The Second Chance for A Mafia's Runaway Bride

Lorenzo no longer cared about the doubts gnawing at him and rushed Stefania inside the house after I said that. He looks so funny with his urgency and unrelenting footsteps.

I sighed watching them and turned to look at Matteo. “I think your boss allowed me to enjoy my night, Matteo, so better… fuck off!”

I stepped back to find my car in the parking lot, I changed my mind to call a cab at first. But five more steps, some stone tripped my walk and I sprawled on the cold pavement. I furiously stared at my knees scraped by sharp stones that bit into my already battered skin.

“Seriously?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Why am I so unlucky tonight?!” I hissed.

Sitting up slowly on my own without taking the hand of Matteo as he extended it to me for some help, I noticed something glinting faintly. A cheap crescent moon necklace, its tarnished chain and weathered design betrayed its age. My hand trembled as I reached for it, and an unsettling sense of familiarity washed over me the moment I held it.

Memories from a lifetime ago flooded my mind, and then it clicked: the crescent moon tattoo on Lorenzo’s chest. My pulse quickened. This necklace wasn’t just a random trinket; it was part of a story Lorenzo had never shared with me. A story that now felt inextricably tied to Stefania.

"So that’s how it is..." I whispered, the words bitter on my tongue. The puzzle pieces I had ignored for years suddenly snapped into place, painting a picture I wished I’d never seen. The weight of the realization was suffocating.

Eight years of love, loyalty, and sacrifice—all one-sided. Lorenzo had never truly been mine. This trinket was purposely here as Stefania left it for me to see. I know it belonged to her, I saw it earlier in the engagement party worn by her. That’s why I felt odd looking at Stefania’s necklace that looks old and tarnished, it doesn’t suit her aura. Now, I know… it was just a display for me to see.

Clutching it tightly, I returned to the house. It felt heavier entering, but my resolve hardened with every passing second. By the time I reached my room, I knew what I had to do.

After sending a message to my mother that I will be with her in Sicily the day of the wedding, I looked around and began dismantling the remnants of the life I had meticulously built around Lorenzo. The red and gold decorations that once filled me with joy now felt like a mockery, each piece a reminder of the farce I’d been living.

Hours passed in a blur. By the time I was done, the wedding countdown caught my eye. My fingers hesitated, hovering over the glossy calendar. With a sharp inhale, I ripped off the word ‘wedding’ and replaced it with ‘departure countdown.’

This wasn’t the end, I promised myself. It was a beginning—of my escape from a decade of lies.

I walked outta my room and went downstairs again. I met Matteo’s piercing eyes and just continued my pace. I left the villa with one of Lorenzo’s luxury cars and went straight to a club and ordered a tequila. I saw Matteo following me but I didn't give a damn at all.

****

The next morning, my phone rang sharply, jarring me from my thoughts. Lorenzo’s voice greeted me in his tone of smooth yet distant, as if he were speaking to an employee rather than his fiancée.

"Aletta, are you awake? I had your favorite breakfast delivered. I’m tied up with something at the office today, so we’ll need to reschedule the wedding photos."

I pressed my fingers against my temple, trying to stifle the surge of frustration. "Alright," I replied evenly, keeping my tone neutral.

Lorenzo paused, sensing something amiss. "Don’t let last night’s incident trouble you," he said, his voice softening. "I’ve already apologized to Stefania on your behalf."

Woah! A bitter laugh threatened to escape, but I swallowed it down. "Okay."

"Stefania thinks the wedding is just a formality," he continued, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. "She said we don’t need to put too much effort into it. Our marriage doesn’t rely on grand gestures. And she’s right. What matters is us being husband and wife."

"I’ll go along with whatever you decide," I replied, the words tasting like ash. And honestly, it bores me.

Because in my heart, the decision had already been made. This wedding would be the simplest in history because it would never happen. I would let Lorenzo play his games until the very last moment.

As the day wore on, the suffocating weight of the house became unbearable. I needed to clear my head, to reclaim some semblance of control. I left the villa’s estate, driving aimlessly until I reached a quiet café on the outskirts of the city.

The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as I settled into a corner booth. I pulled out the crescent moon necklace from my pocket, running my fingers over its worn surface.

"Trouble in paradise?" a deep voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up to find Matteo. Again.

I observed him, thinking why he—an ally of Volantes and Corvinos, and one of the most dangerous men in the underground society, kept on pestering me. I didn’t buy his reasons for being my driver and bodyguard after I learned from some confidant what he was capable of.

"Matteo," I greeted, forcing a smile. "Still have the fun following me, eh?"

Matteo’s piercing gray eyes studied me too with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. He slid into the seat across from me, his expression unreadable. "I need to, right? And why here? I thought Lorenzo’s bride-to-be wants to enjoy dancing in the club and not hiding in a café. Alone and looked so sad. Neglected again?"

I sighed, twirling the necklace between my fingers. "Just needed some air." I don’t want to say much about what he said about me. He was there last night in the club. He saw what I did on the dance floor and he was there protecting me with the advances of some men.

Matteo’s gaze flicked to the necklace, his brows furrowing slightly. "That’s not yours, is it?"

My grip tightened instinctively. "Why? Do you have any idea about this?"

"Enough to know it’s not just a necklace for you," he replied cryptically. "You've been keeping it since you found it last night. Why? Playing with fire, Damsel?”

A dark laugh escaped me. "Yep, because fire might be exactly what I need right now."

Matteo leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "If you’re planning to take on Lorenzo and Stefania, you’ll need more than fire. You’ll need allies."

I met his gaze, the weight of his words sinking in. "And what are you offering, Matteo?"

He smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Revenge. The kind that will make them wish they never crossed you."

“And why the hell are you suggesting that to me?”

“Because I have reasons.” He grinned.