Matteo was at his wit’s end wondering who the woman from Sicily could be. He knew no one who had a child. They only kept in touch with his father’s family. Was it one of his cousins? But none of them would seek him out. He wasn’t close to any of his relatives. Worried, he rushed out of his room to find Amelia still in the same place where he had left her. Something seemed terribly amiss, but he couldn’t pinpoint it. What could have happened to her in his absence? She looked up with a frown at seeing him emerge from his room. Matteo instantly missed the connection he had shared with her before he left home. “I have to go to the shop. Freddie called right now.” Amelia nodded at him absent-mindedly and Matteo sighed as he walked away. He would have to find out what was bothering her. Maybe he would after his return. The door closed after him and Amelia got up to rinse the dishes when her phone buzzed with two back-to-back messages. Checking her phone, she frowned at the messages she r

Amelia sat in her room, staring at her phone. It had been almost twenty-four hours since she left New York, yet all Matteo had sent her was a message and three missed calls. She stared at his desperate plea!Come back, Emilia! Why didn’t he call her afterwards if he really wanted her back? “Amy, Dad wants to talk to you. He’s waiting in his study,” said Gia, her younger sister, flying into the room to sift through her luggage for the fourth time since she had arrived yesterday. “I’m not in the mood for a lecture now. Tell him I’m asleep.” Gia scoffed and gave up her hunt. “Why would I lie? You got nothing for me from New York!” She pouted and stomped away leaving Amelia to groan and follow her out. Ever since she returned, she could sense the displeasure on her parents’ faces. Even her grandparents didn’t look pleased with her. Thankfully, Ryan had gone to Philadelphia for an interview. Else he would have blasted her already for staying away for so long. She sighed and opened th

“It doesn’t work that way, Matteo. I’ve branched out, but I will help Don financially. Whenever he needs me, I’ll be with him. So I’m not breaking away from the circuit. If you join me, Don will release you similarly,” said Rafael while Matteo sat in a dilemma. He wouldn’t join in anything illegal but fight for his freedom instead. However, he couldn’t afford to displease Rafael since he was powerful and could help them out in sticky situations. “Right now, I can’t join any other work, Rafael. I know I can’t give it time.” Rafael looked annoyed and stood up abruptly, ready to leave.“In that case, I guess you’re on your own, Matteo. Talk to Don and figure it out. Don’t blame me if they capture you. I’ll be leaving the country very soon. So I cannot protect your family this time.” Both the brothers watched him leave and then slumped into the sofa, realizing the deadly path ahead of them. Marcello opened his door and peered out. Seeing Rafael gone, he came over and sat with them.“I kn

Matteo drove cautiously, knowing how dangerous his mission was. With so many weapons loaded in his car, he couldn't speed and draw attention to himself. By the time he reached the client’s warehouse, the sun was already up. He delivered the consignment and left in a relaxed state of mind. His first mission was successful, and he was one step closer to freedom. He reached Don’s house later and was applauded for his efforts, much to Luigi’s annoyance. Later in the evening, Don gave him more work. This time, he got little time to plan it out. It was a drugs deal he had to strike with an international drug lord, based in Calabria, the southern tip of Italy. He left immediately for Calabria, but this time, Matteo was doubtful of his success. With Luigi aware of the deal, he had to be extra cautious. This time, he involved Roberto and his friend, Lorenzo, who worked in a warehouse in Calabria. They were about to meet the drug lord at the warehouse, but Roberto changed the venue at the las

Amelia gaped at her friend, her mind jumbled up in a state of confusion. “Why do you need to marry me, Ryder? If you want to move on, do so with your career. We don’t love one another. Our wedding will be a disaster.” She tried her best to make him see sense. How could she marry him when she loved someone else? “No, Amy. You don’t understand at all. If I’m single, I’ll end up disrupting Brooklyn’s life and mine as well. I’ll either kill myself or kill Nikolas and end up in prison. Please help me. Marry me, Amy.” Amelia was in the biggest dilemma in her life. She understood Ryder’s urgency, but her heart battled against the marriage. “You know I love Matteo. I can’t do justice to this marriage, Ryder. We can’t have a normal relationship, a stable marriage when every second I’m waiting for Matteo.” Ryder looked torn, and helpless, ready to convince her somehow. “I’ll release you if Matteo ever comes for you. I promise you that, Amy.” Amy chewed her lips, considering his proposal. S