Dreams are manifestations.
Dreams can come true.
But, so can nightmares.
"SHIT!" Salvatore gasped.
After leaving Alessandro's room, Salvatore fell asleep immediately and dreamt.
Although, it was far from the rainbows and unicorns one would expect.
In his "dream", someone he loved dearly passed away.
Though Salvatore couldn't remember who it was, the nightmare shook him to his core.
He didn't know who died.
But he could feel it.
The sweat that drenched him from head to toe made the entire room feel suffocating.
Salvatore slowly got out of bed and opened the balcony doors before laying against ledge, taking a deep breath as he felt the cool air on his face.
This night was peaceful, calm, and serene.
The moon and the stars glistened in the sky, illuminating Salvatore's black hair like the sea.
Watching the stars made Salvatore emotional.
It was one of the last moments he shared with Valentina all those years ago.
Salvatore shakily sighed and rubbed the ring on his finger as he thought of his beloved wife.
Thinking about Valentina brought Salvatore comfort.
Comfort he craved when Alessandro was not there.
The sky was as dark as the sea, making Salvatore tear up at the sight.
The ocean was his home.
The sea was the first place Salvatore lived.
The sea was the first place where Salvatore met Angelo.
The sea was where Carlo passed away.
The sea was where Lucille was murdered.
The sea was the last place Valentina and Salvatore were before that one fateful day.
The sea was Salvatore's and Valentina's home.
*************
Sicily, 1966
The splashing sounds of the waves and constant chatter from the seagulls made Salvatore feel at home.
Although, it was probably because he was home.
Only this time, with the woman he loved most.
"CARO! I don't want sand in my hair! STOP IT!" Valentina giggled.
Salvatore chuckled and grabbed Valentina's waist before kissing her cheeks gently.
"How much longer until your parents will accept me? I can't live without you any longer, amor." Salvatore sighed.
Valentina shrugged her shoulders and tuck her head into Salvatore's neck as she listened to his breathing.
The two stayed silent for a while, taking in the salty smell of the sea.
"Caro? Can I ask you something?" Valentina asked curiously.
"Of course. What is it?" Salvatore said gently.
Valentina sighed and ruffled Salvatore's hair as she fiddled with her fingers in guilt.
"Would you see me as the bad guy if I don't want to raise your daughter? I'm not ready to raise a child who isn't mine. Do you hate me for that?" Valentina muttered nervously.
Salvatore's eyebrows furrowed as he soaked in Valentina's words.
Did he see her as a bad guy?
Not necessarily.
Both Valentina and Salvatore knew who Lucille was.
And anything that came from Lucille was bound to be a mistake.
"Of course not! I want to find Gabriella, but it's not possible. She's somewhere out there, yet I've never seen or heard her voice. Yes she may be a baby, but I still don't expect you to accept her. It'll take some time and I'm willing to wait for you, Val." Salvatore said gently.
Valentina sighed in relief and rested her head on Salvatore's chest as he stroked her hair.
"I can't wait caro! We're in it together now. We're Sal and Val! It's us against the world!" Valentina exclaimed.
Salvatore chuckled and kissed Valentina's nose before snuggling into her chest.
Everything was going great.
........For now.
"Are you guys done now? Lorenzo is getting sleepy!" Angelo shouted angrily.
Valentina giggled and nodded before pulling Salvatore up.
Only two more days and Salvatore would finally propose to Valentina.
But all he needed was her parents blessings.
Angelo sighed as his son, Lorenzo fell asleep on the ground since Valentina and Salvatore took a little too long talking.
Two years back Angelo met Francesca, Valentina's best friend who became the mother of his child.
Lorenzo was coincidentally also a one night stand, much like Gabriella was, although Angelo and Francesca maintained a good relationship coparenting compared to Lucille and Salvatore.
"Pa! I'll jump off the cliff if you don't take me inside! I don't care about Zia and her boyfriend anymore!" Enzo said angrily.
Angelo sighed and lifted Enzo before wrapping him in a blanket and shutting the door on the couple entering.
"My son almost committed suicide because of you guys! AND HE'S ONLY TWO! Forget about ma and pa's blessings! You two are already all over each other so there's no point of marriage!" Angelo said as he shut the door.
Both Valentina and Salvatore chuckled at Angelo's comment.
He was their biggest supporter of their relationship, but also the biggest hater as well.
"Papa Angelo is something I'll never get over! He changed so much! I wonder if the same will happen to you." Valentina said softly.
"Let's test that. I'm tired of waiting for your parents Valentina! Let's elope and get a certificate! No one will ever know except my pa, Angelo, and Lucia! What do you think?" Salvatore asked gently.
Almost immediately, Valentina nodded.
At this point, she'd do anything to finally marry Salvatore.
The couple packed their bags immediately, heading to the most secret of marriage agencies to get their certificate.
While it was spontaneous, Salvatore and Valentina were ready for it all.
"I do." Valentina said smiling.
Salvatore smiled back and glanced at Alessandro who merely patted his head in respond.
"I do." Salvatore said happily.
The long awaited kiss was quick yet meaningful, especially for Alessandro who watched in tears.
He knew Valentina would be a greater wife to Salvatore than Carolina ever was.
The newlyweds finally left the agency to tell the world of their marriage, though before they could, disaster struck.
"Where should we go for the honeymoon?" Salvatore asked gently.
Valentina happily sighed and placed her head on Salvatore's shoulders before replying.
"Greece. I want to go to Greece!"
Salvatore chuckled and nodded, about to leave the door to the building until......
"SALVATORE, WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! GO GO!" Alessandro shouted.
Almost immediately, Salvatore pushed Valentina behind him to protect her from any danger.
He waited all this time to finally be hers, so Salvatore knew to protect Valentina at all costs.
Gunshots littered the halls Salvatore and Valentina stood, penetrating through every object in sight.
"SHIT! MY GUN IS OUT OF BULLETS!" Salvatore said angrily.
Valentina tensed and quickly pulled out a small knife from her dress before throwing across the room.
The knife hit the assailant in the face and the gunshots finally stopped.
"VALENTINA! SALVATORE! GO!" Alessandro shouted from the other side.
Both Valentina and Salvatore nodded, hurriedly running out of the building while Salvatore shouted one last thing to Alessandro.
"TI VOGLIO BENE, PA!"
Alessandro smiled and winked at his son once more before finally replying.
"Ti amo, Salvatore."
The newlyweds quickly ran to the nearest open field, although someone was after them.
As the couple ran to a nearby cliff above the ocean, a gunshot was heard from behind them, making Valentina trip.
"W-WHOA! Careful caro!" Valentina gasped.
Salvatore gasped as he held Valentina's arm against a cliff that lead to the salty, blue sea.
He was having deja vu.
Salvatore's eyes flickered from left to right as Valentina held onto him for dear life while memories hit him like a truck.
Eight years before...
"SEE LOOK! I'M NOT GONNA FALL-" Carlo said before the cliff crumbled.
Soon enough, Carlo fell and quickly grabbed a nearby rock.
"SALVATORE, HELP! GIVE ME YOUR HAND!" Carlo shouted from below.
Salvatore hurriedly ran over to Carlo and felt his heart break as he watched his brother dangle from a small rock.
"PLEASE, HELP! I CAN'T HOLD ON FOR MUCH LONGER! MY DEATH WILL BE ON YOUR HANDS IF YOU DON'T HELP! NOW COME ON!" Carlo said angrily.
Salvatore lowered his hand down and ushered Carlo to grab it.
"COME ON CARLO, GRAB IT!" Salvatore shouted.
Carlo groaned and quickly grabbed Salvatore's hand before sighing.
He wouldn't die.
As Carlo pulled onto Salvatore, Salvatore felt his grip loosen.
He was too weak.
He couldn't lift up a giant man like Carlo.
Salvatore teared up as Carlo guiltily stared into his eyes.
He glanced at Carlo one last time before saying one thing.
"I'm sorry."
**************
"SALVATORE! THERE'S SOMEONE BEHIND YOU!" Valentina cried.
Salvatore stood frozen in his spot.
What if he dropped Valentina just like what happened to Carlo?
Would Angelo hate him?
As Salvatore remained frozen, Valentina sighed and tried removing her hands from Salvatore's grip.
"STOP, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I DON'T WANT TO DROP YOU!" Salvatore shouted.
"YOU NEED TO! HURRY!" Valentina exclaimed.
Salvatore tensed for a moment.
He'd either get shot to death by the assailant behind him.
Or, he'd possibly murder Valentina by dropping her almost fifty feet into the ocean.
"C-caro, p-please. Drop me. You won't hurt me, I promise you. P-please!" Valentina cried.
Salvatore shook his head once more.
He wouldn't.
Valentina was about to shout once more until another gunshot was heard, right beside Salvatore.
Though Valentina knew this could possibly destroy both her and Salvatore's life, she'd take the risk to save her husband anytime, anywhere.
Valentina used her upper body strength to pull Salvatore down with her, shocking him greatly.
"WHAT THE FUC-"
The moment the couple hit water, the temperature dropped immensely.
If Alessandro didn't find them then they'd die by hypothermia.
"VALENTINA! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?" Salvatore shouted.
"BECAUSE Y-YOU CAN'T D-DIE CARO! We're in this together, r-remember?" Valentina said shakily.
Salvatore teared up and nodded.
Valentina was truly his soulmate.
The couple inched closer in freezing Mediterranean sea, hoping their body heat would save each other from freezing to death.
The couple floated in the water for two hours yet there was no sign that they'd ever get out.
For this would be their last day on earth together.
"S-Salvatore? A-are y-you a-alive?" Valentina shivered.
"Y-yes. H-how d-do y-you f-feel, a-amor?" Salvatore shakily replied.
Valentina shakily sighed and held onto Salvatore even tighter as their hands froze from the chilling water.
"A-amazing. I'm w-with my h-husband, in t-the s-sea. T-the o-ocean is o-our place." Valentina cried.
Tears dropped from Salvatore's face as he felt Valentina's whimpers.
He was losing energy.
He couldn't hold onto Valentina any longer.
"I'm w-weak. You shouldn't b-be happy. I m-might drop y-you. N-nobody d-deserves a w-weak h-husband." Salvatore muttered.
All the energy that was sucked out of Valentina came back the moment Salvatore uttered the word "weak."
"N-no, you're not w-weak! Y-you're Salvatore D-de L-luca, don to the De L-Luca mafia! Y-you're my h-husband. Y-you're G-Gabriella's f-father! Y-you'll n-never be w-weak t-to me." Valentina shouted.
Salvatore teared up even more.
He'd never let go of Valentina, no matter how much the world wanted it.
"Y-you're right. The o-only reason I'm n-not weak is b-because I h-have y-you. We're g-going to g-get out of h-here." Salvatore mumbled.
"H-how do you k-know?" Valentina shakily replied.
Salvatore groaned and kissed Valentina's icy cold forehead before replying.
"Because we're S-sal and V-val. It's us against the world."
Valentina weakly chuckled and kissed Salvatore's gently.
The two hugged for another hour both unconscious and seemingly dead.
As the couple was lifted up by a nearby ship, they still remained in each others arms.
"You're awake! Are you guys alright?" The captain said worriedly.
Both Valentina and Salvatore tensed.
They made it out alive?
"W-what? I'm confused?" Valentina muttered.
The captain of the ship chuckled and stuck his hand out to Salvatore before speaking.
"Your father sent me to find you. I'm Leonardo, I'll take you to safety." The captain said gently.
Salvatore slowly nodded and shook his hand while Valentina quietly giggled beside him.
"You thinking what I'm thinking, Sal?" Valentina smirked.
Salvatore smiled and kissed Valentina's dimply cheeks before replying.
"Of course I am, Val."
And from then on, Leonardo Gabriele De Luca was born.
****************
The breeze in the air was nice and cold, though it compared nothing to the sea.
Salvatore sighed and rubbed his head in exhaustion until he heard someone speaking above him.
He looked up and saw......Alessandro?
Alessandro wasn't asleep yet?
Salvatore smiled as he heard Alessandro reading.
As Alessandro read, Salvatore felt small droplets fall onto his back.
It wasn't raining.
So was Alessandro was crying?
Perhaps the book Alessandro was reading touched his heart.
Salvatore sighed and listened to Alessandro's reading about God, savoring every single sentence that left his father's mouth.
For some reason, Alessandro's words brought Salvatore peace.
Salvatore realized it was getting too late and was about to alert Alessandro about the time, until a gunshot rang through the air.
The moment the gunshot rang, Salvatore felt more liquid spewing out from the balcony above him, though this time, it wasn't Alessandro's tears.
Salvatore shakily touched the floor beneath him and saw....
Blood.
Almost immediately, Salvatore glanced up at the balcony in fear and finally saw it.
"P-PA! PAPA, N-NO!" Salvatore cried.
He sprinted out of the room covered in blood, scaring every single person whom he passed.
"What's wrong Uncle Sal? Are you okay?" Emiliano asked worriedly.
Salvatore groaned and ran even faster.
He needed to get to Alessandro.
As Salvatore ran, everyone else worriedly followed, wondering what made Salvatore so active at this time in the night.
The moment Salvatore opened the door to the room, he fell to his knees.
His papa was, gone.
"Daddy, what's wrong? Are you- OH MY GOD!" Gabriella gasped.
Salvatore sobbed and crawled over to Alessandro who laid face down on the floor before pulling his bloody body into the room.
He turned Alessandro's head towards him, hoping he'd see any signs of life.
"PA! NO, PLEASE PA! WAKE UP!" Lucia sobbed.
The silence in the air was chilling.
Nobody dared to utter a word as the De Luca children stared lifelessly at Alessandro's face.
His eyes were shut, though his face was glowing.
Despite being shot only moments ago, Alessandro's face looked peaceful, almost as if the gunshot had no affect on his death.
Lucia sobbed into Alessandro's chest as the blood covered her body while Emiliano watched in tears.
The first De Luca who made an impact in the mafia and the world was gone after a long seventy eight years on earth.
If Alessandro was shot in the confines of his own home, then there was still danger.
Perhaps the rest of the De Luca's were next.
Though the entire house was in chaos, Emiliano knew he had to step in.
"Pack your bags familia. We must leave, now." Emiliano said sternly.
"What do you mean? Where should we go?" Richie asked curiously.
Emiliano sighed as he patted Antonio back to sleep.
In all honesty, he didn't know where'd they go from here.
Gabriella shakily sighed and wiped her tears before pulling out a gun and speaking.
"Get the car started. We're going to Leo's."
**************
Both Leonardo and Mina slept soundly, entangled in each others arms looking seemingly peaceful.
As the couple slept, Bella began whimpering in her bassinet, waiting for one of her parents to come hold her.
Mina quickly awoke and was about to get up until Leonardo laid her back down.
"I got this amor, sleep." Leonardo said gently.
Mina softly smiled and fell back asleep while Leonardo gently picked up Bella and tried hushing her back to sleep.
Though hushing Bella to sleep worked normally, for some reason, she just wouldn't go back to sleep.
But, she also didn't cry.
The only thing Bella did was stare at Leonardo and smile, minute after minute.
Leonardo chuckled as Bella eyed him in admiration.
"What's going on in that brain of yours, Bella?" Leonardo muttered.
After what seemed like hours, Bella yawned and wiggled herself out of Leonardo's grip before hugging him softly.
Though Bella was quite the affectionate baby, Leonardo was taken aback by her action and savored her warmth.
He needed that hug.
As Bella sleepily hugged Leonardo, a small word left her mouth.
"Dada."
Leonardo's mouth dropped in shock and he quickly shook Bella awake to hear her voice once more.
"Wait, WAIT! What'd you say baby?" Leonardo exclaimed.
Bella sighed and touched her head before speaking once more.
"Dada!"
Leonardo smiled widely and quickly tapped on Mina.
He couldn't wait to brag about Bella's first word!
"What Leo? I was having a good dream!" Mina groaned.
"Listen to Bella carefully!" Leonardo said excitedly.
Mina rubbed her eyes and sighed as Bella glanced at both her parents in excitement.
Whenever she cried at night, only one parent would wake up.
Not both!
Both Mina and Leonardo stared at Bella, waiting for her to speak.
"Really Leo? As much I want to hear my daughter breathing, I'd rather sleep before the sun comes up!" Mina said tiredly.
"No wait! She said her first word! Just wait till she's ready!" Leonardo exclaimed.
Mina gasped and smiled widely at Bella at the mention of her first word.
As Mina and Leonardo waited for Bella to speak, Bella was already occupied by the window.
Bella perked an eyebrow in confusion before speaking.
"Look! She's about to speak!" Leonardo said excitedly.
Both Mina and Leonardo smiled widely as Bella opened her mouth.
"Nonno owie!" Bella cried.
"OH MY GOD! GOOD JOB BABY!" Mina exclaimed.
Leonardo perked a brow in confusion after Bella spoke.
Nonno owie?
Didn't she just say "dada?"
"No wait! Her first word was dada-"
"OPEN UP! YOU BETTA NOT BE SLEEPING LEO! DRAG YOUR FATASS OUTTA BED!" A voice shouted from outside.
Both Mina and Leonardo froze.
Wasn't that Gabriella?
What was she doing here so late at night?
Before Leonardo could get out of bed, Bella finally started crying and held her arms up for Leonardo to hold her.
"I can't amor! Mommy will hold you!" Leonardo groaned.
Bella huffed and quickly hopped into Leonardo's arms, insisting that he'd stay with her.
Leonardo sighed and rubbed Bella's back while Mina put on her hijab and walked downstairs.
The moment Mina opened the door, something felt off.
There were dozens of cars and people waiting for her.
What was going on?
"M-MINA!" Gabriella sobbed.
Mina tensed as Gabriella ran into her arms and gently rubbed her back in confusion.
"What's wrong? What are you all doing here?" Mina asked nervously.
Gabriella shakily sighed while Richie walked over with Jace and Tommy in his arms.
"N-nonno i-is dead." Gabriella cried.
The moment the word "dead" left Gabriella's tongue, Mina's heart dropped.
Alessandro was dead?
The first ever De Luca to show her kindness on a first meeting?
The Alessandro De Luca?
"H-how?" Mina said shakily.
"Someone shot him from the balcony. We have no where else to go Mina. We need you." Emiliano said as he held in his tears.
Mina's eyes watered and she quickly opened the doors to the home, ushering everyone inside.
Every single De Luca sobbed as they entered the home, finally catching Leonardo's attention upstairs.
Leonardo finally put Bella to sleep and carefully laid her into the crib before he walked downstairs confused.
Why was everyone crying?
"W-what's wrong? What's happening?" Leonardo said shakily.
The moment Leonardo spoke, a body covered in white was brought into the home.
Leonardo tensed before taking a closer look, seeing...... Alessandro.
Mina quickly ran over to Leonardo and held him tight as the waterworks flowed.
She'd be there to comfort him whenever he needed.
After sobbing into Mina's shoulder for what seemed like hours, Leonardo finally wiped his tears and spoke.
"Who did this?"
Everyone in the room was silent after Leonardo's question.
"W-we don't k-know." Aurora said shakily.
Leonardo huffed and walked back upstairs to grab his gun.
He'd avenge Alessandro, no matter how long it took.
The murderer was a stranger to Leonardo.
But, not to Gabriella.
**************
Four days later, The Funeral
The silence in the room was deafening.
Nobody dared to speak a word as Alessandro's body was lowered in the ground.
Unlike other De Luca's, Alessandro insisted he'd be buried raw without a coffin before his death.
In Alessandro's words, being buried without a coffin meant he'd leave the world exactly as he came.
The six men surrounding his body included Salvatore, Leonardo, Emiliano, Enzo, Dante, and Angelo.
Beside them stood Richie, Marcello, and hundreds of other mafiasos who stood for their fallen don.
After the body was covered, Salvatore led everyone into the building and spoke.
"My father was a great man. For he provided the De Luca mafia with the power and strength it has now. While it has been a shame that he left us, the De Luca mafia remains strong as we have three generations of De Luca's now. Me, my son Leonardo, and his daughter, Bella."
The moment Salvatore uttered the word, daughter the crowd went in shock.
Mafiosos from all around the world attended, so many of them were confused while the mafiosos who worked under Leonardo were unfazed.
Although, it wasn't just the De Luca mafia members who attended.
It was also dons from other mafias including the Spanish, Russian, Greek, and.....Japanese.
Both Andrés, Adrian, and Sofia gasped at Leonardo's words.
Sofia would mother a child that wasn't hers?
How shameful!
Salvatore pulled the microphone to speak once more, though his eyes watered the longer he stood up there.
Leonardo sighed and moved Salvatore aside before holding the microphone.
Did the world really believe the mafia would be gentler now that Alessandro was dead?
Well, they were completely wrong.
"Yes everyone, I have a daughter. But that does not mean she will be apart the mafia at all. But enough of my daughter. Today, every single one of you is a suspect in my grandfather's murder. Just because Alessandro De Luca is gone, The De Luca's reign will continue till the day I die.
If anyone tries anything tonight, just know I've already thought of it. You will all see blood if you dare cross my family once more. Andrés, Igor, Atlas, and Kazuya? Come for me, and I'll destroy you all. Leonardo De Luca is the name you'll remember everyday because after tonight, I promise I'll be unforgettable. Just watch me." Leonardo shouted.
The entire De Luca mafia cheered in happiness while each don nodded in understanding.
Each don except... Kazuya.
After the speech, Leonardo stepped off the stage to greet all the other dons who came to send their condolences.
Though majority of them were enemies, they'd always show condolences to the fallen.
Especially for the first unforgettable De Luca in history.
Andrés sighed as Leonardo shook his hand.
He wanted to talk to Leonardo about Bella, but knew it wasn't the right time.
"Your grandfather was a great man, Leonardo. May he rest in peace." Andrés said gently.
Leonardo nodded and quickly shook Adrian's hand who merely smiled.
"Nice to finally meet you Leonardo. The Petrov mafia sends their condolences." Igor, the don of the Russian mafia said.
"Likewise. And about your daughter, I still have no clue where she could be. Let's set up a meeting soon." Leonardo said sternly.
Igor nodded in agreement before Leonardo moved onto the next mafia Don, Atlas.
"Leonardo." Atlas said lowly.
"Atlas." Leonardo said blankly.
The silence in the air was enough to suffocate Atlas as Leonardo glared.
This was...awkward.
"LEO! Bella needs a diaper change and I don't have her size! Tommy's has a giant ass like me ya know!" Gabriella shouted as she walked over.
Almost immediately, Atlas's breath quickened while Gabriella froze.
This time, the silence was even more intense.
"A-atlas. Longtime no see! How are you?" Gabriella said awkwardly.
Atlas shakily sighed and fixed his hair.
Gabriella was right here.
IN FRONT OF HIM!
"I-I'm okay! Yeah, I'm fine. You doing good?" Atlas gently replied.
"It's my grandfather's funeral Atlas. Of course I'm not doing good!" Gabriella exclaimed.
Atlas chuckled at Gabriella's bluntness and nodded in understanding as Sofia slowly walked over and stood beside Leonardo.
"You're just as hilarious as I remember Gabs. I send my condolences to the De Luca's. So, i'll see you around?" Atlas asked curiously.
"No, you won't. She's married and wants nothing to do with you." Leonardo said blankly.
Both Atlas and Sofia gasped at Leonardo's forwardness while Gabriella shook her head.
She didn't expect Leonardo to be so rude!
"No no Atlas! Forget about what Leo said! He's just grumpy! But it's nice to see you again Atlas. I hope you find your stay in New York welcoming! But uh, I have to go! See you around!" Gabriella said happily.
Atlas sighed and nodded while Sofia stared at him in disbelief.
That was Atlas Artino!
After Leonardo, he was the most sought out bachelor in the mafia world!
Sofia realized she was staring for far too long and quickly shook her head before pulling Leonardo aside to speak.
"Leonardo! You didn't tell me about your daughter. Who's her mother?" Sofia asked curiously.
"It's none of your business. Now go spend daddies money and buy useless designer things to make yourself feel better. Stop asking about my daughter. Just leave me alone for the remainder of the funeral." Leonardo said sternly.
Sofia gasped at Leonardo's rudeness and pulled him closer to her before speaking.
"I know your hurting, but it doesn't mean you should be rude. Just take deep breaths and hold my hand. I'll be with you every step of the way, alright? Let's start on three." Sofia said gently.
Leonardo scoffed and pulled his hands away Sofia's grasp before angrily walking away.
He didn't have time to entertain his fake fiancé!
Sofia's eyes watered as Leonardo walked off.
Andrés always said she was unforgettable.
But it seemed as though the one she loved dearly forgot her the most.
Atlas sighed as Sofia fiddled with her diamond in embarrassment and grabbed a drink before handing it to her.
"I'm Atlas Artino. Nice necklace! I have a thing for diamonds you know!" Atlas said gently.
Sofia slowly grabbed the drink and gave Atlas a small smile.
Atlas gently smiled back and stared at the necklace once more before glancing at Gabriella.
Sooner or later, they'd truly see each other around.
**************
"Tommy! You really need to stop scratching Toni! Uncle Liano will beat your ass! And, so will mommy!" Jace groaned.
Tommy giggled and stuck his tongue out at Jace while Mina gently rubbed Antonio's scratches before pinching Tommy.
He was quite possibly the worst child ever born into the De Luca's.
But, his mother was Gabriella so it made sense.
"Can you knock it off Tommy? Stop being so bad, okay? Mommy is hurting and I don't want you bringing anymore trouble! Now SIT DOWN!" Mina said angrily.
Tommy groaned and sat on the couch while Aurora inspected Antonio's wounds.
"DAMN! You're older than Tommy, Toni! Why are you letting him hurt you like this?" Aurora said gently.
"Because Tommy scary like Aunt Gabi, mommy!" Antonio sighed.
Aurora sighed but nodded in agreement while Mina chased Tommy around the house.
Jace quickly set up the dessert stand Mina made for when all the De Luca's returned home, but did steal a few cookies along the way.
"Hey Jace? Can you and Tommy stay with Aurora upstairs? I need to clean up the large glass vase that TOMMY BROKE!" Mina said angrily.
Though Jace didn't want to deal with his younger brother, he agreed.
"Okay Aunt Mina! But, I do need a payment for it! Hand it over!" Jace smirked as he pointed to the cookies.
Mina giggled and nodded before handing both Tommy and Jace a handful of cookies.
The children went upstairs and Mina sighed as she swept the floor.
In a matter of days, she found out where Alaia was, met her father in law, went to the hospital, turned twenty seven, and now faced the death of a De Luca.
It was absurd!
Mina didn't even tell Leonardo about Alaia's whereabouts yet since she kept getting interrupted and now this happened!
Leonardo changed overnight and became the strictest, most angry person to exist since Alessandro's death.
The only person who saw the true him was Mina.
As Mina swept the glass, a small piece pricked her finger and blood dripped onto the marbled floors.
"Shit." Mina said under her breath.
She walked over to the sink and rinsed her finger with cold water before wrapping a bandage.
As Mina wrapped her finger, she admired the way the blood looked.
It reminded her so much of the time she was shot.
All that blood spewed out of her body, yet she was still alive.
And Alessandro was shot, yet he was gone.
Mina shook off her thoughts and heard the door open, thinking it was Leonardo.
"Leo? Is that you- oh. Hey Marcello." Mina said uninterested.
Marcello smirked at Mina and playfully rolled his eyes before walking over.
Even in mourning, Mina was beautiful.
"Miss me? I bet you've been so lonely without me huh?" Marcello smirked.
Mina scoffed and stuck up her middle finger.
Marcello was still so annoying.
"No, I've been well. I don't know if you remember from all the cigars you take, but I have a husband. Now be a good little boy and help me move these desserts!" Mina said smiling.
Marcello scoffed but followed Mina into the kitchen to help her bring more dessert to the table.
Mina kept handing Marcello tiramisu cups to place on the table, though Marcello gave up after the third cup.
"Oh come on! You can't do anything wrong, right?" Mina scoffed.
"Your tiramisu is disgusting. Salvatore would gag the moment he lays eyes on it! I thought your so called husband was Italian, yet you can't make a good tiramisu? No wonder Leonardo eats Sofia's cooking." Marcello huffed.
Upon hearing Marcello's words, Mina froze.
Leonardo ate Sofia cooking?
SOFIA'S?
"What did you say? Leonardo eats someone else's cooking other than mine? My husband, Leonardo ate another woman's food?" Mina said angrily.
Marcello quickly nodded while Mina angrily threw a spoon at the wall.
Though it didn't seem like a big thing, eating another woman's cooking and ENJOYING IT other than your wife's was practically a felony in Mina's culture.
"Leonardo never told me he ate Sofia's food." Mina huffed.
"He does. And uh, I don't know if you saw it, but Leonardo had lipstick on his jaw after his and Sofia's first meeting. Now I don't think Leonardo would cheat on you, but.." Marcello mumbled.
Almost immediately, Mina froze.
She did remember Leonardo having a little red stain on his jaw.
Although, Leonardo would never ever betray Mina like that!
Mina knew her husband was trustworthy!
But it was weird how close Sofia and Leonardo were getting.
Especially to Mina.
"I-i don't think so. Leo is a great man! I'm sure he has an explanation for everything!" Mina reassured herself.
Marcello sighed and shrugged his shoulder before scooping a bit of tiramisu for Mina to taste.
"Here, try it." Marcello said smiling.
Though Mina didn't want to interact with Marcello any longer, she needed a distraction.
Mina tasted the tiramisu and sighed.
In her eyes, there was nothing wrong with it!
"There's nothing wrong with it idiot! Stop being lazy and put it on the table!" Mina said annoyed.
Mina bent down to grab more tiramisu's from the fridge while Marcello stared.
He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't help himself.
Marcello slowly lowered his hand towards Mina's bottom and.......touched it.
The moment Mina felt a hand on her bottom, she jumped.
"WHAT THE FUCK? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, CREEP?" Mina said angrily.
"I was trying to grab more cups! It was on accident!" Marcello exclaimed.
Though Mina wanted to be angry, she believed him.
Why would Marcello want to touch her?
They hated each other!
It just didn't make sense for him to touch her.
"O-oh. Just uhm, finish putting them onto the table. Sorry for accusing you." Mina muttered awkwardly.
Marcello sighed and nodded before taking the cups to the table while Mina touched her forehead in exhaustion.
She felt bad for calling him a creep.
Yes, Marcello was single handedly one of the most annoying people after Tommy, but he'd never assault her.
Right?
As Mina finished unloading the dessert, the doorbell rang.
Phew!
Now Leonardo was back!
But, with Salvatore.
Mina quickly rubbed her hands together and adjusted her hijab before opening the door.
Her mouth dropped in shock as she saw who was on the other side of the door.
Newsflash, it wasn't Leonardo.
"Beautiful house Mina! Longtime no see, huh?" Morgan said smiling.
*****************
Leonardo groaned as he saw Kazuya Asahi waiting to greet him.
Out of all the mafia dons, Kazuya was definitely the most annoying.
It also didn't help that there was a raging war between them, but Leonardo went over to finally speak.
"Ahh, Leonardo! The better, more mature De Luca! How are you son?" Kazuya exclaimed.
Leonardo awkwardly tensed at the word "son."
"Boy you know damn well who your son is." Leonardo thought to himself.
"Coping. I know we're having some problems, but please don't mess with us today. Don't you remember what I said?" Leonardo said sternly.
Kazuya chuckled and nodded in understanding before patting Leonardo's back in comfort.
"Don't worry Leonardo. I know exactly how it feels to have someone you taken away from you so brutally! Just like my sister Kimi, and almost like my daughter was!" Kazuya said angrily.
Leonardo groaned and rolled his eyes in response.
Kazuya was just a giant baby who somehow gained power and money from his parents.
And the fact that Kazuya created Kai made Leonardo even more upset.
The endless cycle of Asahi's was irritating.
"Oh, sorry about your daughter. Kaya was weak as fuck and my daughter's mother could beat her as a diabetic. Looks to me like the Asahi's are just weak. No hard feelings though, right?" Leonardo smirked.
Kazuya's jaw twitched at Leonardo's words.
How dare he call the Asahi's weak?
Kazuya smirked and slowly tapped his ear three times as Leonardo watched in suspicion.
The moment Kazuya removed his hand, bomb like firecrackers began firing.
"YOU FUCKING CAGNA! YOUR SON IS EXACTLY THE SAME!" Leonardo said angrily.
The entire funeral was in a frenzy and Salvatore groaned as he saw Leonardo speaking to Kazuya.
Of course it was Kazuya.
Upon hearing Leonardo's words, Kazuya froze.
When did Leonardo meet his son?
But more importantly, which son?
"My son? What do you mean?" Kazuya asked curiously.
Leonardo scoffed and pushed Kazuya onto the ground before speaking.
"Your fucking son Kai! And even Kenji's annoying! Looks like your brain isn't the only thing fucked up, but also your sperm!" Leonardo sneered.
Kazuya froze.
Did he say Kai, and Kenji?
If Leonardo met them before it only meant one thing.
Kai and Kenji were in the States!
Kazuya quickly hopped up and grabbed Leonardo's collar in anger.
"WHERE ARE THEY?" Kazuya said angrily.
"I DON'T KNOW! Kai's probably being an ass to Sora while Kenji is lying about his identity somewhere! FUCK OFF!" Leonardo growled.
Almost immediately, Kazuya flinched.
Sora was in America too?
No fucking way.
"SHOOT!" Kazuya shouted.
The moment Kazuya spoke, the De Luca's, Gonzalez's, Petrov's, and Artino's stood guard.
Four mafia families versus the Asahi's.
Now who would win?
Leonardo smirked as the entire crowd stood guard while Kazuya scoffed in annoyance.
If they all wanted a war, then Kazuya would give it to them!
Both Kazuya and Leonardo began fighting immediately, though it seemed Leonardo had an advantage since he was younger, bigger, and stronger.
Kazuya pulled Leonardo's hair and pushed him onto the floor, though Leonardo quickly got back up.
Since Kazuya knew he couldn't win by fighting, he quickly jumped onto the stage and climbed the giant curtains all the way to a balcony on top of the stage.
"SHIT!" Leonardo muttered.
Leonardo quickly ran up to the balcony using stairs while Kazuya waited for him with a gun.
The moment Leonardo made it onto the balcony, the weight couldn't hold the two.
They were about to plunge ten feet down to the stage!
Leonardo pulled his gun out and aimed it back at Kazuya.
Maybe he'd be intimidated.
"Give it up old man. When are you going to fucking die?" Leonardo said annoyed.
Kazuya chuckled and eyed Salvatore who watched in anger.
"MURDER HIM LEONARDO!" Salvatore shouted.
Leonardo tensed and shakily held onto the trigger.
Though he didn't want to, Leonardo was finally ready to commit his first murder.
He slowly aimed the gun to Kazuya's head, about to pull it, until.....
"DIE YOU BASTARD!" Kazuya said as he pulled the trigger towards.....Salvatore.
Salvatore quickly pushed Gabriella out of the way and jumped away from the gunshot before it hit...... Andrés.
"PÀ!" Sofia gasped.
Leonardo tensed and quickly pushed Kazuya off the balcony, though a few of Kazuya's messengers caught him just in time.
Kazuya smirked as the entire crowd was freaking out over Andrés and said one thing before running away.
"DON'T EVER MESS WITH THE ASAHI'S!"
Leonardo shook his head and tucked his gun away before jumping off the balcony and chasing Kazuya.
Before he could make it to the door, Atlas and Igor stopped him.
"The Petrov's and Artino's will fight this war alongside you." Atlas said gently.
Leonardo sighed and nodded before thanking the men.
He had to murder Kazuya.
HE HAD TOO!
Leonardo angrily ran out of the building and saw a car loading up several Asahi mafia members including Kazuya.
Kazuya smirked as he saw Leonardo and said one thing before driving away.
"Have fun!"
Leonardo scoffed and began shooting at the car, hoping to stop him somehow.
Luckily, a gunshot hit the tire and the car stopped.
Though before Leonardo could go inspect it, someone hit the back of his head with a shovel.
Leonardo groaned and touched his bloody head in pain as he saw a small flicker of blonde hair above him.
While he was extremely dizzy, Leonardo tried getting up only to be hit in the head once more.
The last thing Leonardo saw was the thunder clouds above him before he was hauled away by his kidnapper.
After three hours, Leonardo finally woke up.
He groggily touched his head and looked around.
Leonardo was in a small, dark room with one lightbulb, tied to a chair with chains.
He had no shirt on and several bloody gashes that were probably caused by his kidnapper.
Oh how Leonardo wanted to murder Kazuya!
Being kidnapped was something that never happened to Leonardo, not once in his life!
So to be kidnapped during this time shocked Leonardo greatly.
Leonardo recalled the words he told Mina when she was kidnapped by him.
"I won't flatter you, because getting kidnapped truly means you are a failure."
"Looks like I am a failure." Leonardo said under his breath.
"I agree Leonardo. I agree very much." A voice said from the door.
The second Leonardo heard the voice, he knew exactly who it was.
That voice was the one he loved most, all those years ago.
A voice that was, unforgettable.
"Well, well, well. Longtime no see, Angelina."
Hi friends!! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!
I'm sorry y'all.
CLASSES START MONDAY!
I don't know how consistent I will be but please forgive me if I don't post for a while!!
But omg, guess what?
I officially changed my associates degree yesterday!! 🥳
Only one more class left inshallah!!
It's the class that's keeping me from this book so please make dua I pass for your sake and mines!!
AND, I finished a juz alhamdulilah! 🥹
Anyways, what do you guys think of the chapter??
Marcello is getting a little......👀
Sofia is just......💔
Tommy is.....😈
The De Luca's are.....🤧
Leonardo with Kazuya is......🤬😤🔫
Kazuya is.....🤡🤓
And finally Alessandro is.......💀
LOL SORRY ALESSANDRO!!
Valentina and Salvatore >>>>>>>
That part was a titanic moment haha.
"S-sal, don't l-let go."
*My Heart Will Go On plays*
Anyways, have to pray magrib!!
Till next time!! XoxoSaf