ログインCarlino's POVMorning came too quickly. I hadn't slept a wink, and work was the furthest thing from my mind. I just stayed holed up in my room, drinking and smoking the hours away. By now, I knew Lina had to be awake.I sniffled, setting the glass down on the table and stubbing out the cigarette in the overflowing ashtray.What the hell had I become? A man the entire underworld feared to cross was now terrified of facing the woman he loved. I let out a harsh, bitter laugh. The great Carlino Silvio Lacentra was reduced to nothing. The very throne that gave me absolute power had destroyed me. And the worst part? That throne was the only life I had ever known.God damn it.The rage built up inside me, surging through my veins until my chest burned with it. If only… I grabbed the glass beside me and hurled it against the wall, watching it shatter."No!" The scream ripped from my throat."Father, you’re the root of all of this. You’re the cancer rotting me from the inside out. You took eve
Carlino's POV I couldn't bring myself to reply."I think you're Carlino," she murmured, her words slurring together as her fingers tangled deeper into my shirt. "You are, aren't you?" She staggered against me. She was so entirely certain. She hadn't bought my lie for a single second."Where are you taking me, Carlino?" she asked, blinking heavily. "Huh? You think I don't know?"I stayed quiet, listening to her rambling. Even if I wanted to respond, what could I possibly say?"My heart tells me you're Carlino," she continued, cutting through my silence. "And I love you. My heart can't lie to me. It won't."She spoke with such fierce confidence. Even dead drunk, there was something utterly captivating about her. The way she stumbled over her words, the way her body moved completely out of her own control—it was beautiful.Suddenly, a loud laugh burst from her, shattering the quiet of the bar. "He is," she nodded to herself, laughing again. "He is. Okay, okay. Wait..." She twisted aroun
Carlino's POV"Carlino…" he began, unable to finish."You do not touch her, Aiden," I said slowly, my eyes locked onto his."Yeah, I know bro. My mistake.""I told you not to call me bro, Aiden.""Yeah, whatever.""I'm serious, Aiden, you do not have the right to touch her, not even in my absence," I warned."I'm sorry," he apologized.I moved forward, leaving him behind, as I tried to control my rage. A few seconds later, I heard his footsteps jogging after me until he caught up. As usual, he began rambling about one thing or another, but none of it registered.My thoughts were elsewhere. On Lina. I wondered what she was feeling right now. Had she believed the lie I fed her? Or had she simply chosen to ignore it because she couldn't bear my presence? Another question suddenly surfaced in my mind."Why did you use Ace when you called out to me?""Have you forgotten that was the name you wanted to use when you first came to California?" he responded.Oh. I had forgotten."Should we g
Carlino's POVWe stood frozen, locked in each other's gaze as silence settled heavily between us. The world around me seemed distant, every sound dulled into a meaningless hum. This was exactly what I had spent years avoiding. So how had I ended up standing before her?I felt her fingers tighten around my shirt. The shock in her eyes was unmistakable. Slowly, she pushed herself upright, refusing to let go.What should I do?My only option was to remain calm."Wait…" she started. "What am I actually seeing?" she questioned in a whisper, uncertainty trembling beneath every word.She took a cautious step back, her eyes searching my face as though she was desperate to find proof. Her stare was sharp and unwavering, moving from my face to the rest of my body, studying every detail."Carlino?" she whispered, my name leaving her lips like a fragile question. Hearing her say my name did something to me. A strange warmth spread through my chest before I could stop it.“What are you doing here?
Carlino’s POVAfter Ruciano ran away, my attention shifted back to the girls. It was the first time since their birth that I had stood this close to them, seeing them up close. I lowered myself onto the ground, kneeling, meeting their height as they stared back at me just as intently.I studied them in silence, taking in every detail. Erla had my eyes—something I had always known, but never seen this clearly, this close. Even her nose mirrored mine. She looked like a smaller, softer version of me. A girl shaped from my reflection. Rotha, on the other hand, was unmistakably her mother’s child. Every feature belonged to Lina. The long dark hair, hazel eyes, skin tone. Everything.Something stirred in my chest, something hot, buried, long restrained. Emotions I had kept locked away clawed their way back to the surface. Still, I forced a smile as I called them closer.“You’re beautiful,” I said quietly, almost gently.“Thank you,” Erla replied simply.Rotha on the other hand said nothing.
Carlino's POV“San Diego? Aiden, have you completely lost your mind? You know I can't go back there,” I said as I headed toward my office, only for Aiden to step in front of me and block my path.“You have to, Carlino. We already told him we're coming. It took us a lot of words to be able to convince him for the negotiations just to secure this meeting. You don't understand—this man is stubborn. If we miss this opportunity, there won't be another one. We're already at a disadvantage. You have to do this. This is business, Carlino. Your business. Why do you lose all sense of reason whenever Lina is involved?”That struck a nerve. Before I knew it, I had grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the side of the car. The impact rattled the vehicle. Aiden grunted as the files in his hands scattered across the ground.“What the fuck, man?” he hissed.“Don't you dare, Aiden. Don't you fucking dare talk about Lina like that.” My grip tightened around his collar. “We may be friends,
Lina’s POV The house woke before the sun did. I knew something was wrong before anyone said it. Footsteps were faster. Voices were lower. Doors opened and shut with purpose instead of leisure. The air didn’t feel heavy anymore — it felt charged. I had just stepped in
Lina’s POVThe punishment didn’t stop.It evolved.Doors that used to open now required permission. Corridors that once felt endless now felt measured — patrolled. Even the garden had guards posted like decorative statues with guns.I tested it anyway
Lina’s POVThe halls smelled faintly of polish and cold air, the kind that seemed to settle over power like a second skin. Guards walked past silently, their eyes flicking toward me, unreadable. Some lingered a second too long, then looked away. The air felt heavier than usual, as though
Lina’s POVThe meeting room was colder than the rest of the house. Not in temperature. In feeling. Men filled the long table, their suits dark, their expressions darker. Conversations died as I stepped in beside Carlino. Not because I was important. Because I was unexpected.







