Kuchisake Onna

Once I became pregnant, I was hailed as the most precious woman in the underworld. My husband, the new Don of the Jenkins family, shut down an entire private hospital wing for my check-ups, while my father, the Collins Don, summoned every Michelin-starred chef in New York to the estate, just so I could pick whatever I craved. The baby I carried was destined to be the sole heir of the two most powerful mafia families. But on the day we were to sign the papers securing my child's inheritance, they both vanished. "An urgent family matter came up," my husband, Vincent, said, kissing my forehead. "We can finalize the child's inheritance when we get back. There's no rush." Shortly after they left, I received a link to an anonymous live stream. My father's voice came from the video, colder than I had ever heard it. "You're saying your marriage contract with Evangeline was never valid. Doesn't that make the child a bastard?" Vincent, lounging in a club, blew a smoke ring. Cradled in his arms was my half sister, Sarah. "Evangeline has always had all the love and affection. Her child will want for nothing." "Sarah has been mocked for her status for years. I have to make things right for her, give our child a legitimate name." In that moment, my heart seized, and I could barely breathe. Then my phone vibrated again. It was a text message: "Welcome home to the Gallo family, my queen." "Just give the word, and the child you carry will bear the Gallo name and become the most powerful heir in the American underworld."

An unserem siebten Hochzeitstag saß ich rittlings auf meinem Mafia-Ehemann Lucian und küsste ihn innig. Meine Finger tasteten in der Tasche meines teuren Seidenkleides nach dem Schwangerschaftstest, den ich dort versteckt hatte. Ich wollte ihm die Nachricht meiner unerwarteten Schwangerschaft erst am Ende des Abends mitteilen. Lucians rechte Hand, Marco, fragte mit einem anzüglichen Lächeln auf Italienisch: „Don, dein kleiner Kanarienvogel Sophia – wie schmeckt sie?“ Lucians spöttisches Lachen vibrierte in meiner Brust und ließ mir eiskalte Schauer den Rücken hinunterlaufen. Er antwortete ebenfalls auf Italienisch: „Wie ein unreifer Pfirsich. Frisch und zart.“ Seine Hand streichelte immer noch meine Taille, doch sein Blick war in die Ferne gerichtet. „Behaltet das unter uns. Wenn meine Donna das erfährt, bin ich ein toter Mann.“ Seine Männer grinsten wissend, hoben ihre Gläser und schworen Stillschweigen. Die Wärme in meinem Blut erstarrte Stück für Stück zu Eis. Was sie nicht wussten: Meine Großmutter stammte aus Sizilien, also verstand ich jedes Wort. Ich zwang mich zur Ruhe und bewahrte das perfekte Lächeln einer Donna, doch meine Hand, die das Champagnerglas hielt, zitterte. Anstatt eine Szene zu machen, öffnete ich mein Handy, fand die Einladung zu einem privaten internationalen Medizinforschungsprojekt von vor einigen Tagen und tippte auf „Annehmen“. In drei Tagen würde ich vollständig aus Lucians Welt verschwinden.

One day- I can say precisely when I know the date. I will talk to her with no fear... Maybe we will walk while holding hands, seeing eachother and smile. These are my thoughts so far... As I roll around my bed I thought maybe tomorrow I should just confess. What if I will not get rejected? So yes! I have liked this girl for quite a while now, it's going to be 2 years. She is elder than me and I guess it's the time to make everything clear. "That's when he took my breath away! I couldn't help but stare in his dark black eyes~"