1. Rosalia

..."You fall in love with a pair of eyes, then you become blind to all eyes."...

...~Unknown...

...ROSALIA ...

"Nonna, I'm back," I called as I entered the house.

Today, we got a huge order for a wedding, and my hands hurt from piping 200 cupcakes.

"Nonna," I called out again, but there was no reply. Taking off my shoes, I walked further inside and peeked into the first room.

Nothing.

I kept walking and entered the small living room of our little house. But as I entered The scene before me made my blood run cold, my heart drummed in my chest and my hands trembled.

My nonna was sitting on a chair opposite of two men. Both were muscular, their presence radiating danger. Then my eyes landed on him. My face turned pale, cold sweat formed on my forehead, my body stiffened, and I couldn't move.

He looked me up and down, acknowledging my presence with a chilling indifference, his face void of any emotion

I still remember the first time I saw him. I was 16, and he was 21.

Back then, I was so naïve. I thought beautiful people were just as beautiful on the inside, but that illusion shattered quickly. I learned my lesson the hard way.

I had always lived in the shadows, staying out of sight to avoid attention. But I still remember the first time his pitch-black eyes locked on me. Those eyes, those beautiful beautiful eyes haunted my dreams, for so many nights.

But I still remember my nonna's words when she caught me staring and Warned me with a pale face to stay far away from him "Lia, people like him don't have a heart. You must keep your distance, understood?" and without asking any further question I obeyed her with all my heart.

I never asked my nonna if she knew him or not, because I knew that if my nonna was telling me to stay away, it meant he was dangerous-and I didn't want that kind of danger in my peaceful life

And just like that, our plan to spend my holidays in Florence gone in vain, and we returned home the next day, but his face linger in my memory far too long, impossible to forget. So beautiful-sculpted like a Greek god, as if he had descended from Mount Olympus. Sun-tanned skin, a straight nose, perfect lips, and those captivating eyes. Everything about him was breathtaking-if only he was beautiful on the inside too. Such a waste of a beautiful face.

My reverie broke when my nonna stood up and said, "Run, Lia. I'll be fine, but you need to get far away from here."

I don't really remember my mother; I have no memory of her. My nonna has raised and loved me my entire life. My world has always been small-just me and my nonna so how can I left her and run away.

Tears gathered in my eyes as i looked at my grandmother. "No, Nonna. I can't leave you here with these monsters. I can't."

"Lia, run! Please, run!"

And I took a few steps back, but then he, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke.

"If I were you I won't dare to do that"

horrified I took more steps back, he just looked at me like a predator looking at his prey for sometime then he spoke again his voice dark and commanding

"One more step and you'll regret this Rosalia"

And I froze on the spot.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***