Vito's voice was broken with fear as he knelt on the marble floor, blood dripping from his mouth."I meant no offense, I swear on my life. Alessia is my wife. I only wanted to take her home. Please, forgive me, Don Romano. I didn't know Alessia was your daughter."Vito was a pathetic dog, groveling at my feet."I'm begging you! Please, spare me!""Everything I did, I did because I love her! I swear I never meant to hurt her!"My father looked down on him, the murderous glint in his eyes as sharp as a blade."Love her?" my father sneered. "You call that love?""You locked her up, you let her be poisoned, you killed my grandson. Is that what you call love?"Vito shook his head frantically."No! That wasn't my intention! I just wanted to..."I walked up to Vito and kicked him squarely in the chest.He fell back with a grunt of pain."Enough," I said, my voice as cold as ice. "I don't want to hear a single word of your excuses."I looked down at my wedding ring.The platinum band that had
"You arrogant, worthless fool." My voice was pure contempt.It was the first time I had ever shown him such open disdain, and his authority was fatally challenged."Alessia, I will never let you disappear from my life again. My only goal today is to bring my woman home.""You don't understand. When I thought you were dead, I almost lost my mind.""Rage at me all you want. I, Vito Falcone, will not be defeated."He swept me off my feet and threw me over his shoulder, striding toward the exit.He was still playing the part of the devoted husband, lost in his own self-serving performance.At this point, I almost pitied him. But for now, I couldn't break free from his iron grip."Who the hell do you think you are? What gives you the right to hold me?"He let out a foolish chuckle. "I'm about to become the Don of the Falcone family. Don't question my position.""Once I get you back, you'll eventually give in and hand him over."The commotion drew a crowd."Sir! Sir, please stop!"The execut
Alessia's POVWhen I heard the news, my only thought was that he had completely lost his mind.It didn't matter. My father's private island was deep in the Mediterranean, protected by military-grade security. He would never find me.I wasted no time on him and continued to focus on learning how to rule my family's empire.For a month, I had thrown myself into the Romano family business, personally handling major deals and arbitrating disputes between allied factions."Principessa, the quarterly reports from the Milan division are ready."My assistant, Lucia, placed a stack of files in front of me."Is there still a board meeting this afternoon?""Yes, at three o'clock. The final decision on the acquisition of the German jewelry company."Just as I was reviewing the documents, the door to the conference room was violently kicked open.A familiar figure stormed in.Vito. His suit was rumpled, his hair a mess, and his eyes burned with a manic fire.Several of my bodyguards were right behi
Alessia's POV"But you held him, Alessia. Even if it was only for a moment. In that moment, you were his mother.""Don't worry. There will be other children. The Romano bloodline will not end here."He sighed deeply, his face etched with heartache for me."But if you waste your tears on that bastard, you dishonor yourself.""I told you not to marry him. But you were determined to go your own way. You were even willing to break with me to be with him."I peeked out from under the covers. Seeing my father's weary face, the deep lines carved by the years, I couldn't help but cry again."I was wrong, Papa," I sobbed. "I was so foolish. Please forgive me.""I'm not crying for him. I'm crying for my baby who died."My father gently wiped away my tears, the authority of the iron-fisted Don melting away in the presence of his daughter."My heart. You are my only treasure, my most precious jewel. Of course I forgive you.""Papa, I want them to pay. All of them."Don Romano sat on the edge of th
Vito's POV"What did you say?"Vito's roar shook the clinic to its foundations.He grabbed Marco by the collar, his eyes burning with a wild rage."Are you lying to me? Are you in on this act with her?""Boss, I saw it with my own eyes...""Bullshit! She was fine when I left her. A woman that cunning doesn't just die!" Vito threw a punch at Marco's face, stumbling back himself before regaining his footing.Marco trembled under the weight of his murderous fury, his voice shaking."Boss, Mrs. Alessia's body is in the underground medical room. We confirmed her identity... it's her. It's really Mrs. Alessia."A primal fear clawed its way up his throat, the gut-wrenching despair of losing a part of himself.He bolted out of the room.Scarlett's voice called after him, "Vito, where are you going? The baby was just born, you can't leave!"But Vito heard nothing."Get the hell in the car!" he snarled at Marco, who scrambled to follow his frenzied boss.Vito's mind had only one thought: Alessia
The doctor's face went pale. He knew I was on the verge of death and that he had to get me to a proper hospital.He frantically dialed Vito's private number."Boss, this is an emergency! Mrs. Alessia has been severely poisoned, she needs immediate medical attention! She's going to die!"Vito's voice was thick with annoyance and fury. "Alessia. You've outdone yourself with this performance. Not only did you get out, you even managed to bribe our family's best doctor.""Let me be clear, whatever game you're playing, I'm not falling for it! I know you too well. There's nothing wrong with you, so stop trying to trick me.""I told you, he's my flesh and blood. I'm not going to abandon my own son. But you have to wait until Scarlett is done. Why can't you just wait?""I admit, I underestimated you. Now you behave yourself, or you know the consequences of defying me."The line went dead.The doctor stared at his phone, then back at me, barely clinging to life.He gritted his teeth and made a