Never Again- Breaking Free From Mafia Boss

The moment Rosa's words echoed in the air, Serena clenched her teeth.

She had anticipated a confrontation but wasn't prepared for the games which everyone including Monica was trying to play.

Moreover, Rosa was still wearing a mask of innocence which she had perfected over the years.

"So, Serena," Rosa started, her voice overly sweet, "Don't be upset about the fireworks the other night? I thought they were just…magical."

Serena knitted her eyebrows together, refusing to get agitated. Since her birthday night, she had spent countless times wondering why Dominic had suddenly changed after Rosa's return.

Now all of a sudden everything started making sense. The way Rosa kept making flirtatious remarks and positioned herself between Serena and Dominic, was a professional precision.

"You knew exactly what you were doing, Rosa," Serena replied, her tone cold and distant. "I'm not going to play your games anymore."

Rosa feigned surprise. Seeing that, Serena's eyes were blazing with fire.

"Games? I don't know what you are talking about." She paused and turned to her right where Dominic was already looking at her. His expression was unreadable.

"Dominic, don't you think you should apologize to Serena? I'm sure, she is still upset," Rosa said, shaking her head innocently.

Dominic shifted uncomfortably in his seat, avoiding Serena's gaze."I…I don't think so."

"Don't bother," Serena slammed, her voice as cold as ice. "I don't need apologies when they aren't sincere."

Her eyes were still fixed on the man who once held her close and promised her that he would protect her from the world, yet he failed to give her and their relationship respect in front of everyone.

Rosa's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Oh, Serena, you're extremely dramatic. You can't even let go of little things. No wonder Dominic feels more lively with me."

She smiled, glancing at Dominic, who gave her a weak, half-hearted smile.

The deep affection in Rosa's eyes didn't go unnoticed by Serena. It was more than a friendly admiration, and that realization sent chills down her spine.

Dominic and Rosa's shared smiles hit her like a physical blow. She had fought to protect their relationship from Rosa's constant conspiracies and Dominic's growing distance.

But now it was crystal clear, Rosa wasn't just a distraction but was a threat. Her motives were more deeper than Serena's initial thoughts.

"Come on, Serena. It's my birthday…" Monica said, sounding casually cool but Serena interrupted her.

"I'm done with this," she said, standing abruptly. The legs of her chair scraped loudly against the floor.

"Both of you can have each other now." Her voice trembled, but still, she managed to hold back the tears which were threatening to spill over.

Dominic's eyes softened. The next moment he was about to reach out as if he wanted to stop her, but Rosa tactically placed her hand over his, her gaze near leaving Serena's.

"Don't go, Serena. We were just starting to have fun."

Serena's chest tightened, a sharp pain piercing through her heart as she saw the way Rosa was holding on to Dominic.

That was not going to be a simple game as Rosa was making her move, and Dominic was letting her.

Without another word, Serena turned on her heel and walked out. She took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their betrayal pressing down on her with each step.

The cold air brushed her exposed skin as she hurriedly went away from the restaurant, away from them.

As the distance between them was increasing, the memories of their happy time flashed in her mind - Dominic's laughter, the way he used to look at her as if his life was dependent on her.

But those memories were tainted. More precisely they were poisoned by Rosa's presence.

The sight of the night of the fireworks was still fresh in her mind. She stood by herself while Dominic and Rosa were happy and smiling their hearts out.

The loneliness which she had felt that day was nothing compared to the cold emptiness that washed over her now.

By the time she reached her apartment, her phone buzzed with a loud notification. It was a message from Dominic.

Dominic: You really couldn't let it go, could you? Thanks for ruining the night.

Serene's eyes were fixed on the screen. Her heart broke all over again. It wouldn't be true.

It seemed like he was a completely different man. The Dominic she loved was gone.

Finally! She let out a bitter laugh, tears falling over her as she realized how naive she was to try to protect something which was never there from Dominic's side.

Instead of replying, Serena ignored that message. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his words had hurt her.

But the moment when another notification popped up, she couldn't help but check it.

That time, it was a post from Rosa. It was her and Dominic's image, their heads close together, laughing with the caption: "Old friends make the best company."

Serena's vision blurred as her heart ached more. She kept staring at that picture. Rosa was doing what she was best at, making Serena crazy with her closeness with Dominic.

But what hurt Serena most was Dominic's smile. A smile which she hadn't seen for weeks.

A surge of anger washed over her mind, so she tapped on the comment section and typed: "What a perfect match."

As soon as that comment was posted, Serena felt a mix of satisfaction and regret. So she quickly blocked Rosa's account, severing the toxic connection for good.

The night dragged on. Serena tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Just then her phone buzzed again, breaking the silence.

She shook her head, thinking that it was Dominic again but to her utter dismay it was an email.

Her breath caught as she saw the subject line: Anonymous Tip. Her hands shook as she opened it, scared and curious.

The email began. Serena, You deserve to know the truth about Dominic and Rosa. They have been hiding something from you. Check the attached file.