Vanessa's POV

"Believe me I don't enjoy seeing your depressed face, but my father wants us to join them. I am not in the mood to explain him why my wife didn't accept his invitation," Jack said, bored, tightening his grip around my wrist, pulling me towards him. "You have fifteen minutes to get yourself presentable," Jack added, pushing my arm away angrily, and stormed out.

I heaved a loud sigh and stood up to get ready for dinner. Once I put on a beige midi dress and brushed my hair, I went downstairs. As soon as Jack saw me, he walked out of the mansion without waiting for me.

Jack grabbed my arm and dragged me towards his parents' mansion as we got out of the car.

After greeting each other, we started having dinner. I was picking at my food, lost in my thoughts. I didn't have an appetite.

"Are you okay?" my mother asked in a low tone, leaning towards me.

"I don't know," I mumbled sadly. She sighed, giving me a sympathetic look.

Suddenly, we heard gunshots.

"Lie down!" Jack's father shouted in panic as they were shooting through the window.

After a while, finally, the gunshots stopped. We straightened carefully.

"Castelli?" my father and Jack's father mumbled in union while pointing their gun towards the ten armed men.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as I remembered the man who was standing in the middle of the armed men. It was the same man who I talked in the park. Tony.

"What the hell is going on, Antonio?! How dare you to barge in my house and attack my family?!" Jack's father, Charles barked angrily. 

So he was the famous Antonio Castelli?!

But why did he approach me? What did he want from me? I am sure it wasn't a coincidence.

"Did you really think I won't do anything when you dared to hurt my dearest person?" Antonio asked, frustrated, still pointing his gun at Charles.

"What? I didn't do anything," Charles said, puzzled.

"Your bastard did. This idiot doesn't know that he shouldn't have messed up with me," he replied furiously, pointing to Jack with his gun. "You will pay with your life as well as your family. I will destroy you. How could you think I will leave you alive after what you did to my son?!"

"What?" Charles and Jack asked in unison and looked at each other, confused.

"We didn't do anything to him. We haven't even seen your son who you keep hidden," Charles stated firmly.

"Riccardo Castelli, my heir," Antonio informed them.

"We have never met him," they said in confusion.

"Maybe I should call him Rick Adams?! It may help you to remember," Antonio commented sarcastically and gave them a murderous look.

I looked at Antonio in shock. Rick... is Castelli?!

As soon as my father, Jack and his father heard about Rick, they got pale.

"Your imbecile son will pay with his life," Antonio declared in an authoritative tone and glanced at me while I was staring at him, frozen.

"I didn't know," Jack said in panic.

"I don't care. You will pay what you have done to my son. Believe me it will be torturous. You will beg me to kill you. It is just the beginning," Antonio warned him, giving him an intimidating glare, and stormed out.

As soon as Antonio and his men left, Charles turned towards Jack and slapped him across his face. "Idiot! How could you do such a mistake?! It is the beginning of war," his father exclaimed angrily.

***

I was drinking my red wine absently while Jasmine was telling me about her Arabian boyfriend, who lied to her about himself, at the nightclub. It reminded me about Rick and his real identity. More correctly, Riccardo Castelli, the heir of the most powerful mafia in the world.

I couldn't stop myself from thinking that if he told us about who he really was, everything could be different. If my father and Jack found out he was Antonio Castelli's son, Jack wouldn't dare to do anything to him. Moreover, if my father knew who Rick was, he wouldn't be against our relationship. Maybe now we even were happily married.

It had been three months since his death. There wasn't any minute which I didn't remember him. I missed him so much.

"I am sorry, Nessa. You have a lot of problem on your own, and I am here bothering you with mine as well., Jasmine said, giving me an apologetic look.

"Jas, you are my best friend. Of course, you will tell me about your problems like I tell you." I gave her a slight smile, resting my hand on her arm. "What will you do now?"

She sighed, ruffling her hair. "I don't know."

"If you really love him, give him a chance. Losing the love of your life... it is unbearable," I commented sadly.

"He doesn't want a chance." She sighed sadly and took a sip from her drink. "Now he just wants me to agree..." She shook her head without finishing her sentence and finished her drink in a sip. "Let's go. It is late," Jasmine added as she stood up.

"No, I will stay. I want to enjoy myself while Jack is out of town," I refused and sipped my wine.

Jack went to Canada a week ago. He told me it was work related, but I heard him talking to some woman on the phone about how he planned everything related to their vacation together. He was coming back next or two weeks later.

"Are you sure? You are tipsy," she said, concerned, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"I am fine. Don't worry." I gave her a reassuring smile. "See you later."

"Take care!" She gave me a hug and left.

"Another one!" I ordered the bartender after finishing my drink.

I leaned my face against my hand, keeping drinking. I felt tipsy; I was barely keeping my eyes open.

Once I finished my drink, I stood up slowly, leaning my hand against the counter for support, and grabbed my clutch. When I wanted to walk towards the exit, my head spun. I rubbed my forehead, trying to find strength to leave, but suddenly, my vision darkened.

***

I tried to open my eyes as I felt my back pressing against something soft. I furrowed my eyebrows, ruffling my hair while trying to understand where I was. I was in the unfamiliar room, lying on the bed. There was a man in the room as well, but his back was turned towards me.

When I wanted to get up, I felt dizzy. I lay down on the bed, rubbing my forehead, groaning. As the man heard my voice, he turned around and approached me. As much as I tried to identify who he was, I couldn't because my vision was blurry.

He hovered over me and stared at me without saying anything, resting his hands on the each side of my head for support.

"Rick?" I mumbled, puzzled, staring at the man who looked like my Rick, and rubbed my eyes, trying to understand it was really Rick or my imagination.

He gave me an arrogant smirk and brushed his lips against mine. After getting rid of my surprise, I responded to his demanding kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck as he pressed his bulge against my thighs.

***

I groaned, rubbing my temples as I woke up the following morning. My head was pounding.

When I opened my eyes fully, I understood I wasn't in my bedroom. I instantly checked myself.

Damn it!

I looked around in panic as I saw I was naked. My clothes were scattered on the floor.

I ruffled my hair anxiously with my trembling hand while my heart was pounding, and I tried to remember what happened last night.

"Oh my..." I took deep breaths as I remembered what happened last night: the man who looked like Rick, his kisses, touches and... our sex. "What I have done! Damn!" I exclaimed angrily as my eyes welled up.

When I looked at the other side of the bed, I noticed something on the bedside table. I leaned towards it and grabbed the money. There were five hundred dollars.

I gritted my teeth in frustration, crumpling the money in my hand, and threw them onto the floor angrily. Meanwhile, tears ran down my cheeks uncontrollably.

The fucking bastard! How could he treat me as a whore?!

Even if taking advantage of my state wasn't enough for him, the bastard left money for last night.

Serves you right, Nessa! Don't act like you didn't kiss him back. You aren't innocent either.

Yes, but I was drunk. Moreover, he looked like... Rick.

All of these made me lose my mind. However, it didn't give him the right to treat me as a whore.

I cursed under my breath and got up to pick up my clothes. I had to leave as soon as possible before someone noticed my absence in the mansion.

When I went to the bathroom to wash my face, my eyes widened in shock. There were a lot of hickeys on my neck, chest as well as my thighs.