MATTEO’s POV
I swung open my car door and stepped out. I saw her struggling with a heavy bag, and Carter and Alonzo rushed to her side, embracing her and offering comfort as she tried to break free. She was oblivious to my presence, and I felt like a ghost, invisible and insignificant.
The wind whispered past me as I gazed at my wife, knowing in that moment that I had lost her, and there was nothing left for me to do but accept it. She struggled against Carter and Alonzo’s grasp, but it was a losing battle. I was frozen in place, unable to let her go, as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. My lip trembled with the weight of my sorrow, knowing I was responsible for her actions.
Just like Daya, she was leaving me, but this time, it was my own doing. The truth had come to light – I had taken Daya’s life with my own hands – and now my wife couldn’t bear to stay with me. I was trapped in a living nightmare, unable to escape the consequences of my own actions.
I fought to compose myself, struggling to hold back tears as I watched her desperate pleas. Her cries and struggles were like a knife to my heart, and I couldn’t bear to see her like this.
She broke free from Carter and Alonzo’s grasp and rushed to me, keeping a safe distance as she dropped to her knees. With tears streaming down her face, she begged for her freedom, her body shaking uncontrollably. I was torn apart by the desire to comfort her, to tell her I wasn’t the monster she thought I was, but my guilt and shame kept me frozen in place. I stood there, my own body trembling, as I gazed at the woman I loved, feeling my world crumble around me.
“Take her inside and lock her up,” I uttered, my voice devoid of emotion, before turning and walking away. Her desperate cries and pleas for mercy followed me, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn back. I retreated to my study, shutting the door behind me, and finally allowed myself to succumb to the tears I had been holding back. We were both in agony, and I felt the weight of my actions crushing me. I never wanted to cause her such pain. I never wanted to see her suffer like this. And then, the memories came flooding back – Daya, leaving me for Antonio. I fell to my knees, overwhelmed by the cycle of hurt and betrayal that seemed to haunt me.
I remembered that night when I entered the room, searching for answers, but she ignored me, her focus fixed on packing her bag. I reached out to stop her, but she yanked her arm free, her green eyes flashing with revulsion. She gazed at me with pure disdain, her expression a clear indication that she loathed me.
I recalled begging for her forgiveness, pleading with her to take me back, but my words fell on deaf ears. She continued to pack her belongings into a large box, her movements methodical and detached. Then, she paused, her eyes locking onto mine, and a cold, calculated smile spread across her face, sending a chill down my spine.
That night, she uttered the words that would shatter my world.’I love him.’ My anger and hurt exploded, and I rushed to her side, professing my own unwavering love for her. But she remained resolute, her voice cold and detached: ‘I’ve always been in love with him, and I always will be.’ I was consumed by heartbreak and rage, my vision clouded by darkness. In a desperate attempt to hold on to her, I grasped her head in my hands, vowing never to let her go.
But she saw this as her chance to fulfill her final obligation to her lover before abandoning me, leaving me with nothing but the bitter taste of betrayal.
She stabbed me with a knife on my chest when she saw my guard was down. The darkness overwhelmed me, and I saw myself strangling her with my bare hands. Sucking the life out of her with my hands. She struggled to dig the blade deeper into my chest, but that didn’t bother me more than to punish the one woman I ever loved who decided to betray me.
I felt the life slip out of her and the tears in her eyes as she looked up at me in disbelief. I pulled the knife out and cried my eyes out. I loved her. I really did. She was everything to me. As I gazed upon her lifeless body, my heart felt crushing grief. Even in death, she was radiant, a realization that hit me like a ton of bricks – I had destroyed something truly precious. The memory of her beauty lingered until I laid eyes on Aria at the altar, her veil framing her face, and my heart skipped a beat once more. I couldn’t help but feel drawn to her despite my initial resistance.
Everything about her was captivating – her shy spirit, her bare feet, her very presence seemed to simmer with an undeniable heat. My hands trembled as I recalled the agony of holding her limp body, the pain of that moment still fresh. But Carter’s timely intervention brought me back to reality, reminding me of my own identity and snapping me out of my downward spiral.
I was Matteo Marino, the feared and ruthless mafia leader known for my stoic demeanor. But in that moment, as I sat in my study, overcome with grief, I was a shadow of my former self. Carter entered the room just as he had before, but this time, he kept his distance, his voice laced with disdain.
“What do you think you’re doing?”. He asked, his tone dripping with disgust. I remained silent, my eyes fixed on my trembling hands, an evidence of my vulnerability. I turned to face him, my face a mess of tears and my nose running, and he gazed at me with a mixture of revulsion and disappointment, as if he was witnessing the downfall of a once powerful man.
“You’ve forgotten who you are,” Carter said, his voice laced with disdain. I averted my gaze, fixing it on my trembling hands instead. Why couldn’t I steady them? It was not a characteristic of me, a man known for his iron grip and unyielding control. But Daya’s presence in my life had changed me. I had become… soft. Vulnerable. A ‘weakling’, as Carter so aptly put it. And in that moment, I couldn’t deny the truth in his words. I had indeed become a shadow of my former self.
“Get up,” Carter said, his voice deceptively calm. But then his tone shifted, and he bellowed, ‘Get the fuck up!’ His words were laced with venom, designed to cut deep. ‘You are Matteo Marino, for Christ’s sake! You don’t get to be weak! Remember who you are, what you’re capable of! Or do I need to remind you that it’s because of your weakness that your mom left? That she couldn’t handle the man you’ve become?’ His words were a slap in the face, a harsh reminder of my past, and the fears that still lingered within me.
“No…”. I heard myself say.
“Think about how she felt raising a pussy as a son!”
I flinched at his words, my anger ignited. I sprang to my feet, closing the distance between us in two swift strides. My fist clenched, ready to strike, but I hesitated, my hand hovering in mid-air. My body trembled with rage, the beast within me stirring. I glared at Carter, and for a moment, I saw the fear in his eyes. But I took a step back, a dark chuckle escaping my lips. I withdrew my hand, waiting for him to make the next move, but he just stood there, looking at me with a mix of confusion and fear.
“Give me a cigar, Carter”. I said, and his eyes widened even more than it was.
“Yes don”. He replied, searching his pocket for a pack. He picked out a stick and handed it over to me, then he lit it up. I took a drag and sighed.
“I missed this”
“I thought you quit smoking”. He said, then I smiled at him, and I saw him gulp.
“Daya hated the smell of burning cigarette”. I said and chuckled. I took a long drag, feeling the warm smoke fill my lungs. I relished the sensation, knowing that daya would have loathed it, and that thought alone added to my twisted excitement. “Fuck, yes”. I groaned.
“Don-“.
“Go. Keep an eye on Aria for me. Will you?”. I said, looking at him through my side eye. “Don’t hold back, Carter”. I finally said.