Luca’s grip tightened, making Sophia’s voice rise in defiance. “No!” she yelled, wrenching her arm free. “If you won’t listen, then I’ll leave! I won’t stay here and watch you destroy our family again!”
Luca’s face contorted, his anger spiraling out of control. “Don’t you dare threaten me, Sophia! You’re not going anywhere!”
Sophia backed away, her hands trembling. “Then I’ll take the children,” she said, her voice shaking. “They deserve better than this.”
Luca’s jaw clenched. “Over my dead body,” he growled. “They’re staying here, with me.”
Sophia’s eyes welled with tears, her voice desperate. “Luca, please. I’m begging you. We’re all that’s left. Don’t let the Mafia destroy us too.
Luca’s hand snaked out, grabbing Sophia’s arm again. “You’re not taking my children,” he snarled. “And if you don’t shut up about the Mafia, I’ll…I’ll…”
Sophia glared at him, her chin raised in defiance. “What, Luca? What will you do? Hit me?”
Luca’s eyes blazed, his hand curling into a fist. “Don’t tempt me, Sophia.”
Sophia’s eyes narrowed, her voice icy. “Go ahead, Luca. Hit me. Show me how you really feel. It won’t change the truth. The Mafia took our son and it will take our family too, if you don’t wake up.”
Luca’s hand twitched, his body rigid with rage. He trembled, his mind torn between his love for his family and the call of the Mafia. And then, with a roar of primal fury, he struck.
The sound of flesh striking flesh echoed through the room.
Sophia reeled from the blow, her hand flying to her cheek, her eyes wide with shock. And then, in an instant, the shock melted into rage.
“You hit me!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face. “You actually hit me!”
Luca’s chest heaved, his eyes blazing. “You asked for it!” he shouted. “I warned you!”
Sophia’s voice trembled, the pain in her cheek a pale reflection of the pain in her heart. “Get out.
“Get out?” Luca echoed, his voice incredulous. “This is my home!”
Sophia shook her head, her voice quavering. “You hit me, Luca. You hit me. I am taking the kids with me.”
Luca stared at her, his face a mask of disbelief. “You don’t mean that, Sophia. You can’t.”
Sophia’s voice hardened, her words razor-sharp. “I mean every word.
Luca’s face hardened, his jaw clenched. “No. No, it’s my home,” he snarled, his voice low and dangerous. “And you’re not taking my children away from me. You’re not.”
Sophia tried to back away, but Luca lunged at her, his hands closing around her throat. “You’re not taking them!” he yelled, his grip tightening.
Sophia gasped, her hands clawing at Luca’s fingers.
Luca’s face twisted in rage, his eyes wild. “You think you can tell me what to do?” he spat. “You think you can just walk away?”
Sophia’s face turned red, her vision blurring. She struggled against his grip, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
“You’re killing me,” she choked out.
Luca’s grip tightened even further, his face contorting into a mask of pure fury. “Good,” he growled.
Sophia’s eyes rolled back in her head, her body going limp in Luca’s arms.
Luca let go, dropping her lifeless body to the floor. His chest heaved, his mind racing. What had he done?
He stared down at Sophia, a wave of panic washing over him. What had he done? How could he fix this?
And then he heard it, a wail from upstairs. The twins. They’d heard everything.
Luca rushed to the kitchen, his feet thudding against the hardwood floor. He splashed cold water into a glass, the droplets of liquid falling to the floor like tears.
He ran back to Sophia’s side, dropping to his knees. He splashed the water onto her face, his hands shaking. “Sophia!” he yelled. “Sophia, wake up!”
Her body remained still, her chest unmoving.
Luca shook her, desperation filling him. “Please, Sophia, wake up. I’m sorry.
Sophia’s body jerked, her lungs gasping for air. She coughed, her eyes fluttering open. “Luca…” she croaked, her voice hoarse. “You…you tried to kill me.”
Luca’s face crumpled, his hands trembling. “No, Sophia, I…I didn’t mean it. I was angry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Sophia pushed herself up, her body shaking with sobs.
Sophia’s tears fell, her voice a broken whisper. “You…you almost killed me, Luca. And for what? Because I wanted you to choose our family over the Mafia? Because I wanted us to be safe?”
Luca stared at her, his face a mask of pain. “I didn’t want it to come to this, Sophia. I swear. I just…the Mafia is my life. I’m nothing without it.”
Sophia’s sobbing intensified, her body shaking with the force of her grief.
Sophia buried her face in her hands, her voice muffled by her sobs. “Then…then maybe…maybe we shouldn’t be a family anymore.”
Luca’s heart clenched, the words like a punch to the gut. “What do you mean?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Sophia looked up, her face streaked with tears. “Maybe we should…maybe we should just go our separate ways.”
Luca stared at her, his mind reeling. “No,” he said, his voice firm. “I won’t let you do this. I won’t let you take my children away from me.”
Sophia shook her head, her tears flowing anew.
“You don’t understand, Luca,” Sophia pleaded, her voice cracking with emotion. “I can’t…I can’t do this anymore. I can’t raise our children in this environment, in constant fear for our lives.
Luca’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed. “I will protect them,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “I will protect them from anyone who tries to harm them. Even the Mafia.”
Sophia shook her head, her voice barely audible.
Sophia’s voice was quiet, but her words were like ice. “How can you protect them from the Mafia when you are the Mafia? How can I trust you to protect our children when you can’t even control your own anger?”
Luca flinched as if struck, his face a mask of pain. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Sophia’s voice rose, her anger building. “You hit me, Luca. You put your hands on me.
Sophia’s words came out in a rush, her emotions spilling over. “And what about the next time? What if next time, you don’t just hit me? What if you hurt the twins? What if you kill them? How can I ever trust you again?”
Luca’s eyes widened in horror, his face pale. “Sophia, I would never…I would never hurt them. I would never hurt you. I promise.
Sophia shook her head, her voice full of heartbreak.
Sophia’s voice trembled, her words shaky with grief. “You already did. You already hurt me. And now I can’t…I can’t trust you anymore. I can’t trust you with my life. I can’t trust you with the twins’ lives.”
Luca stared at her, his heart breaking. “Please, Sophia. Please, don’t leave me. I’ll do better. I promise.”
Sophia shook her head, her tears flowing freely.
Sophia’s voice was barely audible, but the words held a fragile hope. “I forgive you, Luca. But it will take time for us to heal.”
Luca nodded, his face a mixture of relief and sorrow. “I will do whatever it takes to rebuild your trust, Sophia. I promise.”
The next day, the funeral for Isaac was held, a small, private ceremony on the beach. Sophia and Luca stood side by side, watching as Isaac’s small coffin was placed on the sand.
Luca’s arm wrapped around Sophia’s shoulders, his hand gently squeezing her upper arm in comfort. The two stood in silence, the waves crashing in the background like a solemn melody.
The priest spoke the final words, his voice low and somber. “We commit Isaac’s body to the elements, to be reborn from ash and dust.”
A single tear slipped down Sophia’s cheek as Luca gently took her hand in his. They watched as the fire was lit, the flames quickly consuming the coffin.
As the fire crackled and consumed Isaac’s body, a new kind of resolve bloomed inside Sophia. She turned to Luca, their fingers still intertwined. “We will honor Isaac by living a life that he would be proud of,” she said, her voice trembling. “A life filled with love, and peace, and happiness.”
Luca nodded, his eyes glassy with unshed tears. “For Isaac,” he said, his voice breaking.
Sophia squeezed his hand, her voice strong and clear. “For Isaac.
Sophia stood in front of the fireplace, her hands clasped around a small urn. She gently unscrewed the lid and scooped a small amount of Isaac’s ashes into a folded piece of paper. She whispered a silent prayer, her heart heavy with loss.
The following day, Sophia approached Leo. “I need a favor,” she said, her voice soft but determined. “Can you please buy four lockets-one for Luca, the twins, and myself? I want to put Isaac’s ashes in each of them.”
Leo nodded solemnly, understanding the significance of Sophia’s request. Later that day, he returned with four identical, silver lockets. Sophia carefully poured a small amount of Isaac’s ashes into each of the lockets, her hands steady but her heart racing.
When the ashes were secured, Sophia took the lockets to Luca and the twins. She fastened the delicate chains around each of their necks, smiling through her tears. “This way, Isaac will always be with us,” she said, her voice quivering with emotion.
Luca’s eyes glistened as he looked down at the locket resting against his chest, his hand unconsciously reaching up to touch it. The twins, their innocence and wonder untouched by the tragedy of Isaac’s passing, giggled at the shiny, new jewelry.
In the days that followed, Sophia, Luca, and the twins formed a new kind of family unit, bound by their love for Isaac and the desire to honor his memory. The lockets served as a constant reminder of the life they had lost, but also of the strength of their love and resilience.
As the days passed, the emotional wounds slowly began to heal. The twins, blissfully unaware of the turmoil that had torn their family apart, brought joy and laughter back into the home, reminding Sophia and Luca of the beauty and wonder of life.
Days past and Sophia and Luca started planning for the naming ceremony of the twins.
Slowly the days began to unfold for the naming ceremony.