Hope Emily Nightingale

The room had cleared out, with everyone in Fina's family leaving the basement. I believed one of them would be guarding the door. I stayed with Adamo to ensure no one hurt the kid again. Serafina informed me that she'd go get the first aid kit. With a solid understanding of medicine, thanks to my uncle, one of the best ER surgeons, I knew enough to stitch him up where the cuts were deep. Despite graduating four years ahead of my peers with a degree in medicine, I never officially worked in a hospital. I only treated people if someone couldn't get to a hospital and was hurt.

"Thanks for stopping them from hurting me further," Adamo said, appearing tired and exhausted.

"It's no problem," I replied, pulling a nearby chair and sitting facing him. "How are you?" I asked, concerned about the kid's well-being.

"As good as someone who's been tortured will be," he whispered softly.

"Well, you'll feel much better once I've patched you up. Serafina will be here any minute."

"Can I ask you something?" Adamo looked a little hesitant.

"Go ahead."

"Why did you kidnap Nino? I mean, I know it was because Remo kidnapped Serafina, but why him? Savio or I would've been a better option, considering we're not as strong or intimidating as Remo and Nino."

"Well, it would've been a better option, but I wasn't going to kidnap children. Neither you nor Savio were eighteen yet."

"We're not kids; we're made men. Adults by mafia standards," Adamo said, a little more firmly.

"I don't seem to agree with mafia standards. Neither of you were legal adults. I don't agree with how men in the mafia tend to coddle women and leave them with no idea how to defend themselves, all in the name of protection. And worst of all, how they underestimate all women-a weakness in your family I easily exploited. Let's be honest; none of you expected a girl to be able to get in and out of the Camorra mansion without being caught on any of the cameras placed outside."

"Yeah, we did not expect that. These coddled women, Serafina is one of them, isn't she?"

"Not really. I made sure she could defend herself to some extent. I train with her almost every time she comes to Bleakstorm Island. I do not take it easy on her. She's not strong enough to kick Remo's ass yet, but she will be one day. Oh, and don't tell her parents; they'll murder me if they know."

He let out a laugh. "She's ruthless. Trust me when I say she's not to be messed with," Serafina said as she walked in with the first aid box and another plastic bag. "I got us all some food. I'm staying here too. I can try to stop Samuel from hurting Adamo without you breaking his hand."

I chuckled at her comment, taking the first aid kit and starting to tend to Adamo's wounds. Once he was mostly patched up, I pulled another chair nearby so Fina could sit as well. As Fina pulled out the food from the bag, I untied Adamo so he could eat. Fina handed him a box then passed one to me, and we all started eating.

"Nino said you didn't make his captivity unpleasant," Adamo spoke up, sounding uncertain. Serafina choked on her food, and I understood why.

"I'm sure his stay was pleasant, Adamo. Hope is a perfect host," Serafina said, trying to suppress her smile, clearly hinting at the fact that I had slept with Nino.

I gave her a sideways glance, and Adamo looked between us with a confused look. After that, we sat in comfortable silence.

The next morning at eight, I heard that Remo had been taken captive, which prompted me to release Remo. By around 6 pm, I ventured into the basement and managed to catch a glimpse of Remo. He was badly beaten and bloody, tied down on the floor. Overhearing Dante's plan to mutilate him tomorrow and then kill him filled me with a sense of urgency.

I knew I had to persuade Fina to save him before it was too late, or she would carry the guilt for the rest of her life.

So, with a neutral expression, I approached her room. "Remo is dead. Your family tortured him and then shot him between the eyes," I announced.

Serafina gasped, collapsing onto her bed to avoid falling. Tears streamed down her face as the weight of the news settled in. "No, that can't be true. He's the father of my kids. I love him, even if I didn't want to admit it. Why didn't I do something? Why did I just let him die?" she sobbed.

I gently placed my hand on her shoulder. "He's not dead, Fina. I said that to make you understand how you'd feel once he's gone. They plan to kill him tomorrow. He's in a bad state. Tonight is our last chance to save him. But if you do, you can no longer stay in Minneapolis."

Fina punched me hard in the gut, and I took it, knowing I deserved it. Then she hugged me tightly. "Thank you for giving me that wake-up call, but if you ever pull something like that again, I'll punch you even harder," she said, wiping her tears. "I think I should save Remo and go with his family. Our children will never be accepted here. They'll be treated with respect there."

"Alright then. You go ahead and save Remo. I'll pack my stuff, get the kids, and come get you and Remo in my car. We'll contact Nino soon after to arrange a way out of here. If anything endangers either of your lives, call me. I'll be right outside the building," I assured her.

She headed towards the door, but i quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug and muttered a quick goodbye. Serafina rushed off to save Remo. I packed our belongings, dressed the kids, and grabbed essentials from the nursery.

After I was sure we had everything we needed, I headed to Sofia's room. I saw her say goodbye to Serafina near the gate and i know for a fact that she'd want to say good-bye to the kids too.

When she opened the door, i crouched down a little so she could see the kids properly. She was only five feet tall. She placed a kiss on both their heads. As i rose back up to my full height she hugged me, her arms circling around my stomach.
"I know that my parents aren't big fans of you, but I've always looked up to you as a cool sister. I'm going to miss you"

I had kids in both of my hands so i couldn't hug her back. Therefore I leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Well you know my number, you can contact me whenever you want." I then walked towards the gates. The guards didn't bother me much because they couldn't care when i left and they never accepted the kids as a part of Serafina's family. They were considered abominations.

As I headed towards the gates, I was let through without much drama. I secured the kids in the back seat of the car. I parked outside the building where Remo was held captive and waited for Fina.

About ten minutes later, she emerged, bearing most of Remo's weight. The moment his gaze met mine, he raised the gun and fired in my direction.

"Whoa! I'm on your side, Remo," I exclaimed. The bullet narrowly missed my head by an inch. I knew he didn't truly intend to harm me, as Serafina would forever despise him for it. But that didn't necessarily mean he liked me.

"I know. That's why you're still breathing. I've been itching to take a shot at you for a while," he said with a smirk.

Shaking my head, I moved to the other side to assist Remo into the car. He promptly lost consciousness. Taking the wheel, I noticed Serafina settling in the back with the kids. She reached out to 'the sugar trap' to relay a message to Nino that she had called.

After driving a few kilometers away, I stopped the car and instructed Fina to retrieve the first aid kit from the back.

As we tended to Remo's wounds, the phone rang. "I think it's Nino," Serafina informed me, sparking a rush of emotions as I hadn't spoken to him in over a year. Despite knowing he had likely moved on, I couldn't shake him from my thoughts.

"Pick it up. Put it on speaker."