The Alliance

Heads turned as the beautiful woman in an ivory white dress robed under a white doctor's lab coat walked into the Mansion gates. Her wavey brunette hair swayed as she took each graceful step, climbing up the stairs of the wide front entrance. At the doorstep, another, much older woman greeted her. "Welcome to our abode, Dr. Russo!" She said, spreading her arms dramatically. "Thank you for your warm welcome, Sasha." Lilliana Russo greeted, flashing a cordial smile. "Our La signora is waiting for you. She had been asking about you all day." Sasha said with a bitter edge in her tone. Lily ignored it and followed her upstairs. They stopped before a wooden door. Sasha twisted the brass knob and pushed the door open for Lily to enter. A frail old woman, tucked in a thick layer of silk bed sheets, slowly looked at Lily. For a moment, she blinked, and soon her weary eyes lit up in recognition. "Cara Mia! (My dear!) Here you are—!" The old lady broke out into a fit of violent coughs. Lily

The sun had settled down in the west; the sky sheathed in an obsidian blanket with no visible stars to stare at. Lily's heart fluttered as her car neared the Russo mansion gates. Finally, home. The driver, Sebastian, hurried and picked up her luggage, and carried it inside. She stepped out of the car and two familiar faces showed up, with big smiles and open arms. Rosalina, her cousin, and best friend engulfed her in a bear hug. "Welcome home after what seemed like a fucking eternity," Rosalina said. "Language, young lady!" Lily scolded playfully, but of course, no one couldn't fix Rosalina's spitfire of a mouth. Rosalina laughed and kissed Lily's rosy cheek and stepped away to let their beloved nonna warm up to her favorite granddaughter. "I missed you so much, nonna." Lilliana gave her a long hug. Lilliana had stayed a week in an apartment near the Salvadori residence so she could treat Elena Salvadori in secret. "I missed you too. You must be tired after all the work. Go f

Later the same night in the Salvadori house, a tall, tan, handsome chad showed up on their doorstep, sporting a black leather jacket and jeans, carrying a bunch of heavy backpacks in his hands.The servants had left by now, so he had to carry the load all by himself.Elena's silvery grey eyes lit up with glee after recognizing who it was. "Leo! My boy!" She was about to hurry downstairs when Sasha stopped her, afraid she might lose her foot in all the excitement and end up rolling down the steps."Surprise, beautiful!" Leo dropped all of his bags, ran towards his grandmother, and gathered her frail body in his arms, smiling brilliantly."You tease! Stupido!" Elena playfully hit his rock-hard chest and his laughter rumbled throughout the entire mansion.He pressed his lips on her wrinkly cheek, adoring her. "I heard you had a terrible fever."Elena slightly frowned at him. "It wasn't all that terrible! Look at me. Do I look sick?""Nope." He said, still keeping her in his arms. "You lo

EIGHT YEARS AGO...Nonna was in a hurry to church. A friend’s husband had died, and nonna was needed there to console her. Whoever this ‘friend’ was, seemed very close to nonna, although she never mentioned this ‘friend’ before. As she followed nonna to a small hill leading to the church, Lily’s eyes wandered around, not really caring. That’s when she spotted a tall young and magnetically handsome man leaning against a black SUV parked in the steep driveway, with a lit cigarette between his fingers. He was looking up at the church as if he was waiting for someone. Lily had not intended to stare, but her eyes kept glued upon the man as she walked, and she tripped over a rock. “Lily!” Nonna turned around. “Careful, it’s slippery up here” “I’m fine,” Lily murmured. When she looked back at the man, her heart almost leaped. His gaze was now on her. She looked away immediately, flushed for no reason. “Bella!” She heard a plump old woman around nonna’s age practically running down from

Lily finished dabbing the foundation on her cheek to hide the bruise on her pale white skin. Her eyes were red and puffy after crying herself to sleep. Lily wasn't the type to overdo her makeup, she preferred being barefaced most times. "Does it look weird?" Lily asked her cousin Rose who was beside her with her arms crossed, staring at her. "Nope. The bruise is barely visible. I don't think anyone will notice." Rosalina grabbed a pink lipstick from her purse and applied the tint on Lily's lips. "A little more makeup won't hurt." Rose rubbed her lips together and Lily imitated her, spreading the strawberry-flavored pink on her lips. "All good now?" Lily asked for confirmation. "All good." Lily got up and picked up her handbag. "I'll head out now." And kissed her cheek. "Thanks for the makeup." Lily rushed downstairs to the kitchen to grab the homecooked lunch nonna had packed for her. She was already getting late for work. The moment she entered the kitchen the smell of somet