IcedLemonCoffee
I stood by Carlos Mancini for 50 years.
I watched him rise from a nobody on the streets of Sicily to the cold-blooded Don of a Mafia empire.
I thought we were soulmates who could never be pulled apart.
I believed that until the day he lay dying. I leaned over his bed, sobbing my heart out.
But his cloudy, unfocused eyes looked straight through me, fixed on something far away.
He murmured, "Nina, in the next life, we can finally be together..."
In that moment, I felt as if I'd been struck by lightning.
Nina Russo was the widow of one of Carlos's fallen men.
40 years ago, he'd brought that timid woman back to the estate and looked at me hopefully.
"Sam Russo died for me. It's my responsibility to take care of her for the rest of her life."
I pulled out my revolver, pressed it to my temple, and made him choose between Nina and me.
He was terrified. He snatched the gun away, pulled me into his arms, and tried to calm me down.
"You're overthinking this. You're the only woman I've ever loved. I don't feel anything like that for her."
He sent Nina overseas with a large sum of money, enough to make sure she'd never want for anything.
But from that day on, the light went out of his eyes.
When I opened my eyes again, I'd gone back 40 years.
Young and handsome in his black trench coat, Carlos stood tall before me while Nina hid behind him, looking fragile.
Carlos looked at me with a hint of nervousness and anticipation in his eyes.
"Alice, she's Sam's wife. I promised Sam I'd take care of her..."
I swirled the glass in my hand and let out a soft laugh.
"Of course. Let her stay at the estate."
This time, I chose to let them have each other while I walked away.