♛ I sat in the passenger seat of Warren's car, feeling the weight of the situation bearing down on me. This was not how I had imagined my life would turn out. Doing my enemy's dirty work just to save my brother's life. I had made a deal with the devil and now I was paying the price. I couldn't help but think about Koen and what he must be going through. Was he scared? Was he alone? Did he know what was happening to me?

Warren was driving in silence, but I could sense his eyes on me. I tried to avoid his gaze, but eventually, I turned to face him. "What's going to happen to me after all of this?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear.

Warren gave me a cold, hard look. "That depends on you, Vanya. If you do what I ask, you and your brother can go free."

"But what if I don't do what you want?" I pressed, feeling a knot forming in my stomach.

Warren's lips curved into a sinister smile. "Then let's just say you won't have to worry about Koen anymore."

At that, I fell silent, staring blankly out the window as we drove towards the Ferrara mansion. The only sound was the faint hum of the car's engine and the occasional honk from passing vehicles. I couldn't believe I was in this situation, working for the man who had kidnapped my brother.

The sun was beginning to rise, casting a soft orange glow on the horizon. I wondered what Papa and Zio Paolo were up to. Had they noticed that I was gone all night? Had they even tried to find me? Had they figured out a way to help Koen? My mind was filled with so many questions, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of despair wash over me.

My thoughts were interrupted when Warren spoke up, breaking the silence. "You're wondering about your family, aren't you?"

I turned my head to look at him, surprised that he had read my mind. "Yes," I replied simply.

"Don't worry about them," Warren said with a smirk. "They'll figure out soon enough that you're with me, like you said."

I frowned, not liking the sound of that. "What are you going to do to them?" I asked, my voice quivering slightly.

"Nothing, as long as you do what I tell you to do," Warren said, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "finish your job and then you and your brother will be free to go back."

⋅• ━━━ ••⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱•• ━━━ •⋅

As Warren's car pulled up to the Ferrara mansion, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over me. The thought of what Warren had planned for Koen made me sick to my stomach. But I had no choice but to follow through with our deal.

A guard walked up to the car and opened my door for me. I stepped out of the car and looked around nervously as a few of Warren's men rushed over to him and whispered something in his ear. He looked angry, his eyes flickering with a dangerous glint.

I swallowed hard as Warren turned to me, his expression hardening. "Bring him up," he ordered his men, his voice hard and cold. "They've taken this too far."

My stomach churned with fear as I tried to piece together what had happened. What did Zio do? Why was Warren so furious? And most importantly, what was he going to do to Koen now?

My heart raced as I followed Warren and his men into the mansion. I tried to keep my breathing steady, but it was difficult. I couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

As we walked through the halls of the mansion, I could hear faint whispers and the sound of footsteps echoing through the corridors. The fear in my chest grew stronger with every passing moment.

At the end of the hallway, we entered a large room filled with dark leather furniture and an ornate fireplace. Warren sat down in a large armchair, his expression still dark and stormy.

"What's going on? What did they do to Koen?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Warren didn't answer immediately. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, and took a deep breath. "Your Zio, he's made a mistake," he said finally, his voice low and dangerous.

"What kind of mistake?" I pressed.

"He crossed a line. He hurt someone he shouldn't have," Warren replied, his eyes never leaving mine.

"And Koen? Is he alright?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"He's alive, for now," Warren said, his voice dripping with venom. "But your uncle has gone too far this time and he's going to pay the price."

I felt a knot form in my stomach as Warren spoke. I knew Zio Paolo could be ruthless, but I never imagined he would put Koen in danger like this. I had to find a way to save him, no matter what it took.

"What can I do to help?" I asked, determined to find a way to protect my brother.

Warren ignores my words as he gets up again and walks out with me following close behind.

Finally, we arrived at a large, ornate door. Warren pushed it open and we stepped into a dimly lit room.

Walking in, I see Koen was sitting in a chair, his hands tied behind his back, his face bruised and bloodied.

I gasped in horror at the sight of him. "Koen!" I cried as I tried to rush towards him but Warren reached out to take a hold of my wrist, holding me back from my brother.

"What did you do to him?" I demanded, turning to face Warren. "Why is he like this?"

Warren ignored my question and turned to his men. "Untie him," he ordered, and they moved to do so. As Koen was freed, he stumbled forward, nearly falling to the ground. I couldn't bear it anymore as I snatched my hand away from him and rushed to Koen's side, catching him before he could hit the floor.

"Koen, are you okay?" I asked, my voice shaking with emotion.

"S-sorella?" he asked groggily as I blinked back tears, holding him close to me.

"Yes, Koen, hey, I'm here now. You're going to be fine," I tried to reassure him, "does it hurt? Where does it hurt? Tell me."

"I'm...I'm fine," he said, his voice weak. "I just need to get out of here."

Warren stepped forward, his expression still hard.

"Let him go, Warren," I spoke harshly, "whatever feud you have with my uncle, Koen and I aren't a part of it. He's 13, he made a mistake-"

"He should have never crossed me," Warren cut me off, his voice low and menacing. "I gave Paolo a chance. I gave him all night to come here and save your brother. So where is he, huh? Where is your Capo, your Zio? He didn't take my words seriously and he went after my men. And now, you'll pay the price. Paolo Santoro will learn his lesson."

My heart sank as I realized that this was far from over. My family had made a grave mistake, and now we were all paying the price.