People are like stained - glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
-Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

~~

"Her ribs are badly bruised it's a miracle they aren't broken. I gave her medication for the pain but it's better if she rests for a while." The doctor spoke softly to Sebastian. She had just finished examining me.

"Grazie (Thank you)." Sebastian responded.

The doctor turned to look at me one more time, her eyes filled with sadness and pity. She shook her head slowly before leaving the room.

Leaving me alone with Sebastian.

I couldn't bring myself to look at him.

How had I not seen this coming?

How could I have been so clueless?

Sebastian was the head of the Alfonsi family.

The man I had fallen in love with was il Demonio.

"I am sorry that you got hurt. That shouldn't have happened." Sebastian's quiet voice broke the silence of the room.

My eyes snapped to his. And the regret I saw in his eyes made my heart lurch with hope.

Even if he was the Don, he was still the same man I had fallen in love with.

He was the same man who had protected me and cared for me. He was the same man who had offered me his home when I didn't have a roof over my head, or money, or food.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were?" And although it wasn't intentional, my words came out a little accusatory.

His face went blank and for a moment he didn't respond.

"It didn't matter." His voice was indifferent.

My eyes narrowed. "Don't give me that crap. You intentionally kept it from me!"

"Like you kept your true identity from me," Sebastian said quietly.

My body tensed. My hands curled into fists.

"I didn't know, Sebastian. I found out when I overheard you, Lucian, and Lorenzo arguing that day. And I was going to tell you-" My voice cracked. "I wanted to tell you, Sebastian. You have to believe me. But when I went to tell you the truth, you told me that you wouldn't choose me and I panicked. I'm sorry you had to find out this way but you can't be mad at me when you were hiding who you were from me the entire time we've known each other!"

His expression remained blank but his eyes softened a little.

"There are only a few people who know my true identity and it is safer if it remains that way. Knowing that I was the head of the Alfonsi family would have made you a liability and a target. That is why I didn't tell you. But I never actually lied to you, you yourself assumed that Lorenzo was the Don, I just didn't correct you. If you had asked me flat out if I was il Demonio I would have said yes."

I recalled something he had said to me a while back when I asked him about the Don.

"Someone I pray you never cross paths with. Everyone calls him, il Demonio, the Devil. He is a monster, the worst kind."

I shuddered.

Sebastian isn't a monster.

I kept telling myself.

I walked up to him and tilted my head up to meet his gaze. His eyes were stormy, filled with turmoil and anger.

"I don't care about who you are or why you didn't tell me. To me you will always be Sebastian, the man who held me in his arms and comforted me when I told him about my abusive step-father, the man who got me an apprenticeship in a Michelin-star restaurant because he knew how much I loved cooking." I took in a shuddering breath. "You are a good man Sebastian. And right now you have the power to do the right thing." My voice broke, and my emotions were starting to get the better of me. "You once told me that you were stuck in a life where you had to do things you regretted every day. Don't let this be one of the moments you regret for the rest of your life." I whispered.

He closed his eyes briefly, his face contorting as if he was in physical pain. But when he opened them again his expression was cold and detached.

"It's not about doing what's right or wrong. It's about justice. You wouldn't understand." He said quietly.

I squared my shoulders and looked him right in the eye.

"I wouldn't understand?" I couldn't stop the humorless chuckle from escaping my lips. "News flash Sebastian, my brother was killed too. Your uncle shot him right in front of my eyes. And maybe my father wasn't killed like yours but he was taken away from me all the same! My whole life was ripped away from me because of this never-ending family feud!" I forced myself to take calming breaths. "Yet, here I am, standing in front of you with not an ounce of hatred in my heart. I'm not holding you accountable for the things your father and uncle did."

My eyes moved across his face, searching. "Your past and your blood don't define you, the choices you make do." I finally murmured.

Sebastian shook his head, his chest expanding as he sighed. "You know Angelica, if it was only about what happened in the past, thirteen years ago, I might have changed my mind, for you. But it's not just about the past."

I blinked in confusion, waiting for him to elaborate.

"Your father has our men. Over the years he has captured men who are related to us or work for us to get information. He has them imprisoned in his safe-houses but we don't know where. These men, who your father tortures and kills for information have wives, children, and people who love them. I don't know how many are still alive but I know that they are my family and I won't abandon them." His eyes were hard when he looked at me. "You thought your father was innocent? I'm sorry to tell you that he's not. He's just like the rest of us, maybe even worse. The feud between our families has been going on for many decades. The Vitale's were always stronger than us, always one step ahead. But this time we have the advantage. We have Carlos Vitale's daughter."

I had to curl my hands into fists to stop them from trembling.

My head was spinning from everything he'd told me.

I knew it was the truth. He wouldn't lie to me. Not about something like this.

"I don't blame you for not telling me about your father," Sebastian said finally. "If you think my reaction would have been any different if you had told me yourself then you're wrong." His eyes studied my face. "However, what I can't understand is why you didn't leave when you found out who your father was. You were free, you could have left without anyone finding out, but you stayed, why?"

I swallowed.

"You know why I stayed," I whispered the words softly. "I stayed because I chose you."

He flinched.

I took a deep shuddering breath before meeting his gaze. "I chose you, Sebastian. I chose you over my blood, over my father! I chose you!" I couldn't stop the tears from trailing down my cheeks.

I had always chosen him.

I had chosen him over and over again.

I had chosen him over myself.

"Why won't you choose me?" I whispered the words out brokenly.

There was a flash of emotion in his eyes, almost like pain but he quickly masked it. His face stayed cold and impassive as he turned away from me.

"When you're ready, come downstairs. There is someone I want you to meet." He said flatly.

I swallowed down the growing lump in my throat.

"When we first met you told me that I would always be free but right now you referred to my freedom in the past tense." My voice came out shaky.

"You should have left when you had the chance." He murmured before turning around and walking out of the room.

Leaving me completely alone. For the first time, ever since I had met him, that's how I felt.

Completely and utterly alone.

~~

I walked down the stairs numbly. My body and mind were completely exhausted. I had no idea what to do. All I wanted to do was give up.

Sebastian was waiting for me at the bottom. He looked at me with the same lifeless eyes when I reached him.

He led me to the lobby where Lorenzo and Lucian were already waiting.

As soon as Lorenzo saw me his lips curled up in disgust and his cruel black eyes flashed.

I squared my shoulders and met his gaze, unwavering.

Monsters only have power over you if you give them the one thing they want, your fear.

And I would never let this monster have power over me again.

"Bring him in." Sebastian's voice instructed from beside me.

As if on cue two men came forward hauling a familiar-looking man with them.

The man they dragged in was beaten and dirty, his hair was caked with blood and his skin was grimy. His clothes were tattered and torn. He raised his head to look at Sebastian, his eyes filled with hate.

That's when I recognized him.

He was the man Sebastian had captured from that warehouse about a month ago.

The first task I'd accompanied Sebastian in.

He was the same man who had called me by my mother's name.

My heart rate spiked and a feeling of dread started to settle in the pit of my stomach.

"Uccidimi e falla finita. Non ti dirò niente. (Just kill me and get it over with. I'm not going to tell you anything.)" The man spat out.

Sebastian chuckled coldly. "Kill you? No, old friend. I plan on letting you go." He inclined his head towards me. "I just want you to meet someone first."

The man's eyes finally settled on me and his whole face seemed to drain of color. He quickly masked his horrified expression. "I have no idea who that is." His voice wavered.

Sebastian shook his head, almost mockingly. "Allow me to jog your memory. That day when we took you, you recognized her, you called her Rita." He turned to me briefly. "I take it Rita was your mother's name?"

I narrowed my eyes at him but didn't answer. I didn't like where this was heading.

Sebastian turned to the man once more. "You must have already figured it out by now but allow me to tell you anyway, standing in front of you is Rita and Carlos Vitale's only daughter Angelica."

The man shook his head like he was in shock.

"You look just like your mother." He whispered. "But you have your father's eyes."

"Who are you?" I finally managed to find my voice.

He gave me a sad smile. "My name is Alberto. I have worked for your father for over thirty years now. The last time I saw you, you were much smaller."

"Enough with this introduction bullshit." Lucian suddenly snapped making me scowl. His face was still covered in bruises from Sebastian's assault earlier.

"Let the girl go. She has nothing to do with this." Alberto spoke up.

"She has everything to do with this!" It was Lorenzo who had spoken this time.

"Enough!" Sebastian ordered and although his voice was quiet it wasn't any less commanding. He turned to look at Alberto. "I meant what I said earlier about letting you go."

Sebastian gestured in Lorenzo's direction, giving his uncle a silent message.

Lorenzo responded by taking out a sleek black device from his pocket and walking up to Alberto. He placed the device, which I realized was a phone in Alberto's hand.

Lorenzo's steely black eyes shone with mirth. "Go to your boss. Tell him about the girl. He will believe you. Tell him that he has to do as we say if he wants his precious daughter unharmed."

Alberto's hand curled around the phone tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"How many of our men do you people have imprisoned currently?" Sebastian questioned, his voice harsh.

Alberto didn't answer immediately. I watched his throat bob as he swallowed.

"There were thirty-five that I last knew of." Alberto's tone was strained when he answered.

I watched as Sebastian's body stiffened. "We estimated the number to be over fifty." His voice was gruff.

Alberto ran a hand over his face. His expression grew weary. "All of them didn't make it, unfortunately."

Sebastian's hands curled into fists and a snarl escaped Lucian's lips who looked ready to murder the man but Sebastian gave him a warning look.

"We will contact your boss on this phone soon enough." Sebastian's voice was hard but his lips twisted upwards into a cruel smile. "Tell Carlos Vitale that it's time he faced the head of the Alfonsi family."

I watched as Alberto stumbled to the door, he turned to look at me one more time his face filled with sorrow.

I could feel my own heart clenching with pain and betrayal.

How could Sebastian be doing this?

After everything we had been through.

My eyes searched Sebastian's face, hoping that he'd give me some indication that the man I loved was still there but his ice-cold armor was impenetrable.

When he turned to look at me his grey eyes were hollow and unforgiving.

I watched his lips move as he spoke.

"The time for retribution is here."

~~

A/N:

Hello babies!

Just wanted to apologize for the late update.  Thank you so much for all the love and support on the last chapter!

Hope you're all liking the story so far.

I promise I'll try to be more frequent with my updates. ;)

Please take care & stay safe. Love you all.  x