Chapter 9

Amalia goes up to the room carrying a vegetable soup for Luna. It had been days since she had eaten, and Vincenzo had already returned to New York. She wanted to make sure Luna would be okay.

"Dear, I brought you some vegetable soup. You need to eat a bit, or you'll get sick," she says gently.

"Thank you, but I can't feel hungry. All I want is to leave here," Luna replies sadly.

"Just have a little, it will do you good. You need to try, or when you reunite with your family, you won't be able to stand," Amalia insists.

"Just a little, because you're insisting and made it with care. And thank you," Luna gratefully acknowledges.

"That's it, my dear." Amalia watches her tenderly.

"Have you worked here for many years?" Luna starts a conversation.

"So many that I've lost count," she smiles at the memory.

"What was Vincenzo's mother like?" Luna continues asking.

"She was a good person, had a kind heart, and helped everyone. Unlike her husband, who cheated on her and was cruel to many people, her life was a complete hell," Amalia recounts.

"Why didn't she leave him then?" Luna asks curiously.

"Because of Vincenzo. She knew DOM Gambino would never let her take their only son."

"With such a good mother, how could he have taken after his father? I saw in the newspaper all the cruelties he committed—his first murder at 13," Luna remarks.

"He lost his mother young, and with his father the way he was, he shaped him into a warrior, instilling all these bad things in his head. But, my dear, he is a good person. Under all that evil, there's still that boy who used to run scared on rainy days. Even as a teenager, he was afraid of thunder and never answered me," Amalia reflects.

"Maybe because you raised him, you refuse to see who he is. He beat up my brother a lot, and he was about to kill me. But for some reason, he backed out at the last moment, so I find it hard to believe someone like that could have a good heart. And on top of that, he won't let me leave, said his father, who wants to do terrible things to me."

"Dear, his father is the devil himself. Be sure that the only person who can keep you safe is Vincenzo, and he won't let anyone hurt you because he stops herself from saying too much.

"What about him?" Luna presses to know what Amália is going to say.

"He's... he's fond of you. I shouldn't have said any of this. I hope you won't tell him anything," Amália ends up saying.

"Fond of me? (she laughs) He doesn't even know me. Just because he made me a prisoner doesn't mean he likes me. And I don't like him. All I feel besides fear and hatred for everything he's done to my family."

"I've never seen that gleam in his eyes for anyone like I have for you. He's willing to defy his father for you. He would never go against his father if it wasn't for something he wanted to save. So, yes, I believe he's fond of you."

"What a strange way to love people, Mrs. Amália. I want to be alone for a while. Thank you for the soup; it was amazing. I'll try to get some rest. It's all too much for me to process," Luna says.

"I'll leave you to rest. If you need anything, you can call me. Good rest," Amália says.

As soon as Amália leaves the room, Luna is thoughtful about everything she says about Vincenzo liking her.

---

Vincenzo lands at the New York airport runway, where his driver is waiting with his car, taking him directly to the Cielo inauguration event. As usual, it's packed with photographers, and Vincenzo has no patience for it.

"We've arrived, sir. "It seems to be quite packed," the driver remarks.

"I want to stay as little as possible and head straight to Garden Nightclub. Call Angel and tell her to be ready to meet me. I need to unwind," Vincenzo instructs.

"Yes, sir. I'll do as you asked," the driver replies.

Vincenzo exits the car and faces the onslaught of flashes, entering and heading straight to a private area in the VIP space.

Vincenzo's phone vibrates; it's his father, Dom Carlo Gambino.

"What do I owe the honor of your call?" Vincenzo says.

"Can't a father call his only son?" Dom asks.

"Whenever you call, there's always a reason. So, spit it out. I just arrived at the Cielo inauguration, and I'm not in the mood," Vincenzo replies.

"Matteo must have told you I want you to release the girl and hand her over to me. Let me handle this personally. This little wench will serve me well," Dom insists.

While his father speaks on the other end of the line, Vincenzo clenches his jaw, feeling angry at what his father is planning.

"I already told Matteo, and now I'm telling you. I'm handling this. There's no reason for you to see the girl; it's my affair, period," he responds angrily to his father.

"I don't understand why you didn't kill her when you had the chance and her brother. You chose to do things behind my back. Once you're done with the inauguration, I want you to come home immediately. We have much to discuss, including your marriage," Dom says.

"I have no patience for games, father. I'm not marrying anyone just because you want me to," he firmly tells his father.

"Dom Bonanno's daughter is 25, educated in Mafia laws, trained to be an exemplary wife," his father persists.

"I'm not marrying any Bonanno or whoever else you have in mind," Vincenzo states firmly.

"Vincenzo, they are one of the five most important families, and in our circles, that counts for a lot," his father insists.

"If there's nothing else to bother me with, I need to hang up. See you later," Vincenzo cuts him off.

"By the way, my son, congratulations on another successful venture. See you later," his father concludes.