Synopsis:
In the pulsating heart of Chicago, where the streets hum with the rhythm of life, a tale of intertwining destinies and forbidden love unfurls. Serafina, radiant and hopeful on the day of her wedding to Danilo, finds her world shattered whe...
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As I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling for nearly two hours, a knock sounded on the door. My brother entered, holding Ava in his arms. He gently placed her next to me, and she crawled over to hug my stomach. I rested my hand behind her. The look on Dean's face revealed his concern.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowing.
"It's Nino," I confessed. "He's not the right guy for me. All this time, he only spent time with me to exploit our vulnerabilities. If I hadn't kidnapped him, he wouldn't have given me the time of day."
Dean looked skeptical. I wished I could trust people as easily as he did, but too many betrayals had left me cautious.
Dean left Ava with me. She fell asleep hugging me with her tiny hands. I wish I were that innocent and could sleep without nightmares. After about another hour, I carried Ava and laid her down next to her mother in their room. I gave her a kiss on the forehead before heading to the basement.
As soon as I entered the basement, memories of Nino and our spar flooded my mind. It was where we shared our first kiss, where I could have halted whatever was happening to avoid feeling the way I do now.
I approached the punching bag and unleashed all my frustrations upon it. I didn't even realize my brother was watching me. The session continued for almost an hour before I finally stopped.
Dean approached me, informing me that he was leaving and that I would have to bring food to Nino myself.
I headed to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl and filled it with pasta that I had made, then brought it to his room. Nino was sitting on the bed, facing the door. I kept my expression cold, devoid of emotions. He began to speak, but I simply placed the bowl on the bedside table and walked out, locking the door behind me. I didn't trust myself not to lash out if he said something I didn't like.
In my office, I received a video call from Remo. I answered, finding him on the edge of the bed with Fina holding the phone. Remo wore a menacing grin as he spoke.
"Fina kissed me just so she could talk to you. Isn't that sweet," he taunted.
Aware of his attempt to provoke me, I maintained my stoic composure without reacting. Fina then reassured me that she was fine, explaining that she had her own room and wasn't held in the cellar. She also clarified that she wasn't harmed for Samuel's attack.
"Wait, she knew Samuel was going to attack?" Remo's eyes hinted at his anger.
"No. If I had known, I would've stopped him. It was a reckless decision on his part. Brave, but foolish. Besides, Fina's family and I aren't exactly allies. If we were, I would've handed Nino Falcone over to them. That wouldn't have ended well."
Remo growled at the suggestion, but I didn't care. No matter how many times he threatens me, he can't possibly do any major damage. I'm too strong for him, and his tendency to underestimate women won't help him.
"Nino will be released safely as soon as your Angel is handed over unharmed," Remo declared.
He froze at the reference to the nickname he calls Fina. He doesn't know I've experienced a part of the captivity through Fina's eyes, and he doesn't need to know. Quickly, he masked his reaction.
"I let Fina call you. Now, I'd like you to return the favor and show proof that Nino is unharmed."
I walked out of my room toward Nino's, unlocking the door. He looked surprised, clearly not expecting me to come in without bringing him food.
"Your brother wants to talk to you. He let me talk to Fina; in return, I'm letting him talk to you," I explained.
Handing him the phone, he began speaking in Italian, reassuring Remo that he was unharmed and on an island. He warned Remo not to risk an attack, emphasizing that my family and I were stronger than them.
Did he really think I couldn't understand what he was saying? I was fluent in 15 languages, Italian being one of them.
"Hai finito di parlare? Ho del lavoro da fare. Per favore, non farmi perdere tempo," I interjected.
Nino looked up at me surprised, then quickly returned his attention to the phone before ending the call and handing it back to me. I left the room and locked it behind me.
