Nothing But This
Everyone knew that the mafia family's second son, Luca Romano, loved Serena Vitale to his very bones.
Five years ago, Serena climbed into bed with the Romano family's eldest son, Adriano Romano. Photos from that night spread everywhere, but Luca quietly suppressed them all.
Four years ago, Serena gave birth to Adriano's child, but Luca raised the baby as his own. He could forgive Serena for anything she did, as long as she loved him.
The underworld whispered that Serena stayed with Luca not out of love but to grab at the mafia's power and influence.
Luca did not care. He poured every ounce of his strength into treating Serena and the child well, but it was not enough. Serena became Adriano's caged canary instead.
The night they broke up, she threw his illegitimate birth in his face to humiliate him. Yet she willingly, even gladly, let herself be imprisoned by Adriano, enduring the wax and the whips.
Everyone cursed Serena for being shameless and desperate, but she was the only one who knew the bitterness she endured.