[MARCANTONIO]I couldn’t deny I had changed, especially as time went on. Revenge wasn’t my main focus anymore, and Marcello noticed. He always notices.Now at the playground, I watched Maddie enjoying being outside her house. She was so excited, playing with some kids. Some hung out with her, others kept their distance.Then I caught Renzo smirking and Caleb giving me a weird look, like they weren’t sure what to make of me.“You’re smiling, Marco. That’s rare,” Renzo said.Caleb laughed, and I laughed with them, finally letting some tension go. I playfully punched both of them, glad for the light moment.As we played around, I glanced over at Maddie. My brow furrowed when I saw some boys destroying the sandcastles her group had built. A few kids ran off scared.Right then, I knew it was time to stop getting distracted and start protecting what really matters.The boys kept yanking on Maddie’s hair, and she was fighting back hard. Just as I was about to jump in, Renzo grabbed me, holdi
[MARCANTONIO]“Checkmate,” I announced with a proud grin. Chess was our thing, and ever since we started, he’d never beaten me.Chess isn’t complicated—just a matter of thinking ahead and outsmarting your opponent. And when it comes to that, no one my age beats me.Marcello slumped in his chair, clearly bummed out. “Will I ever win? We’ve been playing for years, and I still can’t guess your next move,” he said, frustrated.I just smiled and said, “Keep dreaming. You’re never beating me at my own game.” He smirked back and looked around, switching topics.“Hey, is it true that you see the woman who killed your grandparents at that party?”I nodded without a word and started setting up the chessboard again. It was always me who cleaned up since Marcello lost interest when he lost. “I saw her daughter too,” I added, keeping it short.Marcello stayed quiet, so I looked at him and caught his knowing look. “What about her daughter? Are you planning something with her too?” he asked.I met h
[MARCANTONIO]I headed out to the balcony, looking for some peace and quiet. The moonlight spread softly over everything, casting shadows that hid me in a dark corner.It didn’t take long before my cousin Marcello found me, calling my name into the night. Even though I didn’t answer, he somehow knew exactly where I was.Marcello’s become one of my closest friends over time. We’ve been tight since day one. He’s got a mischievous streak, but he’s also a lot like his dad, Tito Morgan—who’s known for being serious and thoughtful.On the other hand, my other cousin Gabriele and Marcello are both loud and wild. I don’t really get along with Gabriele much—we kinda clash. I can tell she’s a bit scared of me. Honestly, if we weren’t family, I think she’d probably stay far away.Besides Marcello, I’ve got two more cousins, Stefano and Giuseppe. Giuseppe’s Marcello’s little brother and not really part of my world much. Since they’re younger, I doubt they really get what goes on in my head. So ye
[MARCANTONIO]Since then, I’ve been feeling more and more numb. I’ve had to get used to shutting down my emotions and hiding any weaknesses from my enemies. Feeling things is a weakness I can’t afford if I want to be unstoppable. So I decided to erase my feelings completely.People can tell I’m getting distant. I’m more cold and short with anyone who asks stuff I don’t think matters.To make sure I stay unbeatable, I’ve been training harder—body and mind. I’m sharpening my instincts and learning everything I can so no one can trick me. I’ve taught myself to see what my enemies will do before they do it, so I can shut down any plan before it even starts.By the time I hit eleven, I’d already changed a lot. The innocence I once had was gone, replaced by a cold, serious mindset. I didn’t let my feelings get in the way anymore—I was ready to do whatever it took, even take a life, to protect myself and my family. The weight of all the violence I’d been through was heavy on me, way too heav
[MARCANTONIO]While she was busy talking, I saw my chance and grabbed the gun from the guy with her. My hands weren’t tied, so I could still move.“You little punk!” the woman shouted, aiming the gun at me. “Didn’t your parents ever teach you to let adults finish talking? Honestly, the Moretti family won’t even know you’re dead. We’ll still get what we want even if we kill you now.”She was about to pull the trigger when Grandma Grace jumped up and took the bullet for me. The gun went off, and blood splattered on my face as Grandma slowly collapsed.“You old hag, playing hero?” the woman yelled, shooting at Grandma again right in front of me. I just stood there, stunned. Then the man grabbed the gun back and pushed me to the floor.My heart was pounding as I stared at Grandma’s lifeless body. Her eyes were wide open, staring right at me. I wasn’t scared, but I was furious.My grandma was gone, and that anger burned hot inside me. The woman laughed, cruel and loud. “You really think yo
[MARCANTONIO]Martina and I headed out to the park, with our usual guards and caretakers in tow. Leaving the safety of home wasn’t exactly something we enjoyed, but sometimes we needed to soak up the sun and just spend some time together as siblings.As we walked, I noticed a bunch of kids running excitedly toward an ice cream truck. That got me thinking — maybe I could sneak in and get us both some ice cream without the guards noticing. If I pulled it off, it’d be a little win.When I got to the vendor, he turned out to be super friendly. To my surprise, he even gave us two ice creams for free! I happily accepted and made sure to bring one back to Martina. We sat together, enjoying every bite.The