Chapter 19

Vincenzo watches as the security guards leave with Amália, then heads to the kitchen and puts the glass of whiskey in the sink. As he looks out the window, Luna approaches and wraps her arms around his waist.

“Good morning,” Luna says, resting her head on Vincenzo’s back.

Vincenzo turns around, removes her hands, and walks to the window.

“Did something happen?” Luna asks, not understanding anything.

“Yes, something happened. We need to talk.”

He looks seriously out the window, and Luna follows him.

“Then speak up. You’re starting to scare me.”

“I want you to leave immediately.”

“What do you mean you want me to leave? Where am I supposed to go now? Does your father know we’re here?” she asks, utterly confused.

“I’m getting married. Everything that happened yesterday was a mistake. I don’t feel anything for you. It was just to take your honor and make your father pay for what he did to my mother. Now that I’ve gotten what I wanted, I’m discarding you,” he says, trying to make her believe him.

Luna starts crying upon hearing those harsh words and says, “You can’t be serious. Everything that happened can’t be a lie. You couldn’t have pretended so well.”

“Yes, I could. When you heard on TV that I was a cruel, ruthless man used to doing whatever I wanted with people, it was all true. I want you to leave now!”

He starts shouting. Desperately, Luna begins to hit him.

“Please don’t do this to me. You can’t be serious. You can’t be doing this to me.”

Vincenzo shows coldness to make Luna truly believe it.

“I’ve told you to leave, how many times do I have to say it?” he starts shouting louder.

“Please don’t do this. What will my father think of me when I come back?” she cries desperately.

“He’ll think you’re a worthless piece of trash, just like he and your miserable brother. Now get out of my sight before I lose control,” Vincenzo says.

At the moment Vincenzo says those words, Luna looks at him with disappointment. She gets up from the floor, wipes her tears, and looks into Vincenzo’s eyes, saying:

“Don’t worry, I’m leaving your house, but before I go, I have a few things to say to you. You used me in the worst possible way. I thought there might be a human being inside, but I realized there wasn’t. You’re everything they said in the newspaper, even worse. I’ll do whatever it takes to forget you. You don’t deserve me to be like this. My God, how could I have been so stupid? How could I have let you into my mind and heart? But don’t worry, it will pass. I know it will. I’m strong enough to recover.”

“Are you done?” he asks, holding back his tears.

“Yes,” she says as tears continue to fall.

“You know the way to the door. There’s a taxi waiting at the gate to take you home.”

Vincenzo finishes his words and goes back to his office. Luna is left alone in the kitchen. She sits on the floor and breaks down crying, barely able to breathe from everything Vincenzo has said.

After sitting on the floor crying for a long time, Luna gets up and walks to the door. She opens it and, before leaving, looks back, hoping Vincenzo might come back and say he wasn’t serious, but unfortunately, he doesn’t return. Luna closes the door and leaves, walking with her face full of tears. She arrives at the gate, where a taxi is waiting to take her to her father’s house.

Vincenzo watches Luna from the window, seeing the love of his life leaving. He throws the tequila glass in his hand against the wall in frustration, and Vincenzo begins to dial his father’s number.

“It’s done!” Vincenzo says, clenching his jaw.

“What’s done? I don’t understand, my son,” his father pretends not to understand.

“Don’t play dumb. You know very well what I’m talking about. I’ve sent Luna back to her father.”

“I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me. I confess, I thought it would take you longer to decide to send her away. I even considered that you might try to deceive me, but you’re my son. You’d never go against me, so I still had hope you’d do the right thing,” Don Carlo smiles.

“You didn’t give me any other option. You say I’m your son, but it seems I’m just your servant who does what you want. You were able to sacrifice your son. I wonder what else you’d be capable of doing, Daddy,” Vincenzo says, raising his voice.

“I sacrificed you? You’ve always had the best of everything. I’ve always been by your side when your mother died, and you say I sacrificed you just because I’m not going to be with that little woman?” Don Carlo gets agitated.

“I called to let you know you got what you wanted. I’m going to marry Don Bonanno’s daughter just to fulfill your promise to leave Luna in peace. But listen carefully to what I’m going to say: I will never forgive you, and I’m asking you to leave the Mafia.” Vincenzo makes his decision.

“What’s this now? Did you call me to irritate me? It’s not possible. I won’t permit you. Besides being your father, I’m also the Don, and as such, I won’t let you leave. You will be my successor when I’m no longer here. I don’t trust anyone else but you to take over everything. Get yourself together. You can’t throw everything away because of her.”

“I need to hang up. I’ve said everything I needed to say. Schedule the wedding whenever you think it's necessary, since you’re so eager for it to happen. Goodbye, Father.”

Vincenzo doesn’t let his father finish speaking and hangs up the call. He’s already exhausted from the weight his father placed on his shoulders. He sits in the chair and resumes drinking while thinking about how Luna must be feeling about the whole situation.

---

After a grueling two-and-a-half-hour journey, Luna finally arrives home. She enters the lower floor where her father’s shop is located, and with slow steps, she walks to the counter where she finds her father after almost two months and hugs him while crying with emotion.

“My dear daughter, I searched for you so much,” Lourenço can barely speak through his tears.

“I missed you so much, Dad, so much,” Luna cries desperately.

“Come, daughter, sit down. I’ll get a glass of water for you.”

Lourenço gets a glass of water and hands it to Luna to help her calm down.

“Drink, daughter, and calm down a bit so we can talk,” he says.

“I’m feeling better, Dad. Thank you.”

“Did Vincenzo set you free? What happened?” her father asks, not understanding.

“He just wanted to scare you, Dad. I don’t know exactly.”

“Did he hurt you? That bastard touched you?”

“No, Dad, he didn’t do anything to me.”

“He came to see me, said that his father was with you, and wanted help finding you. I was terrified but thought it was just one of Don Carlo’s games using his son as his loyal dog. How can a man raise a son to do such cruelty?” Lourenço says indignantly.

“Let’s forget about it, Daddy, please. Where’s my brother?”

“Your brother is at a friend’s house, but don’t worry, he’s fine. Now, go upstairs, take a shower, and rest. You look exhausted.”

“I will, Dad. We’ll talk later.”

As Luna goes upstairs to her room, her father picks up the phone and dials a number.