Chapter 132

Mena

"Someone had to do it," Gian clicked his tongue, speaking as if he had just fixed a minor error, and not ended a life.

With my back still turned, I looked from Pilar to Dante. I knew this had to be done, but for some reason, everything about Gian made me sick.

I could see the look in all of their eyes.

Dante, Donni-even Pilar. You couldn't tell me he didn't make them sick as well?

"Get out," Alessio commanded. He sounded angry, pissed-but I did not know why, because if Gian hadn't done this, he would've done it himself.

"What?" Gian chuckled.

"Just go home, I'll clean up here," Alessio spoke, his tone more calmly this time.

"Gladly!" Gian responded. "He got what he deserved, and now my job is done here."

Disgusting.

"Yes, it is," Alessio said. "Donni, you stay here-Gian, take Mena with you-"

"No!" I opposed. My heart raced, and anger flared up inside of me. How could he suggest I leave with Gian after what that monster had just done?

"Don't tell me to go with him," I nearly pleaded this time as I stood frozen in my spot. I heard footsteps heading in my direction, and before I knew it, Gian stood in front of me, a smug look plastered across his face.

"You don't want to come with me?" He released a huff. I glared at him, trying to read the intentions behind his smirk. "Then you can stay here with my brother and take a good look at what happens when you betray this family."

Was that supposed to be a threat?

He raised his hand and reached for my shoulder, but before he could touch me, I had already flinched.

Gian noticed and quickly lowered his arm again. "I'm not your enemy. In fact, I'm the only one trying to keep this shithole together, protect everyone I care about," he spat. "And that includes you, Gigi. I hope you know that."

He cared about me?

He sure had a funny way of showing it.

I let out a breath as Gian walked past me and left the warehouse, Pilar and Dante quietly following behind him.

"Mena," Alessio's voice reached out to me, snapping me back to reality.

"I'm okay!" I stated, even though my back was still turned so I wouldn't have to look at the dead body.

"Donni, I want to make this quick," Alessio had already moved on. "Let's go get the stuff from the back and get this over with."

As Donni and Alessio walked past me, I fixated my gaze on the ground. That was the only way he could not see the fear in my eyes because I was genuinely terrified.

Just a while back, I didn't even want to be in the same room with a dead spider-and now, in this short time, I had been in a room with two dead bodies.

I had to see Isaac…

I had to see him, and face it. This was the life I had chosen, and I better get used to it.

I exhaled and turned around in a swift motion to look at Isaac's lifeless body. He was slumped in the chair, the scissors still in his neck. The blood that dripped down was thick but slow.

Stepping closer, I felt a feeling of guilt, but I knew I had to face it. I had put him in that chair, and at some point, I had to look at myself in the mirror and get over it.

He didn't deserve this though.

He really didn't.

With a pounding heart, I took a better look at the gruesome scene. But then, something happened. A slight movement. His finger twitched, and then I heard a murmur.

Dead people couldn't move, and they couldn't talk.

"Isaac?"

Hesitantly, I pressed my finger to the side of his neck. He had a pulse.

It was faint, but it was there.

In his rage, Gian must've missed any vital points, and since Alessio was in such a hurry to clear the room, no one must have noticed.

He was hanging on, but just barely.

My mind raced as I stood there. He was destined to die a slow and painful death, which meant in some way, it was still torture.

I blinked my eyes to snap out of my trance, hearing Alessio and Donni walk back in, each carrying bags that clinked with the sound of metal tools.

So what would be the next step?

Dismembering him?

Alessio dropped the bag with a shocked look, and rushed over to my side. His hand instantly moved behind my back.

"What are you doing?" he frowned. "You don't need to see all of this," he tried pulling me away, but I refused.

"He's still breathing," I spoke in a whisper.

Alessio and Donni exchanged looks. "He's alive, he's still breathing," I repeated, louder this time.

Alessio hesitated for a moment, but then moved to check for himself. His eyes widened for a second, and that's when I knew that he had also felt it. A pulse.

Once again, a soft hum from Isaac could be heard.

Alessio spun to look at Donni with a hardened expression. "Finish it."

Donni shook his head, and that was the first time I had ever heard him defy Alessio's order.

"Why?" Alessio asked, his jaw clenched.

"Because…" Donni began. "I've always done your dirty work, I've always done everything you've asked of me... I know he betrayed the family and I know what I signed up for and what's expected of me... but I can't do it." His voice broke a little at the end.

His hands fidgeted, and his cheeks reddened in humiliation as if he could hardly believe the words that had just left his mouth.

The business they were in demanded harsh actions, mercy was not a thing-but the fact that he couldn't do it despite Isaac being a traitor said a lot about their bond.

I knew that deep down, Alessio felt the same.

Thinking back, he must have felt relieved when Gian stabbed Isaac, sparing him from having to do it himself. He knew what Gian planned to do the second he stepped forward to take over, and that's why he didn't resist.

I placed my hands on his shoulders, locking eyes with him. "I don't know what's going through your head, but you need to take him out of his suffering," I said softly.

Alessio let out a sigh, processing my words. It wasn't strange he felt conflicted, especially after Isaac made it clear that he did see him as a brother, and even had tried protecting him on multiple occasions.

He didn't respond.

"I'm not telling you what to do, but if you don't want to kill him, I'm sure you can still..." I trailed off, not wanting to make the decision for him.

He could still save him…

Alessio's eyes softened, carrying the same humiliation and defeat that Donni had shown. It was clear he felt burdened.

As the head of the family, showing vulnerability wasn't an option, yet here he was, exhausted and vulnerable. Caught between his role and his conscience.

I reached up and held his cheek gently. He had to do something now. With each passing second, Isaac was still suffering.

"I know after sparing Anson's life you said never again, and I know you have a responsibility to the Fanuccis, and that you're always thinking about everyone else," I said, watching him closely.

Alessio's breath hitched. "But this time I want you to think of yourself and do what your heart tells you to do," I told him. "Whatever comes next, we'll deal with it…together."

Another groan escaped from Isaac, and the expression on Alessio's face changed. It turned serious.

"Donni?" he called out.

"Yes?"

"If we save him…can you take this to the grave?" Alessio sounded determined, yet still a bit hesitant.

"Yes," Donni replied. "I mean, shit we have to-this is…"

Alessio took a deep breath. "I'll call someone. Make sure he doesn't die on us."

Then he walked away, his phone already pulled out. Donni didn't waste a second either. As soon as Alessio gave the order, he dropped the bag in his hand and went inside it to pull out a roll of bandage.

"You got to help me, Mena," Donni spoke as we both headed to Isaac's side. Isaac's face was pale, and unlike before, we could hear every breath followed by a painful groan.

"Isaac, can you hear me?" I asked, trying to see how conscious he was. Meanwhile, Donni was already rolling the bandage.

"Help me with his head. Be careful." Donni instructed. He sounded like he knew exactly what he was doing.

Together, we carefully adjusted Isaac's head so Donni could work around the scissors that were still in his neck. He wrapped the bandage tightly, applying just enough pressure to stop the bleeding.

"Talk to him," Donni muttered, not losing his focus. "Because if I do-I might just kill him after all."

"Isaac?" I tried again.

He hummed in response.

"Can you open your eyes?"

His eyes flickered as he tried to open them, but then he closed them again. "Mena…" I could make out a murmur.

"Yes, yes-it's Mena!" I spoke. "I need you to fight, okay? Don't embarrass these two more than they've already done themselves. At least make it worth something."

Donni chuckled softly, and a small smile flickered across Isaac's lips.

It wasn't a joke. I was being serious.

They really had to take this one to the grave because if the truth about Isaac got out, and anyone would find out about this, they would judge them, mock them for being too weak.

'How could someone who saved a fed, an undercover agent, lead all the families in the east?'

'How could Alessio Fanucci, who we're all supposed to depend on, get so easily influenced by a woman that isn't even his wife?'

About a minute later, Alessio walked back in. "Is he still breathing?" he asked immediately.

"Yes," Donni answered. Donni seemed more relieved than he had been during the entire interrogation.

Right behind Alessio, a group of women entered. They were all in black, looking strange like a combination between a nurse and a nun.

I watched, puzzled, as they quickly took over from Donni and me.

Who were they, and how did they get here so quickly?

"Alessio… who did you call?" Donni asked, and I could not dismiss the fear and worry in his tone.

"You know who I called. He's the only one who can help us," Alessio gulped. "But that doesn't matter now. What matters is that he'll survive," he said, not meeting Donni's eyes. "Was that not what you wanted?"

"What we both wanted." Donni clenched his teeth. "Don't just put this on me.'

Who did he call?

Whoever it was, I was with Alessio. It didn't matter to me at the moment either.

All that truly mattered to me was the fact that Isaac could make it, and that was more than I had dared to hope for.

A miracle.