THE MAFIA'S VENGEANCE

Chapter 3

I don’t understand him. He’s getting married, yet he claims me as if I still belong to him. The contradiction is impossible for me to understand.

“It’s been four years. I have a life of my own now, and you’re getting married in a week. We’ve both moved on. Why can’t we just leave everything in the past?”

As if my words amuse him, he lets out a quiet, mocking chuckle.

“You think after what you did, I’m just going to let you go? Oh, that’s not going to happen.”

The crooked smile playing on his lips disappears, his expression turning serious and sharp.

“Even if you showed up after I was already dead, I’d rise from my grave just to get my revenge on you.”

He pauses for a moment before continuing.

“Because the day you left, I swore on my own blood that I would make you pay for what you did to me. I will never forget it.”

Lorenzo stands up and pulls a chair closer. I find the courage to speak.

“I know you have every reason to hate me, and I know it’s hard to forgive me. But I’ve spent four years regretting how everything turned out. I’m not the same person I was back then.”

He places the chair in front of me and sits back, his legs spread casually. He then lights a cigarette and takes a drag, watching me as if my apology means nothing to him.

He’s smoking again.

He has truly changed.

“Really? What incredible character development,” he says with the same mocking smile.

A moment later, his expression turns completely blank. I brace myself for whatever insult is about to come.

“But I don’t f*****g care if you’ve turned into the Virgin Mary. To me, you’re still the same.”

He rests his elbow on his thigh and tilts his head, searching for my gaze. Then, he slowly exhales a cloud of cigarette smoke in my direction, making me instinctively hold my breath.

“Now, tell me. Why did you run away? Wasn’t that what you wanted? You got what you wanted. So why did you run?”

I can only bite the inside of my lip, holding back the answer.

“You ran because you were afraid I would go too far?”

With tears spilling down my cheeks, I can only nod. There’s a much bigger reason behind my escape, one I can never tell him. And it hurts to keep it buried.

“That’s why you should’ve thought before you messed with me. So, how does it feel? Are you happy after running away?”

The question makes my tears fall even harder.

For all those years, I’ve lived in fear every single day. Fear that my hiding place would be discovered. Fear that, even with a changed appearance, someone would still recognize me.

And it isn’t just because I’m afraid of dying. I have someone to protect. I could die if I had to, as long as my child stayed safe and alive. But he’s still too young to be left without his mother.

Living with that kind of fear every day is hell. But running away is a thousand times better than being trapped there.

“If you’re hoping the man you knew is still in there, let me make something clear.”

He leans back and casually crosses one leg over the other.

“That man died four years ago,” he says firmly. “He’s no longer the foolish young man who was naive about love. He won’t be swayed by a woman’s tears anymore.”

I know I can’t hide forever. And that day has finally come. I’ve been found, and whether I like it or not, I have to face the consequences of the past.

I wipe away my tears, my body trembling. I look at him, gathering the courage to ask the question that terrifies me most.

“Now... that you’ve found me, what are you going to do to me?” My voice comes out small, filled with fear of what he might be planning.

“What do you think?” he asks with a crooked smile that sends chills down my spine.

“Are you... going to kill me?” My voice comes out even smaller this time. I grip the fabric of my pants, desperately searching for something to hold on to as fear overwhelms me.

“That’s a good idea.”

My breath catches.

“But that wouldn’t be fun. Your sin is already unforgivable, and then you had the nerve to run from me for four years. I want to have a little fun with you before I decide whether to end it all.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’ll slowly strip away your soul before I take your life.”

“What do you mean? I don’t understand!” I scream, panic surging through me.

Lorenzo lets out a quiet laugh, seemingly satisfied that he’s managed to provoke me with his little game.

“Are you afraid?” His eyes gleam with cruel amusement. “What else could a woman like you possibly offer me?”

Again and again, I fail to hold back my tears. It isn’t just fear that consumes me, but also the humiliation in his eyes and the contempt in his voice. He looks at me as if I’m nothing more than a little toy for his amusement.

“From now on, I’m your master, and you’ll be my w***e until the day you die. And if I have anything to say about it, I’ll make sure it’s carved into your gravestone, too.”

He leans forward, his eyes fixed intently on mine.

“Lorenzo Arcelli’s whore.”

I can only cry. I don’t deserve to be treated this way. I look into those eyes—the same eyes that were once filled with love for me. But now, all I can see is hatred.

“Stop crying, and let’s get straight to your first punishment.”

He leans back in his chair, spreading his legs as he reaches for his belt buckle.

“Be a good w***e and satisfy me.”