INICIAR SESIÓNThe music downstairs was still loud. Laughter, glasses clinking, voices blending into a celebration that felt miles away from me.But up here…Up here, everything was quiet. Too quiet.I stood outside my mom’s suite, staring at the door like it might open on its own and save me from what I was about to do. My heart pounded hard against my chest, my fingers curling into fists at my sides.This was it.No more pretending. No more avoiding.I raised my hand and knocked.Once.Twice.The door opened almost immediately.She had been expecting me.Of course she had.“Corleone…” her voice was soft, cautious. “Come in.”I stepped inside without a word. The room still smelled like perfume and champagne, traces of the wedding clinging to the air. Her dress had been changed—she was now in a silk robe, her makeup slightly faded, but her eyes… her eyes were tired.Guilty.I turned to face her fully.“Who is he?”No greeting. No softness. No hesitation.Just the question.Her breath caught. Just fo
Today was the wedding. The day I had dreaded and anticipated all at once.I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, feeling the weight of silk in my hands—the fabric of my own outfit for the day, neatly folded, waiting for me to step into it. Percy sat beside me, humming quietly, trying to lighten the tension, but I could see the concern in her eyes. She had noticed how distracted I had been since last night, how my laughter had been forced, my smiles hollow.“You okay?” she asked softly.I shook my head, exhaling slowly. “I… I don’t know if I can be. Not today.”Percy’s hand found mine. “Then you don’t have to. You just… survive it. One step at a time. I’ve got your back.”I gave her a small, grateful smile. She always seemed to know when I needed support without asking. But no smile could erase the image in my mind—the bathroom, Mom, the man, and that look she gave me when she realized I had seen it.⸻Mom’s suite was alive with activity. Stylists, makeup artists, and assi
The words hit me like ice water.“The door was suddenly thrown open. ‘Corleone, I can explain.’”My heart hammered so violently it was almost deafening. My stomach twisted into knots, part anger, part disbelief, part fear. Mom. She had caught me catching her. My mind raced a thousand miles an hour. Explain? How could anything justify that?I froze, hands gripping the edge of the hotel bed. My chest felt tight, constricted. I wanted to scream, to storm out, to push past her, but some part of me—a smaller, quieter part—hesitated. This was my mom. The woman I had loved, trusted, relied on my whole life. And yet… what I had seen made it impossible to feel safe in her presence.“I… I don’t know if I want to hear it,” I said, voice shaky but firm, trying to steady my breathing. “I don’t even know if I can hear it.”Mom stepped closer, her expression a mixture of guilt, shame, and urgency. “Corleone… please. Just listen. I didn’t mean for you to see that. It’s complicated.”I swallowed hard.
⸻Percy’s voice suddenly cut through my thoughts, cheerful and oblivious, from outside the bathroom. “Corley! Are you done? Come on, we have to hit the dance floor before they switch to the next song!”I swallowed hard, took a shaky breath, and pushed the door open.I forced a smile. “Yeah, just… a minute.”But inside, I was reeling, heart pounding, mind racing. The night had promised laughter, freedom, and fun.Instead, it had delivered a secret—one I wasn’t sure I was ready to confront.And somewhere deep in my chest, I realized this was only the beginning.The bass from the club was a dull, distant thump in my chest as I forced a smile and joined Percy and Davin again at the table. My hands trembled slightly, clutching the drink I hadn’t even sipped. Percy chattered on, oblivious—or maybe intentionally oblivious—to the storm raging inside me.“You okay, Corley? You look… weird,” she said, tilting her head, eyes narrowing slightly.I laughed, a little too high-pitched. “Yeah, I’m fi
The hotel lobby was alive with the kind of energy only a city in full bloom could generate. Polished floors gleamed under the golden chandeliers, luggage rolled over the marble tiles, and the faint hum of distant elevators created a low, constant rhythm that I found oddly comforting.Mom walked ahead of us, her posture straight, the perfect balance of elegance and excitement radiating from her. She had insisted we arrive early to get settled, make sure the rooms were perfect, and double-check all the details before the whirlwind of the wedding began.Percy, of course, had immediately taken over the logistics. She was juggling our luggage, my mom’s bags, her own, and a detailed notebook of “hotel room contingencies.” Every floor plan, every possible route from the lobby to the elevators, had been memorized—or so she claimed.Davin, ever calm and quiet, carried his own bag but also kept a steady watch on the two of us, occasionally giving Percy a pointed look whenever she got too dramat
The city never slept, and neither did I—at least not properly. My mind raced through numbers, routes, and territories even as the sun was barely up. Gang affairs, shipments, club profits, smuggling operations… every detail demanded attention. Rats had to be cleaned out, allies monitored, and enemies reminded why crossing me was a mistake. But through it all, there was one thought I couldn’t shake: Corleone.I hadn’t seen her properly in days, not since the… incident. And despite the chaos of my life, my concern for her had reached a level I couldn’t ignore. I couldn’t trust anyone—not the club employees, not her so-called friends, and certainly not the people lurking around her life.I pulled out my phone and dialed Ink.“Talk.” My tone was flat, controlled.Ink’s voice came through, calm but alert. “Martil. Finally taking a break from burning everything down?”“Check on her. Discreetly. I want to know who’s around her, who’s talking to her, and if anything—anything—makes me uncomfort
Corleone’s povI was dragged back to the house like a kid. Martil, my supposed professor, was responsible for spoiling my night and my mood.“I had to take care of something. I’ll see you in school.” I sent a message to the group.The night was still busy so no one replied. I threw my phone on the
Martil’s pov“Our father, who art in heaven….” I started with my palms placed together.“Hallow be thy name, thy kingdom come…” “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven…” “Give us this day our daily bread as you forgive us all our trespasses.”The Lord’s Prayer continued until it was conclude
Corleone’s povA party was due for tonight. I needed to prepare as it was my first party in a new town.Home was silent, it was becoming the usual. Mr Sutton and mom were probably out gallivanting around with his money on their supposed honeymoon or whatever.I headed upstairs, into my room and thr
Corleone’s pov“Love, you can’t force him to be here all the time. He has a life too —“Liam cut my mom off with a slam of his hand on the table. Anger rose up inside me.“Permit me to be this amount of nice but you cannot treat my mom that way. I thought you want to marry her. Why cut her off amid







