The Romano mansion had never been quiet.
For as long as Adriana Romano could remember, the house had always been filled with life laughter from dinner parties, music drifting from the grand piano in the living room, Rosa shouting at the kitchen staff, her younger sister Sofia running through the hallways while their mother chased after her.
But tonight…
The silence was wrong.
Adriana noticed it the moment her car stopped in front of the gates.
She stepped out slowly, her heels clicking against the stone driveway as she looked up at the mansion. The lights were on, but something about the place felt… empty.
Her best friend Mateo leaned against the car beside her.
"You feel that?" he asked quietly.
Adriana frowned. "Feel what?"
Mateo scanned the property. His dark eyes narrowed slightly.
"Too quiet."
Adriana crossed her arms. "You're paranoid."
"Maybe."
But he didn't look convinced.
Mateo Rivera had grown up with Adriana. Their fathers had been business partners for years, which meant Mateo spent half his life inside the Romano mansion.
If anyone knew when something was wrong here, it was him.
Adriana pushed open the front doors.
They creaked slightly as they swung open.
The smell hit her instantly.
Copper.
Metallic.
Her stomach dropped.
Blood.
"Mateo…" she whispered.
He stepped forward slowly.
The grand hallway looked like a battlefield.
Two guards lay on the floor near the staircase. Another was slumped against the wall, his white shirt completely soaked in red.
Adriana's heart started pounding violently.
"No…"
Mateo grabbed her arm.
"We need to leave."
But Adriana was already running.
"Mom!"
Her voice echoed through the house.
Footsteps thundered upstairs.
Mateo cursed and chased after her.
They ran down the long hallway toward the main living room.
That was when they heard shouting.
Her father's voice.
Marco Romano.
"Get out of my house, De Santis!"
Adriana stopped at the doorway.
Inside the living room stood her father.
He held a gun in his shaking hands.
Across from him stood a tall man dressed entirely in black.
The moment Adriana saw him, the air seemed to freeze.
He looked calm.
Too calm.
Black hair. Sharp jawline. Cold gray eyes that seemed completely emotionless.
Leonardo De Santis.
Even Adriana knew that name.
Everyone did.
The De Santis family ruled half the criminal world in Europe.
Their leader was rumored to be merciless.
Dangerous.
Untouchable.
Leonardo's eyes slowly moved to Adriana.
And something flickered inside them.
Interest.
"Well," he said quietly.
"So this is your daughter."
Her father's face went pale.
"Adriana… what are you doing here?"
Adriana stepped forward slowly.
"What's going on?"
Her mother Elena stood near the fireplace, holding Sofia tightly. Both of them looked terrified.
Behind Leonardo stood several armed men.
One of them was huge, with tattoos crawling up his neck.
Dante Moretti.
Leonardo's infamous right-hand man.
Adriana's chest tightened.
This wasn't a business argument.
This was war.
Leonardo looked back at Marco Romano.
"You should have told your daughter the truth."
Adriana frowned.
"What truth?"
Her father ignored her.
"Leave my family out of this," he told Leonardo.
Leonardo tilted his head slightly.
"You stole from me."
"I took what was mine."
"You killed my uncle."
Marco's voice hardened.
"He deserved it."
Leonardo sighed softly.
"You always were a stubborn man."
Then he lifted his hand.
Everything happened at once.
Gunfire exploded across the room.
Adriana screamed as Mateo dragged her down behind a sofa.
Bullets shattered glass.
Furniture splintered.
Men shouted.
Her father fired back.
The gunshots felt endless.
Then suddenly—
Silence.
Adriana slowly lifted her head.
Her heart stopped.
Her father lay on the floor.
Blood spread beneath him across the marble tiles.
"Papa…"
Her voice came out as a broken whisper.
Leonardo De Santis stepped forward calmly.
Like he had all the time in the world.
Adriana felt something inside her snap.
She grabbed the nearest gun and pointed it directly at his chest.
"Don't move."
Mateo stood beside her.
"You heard her."
The room went deadly quiet.
Leonardo studied Adriana carefully.
His expression didn't show fear.
If anything…
He looked impressed.
"You're brave."
Adriana's hands trembled with rage.
"You killed my father."
Leonardo glanced briefly at the body on the floor.
"Your father made poor decisions."
"You murdered him!"
Leonardo's gray eyes locked onto hers.
"He betrayed my family."
"That's a lie."
Leonardo stepped closer.
Mateo raised his gun higher.
"Another step and I shoot."
Leonardo stopped.
His gaze shifted between them.
Then he smiled slightly.
"You remind me of him."
Adriana's voice shook.
"I'm nothing like you."
Leonardo leaned forward slightly.
"No," he agreed.
"You're worse."
Her jaw clenched.
"You think you can just walk into our house and kill people?"
Leonardo shrugged lightly.
"This house belonged to my syndicate long before you were born."
Adriana blinked.
"What?"
Leonardo gestured toward her father's body.
"Your father worked for my family."
"No he didn't."
"For twenty years."
"That's impossible."
Leonardo's voice turned colder.
"He stole millions from us."
Adriana shook her head.
"You're lying."
Leonardo stepped even closer now.
So close she could see the faint scar above his eyebrow.
"I don't lie."
Her grip tightened on the gun.
"I should kill you."
"Try."
Mateo whispered beside her.
"Adriana… don't."
Leonardo's eyes darkened.
"You won't pull the trigger."
"Why not?"
"Because you're not like me."
Adriana's finger tightened on the trigger.
Then Leonardo said something that made her blood run cold.
"You're the last Romano alive."
Her heart skipped.
"What?"
He looked toward Elena and Sofia.
"They're leaving."
Two men immediately escorted them out of the room.
"Mom!" Adriana shouted.
Elena looked back desperately.
"Adriana—"
The door slammed shut.
Adriana's chest heaved.
"You bastard."
Leonardo tilted his head slightly.
"You can hate me later."
She glared at him.
"I hate you now."
Leonardo looked almost amused.
"Good."
He took one more step closer.
And said the words that would change her life forever.
"You're going to marry me."
The silence that followed felt suffocating.
Mateo burst out laughing.
"You've lost your mind."
Adriana stared at Leonardo in disbelief.
"You killed my father."
"Yes."
"And you think I'll marry you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Leonardo's expression turned deadly serious.
"Because your father owed me a fortune."
She shook her head slowly.
"That's insane."
"Marriage settles the debt."
Adriana's voice rose.
"I'd rather die."
Leonardo turned slightly toward Mateo.
"Kill him."
Two men instantly raised their guns.
Mateo froze.
Adriana's heart slammed against her ribs.
"Stop!"
The room went silent again.
Leonardo looked back at her calmly.
"Well?"
Adriana felt trapped.
If she refused…
Mateo would die.
Her mother.
Her sister.
Everyone.
Her hands trembled.
"You're a monster."
"Probably."
She swallowed the bitterness rising in her throat.
"Fine."
Mateo turned toward her in shock.
"Adriana—"
"I'll marry him."
Leonardo's lips curved slightly.
"Good choice."
But Adriana made a silent promise to herself.
One day…
She would destroy him.
Even if it killed her.
Leonardo stepped closer and gently took the gun from her hands.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Welcome to hell, Mrs. De Santis."
And Adriana realized the nightmare had only just begin....