Chapter 33

Chapter 33
33

Jennifer

I was dampened in sweat. My hands were badly shivering. I was tangled with ropes. As soon as I began gaining consciousness, my anxiety started to kick in. I felt like screaming but my words didn't make a sound, it was all in my head. I kept begging for help but nothing occurred to make me feel safe. Where was Luciano? Security? Anyone? We only went to take a picture up in the hills.

But suddenly...

My breathing was short and heavy. The scene hit my chest like a gunshot. I could recall a hand covering me from behind and I lost to unconsciousness before I could repel the grip due to chloroform. Before giving in, I saw Natasha struggling with the same.

And now, I was here, to some unknown place—with or without Natasha. I inwardly prayed for her wellbeing. I wished I could open my eyes and look around my whereabouts. Even if I did, there was nothing but utter blackness.

No, this wasn't any dark room. The issue was something else. I guessed I was blindfolded because I could feel the delicate fabric around my eyes. In fact, my gut instinct believed it wasn't even a room, due to the cold wind gusting around me. Was I on the roof? Would someone throw me off some building?

Was there someone beside me? Cause I felt a heavy form blocking air near my left ear. I tilted my head in that direction, "Who is this?" My voice quavered yet nobody answered. I chose to believe I was being delusional, for my own good.

Suddenly, the pain arose in my stomach, it was sprawling all over my intestine. I couldn't help but whine on the aches. For the first time, I prayed for this baby to stay alive. I wasn't sure if I was not bleeding through my vagina. My God, I didn't want to have a nasty miscarriage moment. If my guess was true then I would be disgusting myself. My OCD wouldn't let me survive.

"Mmm," That was a faint whimper. I wasn't wrong, there was someone along with me. But from what I could sense, the person had something stuffed in his mouth that prevented him from speaking.

This could be Natasha

Oh! Yes! It could be her. "Natasha, is this you?" I whispered, though my voice was cracky, I wondered why my mouth wasn't stuffed like hers. Natasha whimpered again, loudly this time. "Are you okay?" I whined, my agitation levelled up.

"I'm sorry she can't tell you that, her mouth isn't in condition to work at the moment," Somebody replied and I registered the familiar voice; it was Sofia. Fuck, she kidnapped us. I already knew what was going to happen. Sorry God, for ranting that I didn't want this baby. Now, nothing scared me more than his safety.

"W—Why? W—What d—did you do to h—her?" I stammered, imagining worst-case scenarios.

I sensed someone removing my blindfolds, a sudden burst of light stained my sight and I took a minute to adjust my focus. I noticed we were in a tiny unhygienic service quarter. My eyes landed on Natasha, tied to a chair like me along with Sofia icing her swollen eye. My breath hitched watching her bruised.

"Natasha," I muffled, concern erupting in my cores, "What did she do to you?" She started sobbing hard, the cloth prevented her from expressing herself.

"I did exactly what was needed. Don't feel jealous, you have my equal attention," Sofia mouthed with a mischievous smirk, firmly pinning the ice bag on her affected eye, Natasha hissed painfully. My body trembled, watching her cruel take, I was dying to stop her.

"Hey, you seem to have a problem with me, don't hurt her!" I blurted out.

"Yes. You are partially right, I do have a huge problem with you but equally, we both share some rough history too," Sofia picked the sharp knife from a table. "Isn't it, my dear sister-in-law?" Natasha glared at her, I exactly understood how offended she was.

Sofia threw away the icy bag and sashayed to me with that blazing weapon. I couldn't come up with any better survival scheme that could save my life from this psycho bitch. "But that revenge could wait until I sought things with you," Her evil look was fuelling my anger. I wasn't going to get intimidated by her.

"I heard you got married to my husband two days ago," She stated, the pain behind her words was audible. I mentally assumed she was screaming in her head.

"It's a pleasure to become a Bernardi," I teased and received a hardcore punch, that threw my face to the other side and I groaned in pain. She punched again and this time on my stomach. Ah, bitch! She did it deliberately.

Oh, my baby.

"But it's not easy to stay one, especially when you have enemies way before you know," She clung to my jaw and jerked me to her face. "I won't let you take my position, not even for a day," She gritted and I mentally spit on her.

"Like it's in your hands," I didn't understand why I was flared to argue back. A month ago, I was the same person who didn't want to become Luciano's wife but now it felt like it was only my right to be called Mrs. Luciano.

Sofia swung the knife and held it upright. "It is, actually..." She looked at me.

"Your death or survival is in my hands so apparently I have everything in my control," Sofia's sinister look didn't settle well within me.

"If you had everything in control then why couldn't you stop Luciano from falling in love with me?" It was my turn to put salt on the open wound.

This was enough to irk my husband's ex-wife. "But now, I can make him feel the pain he put me through,"

"But you still will not have this position back," I fired back.

"Watch your mouth, you little poor slut. I can make you regret running this mouth," She put the tip of the knife on my chin and traced it to my Adam's apple. I stayed motionless and unbothered as if I didn't care.

I had this feeling to set her on fire. I wished I could do it because what she did to Natasha wasn't settling well with me. I wouldn't let her do it to us—me and the baby.

Suddenly the door opened behind Sofia, my eyes turned back, finding a tall man with a lean body to be walking inside. He was wearing a black leather jacket, his features were sharp and dashing as if he was a modern gangster. He surely wasreplied my subconscious behind the veil. Otherwise, he wouldn't be here

I was curious to know how he was. Her new boyfriend?

"Ah, my savage twin, knife suits in your hand. I sure I taught you blade-fighting in mama's belly," The guy remarked, misplacing Sofia's hair. Okay, so he was her brother.

"I learnt it from Luciano," Sofia replied.

The guy looked at me, "Looks like our guest is awake," He commented.

"There's a lot of things up in her that need to be cut down," Sofia taunted, pressing the knife against my skin, making me endure the pain. I inwardly grunted. Bitch!

"Why don't you let me perform my act? My hands are dying to serve her," Was I a joke to him?

"No, she's my guest. I have to attend to her," Sofia stared, deepening the cut on the crook of my neck and I ended up whining, Natasha struggled against the ropes. She threw the knife away and kept blessing me with punches, I kept groaning in pain as she continued until I bled.

"Okay... okay... cool! So, who are you going to attend first, your stepson or the new bride?" The guy chuckled evilly. This moment made me realise how protective Luciano was of me. He knew what could be the consequence of me being out without him. I really felt like an idiot to oppose him.

"First I wanna have fun," Sofia smirked, she started unbuttoning my shirt. "I wanna see what she got that I don't have," she removed my shirt and left me in a bra. Her eyes scanned me, her brother also didn't miss the chance to lust after me.

"Average bitch," He commented.

"But still she got his dick," Sofia replied, she was jealous of me because he never touched her.

Her eyes were burning in rage. She turned around and fetched a transparent bottle which had a yellowish liquid in it—petrol? "That's it. They both will die right now, I can't bear her existence anymore," Before she could soak me in it.

"Hey... hey... wait, you had your mini fun with her, what about me? I wanna have some fun too," Her brother seeped an evil smile, making my stomach drop in anxiety. I wanted to be out of the rope's hold and fight for the baby. I didn't care about my wellbeing but his. This little guy hadn't even seen the world yet it was already cruel with him.

He turned around and stepped toward me. I pinned my back against the chair, hoping it would fly me away from him. Suddenly Luciano started to fog my vision. His face was the only thing I could see. He looked hurt as if he knew what was going to happen to me. My heart felt a squeeze when her brother's hand reached my bosom and he roamed it everywhere.

All I could feel was disgust. "D—Don't touch m—me," I gritted with a disgusted look. He crouched and attacked my neck, making me stiff in my place. I wanted to scream and struggle but I was too numb to react.

His hand reached my covered breast while his mouth moved to the left side of my collarbone. He squeezed me and bit my skin, I screamed in agitation. Natasha whimpered helplessly. I shut my eyes, preventing tears to shed but they escaped me. "Get away from me," I tried to move my hands but failed to stop.

As he was about to unclip my bra. We heard four gunshots consecutively. It was a shootout occurring near, this was a sign someone came for our help and it could only be Luciano. He was here, the anxiety level dropped a little. The guy turned to Sofia.

She ran to pick guns as the gunshots' sound became louder. "He is coming here," The guy said and my heart was jumping in delirium. I never imagined I would ever feel this happy with Luciano's presence.

After the loudest gunshot, the door banged open, splitting in halves. Sofia and her brother moved behind me and Natasha who was on my left.

But I was more into witnessing Luciano. He came before my eyes, his shirt soaked in crimson blood and I noticed the shock he received after glancing at me. My eyes shed a tear. I wanted nothing but to hug him harder. I was dampened in my blood. His jaw clenched and his nose flared up. I figured out the emotions he was processing; grief, concern and a sense to shield me from the suffering.

This was Sofia and her brother's end.

I sensed a heavy object pressing over the back of my head. I was dead sure this was the gun locked on my head. Luciano stepped ahead with his men following him. "Don't come near or she will die," the guy threatened as he was pointing a gun at Natasha. He jerked her and she faintly cried.

"Be worried for yourself," Luciano snarled, his eyes moved to Sofia and then to her brother.

"I really didn't want this to happen," Was he dumb enough to think words could save him from his unfortunate fate?

"Uh-huh," Luciano didn't care.

"Don't be like this brother, I offered you before, we can solve the issue like civilised people," The guy replied and the fire in Luciano's eyes erupted into flames.

"What you done has left no chance to talk like civilised people," Luciano glanced at me, watching me in this miserable state. I felt ashamed to be shirtless, moreover, his bite must've left a mark. I couldn't even cover myself with my hands.

"Don't say that brother, we can't stain our relationship for some lowlife—,"

"WATCH YOUR MOUTH, KILLIAN!" Luciano growled, whoa. This was scary. I never saw him this bloodthirsty, coldness shuddered my whole body. Besides, Killian was the name.

"I'm just saying. My sister's been your wife for five years. We have several partnerships and shares in your projects, don't risk your life for her like that," Killian rattled out.

"Let me clear it for you. I have auctioned all the shares you were holding in my companies, the factories you owned are sealed due to smuggling the poor materials and selling it for higher prices—with proof. There's no partnership left as I sued you for faking your goods' quality. More about hotels and bars, the results are yet to come," Luciano listed.

Killian cocked the gun, Natasha whimpered. "So, it's on you, let them go willingly and I will have mercy on you otherwise say your last prayers," Luciano gnashed.

"I wanted to fuck this cunt and knock her out to make you realise how my sister suffered because of you," Killian wrapped his arm around Natasha's neck. He started putting pressure on her neck.

Natasha started turning blue. "Killian, stop," Sofia tried to stop him because she guessed what could be the end but he continued strangling her. "Killian, she will die!" Sofia put her hand and tried to loosen his arm. Meanwhile, Luciano attacked Killian by howling on him and punching him.

Sofia was arrested by his men while he dealt with Killian, he continued punching him. "Luciano, please! Stop! He will die!" Sofia trembled.

He picked Killian by his neck and tossed him in the air. "Do you think it's easy to get away after laying hands on my women," Luciano growled on his face, he started turning blue due to lack of air.

Luciano hauled him on the floor and rushed to pick the knife beside him. "How dare you strangle my sister?"

"Just the way you tortured my sister for years," Killian panted as he spilled this.

"Your sister's been fucking every man in Italy. Don't reason that to me," Luciano fisted his hair and pulled him near his face. Killian continued to breathe heavily.

"L—Let me t—tell you one t—thing..." Killian coughed and looked at me, "This slut is no special to strive for. In the end, she will deceive you for money and I'm sure as hell she will even kill you for everything you own,"

My heart squeezed as that bastard judged me without knowing me. I, indeed, was poor but not a greedy hypocrite like him.

"You are sure talking about your sister, aren't you? Who tried to do that many times," Luciano put the knife on his heart. He glanced behind at Sofia. "You like to torture people by giving them cuts. I'm sure you learnt that technique when I killed your first ex-boyfriend," Luciano scoffed.

That was creepy.

"Now, see, how will I do the same with your brother,"

"No, Luciano, no! I'll do everything you will say but please, let him go, he didn't do anything. It was me, please! Don't kill him," Sofia pleaded helplessly while Audrey and her team untied us, Audrey gave me a shawl to cover myself...



Luciano

"Audrey, take girls home," I ordered before stabbing this fucker to death. I didn't want my strawberry to witness this mess. But in fact, I wanted Sofia to see all of it. It wasn't her first time. She had been dealing with such scenarios for years. I almost slaughtered twenty-eight people behind her mistakes, just for the sake of my reputation.

"No... I don't wanna go home alone," It was my strawberry who whispered this. I turned around to look at her, everything blurred out. Only she was before my eyes. My heart screamed looking at her in this condition. Her neck was bruised and bitten. I understood exactly what they did to her.

"You have to go home, I'll be there soon," I kind of promised her. Did she miss me? I was sure she needed my hug, her body language expressed it candidly.

"But..."

"No buts, strawberry. Audrey, move," I gritted gravely and she began to take them away while female guards covered them. I almost killed every guard of theirs guarding the building, but still.

It was me, this punk, Martin, Mario, Sofia and Lydia in the room now. I started putting pressure on the knife and the blade crossed through his skin. Killian grunted and struggled against my grip but couldn't move away. "This one's for my wife," I stabbed him straight in the heart and he went motionless in a snap, followed by Sofia's shriek.

I knew he wasn't dead yet, his pulse was still on the go. I raised my hand and Mario handed me the gun. I checked the loaded bullets and fired two of them at him—one on the chest, the other on the head.

Sofia crouched as she sobbed hysterically and kept screaming his name. He was immobile. It was his punishment. Stabbing behind my back had no soft punishments, it costed death of many traitors.

"I forgave you many times, I gave you chance to correct your character but I ignored the fact you belong to a mother who was a prostitute, I should have done this the day you cheated on me for the first time," I targeting my aim on her head.

"Please, forgive me, I promise it'd be the last," She pleaded but it wasn't needed anymore. I kept bearing her because of my father. I killed many innocent people because of her but she didn't correct anything over the years and now, I had to let her go.

Despite what I was going to bring on myself. I had to do this.

I shot her, straight in her head. Her sobs silenced the next second and she fell on the dirty marble.

It was the end for her, but a new beginning for me.