#03 - Revenge

Caterina Bellini

Finding my old diary felt like being transported back into the past, once more.

I was still trying to process everything that had happened: the murder, how Nathalia had plotted against me, with my husband blindly supporting all her schemes.

Coming back to life and, more importantly, back to the day she moved into our house, changed everything for me.

I had a second chance. And now all I could think about was the name scribbled on the diary’s worn pages.

But before I could ponder how that might help me, I heard the men outside greeting Adrian.

I shoved the diary under the mattress and settled on the bed.

I fixed my gaze on the window and looked out at the beautiful view, forcing myself not to feel disgust the moment his scent invaded my senses. Adrian buried his face in my neck, covering me with kisses that once felt passionate but now were only a false attempt to deceive me.

“Cat, I missed you so much…” his drawn-out voice echoed as I felt his stubble scratch my skin. “Please… can you forgive me? I did what I had to do. I paid the debt I owed to my late friend, and I didn’t leave his daughter helpless.”

I did not want to hear another word.

I simply pulled away and walked to the window, hoping the sight of the flowers would help me stay sane and not explode or reveal everything I was planning in that moment.

But, of course, he followed. He looped his arms around my waist and rested his face against mine, as if to ease the weight of his actions.

Even the warmth of his breath now irritated me.

I had truly changed.

Not long ago, I would have killed for a moment of his affection. I missed the heat of our bodies together; how good we were at everything we did.

But that was a distant past. Those three years of marriage had been thrown away the instant he decided I was not enough.

“You are the Don now, Adrian.” I turned to face him. “You are the one who makes decisions for the Famiglia now, right? That’s what you said earlier. So why do you need my forgiveness?”

“Oh, come on, Caterina… Why are you being so hard on me?” His voice began to lose patience. “What I did for Nathalia was only to shelter her. I fulfilled a promise, just as I fulfilled the one I made to your father.”

Then I laughed. An incredulous, bitter laugh. My sharp look could have killed him.

I brought my hands to his face, mocking. My red nails dug into his cheeks, pulling his face closer to mine.

“You are always so good at keeping your promises, my love…”

He looked at me, confused, surprised by the calm in my expression.

By then, I should have yielded, forgiven. But he had no idea who he was dealing with now.

“You made the right decision. So sleep well, with a clear conscience. Now leave me alone, please. I want to take a bath.”

I let go of his face and turned away again, pretending to be absorbed by the lilies in the vase, while he remained silent, awaiting some reaction.

It did not take long for him to finally leave the room and let me be.

Adrian Monti had his chance. But now, he had lost me.

…

I heard one of the guards say Adrian would be busy that afternoon.

I took advantage of the rest of the day alone to organize my thoughts.

I gathered everything I could find: my information, scattered contacts, and the documents I had rifled through in the desk drawers.

I had been discreet, but my trust in Adrian to handle the Famiglia’s affairs had always allowed him to act comfortably right under my nose.

He had no idea.

When I finally managed to compile a reliable list, that damned name kept consuming my attention.

Vincenzo Leone.

It was not just a name. No one who inspired fear even in the highest circles of crime.

The leader of the most powerful mafia in North America.

In my past life, I had only known him by reputation. I had heard of his cruelty, how he stood behind the most ruthless decisions and strategies. But I had also heard of his beauty and charm.

The smartest choice would be to keep my distance.

A man like him, merciless and cold, would not accept proposals from just anyone.

But I knew that betrayal was the worst crime in our world.

It might be enough to convince him to help me.

With that in mind, I had no idea how to contact him. He was inaccessible.

I paced back and forth, checking names and trying to imagine what I might have forgotten.

Just as I was about to give up, a spark of hope lit inside me.

I turned to the back cover and found a secret compartment I had made myself.

And there it was: a name and a freaking phone number.

How could I have forgotten this? Of course!

Once, at a high-profile event, I had earned an advantage. There had been an attack, and that day I had saved the life of Luca Benedetti’s nephew.

And Luca… was none other than Vincenzo’s right hand.

This had to be my salvation. He would listen to me.

I closed my eyes and let the silence of the room settle over me.

The clock on the wall ticked, a steady reminder that time was passing, whether I was ready or not.

I noticed the faint hum of the city outside, the occasional car horn, the laughter of people who had no idea of the blood and betrayal that defined my new world.

I looked once more at the contact, knowing exactly what I needed to do.

It was time to collect a debt.

And that could mean only one thing: revenge.