Blood. Pain. Violence.
That was all he had ever known.
Maximus lived for chaos — fueled by rage, driven by lust, and fed by a white-burning hunger for vengeance. That was his life, his past, and, as he often thought, his inevitable future.
But there was one thing he never foresaw.
Love.
It was powerful. Dangerous. Stupid, even. A feeling he once swore he would never experience, and yet — somehow — it found him. Maybe he'd felt it before and just never realized it. Or maybe this was the first time his cold heart had truly come alive.
Maximus — the most feared mafia boss in Rio de Janeiro — sat in the back of his black limousine, the city lights painting streaks across his sharp features. His driver, a loyal young man dressed head-to-toe in black, kept silent, watching his boss through the rearview mirror.
Beside Maximus sat Sophia — elegant, clever, and breathtakingly beautiful. The only person who could calm the storm inside him.
"Please take me to the market," she said softly.
The driver nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
As the car rolled down the highway, the rhythmic hum of the engine filled the silence. When they reached the heart of the city, they were met by a sea of people — Brazilians celebrating their vibrant traditions. Music, laughter, and colors filled the air.
Sophia smiled. "I'll just be a minute."
Before Maximus could reply, she slipped out of the limo and into the crowd.
---
She was admiring a pile of fresh oranges when it happened — a hairy hand clamped over her mouth. She tried to scream, but the music drowned her voice. Within seconds, she was dragged out of the crowd and shoved into a waiting red sports car.
The engine roared, and the car sped away.
Sophia's heart pounded as she struggled, tears filling her eyes. No one heard her cries. No one saw her being taken.
They drove for what felt like hours before stopping at an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The men dragged her out and threw her inside.
"Please—please let me go!" she begged.
One of them smirked. "You'll see your husband soon enough, princesa."
---
Back in the market, the driver searched frantically. He checked every corner, every fruit stall — nothing. Panic spread through his veins. Finally, he pulled out his phone and called his boss.
"Boss—something's wrong! Sophia—she's gone!"
The line went silent. Then came a roar that made his blood freeze.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S GONE?!"
The driver stammered, "I—I looked everywhere! She just disappeared!"
"Get back. Now."
When the driver returned to the mansion, Maximus was waiting — rage boiling beneath his cold eyes.
"Why didn't you follow her into the market?" Maximus barked.
"She told me to wait in the limo," the driver said weakly.
Maximus clenched his jaw, his voice dropping to a dangerous calm. "Next time, you tell her there are too many people for that kind of risk."
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
Maximus turned away, fists trembling. Sophia was gone — taken. And whoever dared to do it would pay with their blood.
---
Five months later...
The city had become a war zone. Maximus's men tore through every gang, every cartel, every informant who might know something. But Sophia remained missing.
Then, one night, his phone rang.
"Maximus," a deep voice hissed through the speaker, "if you want to see your darling wife again, you'll pay three million dollars. Bring it to the warehouse downtown."
"Who is this?" Maximus growled.
"They call me Dragon Lord," the man said with a dark chuckle.
"If I don't see her—"
The line went dead.
Maximus stood there, his knuckles white around the phone. "Dragon Lord," he whispered. "You've just signed your death sentence."
He called his commander. "Get the money. Take the men. Bring Sophia back."
---
The convoy arrived at the warehouse just as the sun dipped below the horizon. The goons burst through the metal doors, guns raised. Inside stood Dragon Lord's men, their faces twisted in mocking smiles.
"Drop the bag," one of them demanded. "Then maybe you'll see your pretty lady again."
The bag hit the ground with a heavy thud.
"Where is she?" Maximus's commander asked.
"In there," the thug sneered, pointing toward a dimly lit room.
The goons pushed the door open — and the world exploded.
A grenade rolled across the floor, followed by a deafening blast. The room erupted in flames and smoke. Bodies flew.
When the smoke cleared, only the commander was still breathing — barely. Bleeding and half-conscious, he crawled back to the car and called his boss.
"Boss… it was a trap. Everyone's dead. They took the money."
Silence. Then Maximus's roar shattered the calm.
"So they took my money… and killed my men?"
"Yes, boss," the commander rasped. "But… I have a plan."
Maximus almost snapped at him, but curiosity held him back. "Speak."
"The number that called you — we can trace it. Find out where they're keeping her."
Maximus froze. Why hadn't he thought of that?
"Genius," he said through clenched teeth. "That's why you're my commander."
---
Hours later, the trace led them to an uncompleted building at the edge of the city. The moon hung high, lighting the cracked walls and rusted pipes.
Maximus and his men crept in, guns drawn. The air was heavy with silence — the kind that came before violence.
They burst through the doors, gunfire erupting immediately. Bullets cracked through the night. Shouts and screams echoed off the walls. Maximus moved like a shadow — ruthless, efficient. Every shot he fired found its mark.
At last, the shooting stopped.
There she was. Sophia — chained to a pillar, pale but alive.
"Max…" she whispered weakly.
He dropped his gun and ran to her, tears burning in his eyes. He was just about to free her when a voice echoed behind him.
"Touch her, and she dies."
Maximus turned — and there stood Dragon Lord, gun in hand, his cold eyes locked on Sophia.
"Let her go," Maximus growled.
Dragon Lord smirked. "You should've known better than to cross me, Maximus."
Before Maximus could move, the gun fired.
The sound tore through him like lightning. Sophia gasped, clutching her abdomen as she fell.
Maximus's world went red.
With a roar that shook the building, he pulled a pistol from his coat and fired three shots. Dragon Lord's body jerked backward, blood splattering across the concrete as he fell lifeless to the floor.
Maximus dropped to his knees, cradling Sophia in his arms. Her blood soaked his shirt as tears streaked down his face.
"No… no, stay with me," he begged. "Don't leave me, Sophia… please."
Her hand brushed his cheek weakly. "You came for me…"
"Always," he whispered.
Then her eyes fluttered shut.
---
Maximus carried her to the car himself, shouting for his men to drive faster. Every second felt like an eternity as they raced to the hospital. He didn't care about his enemies, his money, or his empire anymore. All he cared about was her.
He waited for hours, pacing, bleeding, praying — something he hadn't done in years.
Finally, a doctor emerged from the room.
"She's alive," he said.
Maximus sank into a chair, relief flooding through him. For the first time in his life, he cried — not out of rage, but something close to love.
---
Weeks later, Sophia lay in a hospital bed, pale but breathing steadily. Maximus sat beside her, quiet, his hand resting on hers.
"I thought I'd lost you," he said finally.
"You almost did," she murmured, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
He exhaled. "Not again."
That was all he said — but she understood.
---
A few days later, the doctor called him out into the hallway. Maximus leaned against the wall, his eyes hollow but calm.
"She's recovering well," the doctor said, flipping through his notes. "But there's something else."
Maximus looked up. "What?"
"She's about four weeks pregnant."
He didn't speak. Didn't even blink. Just stood there, the words hitting harder than any bullet ever could.
Finally, he nodded once. "Alright."
When he walked back into her room, Sophia looked up, concerned. "What did he say?"
"You're fine," Maximus said quietly. "And… you're pregnant."
Her mouth parted in shock, but before she could speak, he added, "Rest. You'll need it."
Sophia stared at him — this man who once ruled through fear, now looking lost in thought.
Maximus leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Guess the world's not done with us yet."
She reached for his hand. He didn't pull away.
Outside, the night was quiet — for once.
And in that silence, Maximus didn't feel rage or revenge. Just something unfamiliar.
Something close to peace.