The Mafia’s Substitute Bride

Leonardo had finally managed to track down Sofia’s location, arriving just in time before she could leave the city. However, he was taken aback by the look of pure hatred in her eyes as she stared at him. A group of unknown individuals, their faces concealed by masks, were assisting her in her escape. Who were these people? Why were they helping her flee? He desperately wanted Sofia to hear him out, to listen to him just once.

But she seemed determined to run away, refusing to give him a chance to explain. Watching her walk away with hatred and disgust in her innocent blue eyes shattered his heart. His beloved Sofia hated him? It was a devastating realization.

Before he could comprehend the situation, he found himself begging her to come back, confessing his profound love for her. He was willing to do anything to convince her.

Sofia halted her steps, but tears streamed down her face even more relentlessly. Leonardo furrowed his brow, unable to comprehend her reaction. She covered her mouth with her trembling hand, closing her eyes tightly as she struggled with overwhelming emotions.

Just then, the deafening sound of a helicopter roared overhead, drowning out their voices. The forceful gusts of wind caused by the chopper compelled them to shield their eyes. Suddenly, gunfire erupted from an unexpected direction.

Leonardo’s loyal men swiftly surrounded him, providing cover and ensuring his safety as they swiftly ushered him into his bulletproof car.

“Sofia!” Leonardo shouted her name desperately.

“Leave me, you fucking fools!” Leonardo’s voice reverberated through the chaos as his people tried to pull him inside the car, away from the danger unfolding around them.

“But boss, they’re firing outside. We need to protect you first. It’s our foremost duty,” Mark replied, trying to reason with him.

“Save her instead. I won’t spare anyone if anything happens to her,” Leonardo growled, his concern for Sofia consuming him.

Mark nodded, opening the car door and holding his gun out as he rushed toward Sofia. Leonardo followed closely behind, their hearts pounding in unison. However, their efforts were in vain-the chopper had already taken off, leaving Sofia nowhere to be found.

The ground beneath Leonardo’s feet seemed to tremble in sync with his racing heartbeat. He frantically scanned his surroundings, running here and there, screaming Sofia’s name like a desperate madman. But there was no sign of her.

“Sofia!!!” Leonardo’s anguished cry echoed through the air as he fell to his knees, looking up towards the sky as if praying for her safe return.

Later, inside their headquarters, Leonardo sat, determined to find any trace of Sofia once again.

“We’re not getting any signal. Something’s wrong with the tracker,” Mark reported.

“How the fuck is this possible? Try again!” Leonardo ordered, his frustration and fear intertwining.

“Maybe they discovered the tracker on the ring and destroyed it, or perhaps she’s out of our range,” Mark speculated, attempting to explain the lack of signal.

“Who the hell dares to abduct my wife?” Leonardo roared in utter frustration, unleashing his anger on a nearby table, shattering it into two pieces.

Just then, Domenico rushed in with some new information about the chopper.

“The chopper belongs to a Russian owner,” Domenico informed, and the word ‘Russian’ sent a jolt through Leonardo’s mind, igniting suspicion.

“I think we have to wait for any call or demand from the kidnappers,” Domenico suggested.

“I can’t, Domenico. I can’t sit and wait for news about Sofia. I’m scared to my very core. I’ve never felt so helpless in my entire life. I’ve never been so afraid of anything before Sofia. If anything happens to her, if they so much as lay a single scratch on her, I won’t leave anyone alive,” Leonardo declared with a determination that sent shivers down their spines.

“Calm down, Leonardo. Nothing could happen to her. She will be alright,” Domenico tried to comfort him.

But Leonardo knew that he couldn’t be certain she was safe and sound until he could see Sofia with his own eyes and feel her warmth in his arms.

“Boss, the Russian supremo wants to talk to you,” Mark came running, holding the phone in his hand.

Leonardo clenched his jaw before taking the phone and putting it to his ear.

“Don Adrik!” Leonardo called his name with seething hatred and disgust.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Don Leonardo! Missing your wife?” Adrik’s mocking laughter echoed through the phone, confirming Leonardo’s worst fears. That bastard had indeed kidnapped Sofia.

“How dare you kidnap my wife? Now I have no doubts. You don’t deserve to be a Mafia king who uses women for your revenge,” Leonardo spat out.

Adrik laughed again, clearly reveling in his sadistic game. “You are not in a situation to insult me when your wife and baby are in danger.”

His baby? What the hell did he mean by that? Then, a flood of recent events swirled in Leonardo’s mind, and suddenly, everything clicked.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

How could he have missed it? Sofia was pregnant. With his baby. They had planned to abduct her precisely because she carried his child. They wanted to make him weak and force him to submit to their demands.

Oh, God! He wanted to relish the joyous news of becoming a father, to shout it to the world. But first and foremost, he had to ensure Sofia and their baby’s safety. He had to get them back as soon as possible.

“What do you want, Don Adrik?” Leonardo’s voice cut through the air like ice.

“You know very well what I want. I want you to merge your Mafia into the Russian mafia and agree to our conditions, granting me access to your territory,” Adrik revealed, a sinister glint in his eyes.

“In your fucking dreams. I would never do that,” Leonardo growled, his defiance evident.

“It seems you don’t love your wife and your unborn baby. So, the information was wrong. I thought you could turn the world upside down for her,” Adrik mocked, trying to provoke a reaction.

“I don’t need to prove my love for my wife to you,” Leonardo said sternly, his resolve unwavering.

“OK, so you won’t be bothered if I kill her mercilessly, or should I sell her to a brothel?” Adrik taunted, relishing the power he held over Leonardo.

“Don’t you dare touch her. I will fucking kill you and burn your entire Mafia Empire,” Leonardo roared, his anger boiling to the surface.

“You dare shout at me, and I won’t give you another warning before brutally ending her life,” Adrik warned, his threats dripping with malice.

Leonardo had to clench his fists and squeeze his eyes shut, struggling to calm the storm of emotions raging within him. He knew he had to act wisely; he couldn’t afford to antagonize Don Adrik while Sofia remained in his custody. Leonardo’s mind raced, searching for a way to retrieve her safely.

“Don’t hide behind my wife, Don Adrik. Return her to me, and then we can discuss this man to man,” Leonardo proposed, attempting to find a middle ground, a slim chance to reason with the dangerous mob boss.

“I am not a fool, Don Leonardo,” Adrik said, his voice dripping with confidence and menace. “I planned this for months. You have only two choices, either agree to my terms and conditions, or forget your wife.” He slid the papers containing his demands across the table toward Leonardo before abruptly ending the call, not giving Leonardo a chance to respond.

Leonardo felt the weight of the moment, aware that the eyes of his gang were fixed on him, filled with curiosity and anticipation, waiting for his next move.

Domenico, his loyal right-hand man and brother, stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on Leonardo’s shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Leonardo took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts.

“I want her back at any cost. I want her to be safe,” Leonardo declared, his words flowing with urgency. “I don’t have time to think. I can’t take the risk knowing she is carrying my baby.”

The news spread like wildfire among the gang members, and murmurs of congratulations mixed with a somber acknowledgment of the dire situation.

“That’s great news, Leonardo. Congratulations, brother! We would have celebrated if the situation had been different. But very soon, we will get her back,” Domenico said, hugging Leonardo tightly and patting his back in both support and celebration.

But beneath the momentary joy, Leonardo couldn’t escape the fear that gripped him. He dreaded the thought of her condition while in the clutches of a fucking mad Mafia supremo. She should have been surrounded by her loving family, cared for, and pampered, especially now, carrying his child. Instead, she found herself in the custody of ruthless killers and murderers.