Chapter 1
Carlos' POV
The club was alive with music, a pulsing rhythm that matched the energy of its patrons. Laughter, conversations, and dancing filled the space. This was the twelfth club I’d opened this year, and I couldn’t help but feel pride swelling within me. The sales were encouraging, and for once, it felt like something was going right in my life.
Over the past four years, clubs had become my sanctuary, a place to escape the chaos of my mind. They offered me a fleeting refuge from my reality. Women no longer moved me, nor did I indulge in their fleeting pleasures. My focus had shifted entirely to one goal: securing an heir. Yet, that goal felt increasingly elusive.
Lucia, my wife, had suffered more than ten miscarriages in the past four years. Each one felt like a dagger to the chest. Now, she was three months pregnant, and I was doing everything in my power to ensure this child would survive. The doctor had assured us that as long as she rested, all would be fine. But my faith in reassurances was thin.
My phone rang, the sound cutting through the music and dragging my thoughts back to the present. Fear clawed at my chest as I saw the call was from home.
“Speak,” I barked into the phone, my voice sharp with anxiety.
“Master, it’s your wife. She… she…” The hesitation in the maid’s voice sent a chill down my spine.
“She what? Damn it, speak!” I roared, my blood boiling.
“She’s bleeding—”
I didn’t wait for her to finish. The phone clattered as I ended the call, my heart pounding. Bleeding. How could this happen? The doctor promised this pregnancy would hold.
I bolted from my office, ignoring the greetings from my staff as I made my way to the car.
“To the mansion. Now,” I commanded Anthony, my driver.
Anthony took the keys, and as soon as I climbed into the car, he sped off, weaving through traffic with practiced ease.
“Don, what’s wrong? You’re sweating,” he asked, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.
My chest heaved with rapid breaths. I couldn’t answer him; I couldn’t even calm the storm raging inside me.
“It’s okay, Don. Just breathe,” Anthony tried to soothe me, but his words barely registered. How could I stay calm? This was my last chance to become a father. My enemies mocked me for my lack of an heir, and their ridicule echoed in my head.
“Hit the gas, Anthony,” I ordered, my voice tight.
He obeyed, the car surging forward. I tried to steady myself, but my thoughts betrayed me, spiraling back to her. Adelina.
Every ounce of my misery, I blamed on her. She had destroyed my life, killed my child, and haunted my dreams. Night after night, I saw her face, replaying the moment she pulled the trigger. In my nightmares, she not only shot her sister but me too. Five years had passed since she disappeared, yet her memory was a constant torment.
Even now, when I was with Lucia, it was Adelina’s face I saw. She had embedded herself so deeply in my soul that no amount of distraction or indulgence could erase her.
“Any news about Adelina?” I asked Anthony suddenly, breaking the silence. He had been leading the search for her for years.
“Nothing yet, Boss. But I spoke to a contact in New York. He’s an expert at finding people. I’m confident he’ll deliver,” Anthony replied.
“I hope so,” I whispered. Still, a part of me wondered if she was truly gone for good.
The shrill ring of my phone broke through my thoughts. I answered it.
“Carlos, it’s Andro. Lucia had a miscarriage. We’re at the family hospital. You should come see her,” he said grimly.
I closed my eyes, rage consuming me. I didn’t know who I wanted to hurt—Lucia, the doctors, or myself.
“No. I’m not coming. Meet me at the mansion,” I snapped, hanging up before Andro could argue.
“Damn it!” I yelled, jolted forward, slamming my fist against the dashboard. The sudden noise made Anthony swerve slightly.
“Jesus Christ, Carlos! You’ll get us killed!” Anthony shouted, trying to regain control of the car.
I didn’t care. All I knew was that I’d reached my breaking point. This was Lucia’s last chance. I couldn’t waste any more time or effort on her. If she couldn’t give me an heir, I would find someone who could—even if it meant resorting to one of the maids.
“Lucia lost the baby,” I muttered to Anthony, my voice void of emotion.
“Again?” he asked, his shock evident.
“Yes. Again.”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Boss. That’s rough.”
When we arrived at the mansion, I stepped out of the car, ignoring the greetings from my men. As I approached the entrance, the hushed voices of the maids caught my attention.
“I heard she lost the pregnancy again,” Carmella said.
“It serves her right. Ever since she moved in, she’s acted like she owns the place. She’s arrogant and selfish,” Sharon, the newest maid, replied.
“The Don will never find a woman as good as Adelina,” Gloriana chimed in. Her voice carried a note of longing. “Adelina was selfless, kind. She loved everyone. If only she could return and kick her sister out of here.”
Their words hit me like a punch to the gut. Even my staff missed Adelina. I felt a bitter laugh escape me as I walked in. They froze, their faces pale as they realized I’d heard them. I ignored their bows and greetings, heading straight to my room.
Once inside, I found myself drawn to Adelina’s closet. Her clothes were still there, untouched. I pulled out one of the dresses she’d worn, holding it close. It still smelled like her.
This had become a ritual for me—sniffing her clothes, clinging to the ghost of her presence.
Yet, the love I once had for her was long gone, replaced by a burning hatred. If I ever saw her again, I swore she would pay for what she had done.
The ringing of my phone interrupted my thoughts. I picked it up reluctantly.
“Speak,” I said curtly.
“Boss, we found her,” Anthony said.
My heart skipped a beat. “Where?”
“She’s in New York. The guys have her in custody. They sent a video as proof.”
I sank onto the edge of the bed, my chest tight. For a moment, tears threatened to fall, but I pushed them back. Finally. After five years, I would have my revenge.
