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- Elizabeth Roselli's POV-

     I was seventeen-years-old when I got married to the thirty-six year old godfather named Claudio Valentino. I didn't want to marry in such a young age, especially to a man whom people are terrified of. But my parents told me that it was for the sake of my family name. They said marrying the most powerful godfather is an honor that I should be proud of, so I couldn't refuse.

     I was terrified of Claudio. Not because he was a Valentino, but because he always had that serious look whenever he stares at me, like he was planning to kill me.

     When we got married, I stayed at the Valentino household for one day for our supposed "honeymoon." I sat on the bed like a little girl that I am as Claudio stripped in front of me. I remembered trembling as he slowly approached me, kissing my neck and my shoulders.

     But when he noticed that the trembling wouldn't stop, Claudio looked at me and gently touched my cheek.

     "We'll stop if you don't want to continue," he tells me with a tender look that I never seen him give to anyone.

     "I don't want to hurt you," he tells me again.

     He looked so different that I couldn't say no.

     I let him touch me that night.

     The pure me was touched by the most powerful man in the country.

      And at that night I was proud to say that I was the wife of such a powerful man.

      But being his wife had its downsides. I wasn't allowed to stay at his house; I was only called there whenever Claudio and I would have sex.

      Women mocked me, told me that I was nothing more than a prostitute in Claudio's eyes.

     Even though Claudio would comfort me and tell me otherwise, I was still so ashamed of myself that I wouldn't even go out of the house. I thought I was dirty, I thought I was just a toy Claudio would use whenever he was in the mood.

     I was weak; I let people criticize me even though I was the wife of such a powerful man.

     But when I had Romeo, my weak self had to change...for his sake.

     "It's a boy!" I heard the doctor shout as everyone rushed inside the room.

     Claudio and Antonio goes inside and looks at the baby. Then the doctor gives me the boy as I carried him in my arms.

     "He's beautiful," I weakly say as I started crying.

     Claudio rushes to my side and kisses my forehead, "Oh honey, that's our boy...that's our boy right there."

     I cried some more as I leaned to kiss Claudio's lips.

     "Look at him. I'm sure he'll become a great godfather," Antonio tells us, making Claudio smile from ear to ear.

     Romeo didn't even cry when he came to this world, which was why I knew he was going to be a man of power like his father.

     Though I had regrets, because Romeo grew up in the Valentino Household, so I wasn't really there for him most of the time.

     But he was always the sweetest. Even though I wasn't by his side, he knew I loved him.

     "Madam Elizabeth! He's here!" one of my maids shouted from outside my room.

     I quickly ran out of my bedroom and went downstairs to see Romeo coming out of the limo.

     He was thirteen-years-old now. He was so handsome and sadly so unfamiliar that I suddenly felt teary when I stared at him.

     "Mother," he greets with a smile.

     He runs to me and gently kisses my cheeks before giving me a bouquet of roses.

     "Oh son, you shouldn't have," I say as I hand the roses to one of the maids.

     "No, it's from father. He said you love roses so he made sure to buy this for you," he tells me, and I was once again teary by just hearing that it came from Claudio.

     "Your father is such a romantic," I say.

     Romeo smiles and takes out his handkerchief to wipe the tears off my cheeks, "I'm sorry he couldn't come. There was trouble again and father-"

     I quickly cut Romeo off and said, "No, it's okay. I know your father is a busy man."

     Romeo smiles, but I knew that it was a smile that told me he pitied me, "Happy birthday mother," he says instead.

     I hugged Romeo as tight as I could and answered, "Thank you son. Thank you."

     It was always like that.

     Once a year I'd only see Romeo maybe two or five times. It pained my heart to see him grow up every time we meet.

     Claudio became older and busier, so our meeting was also minimal.

     I was a wife and a mother of two powerful men and I couldn't even do anything.

     Whenever we have parties, women would stare at me and judge me like I was the most pitiful thing in the world. But I learned to ignore them because men respected me anyways. I was untouchable thanks to Claudio. So women's shallow words did not bother me...

    Most of the time...

     "Have you heard about Claudio Valentino's sixteen-year-old son?"

     "What about him?"

     "I heard he killed four of his men again for fun. What kind of monster have they raised?" I heard two women say as I was walking around at a party that I was invited at.

     I always loved these parties because most of the wives of the Mafia boss would be here too.

     "I'm sorry?" I quickly say, stopping in front of them.

    They looked surprised, but mostly because there were six men behind me.

     "Oh look, the mother of the monster," the woman bravely says.

     "The monster that you will call godfather in the future," I reminded them.

     "Really now? I heard Claudio was planning to take your sons rights for the seat," the other woman tells me.

     I chuckled and then seriously looked at them with a smirk, "I'm glad you're worried. But my son is doing an excellent job in keeping the position that he was born to have."

     "Your son won't last in this world. He'll eventually be killed, and without him, you will once again be nothing," she bravely tells me.

     I clenched on my fist and tried my best not to make a scene.

     "You have the guts to talk like that in front of your godfather's wife," I calmly said, making the two women laugh.

     "You mean the godfather's slut?" she says to me.

     I couldn't control myself anymore as I slapped the woman on her left cheek, shocking her.

     Everyone gasped on my sudden outburst.

     "How dare you!" she shouted as she was about to slap me too. But the man behind me quickly stopped her and said, "As the godfather's command, no one is allowed to touch madam Elizabeth."

     The two women gasped.

     I smirked and looked at them.

     She pushed my guard's hand away and told me, "No wonder your son is a monster! He grew up to be just like you!"

    I don't say anything and slapped her again.

     "You say one more thing about my son, and you will see what a monster really is."

     "I think that's enough madam Elizabeth," one of the men suddenly whispered to me.

     I smiled and looked at the women and said, "Well ladies, I would love to chat more but I have to go. Enjoy the party."

     Like I said, women's shallow words do not bother me. But when they talk about my son, these women will regret even opening their mouths.

     "Madam Elizabeth, Don Claudio is asking for your presence at the Valentino Household," my maid suddenly says, making me stop brushing my hair.

     I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed, because I knew exactly why I was being called.

     "Elizabeth! What is wrong with you?!" Claudio shouted at me, but I don't answer him.

     He goes to me and raises his hand like he was going to hit me.

     I continued to glare at him as I waited for him to do so, but Claudio angrily grunts and puts his hand down.

     Claudio can kill anyone with one command, but he has never hurt me, not even once.

     "You are the last person who I expect to do such an embarrassing thing," he continued to say.

     I still didn't say anything, making him even angrier.

     "Do you even know who you just slapped!?" he shouted at me again.

     I stood up from his bed and finally answered him, "I don't care who she was, she talked badly at OUR son. The future godfather Claudio."

     "Oh fucking hell, those women talk badly at everyone!" he tells me.

     "So you expect me to just stand there and watch them talk about our son like he's some kind of-"

     Claudio quickly cuts me off and says, "Yes, that's exactly what I expect from you. You have been my wife for sixteen years, so I expect you to know how this world is."

     "Claudio..."

      Claudio gently touches my cheek and continues, "My wife...you and Romeo are the most precious thing to me. I do not enjoy hearing people talk badly of both of you, but we are not in the position to act like uneducated people. Let them talk, but when Romeo rules they won't talk anymore, and we will have the last laugh."

     I try my best not to cry, but when Claudio leans forward and kisses my forehead, the tears immediately fell.

     "Why is it so hard for me to love you?" I asked him.

     Claudio doesn't say anything and hugs me tightly.

     And that night, like every other night that I'm inside this household, Claudio embraced me.

*****

     "Claudio?" I whispered as I looked at Claudio sleeping beside me.

     When it was obvious that he wasn't going to wake up yet, I stood up from the bed and wore my clothes.

    I looked at the clock and saw that it was only three in the morning, which was why it was still dark outside.

    I went out of the room and decided to visit Romeo's room to see if he's awake. But as I was walking, I suddenly saw light coming from the meeting room.

     "Is someone still here at this hour?" I asked myself as I peeked inside the room.

     "Romeo is going to be eighteen soon, and I'm hearing that Claudio will make him the godfather as soon as he comes of age," I heard someone say.

     Then, I saw Antonio, Claudio's half brother.

     "We still have two years of planning..."

     "We don't have much time Antonio! That boy is getting stronger and stronger, if we don't act now we'll..."

     "I know okay? So just keep it down. I already planned the ambush. I called Dario and told him the plan. When Claudio's dead, I'll deal with Romeo next," Antonio suddenly says, making me gasp from shock.

      I was about to run away when someone suddenly covered my mouth from behind and dragged me inside the meeting room.

      "You two aren't careful enough," the man who was dragging me says.

     "Elizabeth!" the other man shouted as he and Antonio looks at me.

     Antonio didn't even looked panicked as he sees me.

     "Oh look who we have here, it's the wife. Is Claudio horny again?" he disgustingly asked me.

     I pushed the man behind me and angrily looked at Antonio, "You're going to kill Claudio?! And his son?! Your own nephew?!"

     "Oh, so you did hear everything," he calmly tells me.

     He then walks closer and gently touches my cheeks, quickly making me push his hand away,

     "Claudio is weak. He cares too much for his people that it's disgusting. He needs to be disposed, especially that monster you call a son," he tells me.

     "Not before I tell Claudio first," I tell him, suddenly making him laugh.

     "You think I'll allow you to just leave after everything you just heard? Well, whether you tell him or not, my men will arrive and kill Claudio. Then I'll take Romeo and raise him myself, and once he's godfather, I'll kill him too. And since the last original blood is dead, I'll be the new godfather, and there is nothing you can do anymore."

     "No, I won't let you!" I angrily shouted, making Antonio laugh even more.

     "No wonder Claudio loves you, you're so feisty," he says, touching me again.

     "Don't touch me!" I shouted at him.

     Antonio smirks, then he suddenly slaps me so hard my cheeks burned.

     "Oh shut up you slut. You don't have the power to do anything anyways. I'll kill Claudio and take Romeo, easy as that," Antonio says.

     "Please...don't hurt my son. I'll do anything, just not my son," I now begged.

      The thought of them killing him made my whole world stop spinning.

      "Should I kill her boss?" the man behind me asks, making me flinch.

      Antonio was about to nod his head, but then he smirks, like he just thought of a great idea.

     "No, actually...she might be useful to us," Antonio says as he walks closer to me again.

     "How about we make a deal Elizabeth. A deal that might just save your son," he tells me.

     I wanted to decline, but I also had to know what he wanted to say.

     "Kill Claudio...and I'll let you have Romeo," he suddenly tells me, shocking me.

      "N-No...I...I can't..."

      "Oh come on. Claudio is old; killing him is like a gift for him. But either way, he dies tomorrow, whether you listen to me or not. And if you don't, I get to have Romeo too, isn't that just wonderful?" Antonio tells me, like killing my beloved husband was as easy as killing a bug.

     "So what is it Elizabeth?" Antonio asked, then, I felt the tip of a gun touch my back.

     Claudio's face suddenly appeared in front of me, making tears quickly fall out of my eyes. Then, I remembered the time I held Romeo for the first time.

     My precious son.

     I won't let them take you away from me.

     "O-Okay..." I say as the tears continued to pour.

     Antonio victoriously smirked as I continued, "I'll kill Claudio."

     And like what Antonio said, the household was ambushed the next day.

     Everyone was running around as men protected Claudio and me.

     "Father!" Romeo shouted as he ran towards us, Johnson right behind him.

     "Johnson! Protect them while I help the others," Claudio says as he was about to run away.

     My heart was aching as I grabbed his hand and said, "No! Protect us! Not them!"

     Claudio looked like he was hesitating, but he nods his head and grabbed my hand, "Okay, let's go to my room."

     The four of us started to run until we arrived at the bedroom.

     Claudio quickly takes his revolver from the drawer and locked the door.

     "Father, who were those men?" Romeo asked as the four of us were panting heavily.

     "I don't know son. I didn't recognize them," Claudio answered.

     My hand continued to tremble as I looked at Claudio, the knife cold on my back.

      "Ah shit," Johnson suddenly says, making all of us look at him.

     "I...I got s-shot," he tells us, making me gasp from shock.

     "Romeo, look for the medical kit inside the restroom," Claudio tells him.

     Romeo nods his head and assists Johnson to the restroom. I was about to follow him so I could help them but Claudio suddenly grabbed me by the hand and said, "Do it now."

      My eyes widened from shock as I looked at him, "W-What?"

     "You need to kill me right? Do it now before our son sees," Claudio tells me, shocking me even more.

     Tears now poured out of my eyes as I looked at my husband with disbelief, "N-No...how did you...how did you..."

     "I've known about Antonio's plan for a long time now. I knew he was going to kill me," he says, making me start sobbing.

    "Oh Claudio...Claudio I'm sorry. I can't do it, I though I could but I can't...let's just run away. Please. Let's just run away and-"

     "Elizabeth, listen to me! Antonio will take Romeo too if you don't do it now. I already told Johnson the plan; he'll take Romeo and keep him safe until the time comes. But for us to protect him you need to kill me," Claudio tells me again.

     "I can't..." I say as I grabbed him and hugged him tightly.

     "I can't do it," I tell him again, but then Claudio takes the blade tucked on my back, then he forcefully made me hold it while the sharp end was pointed at his chest.

     "No!" I shouted as I tried to pull my hand away to let go of the knife, but Claudio wouldn't let go of me.

     "Protect our son. He will hate us, but he will understand that everything we do...is for him," he tells me.

     "Claudio! Please don't do this!" I shouted as I tried to push him away.

     "I love you...my dear wife," he whispered as he moved closer to kiss me, then, he finally pushes himself closer to me, making the knife pierce inside him.

     "Claudio no! Please let go of me!" I shout as I tried to push away, but Claudio was still holding onto me so I wouldn't be able to pull away from him.

     "N-No....please Claudio," I begged, but as Claudio's grip on me loosens, and I was able to finally push him away, it was already too late.

     He falls on the floor, his blood staining it.

     I was still holding the knife as I looked at him. I was frozen in place, and I didn't even know what to do.

     "What's going on?" Romeo suddenly asked as he and Johnson went out of the bathroom.

     But when he saw me holding the bloody knife, and his lifeless father on the ground, Romeo quickly runs to him.

     "Father!" he shouted as he touched his father's bleeding chest.

     "N-No...what have you done? What did you do to him?!"

     "Romeo!" Johnson shouted as he was about to stop him. But Romeo pushes Johnson away.

     "Why did you do this?! How cruel can you be?!" Romeo suddenly shouted at me, but I couldn't say anything.

     "You're a monster! A fucking monster!" he shouted again as he tried to stop Claudio's bleeding.

     Tears continued to pour as I looked at him.

     I wanted to tell him to stop but I just couldn't. 

    "I killed him," I tell myself.

     Johnson looks at me pitifully. He looked like he wanted to comfort me but he couldn't do it either.

     "Help! Please! Help me!" Romeo shouted as he now looked at Johnson.

     "There's so much blood, I can't make it stop," he continued to say, his hands now covered with blood.

     "Help! Please! Help me! Someone needs to help me! Please!" Romeo continued to shout, but neither Johnson nor me could do anything.

     "They're in here!" I suddenly heard someone shout from outside the room.

     I finally snapped back to my senses as I looked at Johnson, "P-Please...keep...keep him safe," I say as I wiped the tears away.

     "I will," Johnson tells me as he now grabbed Romeo's arm.

     "No! Let go of me! Let go of me!" Romeo struggled, but Johnson continued to pull him away.

     Then, Johnson pushes a wall that was actually a secret passage.

     Claudio really did plan this.

     "Let go!" Romeo continued to shout.

     As he and Johnson was leaving, I looked at him and whispered, "I'm sorry..."

     When the secret door closed, I continued, "I love you my son. Please forgive me."

     Men outside was trying to open the door as I slowly walked towards Claudio's lifeless body.

     I kneeled on the floor and put the knife on the side.

     "I'm sorry," I say, and then tears started pouring out of my eyes again.

     I hugged Claudio as his blood stained me. But I didn't mind.

     "I'm so sorry...I will protect our son. I will make sure Antonio get's what he deserves," I say as I continued to hug him.

     The door then swings open.

      Antonio's men barges inside and starts pointing me their guns.

     But then Antonio stopped them and said, "Put your guns down."

     "Oh my poor brother, what did you do to him?" Antonio mockingly said, making him and the rest of his men laugh.

     The he takes Claudio's gun on the floor.

     "Romeo and Johnson is not here sir," another man says,

     "Leave them be. I'm sure after seeing his own mother kill his dear father, Romeo will be a broken man that we can easily deal with in the future," Antonio says.

     I continued to hug Claudio as his men searched the whole room.

     "What about her? She knows too much," someone tells Antonio.

     Antonio kneels in front of me and pulled my chin up so I could forcefully look at him, "We can't kill her, she'll be Romeo's weakness. And don't worry; she won't say anything. She doesn't want people to know that she's Claudio's killer right?"

     I angrily looked at Antonio and said, "I'll kill you."

     Antonio laughed and suddenly slapped me again.

     "That's why I like you Elizabeth, you're so aggressive even after everything that happened. But as promised, we'll let you have Romeo. But for us to make sure you'll keep your mouth shut, I decided to sell you to Dario Alfonzo. He was thrilled to know that he will be married to Claudio Valentino's ex-wife," Antonio says with a grin.

     Then he stands up and looks at his men, "Come on. It's time to deliver this...devastating news...to everyone."

     Then Antonio and the rest of his men left the room.

     And as I watched them leave, I held Claudio tighter and said, "I swear I'll kill you Antonio...Romeo and I will definitely kill you. Just you fucking wait."

- END -