“As for those spineless fools who just stood by and watched, every one of them got a scar carved into their face. Dante called it ‘the mark of the cold–hearted.“”
2
“The businessmen there all received death threats that night. The next day, their stocks plummeted.”
“Some had their warehouses burned down by Dante’s men, others had key people mysteriously disappear.”
“If I wasn’t your best friend, I’d probably be a cement pillar at the bottom of the Hudson River by now.”
“There were media at the scene, but the next day, not a single word about the violence appeared in the papers. It was all bankruptcy news on the business pages.”
“Those reporters were either bought off or threatened. Anyone who dared to write the truth would just disappear.”
Carlie feigned a shiver. “It’s actually pretty terrifying when you think about it.”
“In the chaos, with Angelo screaming for his mother, Joey managed to slip away, saving his pathetic hide for now.
Hearing Carlie’s words, my heart clenched painfully.
“Angelo… how is he?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Carlie hesitated, her expression softening with pity. “That kid… Elena, you’re not going to believe this.”
“When you collapsed, Angelo was terrified seeing you covered in blood.”
Chapter 9
+25 BONUS
“He just kept crying, ‘Mama, Mama,‘ even harder than Matteo.”
I was stunned.
Carlie continued, “When Vivian was being executed, Angelo hid in a corner, shaking.”
“He just kept muttering, ‘It’s my fault. I hurt Mama.“”
“When Joey tried to take him away, the kid refused to go, saying he had to wait for you to wake up.”
Tears welled up in my eyes.
“What happened then?”
“Joey dragged him away by force,” Carlie sighed. “But the kid was traumatized. He’s hiding with Joey in some safe house now.”
“You’re still worried about him? Elena, that little ingrate never once treated you like his real mother!”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
ماسرة
No matter how Angelo treated me, he was still my child.
Just then, the hospital room door opened gently.
Dante walked in, holding a sleeping Matteo in his arms.
Seeing me awake, a flicker of surprise and relief crossed his face, but he quickly composed himself.
“You’re awake,” he said simply.
But the way his other hand gripped mine tightly betrayed his inner turmoil.
Carlie tactfully stood up. “I’ll go get you two something to eat.”
With a nod to Dante, she left.
The room was quiet, with just the three of us.
Dante carefully placed Matteo on the small sofa next to the bed, then sat beside me.
“Does it hurt?” he asked, gently stroking my bandaged shoulder.
“No,” I shook my head. “Matteo, he…”
“He was very brave,” Dante’s voice was filled with pride. “When you fainted, he stood guard over you, not letting anyone get close.”
“When the doctor was examining you, he stood right there, watching, afraid the doctor would hurt you.”
My poor baby, having to endure all that at just three years old.
“Angelo… he regrets it,” Dante said, as if sensing my unspoken question. “The kid has been crying for days, saying he wants to come back and apologize.”
“But Joey won’t let him out. He’s afraid I’ll kill them.”
I was filled with mixed emotions. “Is he… is hie okay?”
Dante was silent for a moment. “My men report that the child hasn’t eaten or drunk anything for days.”
Chapter 9
“He keeps saying he needs to protect his mama, that he’s a bad kid.”
He was my child, after all. I knew Dante wouldn’t hurt him.
The bond between us, as mother and son, was now broken.
