They say the love of your life looks just like you.

Giulia Costello
When the two men entered the apartment, interrupting our lunch, the idea formed as quickly as I had the courage to do it, so now sitting in the luxury restaurant that Giovanni loves so much, I cross my legs confidently as I have never been able to feel in all these years . The microphone hidden in the small pendant, I lift the glass taking a sip of the water, I look at the entrance and there is the pair of sky blue eyes shining with confidence, pompous, proud and arrogant.
As I spoke aloud what I intended, I sorely expected to feel remorse, pity for conspiring against my brother, the father of my daughter. But he was never that, always being the jailer of my prison inside the high walls built to feed his own ego, the well-cut suit showing the muscles under the gray fabric, the dress pants showing the long, thick legs, a beautiful painting to hide the true face.
I open a perfect smile when I see him sit down calling the waiter to take the order, inside holding the bile from the sickening smell of the perfume, the tears form without any effort joining our hands on the table. Attentive eyes analyzing every reaction on the prowl like a serpent about to pounce, what Giovanni never imagined is that snakes are capable of swallowing other snakes, that's how I manage to disguise all the pleasure of the moment, lowering my eyes completely submissive to their wills .
The taste should be bitter, but it's completely sweet as I sigh heavily attracting her attention, I look up, shaken by the distance imposed by the marriage.
- Giovanni. - The big hands find my chin silencing my mouth.
- I'll get it out of there.
- Like? Vincenzo is still missing and our girl Giovanni.
I speak hurriedly in a single breath leaning my body forward letting the tears run down my cheeks disguising it by lowering my face when the waiter approaches serving the dark drink. The man practically runs at the furious expression my brother wears.
- Vicenzo was a traitor.
Gasp in surprise bringing his body closer to him putting his hand on his leg seeing the expression transforming with my attitude.
- What do you think you're doing? - With the growl retreat putting his back against the chair.
- I can't stand being there anymore, Giovanni. - I murmur, looking down at the baby blue dress.
The curve of her bulging belly draws my hands like a magnet, smoothing the skin over the fabric as the strong hand pulls my chin up hard.
- I'm going to get you out of that little shit and I'm going to get this baby.
- Why do you want to take our baby away?
- You're going deaf Giulia, Vincenzo was a fucking traitor and I won't let our bloodline be tainted.
I nod in response, pulling out the glass of water again, batting my eyelashes with the tears that are starting to dry amidst the waterproof mascara, thick fingers tapping the table in a steady rhythm, analyzing each place in the restaurant .
- Be ready tomorrow as soon as the sun rises.
- Giacomo will hunt us down, fratello. - I let the voice out in a sigh attracting our gazes.
- Don't worry, he'll be too busy looking for his shitty little secret.
I keep my eyes on him, drawing his attention, scenting danger.
- What is it, Julia?
- He said he would drive me to Texas tomorrow.
- By the time he gets there you won't be a Costello anymore and his little secret will be arriving at the borders of Mexico in a shipment of food.
I open a small smile in agreement with her words, watching as I bring the glass to my mouth, taking it all in one gulp.
- So will you hand him over to Enrico? - I question calmly.
- More than that, my contacts in Sicily will destroy the Costello name.
I take a roll from the basket and break it between my fingers, eating it slowly, waiting for the moment when I will boast, which it does not take long to happen.
- He thought he could hide that little whore in Texas, but my partner caught a trail of our loads and he must be making her open her mouth by now, it'll be just the two of us and our bambina, I'll find her soon I promise.
- I trust you, Giovanni.
I bat my eyelashes and smile wider.
- My Giulia De Angelis.
A deep voice pronounces at the same time that her face starts to contort looking sideways, her right hand rising towards her throat, her eyes wide as I place my hand over hers.
- You should know my name is Giullia Costello, fratello.
The eye sockets look like they are going to burst so much is his fury mixed with paralysis as I take the cell phone from the inside pocket of my jacket, his hand grips my wrist tightly to mark a smile even more turning his head over his shoulder because at the same moment his body retracts falling of the chair thrashing in a painful convulsion.
The diners mingle with the infiltrated men and the soldiers, while I fall beside her, hiding the cell phone between my breasts, letting my face be bathed in thick tears, the heat taking over the sensitive skin when all I want is to smile like the Fucking psychopath who finally managed to catch the victim, our identical eyes are fixed on each other and the pleasure of him knowing, causes a euphoria that I have to contain as I scream for help.
I hold his hand when he is lifted by the soldiers running with them out of the restaurant getting into the car thanking them for putting his head in my lap, the lucid and incapable man has his eyes bloodshot with hate. I smooth her blond hair down my mouth to whisper in her ear.
- My husband wanted to torture you very slowly, but that wouldn't be enough, I want to see you trapped in the hospital bed disabled even to speak in the same way you punished me for so many years by silencing my voice. - I lift my head loving the agitated shape of her irises, murmuring again. - I hope you're corroding yourself knowing that your plans went to waste.
I adjust my body on the seat, returning to the pose destroyed by concern for my brother, I yell at the soldier who is driving to go faster, their eyes analyzing me intently through the rearview mirror as I stroke the executioner's hair.
I get out of the car with them at the hospital entrance and start running down the hall to follow the professionals, bumping into Gia's wall of muscles I start to sob hiding my face listening carefully to Enrico's commands, feeling his wife's small hand trying to give some comfort.
- He'll be fine, Giovanni is a strong man. - I look up at my husband as soon as he finishes speaking.
- I can't lose another brother, husband.
The space between his brows crinkles with silent questioning as Enrico seems to hear even my breath sinking again crying inside his arms.
- No one has found Vincenzo Giulia, what do you know?
His arms let go of me taking his hands strong, fingers squeezing my shoulders in a little jolt when I wish I was moaning for him.
- Giovanni said he was a traitor and immediately started to feel sick.
Realization hits his and Enrico's eyes, I let Anna lace up her tentacles as she pulls me onto the waiting bench as the men start issuing orders and storming out of the hospital. I rest my face against the middle-aged woman's shoulder, stroking her stomach and closing my eyes in pleasure.
Hunter got what I asked for quickly, a mixture of drugs potent enough to cause permanent paralysis and acid diluted enough to be disguised in drink burning the vocal cords, making it impossible for the man I believed to love to utter anything. Giovanni will never be able to get out of a fucking bed again and that gives me a pretty crazy idea to do even with the smell of hospital disinfectant soaking into my skin.
Giacomo tried to maintain all of his poise, but we knew it, we, his family, were able to see the pride gleaming within the irises so dark, Jack even though still pissed off let out a chuckle, fluttering his long dark eyelashes as he clipped the microphone. Diana looked like a child practically jumping up and down and clapping her hands, it was at that moment that I felt what it's like to belong to a real family, how far I am able to go for them.
I open my eyes after what feels like an eternity of forcing not a single smile, as Anna shakes my shoulder indicating the Giacomo faithful doctor aware of our intentions to keep things in each place.
- I'm sorry to inform you ladies, your brother suffered a major neurological trauma perhaps from some very strong stress losing the ability of the central nervous system to transmit commands to the rest of the body.
- Like? - I ask like a fool.
- In layman's terms, your brother is in a vegetative state.
I scream in pain being stopped by Anna, letting the tears flow again hiding her face, listening to Enrico's voice.
- He is dead? - The voice reverberates on the white walls causing a serious echo.
- Sir, he's not able to talk, move or feed himself, it's almost a miracle he can still breathe without assistance. Do any of you know what happened, it could have been a combination of a genetic predisposition allied to high periods of stress, the brain is an unknown.
Silence takes over and warm hands draw my body back into his arms like a dragonfly towards the light, if the pain Icarus felt could be compared to mine I would say that pain is inherent in love, Giacomo is the sun that Illuminate the dark path we walk towards revenge and I myself will dig the grave of your enemies for none of them will be able to keep the sun away from our sick, passionate and pleasurable destiny.