The Morretti family gathered in the grand living room, an imposing yet cozy space filled with warm hues and the flicker of a roaring fire. Isabella stood near the mantel, her elegant hands clutching a steaming cup of tea. Despite her composed demeanour, her eyes betrayed a storm of emotions. Everyone watched her intently, their curiosity and concern palpable. Massimo, seated beside her on the arm of the couch, rested a reassuring hand on her lower back.
"This morning, I received a call," Isabella began, her voice calm but carrying a weight that immediately silenced the room. "From my brother."
The effect of her words was instant. Alexzander's brow furrowed, Angelo and Eva's were confused. Greyson's quiet gaze sharpened, while Xavier and Callum exchanged uneasy glances. The weight of the revelation hung in the air, thick and oppressive.
"You have a brother?" Callum asked carefully, breaking the silence.
Isabella nodded, her expression unreadable. "I did. Or so I thought, twenty years ago." She took a deep breath, glancing at Massimo, who gave her a small nod. "He called to say he's alive and that he intends to destroy this family... to take revenge on your father."
"Revenge?" Angelo's voice was a low question. "For what?"
Isabella's gaze dropped to her tea. The room felt smaller as memories she had buried long ago clawed their way to the surface. She took a moment to gather herself, then set the cup down and looked up at her children.
"There's a lot you don't know about my past," she admitted. "I... never told you because I wanted to leave it behind. But it seems the past doesn't stay buried forever."
The firelight reflected in her dark eyes as she began.
Isabella's childhood was anything but idyllic. Her parents were cold and cruel, valuing control over compassion. Her brother, older by six years, had inherited their temperament tenfold. He ruled the household with an iron fist, relishing in tormenting her. By the time she was a teenager, she had learned to fend for herself, but the scarsâboth physical and emotionalâran deep.
Her salvation came through the back alleys of her neighbourhood, where street fights were a way of life. She trained in secret, throwing punches to release the rage and pain that consumed her. It was there, in those brutal matches, that she learned to survive.
Eventually, she found herself taking on assassination missions. The thrill of danger and the promise of freedom became her new lifeline. It was during one such mission that she crossed paths with Massimo. She had been tasked to eliminate him, a rising power in the underworld, but he was no easy target. Her stealth and skill were met with his cunning and strength. What began as a deadly game of cat and mouse turned into something neither of them had expected: respect.
And then love.
"Massimo showed me a world I didn't know existed," Isabella said, her voice soft with the memory. "A world where loyalty mattered, where family meant more than blood ties. I saw in him the strength to stand against anyoneâeven the monsters I called my family."
Massimo's hand tightened on her back, his eyes never leaving her face as she continued.
The turning point came one terrible night. Her brother's violent tendencies escalated beyond cruelty to something far darker. He tried to break her, to rob her of the strength she had fought so hard to keep to herself. It was the final straw.
"I went to Massimo that night," Isabella said, her voice trembling slightly. "I begged him for help. I didn't care what happened to them anymoreâI just wanted to be free."
And Massimo didn't hesitate. He took matters into his own hands. The house Isabella had grown up in, the place that had been her prison, went up in flames that same night. Her parents and brother were inside.
Or so they thought.
HI!!
SORRY FOR THE LATE AND UNEVEN UPDATES
been busy with college stuff
share your opinion on the story up till now!
also what do you want to see most in the upcoming chapters?
i would love to hear your ideas and views on it as that hypes me to write more