugs her round belly as if she is embracing her two angels. 

'This is my fault. I shouldn't have married Giordano's Mafia Boss.'

+++

"Ah!" Marcella's scream can be heard in every corner of the room. It's her due date and every member of Giordanos  is waiting outside to welcome the new heir.

She's almost out of breath but forces herself not to lose consciousness or else she will lose one of them tonight.

"A little more push, madam." The family doctor said while waiting for the child to come out.

After a while, the first cry of the first one fills the room. Marcella smiles weakly as she looks at her child covered with blood.

Enrico enters the room and holds the child with adoration in his eyes. 

"Mirabella... our wonderful heir. Welcome to the family, Mirabella Giordano." Enrico names his child. He looks at Marcella and smiles at her, mouthing 'thank you.'

"The other one is coming out." The doctor informs them.

"Ugh!" Unlike the first one, she smoothly comes out but… the child isn't crying. 

"G-Give her to me."

"She's not breathing." The doctor taps the baby but she is not responding.

"No... Give me my child!" Marcella forces herself to sit on the bed and tries to reach her daughter. 

"Take that child outside. Bury---" A deafening thunder interrupts Enrico’s declaration. An occurrence of lightning and the child cries happens at the same time.

Marcella feels mixed emotions. She is relieved to hear her second child's cry.

"Take her outside." 

"No!" Marcella takes out the hidden knife with trembling hands. She tightly holds the knife and points it at her throat. "Take her and I willingly die with my child!"

"Mia amata!"

"Hand her to me!" 

The man who is carrying the child, still covered with blood, is looking at Enrico. He is waiting for the command from the Boss.

The rain starts pouring and the lightning is constantly showing.

Marcella feels the cold knife slightly touching her skin and blood flow on her neck but she doesn't mind. She can do everything just to save her child.

"Give her the baby." Enrico turns his back while carrying the heir.

"Name her." Marcella demands as she is staring at the child who’s smiling at her but Enrico, her husband, keeps ignoring his wife’s plea.

"Name her!"

Enrico heavily sighs, and faces them. He looks at the kid in her arms, and doesn’t have any plan on naming the second one. He doesn't want any attachments from the newborn baby that will eventually die in accordance with the deal between the family.

"Mariella." It's almost a whisper. Their eyes stare at each other for a second before Enrico looks away and leaves after.

Marcella diverts her gaze unto Mariella and smiles sadly at her baby. Hot tears fall on her cheeks and cries with a muffled sound.

'Bitterness... He named you with bitterness in his heart.'