Adriana Regio never expected herself to fall into the hands of one of the most feared Mafia bosses in Italy - Don Riccardo Moretti. Mafia was the leader in wealth and everything. They were feared by all and peasants never wished to cross parts with them. That was Adrianna's case too. But, her case was entirely different in another way. She wasn't sold, bought, or anything, but she was held captive to pay for a crime she committed years ago. A crime that haunted her every night, and even though she was held captive by the man she once loved, she couldn't bring herself to tell him a secret she harbored greatly in her heart. "He's our Daddy?" ~ Emeliano questioned. "Not exactly what I expected, he's not my spec" ~ Emelio retorted.
"What a long day!" Adriana exclaimed as she wiped her face continuously with the white hanky in her hand.
She looked around the restaurant and smiled at the disorganized chairs and tables. This simply means a lot of people visited her restaurant today, it was a great thing for her.
Adriana plopped herself down on the nearest chair and exhaled loudly, then a smile spread on her face as she realized the amount she had made for the day.
For three years, she had been managing this restaurant all by herself and she could say it was the best thing ever. She was a great cook, and she decided to put that talent into use and she could proudly say people loved her meals.
Just as she was still dwelling on her little achievements, two little figures entered the restaurant and a blonde-haired boy banged the table loudly.
"Seriously? You wanna sell us off?" Emelio questioned, his voice startling Adriana who already broke out of her reverie.
"Emelio? Gosh, you startled me!" She slapped her forehead and stared at the two identical boys before her.
They both had a grave expression on their face and that was when her mind went back to Emelio's words.
"What do you mean by me selling you off? You know it's never gonna be possible," she smiled lightly.
"Not until you have to give us a detailed reason as to why you're taking us to Aunt Alessia's place" Emiliano was the one who spoke this time around.
"Alessia? Is that what this is all about?" Adriana laughed. She got to her feet and walked around the counter before finally facing her little boys. She bent to their level and held their shoulders each.
"Listen kiddies, Mommy wanna rest, okay? Besides, Alessia has been all over my neck, asking you guys to spend some weeks with her, I couldn't decline," She spoke softly.
"But, who's gonna help you at the restaurant? I'm not leaving you, Mommy, I wanna stay with you," Emiliano pouted.
"Hey c'mon, Mommy is gonna be fine. You're all grown-ups, you should enjoy yourselves," Adriana smiled. Emiliano nodded gently and she glanced at Emelio who wasn't even glancing at her.
"Emelio..." she called softly.
"You already know my answer, Mommy. I'm not going to Aunt Alessia's place and that's final!" With that, he walked out of the restaurant.
Adriana sighed and looked at Emiliano who smiled at her in return.
"I'm going to talk to him, you don't have to worry, Mommy," he spoke out. Adriana smiled before hugging him briefly.
"Go after your brother, I'm closing up soon," she said. Emiliano kissed her cheek and instantly dashed out of the restaurant.
Adriana smiled before getting to her feet. Being a single mother of two boys wasn't a day's job. Stressful? Tiring? Exhausting? Call it whatever you like, but it was the best thing in the world.
Emelio and Emiliano were identical twins. She gave birth to them seven years ago and to her, it was the greatest thing ever. The twins were of different characters but she loves them equally.
Adriana glanced around the restaurant, the only thing left for her was to just clean up the messy place and then close up. She needed to prepare dinner for her kids.
••••••••
Night arrived and as Adriana prepared to tuck herself into bed, the door creaked open and her little boys trotted in with their teddy bears in their hands.
"Emelio? Emeliano?" She sat up as they walked to the bed where she lay. Emelio climbed the bed and lay by her right side, Emiliano did by her left side, and they both hugged her to themselves.
"Okay, what's going on? I thought you were giving Mommy a cold shoulder?" She stifled a laugh as Emelio hugged her tighter.
Earlier, when she had gotten home, Emelio had refused to acknowledge her, he was a stubborn kid, she could admit. He only ate a little out of the dinner she prepared and disappeared afterward.
"I don't wanna go to Aunt Alessia's," Emelio whispered, snuggling closer into her body.
Adriana sighed and caressed his blonde hair. Just like his Father - a voice said within her.
She cleared her throat and then asked, "Is there any reason why you don't wanna go to Alessia's place?" She asked gently.
Emelio nodded against her chest and she immediately got curious. Was Alessia mistreating her kids behind her back?
"I'll miss you," Emelio whispered, leaving her stunned. Okay, this was the reason?
"Emelio," she giggled. She faced Emiliano whose head was on her shoulder.
"You're gonna miss me too?" She asked him. She felt him smile before he replied.
"I'm missing you enough as it is," he whispered.
Adriana laughed loudly and immediately held them to herself, rocking them like a newborn baby.
"You should know Mommy is gonna miss you more. But, you need to go, Alessia misses you a lot. Besides, I'm going to be happy if you do so,"
Having said that, they both raised their heads simultaneously, their icy blue eyes staring into hers. How much those eyes remind her of their Father.
"You'll be happy if we go there?" They asked in unison. She nodded her head and they both smiled.
"Then, I'm going! I want you to be happy always," Emelio muttered.
"Your happiness is our greatest priority," Emiliano mumbled.
"Then, it's a yes?" Adriana asked slowly
"Yes!!" They both screamed and she laughed. That night, her boys slept in her arms.
••••••••
The whole area was as silent as a graveyard. Even with darkness hovering around the entire place, a figure sat on a leather chair, smoking heavily.
The smell of cigarettes rented the whole air but that didn't seem to bother him as he sat there, smoking as though the world was coming to an end.
Like he was expecting, the door flung open and two of his gang members entered, holding a black box bag respectfully.
"We're back, Don" Bullet spoke out. With a nod of his head, Bullet and the other member whose name is Poison both walked forward and placed the bag on the table before the Don.
"Leave," they left the room with no other words, leaving Don Riccardo all alone in the room.
Riccardo threw the stick of cigarettes into a plastic before him and got to his feet. He walked to the table and took his time to open the bags.
He smiled when his eyes held in its contents. He had just sent his members out on a mission. They were to make a bargain with another Lord but due to his connections, he found out the other Lord was trying to trick him into killing his members and then eloping with his money.
But, Riccardo was smarter, instead, he played along. He had tricked the other Lord and successfully took his money with theirs (double folds).
With a smile on his face, he walked to the window and stared at the stars illuminating the moon.
"Mission accomplished," he said to himself.
•••••••
"Be good, okay?" Adriana said to her boys as they prepared themselves to go for their holiday.
Alessia arrived an hour ago and after spending a little time with them, she decided that they needed to leave before it got too late.
"We should be saying that to you, if you need any help, call us and we're going to run back, alright?" Emelio said more in a scolding manner.
Alessia laughed as she stared at them in adoration. She would say her cousin's children were so amazing.
"Roger that," Adriana saluted. Emelio and Emiliano rushed to her and hugged her at once.
"We're gonna miss you, Mommy," they chorused. Adriana smiled and held their bodies
"Mommy is gonna miss you more," she whispered.
"Okay kids, it's getting late, we need to leave now," Alessia said, causing them to break the hug.
Emelio and Emiliano both entered the car and Alessia faced Adriana.
"Take care of my boys for me, please," Adriana said while Alessia hugged her. Soon, she entered the car and drove off with the twins waving at Adriana till the car disappeared out of sight.
Adriana sighed. She was missing them already, three weeks ain't a joke. She heaved a sigh before entering the restaurant, it was almost evening which meant she'd be closing soon.
Meanwhile, unknown to her, a black Limousine sped across the restaurant, an icy blue eyes lingering on the figure who had just entered the restaurant.
Veronica is an eighteen-year-old omega who falls into an emotional breakdown when her Mate, who was soon to be the Alpha of the Sun crest pack, turns against her, hurls hurtful words at her, and rejects her on the night of the full moon festival because he and everyone in the pack, including her, thinks she is an omega. As if the pain of rejection, helplessness, and worthlessness wasn't enough, she lost her best and only friend to the cold hands of death when rogue wolves attacked their pack. Right in the presence of her mate, she was tagged as someone who always attracted problems and calamities anywhere she went and he turned a blind eye and watched as she was banished from the pack. With hatred for her life, she runs deep into the woods that were off-limits and jumps off to end her life, but in a turn of events, something else happens. What would her mate do when he finds out that Veronica is not who he thinks she is? Will she be able to forgive him? What fate lies ahead for them?
"Please trust me, I didn't do anything." "I don't believe you. I am rejecting you as my Queen and giving you the punishment of death." Alina was living outside her pack for five years. Her parents didn't try to contact her and always ignored her. Her best friend convinced her to go back to their pack and she agreed. But she had never imagined what was waiting there for her. She never thought she would meet her mate and had to face betrayal from everywhere. She had to pay for the crime which she never committed. Aaron Robertson is the king of Lycans. He is a very dominant and powerful King who not only rules Lycans but also rules other ranks of werewolves. Everyone is afraid of Lycans and he is the king of them. But who knew that he would get a mate who was just a simple Omega with no powers and strengths? He called her weak all the time but little did he know that his weak Omega would give him the biggest betrayal of his life for which he had to give her the sentence of death.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."