The Viper's Bite

Trigger warning (gore) Matteo D'Alessandro I lost my wife to a vicious bait to a mafia party. A party where the members had to sacrifice someone or something close to them to prove their loyalty to the cartel. Viper's are just a VVIP guest of the show and I was certain that I wouldn't be the one to sacrifice. I didn't love my wife, but I sure did respect her and was ready to fight for her. We were best friends for almost all our life as our fathers used to be friends. We just got married to expand our chain. I just couldn't love her back. Yes, she loved me. More accurately, she fell in love gradually after our marriage and she was okay with me not loving her back. The Royal-Loyal, is the name of the party that is held by the head families for the cartels to prove their loyalty. The party looks like a regular masquerade party with wine and dark lights and low music. And after the the party the head families will choose one or more cartel boss to prove their loyalty by sacrificing something or someone close to them. The party is held every 7 years. The odd years represents the 7 head families. It used to be 9 years but something happened between the families and they decreased the number to 7. We were invited to the party as VVIP guest 3 and at that time my father was the leader. My father was always cautious about showing how he only had a trophy wife to the world. But only I knew how he was so head over heels for her and not even my mom knew about his true feelings. Because he was scared. Scared that his weaknesses will be used against him brutally and might even end loosing her. The VIP's were the one who was supposed to be the one's to prove themselves and VVIP's were there to vote for this heartless game-bait. It was my first time attending this party after our marriage and just likw my father I always maintained a cold surface against my wife. Everything was going fine and when it was time to vote, my father voted on behalf of our family as he was the leader. We all knew too well that the head families already choosed their targets it's only the front show to make us the equal sinners. "Now then, I shall announce our sacrifice and the executioner." The host announced, as if it was some random award show. I scoffed inside. "Natasha Carter, from the Hellbound cartel, VIP 9." I looked beside me to see her just as shocked as me. I was terrified myself but still I had to comfort her. "Breath Nat, I think they are choosing you as the executioner and it's just a common thing for us, you can do this." She relaxed a bit. But fate was just as cruel. "Please come forward Natasha Carter from VIP 9. I will start the countdown, 3-2-1." Thankfully she reached on time and I managed to kiss the back of her hand before she walked out. "And now, I will announce our executioner!" My heart dropped. My eyes widened at the realisation. My feet sprinted before my mind could process. I have to save her, I have to protect her. That's all was going on inside my head. "Wait, wait, wait." I was screaming from the bottom of my lungs while running through the guests. I know I was only making it worse by confirming that she is someone close to me and I do fear loosing her. But I have to save her. "She is already married to the VVIP 3 family, how could you!." I was stopped by the men. I felt like I would rip my joints with the opposite force that is being used to stop me. But for now Natasha is my only priority. I need to save her. No matter how much I shouted no one seemed to care, the host announced the executioner but my mind was fixated on Natasha only. She was scared, she was alone, she needed me. I saw her tears slid down her rosy cheeks. I never realised how beautiful she looked, how cute her chubby cheeks were. I failed to give her the life she deserved. I saw the executioner raised her gun and pointed it to her forehead. The laser was visible, pointing that once the bullet is shot there is no way I can save her. Everything seemed to stop around me and Natasha's pleading eyes were the only thing I could see. I know she wanted to say I love you one last time and I was just as desperate to hear just one more time. And just like that I lost her. Only after the vicious bait was done they released me and I didn't waste a single breathe and ran to her. I pulled her in a tight hug. But she was already just a lifeless body. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm a coward. I'm sorry." I don't know how long I asked for her forgiveness. Her eyes were still looking at mine, as if asking for one last goodbye. I don't know how long I cried holding her in my arms. Only if I held her when I had the time, only if I loved her when I had the time, only if I appreciated her when I had the time. Only if....... I felt like I was loosing my mind. I don't know how other people handle these kind of situation and I don't want to know. Only if I knew my first visit would be the reason I loose the one loved me I would never in my wildest dreams attend the party. I thought she was safe now that she was married to me. I saw her father broke down from distance. He was just as broken. I looked down at her body and closed my her eyelids. I kissed her one last time before picking her up but I was stopped by the men. "You're not allowed to take the sacrifice with you." The cruel part? Not yet. "Move before I kill you!" I said through my gritted teeth. I proceed to walk out but stopped once again. "A sacrifice is meant to be devoured by the head families, you cannot breach the rules." I felt like someone was hammering my head with something and I couldn't process what he was saying because someone already injected something bhind my neck and everything went dark around me. 12 years passed but her longing eyes just wouldn't let me live a single day. I always found myself wetting my pillow. I know I don't love her anymore l nor do I crave her. But the fact that even my surname couldn't save her still hunt me and the statement made by the bodyguards at the end, what did they say? What did they mean by that? I never actually saw her after that, my father just bought back some ashes and claimed it to be hers but something in me says the real story is something more dangerous and beyond imagination.