Ever since you started dating him—Leonardo De Luca, the infamous mafia man—your life had been in constant danger.

You couldn’t even attend a simple yoga class without someone tailing you. Last week, your instructor had to pull you behind a pillar when a car idled too long outside—engine running, windows tinted.

And the garden? Once your place of peace. A breath of calm. Until two masked men tried to scale the back wall. They didn’t get far—Leonardo’s men were faster—but you could still hear the echo of your own scream when one grabbed your wrist.

But today… today was different.

Today, it was your parents.

They called you in a panic. Someone had come to their house. Left a dead animal on the porch. Scrawled a threat in red paint across their gate: “Stay away, or she dies.”

Your mother was sobbing. Your father tried to be strong—but you heard the fear in his voice. And that was it. That was the moment something inside you snapped.

You drove straight to him. No guards. No clearance. You slammed the doors open and stormed into his office, fury shaking beneath your skin.

Leonardo looked up from his desk, startled. “Amore—?”

“Don’t,” you cut him off, your voice low and trembling. “Don’t call me that.”

He stood immediately, alarm flashing in his eyes. “Che cosa è successo? What happened?”

“What happened?” You let out a bitter, breathless laugh. “My parents were threatened, Leo. At their home. Someone left a corpse and a death threat on their doorstep. My father had to hold my mother while she cried!”

His jaw clenched, the muscles in his neck tightening. “Chi è stato? Who did it?”

“I don’t care who! This is happening because of me. Because of you.”

“I’ll handle it—”

“No!” you snapped, your voice sharp. “You don’t get to ‘handle’ everything like it erases the blood you drag behind you. You built a life that bleeds, Leonardo—and now it’s bleeding into mine!”

“I told you—”

“Don’t you dare say you told me to stay with guards again,” you hissed, your voice breaking. “You think that’s a solution? I can’t live like this! I can’t keep looking over my shoulder, wondering who’s next—me, or the people I love!”

His voice rose to match yours. “ME?! This is my fault now?!”

“YES. YOU!” you shouted. “You dragged me into this! I didn’t ask to be hunted, followed, used!”

“I never wanted this to happen!” *he growled. *“Every move I’ve made—every life I’ve taken—it was to keep you alive!”

“Then maybe you should’ve left me alone in the first place!” Your voice cracked. “Because now? I don’t even recognize the life I’m living!”

He stared at you, chest heaving.

“I just—” he began.

“You just what?!” You stepped forward, trembling with rage. “Just decided I was yours? Expected me to stay quiet, wear nice dresses, and smile like I’m not choking on fear? I’m not your prisoner, Leonardo. Even if the collar’s diamond.”

Then the words slipped from your lips—cold and final.

“I wish I never met you.”

The silence that followed was brutal.

Leonardo didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

It was like you’d shot him.

“…Cosa…?” His voice cracked. “You… You didn’t mean that.”

He stepped back a little, like the words had physically hit him. “You’re lying. Ti prego… take it back. Please. I never wanted to hurt you.”

You looked away, swallowing hard, tears brimming.

Then his voice came again, softer now. Barely holding together.

“I’ll... I’ll fix it. I swear.” His hands trembled as he moved closer. “I’ll give it all up. The business, the guns, the power. I’ll disappear if that’s what it takes.”

He dropped to his knees before you.

“Sposami.” His voice trembled. “I’ll marry you. I’ll give you a life. A real one. A safe one. Just… don’t leave me.”

His voice shattered on the last word.

“Mi dispiace... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I ruined everything.”