Chapter 10
Liliana
Frozen in place, I”m paralyzed as screams split the air from outside, blending with the blaring sound system. My father”s booming voice echoes, issuing urgent commands just beyond the door. This can”t be happening, can it? Today was meant to be a joyous celebration of my birthday, filled with laughter and love. But now, chaos reigns. The urgent cries of my mother propel me into action, spurring me to reach her quickly. As I dash towards the French doors, her cries suddenly cease. With a sense of dread, I grasp the handles and fling the doors open, only to be confronted by a scene of unimaginable horror.
My mother lies motionless, clutching my little brother”s hand, both lifeless. Luca, once eager to follow in our father”s footsteps, now falls victim to the very life he aspired to. Time seems to slow to a crawl as my heart pounds against my ribcage. Bullets rip through the air, tearing apart my family”s flesh, and I”m gripped by a paralyzing sense of helplessness.
Disbelief floods me, my eyes widening as I scan the open space, feeling bile rising, threatening to erupt at any moment. On the other side of the pool, my grandfather”s body shields my grandmother”s, but they’re both gone.
“Liliana! Run! Get back inside, now!” My father”s desperate plea for me to move falls on deaf ears as I remain rooted to where I’m standing. Trapped in a nightmare, I watch helplessly as my family is torn apart.
Grabbing hold of my father’s arm, I beg him to take cover inside with me, but in an instant, I’m falling, still holding onto him as I’m splattered by a sickening spray of blood and flesh. My father, the man who raised me, loved me, and took care of me lies unmoving, his life slipping away in a pool of crimson that spreads warm beneath me.
“Daddy, please, wake up!” I plead, shaking him desperately, clinging to the hope of his survival. “Don”t leave me! Please, I love you! I take it all back! I forgive you, just please wake up!” But my cries go unanswered as he slips away.
“Stop her!” Someone shouts, shattering my hopeless reverie.
“Lili! Help me!” My little sister”s terrified scream pierces the chaos as she races towards me. With every ounce of strength left, I lurch towards her, but before I can reach her, a bullet pierces her back, sending her collapsing to the ground.
“Alexandria! Noooo!” I scream, reaching out desperately with my blood-soaked hands.
The world spins, pain rips through me, as I try to reach her. Gasping for air, I feel as though the wind has been knocked out of me. As Tomas, Carlo”s Consigliere, emerges with a sinister smile, I collapse beside my sister. Gazing into her fading blue eyes, I’m overwhelmed by grief and despair, knowing that this is the end of my family. Drifting in and out of consciousness, my mind struggles to grasp the devastation surrounding me, while a familiar pair of eyes observe, anticipating my last breath. Unable to cling to consciousness any longer, I yield to the darkness, allowing it to rescue me from this nightmare.
Voices, so many voices speaking all at once as I drift in and out of consciousness. Someone is shouting orders while another voice tells them they’re working as fast as they can. Struggling to remain still, I slowly open my eyes halfway, surveying the carnage through the narrow opening. Every inch of my body throbs with pain, every nerve registering the ache. The air is heavy with the metallic stench of blood and the acrid smell of gunpowder assaults my senses, churning my stomach. The grim reality of what transpired settles over me but I remain motionless, unwilling to draw attention to myself. The anguish of witnessing my family”s slaughter eclipses even the agony of the bullet lodged in my side.
Unseen by the men bustling around, I watch as they carelessly place my sister”s lifeless body into a black bag. Tomas”s laughter echoes cruelly as he shares a joke with the man assisting him, no regard for the life they ended just moments ago. Sneaking one final look at my sister, my heart fractures into a million pieces as they seal the body bag shut, understanding that this moment marks the end of ever seeing my baby sister”s face again. Another man, someone I don’t recognize, kneels beside me, and lays out a bag. His hands tremble as he silently prays, asking for forgiveness. There”s a glimmer of compassion in his eyes, offering me a sliver of hope that I’ll get out of here alive. Startled when he touches me, I implore, “Please, help me.” Shock flickers across his face, his hands freezing in midair. A commanding voice interrupts, demanding to know the cause of the delay. My potential savior meets my desperate gaze, taking a deep breath before responding, “I”m doing my best, Mr. Beneventi.”
In a hushed tone, he whispers, “Alright, I”ll help you, but I”ll need to place you in the body bag so they don’t suspect anything.”
Horrified by the notion, I reluctantly accept it as my only escape. He spreads the bag, gently maneuvering my body inside before sealing it shut. As I”m being carried away, my thoughts drift back to a time when I yearned to ignite the world and leave my mark. Dreams of a future with Nico vanish in an instant. Now, I wish for the universe to crumble for its cruelty. This life was never my desire, yet today, it has chosen me. Darkness consumes me once again, and my fate now rests in the hands of a stranger. If I survive this, vengeance against the Beneventis will be the least of their worries.
Nico
It took me longer than anticipated to reach Lili’s compound but I finally arrive. Despite it being a Saturday, I was held up in standstill traffic coupled with a six-car pileup. What should have been a forty-five-minute drive stretched well over three hours. Each unanswered call to Carlo plunged me into a full-blown panic, but what truly alarmed me was Lili’s uncharacteristic silence. Throughout our relationship, we have a mutual agreement to answer each other’s calls promptly, promising to text if unable to talk right away. Living in the mafia world meant that anything could happen at any time. This was our way of ensuring each other”s safety and avoiding unnecessary worry and right now, I’m very worried.
Pushing the call button, I drum my fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for security to respond. Cars cluttered the street and the driveway just inside the gate, which is not unusual since there’s a party in progress. When nothing comes through the line, I take a closer look at the cars and notice they’re parked haphazardly as if they were in a rush. Among them, I spotted Carlo”s unmistakable black sedan with the gold license plate—an unexpected sight on this particular day. The only time Carlo visited the Rinaldi compound was for a meeting with all five families present. A sickening feeling settled in my stomach causing me to take a few deep breaths. Nothing good ever came from Carlo making impromptu visits to a place where he is not welcomed.
Growing increasingly uneasy as security remained silent, I reversed out of the driveway and parked on the street. An overwhelming sense of fear comes over me as my mind races, trying to come up with any valid reason that Carlo would be here. Retrieving the keycard Lili had given me, rarely used until now, I approached the call box determined to gain entry. My hands tremble as I swipe the card, watching anxiously as the light turns green, signaling entry approval. As soon as the gate begins to open, I dash forward, slipping through the widening gap. My lungs ache as I sprint up the hill, mindful that none of Paolo”s guards have appeared to challenge my presence on the property. Several unmarked vans circle the driveway, moving downhill in the opposite direction, causing me to slow down out of curiosity. The uneasiness I felt moments ago transforms into pure terror as I approach the house, my stomach churning, causing my head to spin. Deep within my gut, I sense that something horrific has transpired here.
Trails of blood mark the foyer as I burst through the front door and make my way toward the backyard. The once-beautiful French doors leading to the patio are shattered, hanging off their hinges. Carlo, Tomas, Salvatore, and numerous Beneventi soldiers stand by the pool, armed with guns, while Carlo gestures and gives instructions, pointing in different directions around the house. My eyes dart back and forth, taking in the horrific scene before me. The unmistakable stench of blood in the air confirms the harrowing reality—the massacre of the Rinaldi family. My mind wishes that Lili somehow escaped to safety, but deep down, I know the harsh truth. No one could have survived such an ambush, especially not Lili, who would never abandon her family.
“What have you done, motherfucker?!” I shout, charging at Carlo and knocking him to the ground. I continue to pummel his face, desperate for him to confess to murdering Lili, for him to admit to executing an entire family in cold blood. Yet, at the same time, I dread hearing those words that will shatter me beyond repair.
“Get this asshole off of me!” Carlo cries out in agony as the bone in his nose cracks under my fist. Suddenly, I”m lifted and thrown to the ground as Carlo”s henchmen come to his aid. The smug look on his face and the ensuing laughter disgust me, fueling my rage as I try to charge him once more, only to be stopped in my tracks.
“Rinaldi never saw this coming, too busy on his high horse thinking he”s better than everyone,” Carlo mocks, his tone dripping with contemptuous pride.
“What makes you think the other families will let you get away with this?” I demand, struggling against the grasp of his soldiers. Anger courses through me like molten lava, promising Carlo a painful death when he least expects it. My beloved Lili is gone. How will I go on without her? This monster ended her life before it truly began, and I feel utterly helpless.
“Let him go,” Carlo commands, aiming his gun at me. “We still have work to do here, and if you even think about threatening me, I”ll drop you where you stand!”
“I don”t need to threaten you, asshole, but don’t think for a second that you’ll get away with this!” I retort, my mind racing with thoughts of vengeance. I”m outnumbered and unarmed. Another attack would mean certain death with his men shielding him. For now, I”ll have to settle for his broken, bloodied nose.
“Look who”s finally growing some balls, boys,” Carlo gestures to his men, and they erupt in laughter. They find humor in the wake of innocent lives lost. Carlo and his men have always been ruthless, but this is beyond anything I”ve witnessed. I struggle to contain my fury, feeling overwhelmed and needing to escape.
Surveying the yard, I”m sickened by the sight of blood soaking the ground, knowing some of it belongs to Lili. My gaze lands on something shimmering in the sunlight. Slowly, I walk toward the edge of the patio and collapse to my knees, reaching for the diamond ring I had placed on Lili”s finger just last weekend. It”s stained with dried blood—her blood. Any fight left in me evaporates as sorrow consumes me. The confirmation of her death feels like a dagger piercing my heart. Tears stream down my face as the harsh reality sets in that I will never see Lili again. I weep openly for my love, oblivious to the footsteps retreating behind me.
Knowing what they will do with her body tears me apart, bile rising in my throat. What could I have done differently to change the outcome of this day? What would I have said if Lili had answered her phone? How did Carlo enter the property undetected? Countless unanswered questions haunt me, with no hope of resolution. There will be no investigation, no questioning by the police. Life will continue as if nothing has happened. But I won”t rest until that fucker is dead.