Living with the Mafia

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen! Now, we're bringing you the city's most talked-about wedding, and word is, the bride and groom come from two of the most notorious mafia families around..." Inside the church, crystal chandeliers glistened overhead, and lush flowers adorned every corner, radiating luxury from top to bottom. "Romeo, do you take this woman to be your wife, to stay by her side through thick and thin, in sickness and in health?" The priest's solemn question hung in the air, but no answer came. "Uh, Romeo?" Romeo's eyes were fixed on the doors, where a crowd of reporters were broadcasting the scene live. One camera briefly caught his face before a black-suited bodyguard swooped in and took the reporter's camera. Amid the reporters' protests, he turned around and revealed his perfect face. However, with such an attractive face, he looked at his bride with an icy detachment. There was no warmth in his gaze, almost as if the ceremony itself bored him. But anyway, he had to say the answer to the priest. He'd barely opened his mouth when an earth-shaking explosion ripped through the church. The blast shattered stained-glass windows and sprayed shards across the room. The church was suddenly a mess, with guests screaming and scrambling in panic. Then, a group of masked and armed men stormed in, firing shots that echoed through the church like a relentless drumbeat. Romeo's gaze turned sharp. Even with their faces covered, he knew these guys—they were his own men. He realized that someone had betrayed him, and it struck him like a slap in the face. "Listen," the bride, silent until now, whispered to Romeo, "my father wants you dead. Run, now!" Before Romeo could react, a masked man rushed between them, and the bride's crew yanked her away. Without hesitation, Romeo delivered a swift and sharp chop, dropping the man in an instant. Romeo grabbed the man's gun and ducked behind a column to fire back with deadly precision. Each of his shots was on target. "Hold steady! Fight back!" he barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. Hearing his order, his men stabilized themselves and pulled their own weapons to join the fight. Bullets tore through the air, and the shootout exploded in full force. Romeo moved with lightning speed and dodged the incoming bullets. But there were too many enemies, and their firepower was intense. He knew this couldn't keep up too long. Scanning the group, Romeo tried to find out the enemy's leader. Finally, he spotted someone who appeared to be the leader! Romeo launched himself forward. ***** Outside the church, Romeo's most trusted man, Pedri Lorenzo, watched the scene unfold on a monitor with a smug grin spreading across his face. "Do it now," Pedri ordered. This was the perfect trap, meticulously set for Romeo. Pedri had been working for Romeo for ages, and this was the exact moment he'd been waiting for. He knew Romeo better than anyone—knew his every move and every reaction. Romeo's perfect ability would make him see through this surprise in no time. But just as Romeo was charging toward the "human bomb" Pedri had so carefully prepared, Pedri's grin froze. An older figure with gray hair rushed in and shoved Romeo out of the way. "Stop!" Pedri's face twisted in panic as he shouted. Too late—the bomber had already detonated the bomb on his body. Pedri slumped to the ground and stared blankly at the scene. That figure... it was Paul Bruno, Romeo's father—and his father, too. Pedri Bruno was Paul's illegitimate son, and though he hated that Romeo had been given everything, he never wanted to hurt his father... ***** The moment the bomb exploded, Paul's years of experience in the gang kicked in. He instantly saw through the trap. He hurled himself at Romeo to shield him and pushed him away just in time. "No, Dad!" Romeo cried out. "Leave me alone!" Paul shouted back. "This whole setup is for you! Get out of here, now! I'll handle things here!" Romeo gritted his teeth, with pain and anger flashing in his eyes, but he knew hesitating was not a good choice now. He gave a sharp nod and bolted for the church's side door. The church was thick with smoke, echoing with gunfire and shouts. Ducking and weaving through the storm of bullets, Romeo sprinted forward. A shot grazed his shoulder, staining his white suit red. Yet the injury barely slowed him. He forced his way through the side door into the garden. But the garden was no sanctuary either; the enemy was close on his heels. Romeo sped through, vaulting over flower beds and ducking through shrubs. He saw a tall wall at the far end, his only shot at escaping. Gathering every ounce of strength, he sprinted, leaped, and clung to the wall. Though his injured arm screamed in pain, his sheer willpower got him over. On the other side, he hit the ground, catching his breath for a split second. He looked back—the enemies were still on his trail! He had no choice but to keep moving, and his sights set on the nearby road. How he wished he could just flag down a car... And then, as if fate had his back, he spotted a car speeding toward him, with a woman seemingly behind the wheel! Without hesitation, Romeo shielded his head and hurled himself onto the road, right into the car's path. The impact knocked him down hard!