Isabella spent the rest of the day at the hospital, waiting for any news on her father's condition. The doctors had assured her that he was stable, but he had lost a lot of blood and would need surgery.
As she sat in the waiting room, Isabella couldn't help but think about what had happened. She knew that her father's enemies were closing in on him, and she had to act fast to protect her family.She pulled out her phone and dialed a number she never thought she'd have to call - her estranged brother, Luca."Isabella?" Luca answered, surprise evident in his voice."Luca, it's Isabella," she said, her voice urgent. "You need to come home. Dad's been attacked.""What? Is he okay?" Luca asked."He's stable, but he's in the hospital," Isabella replied. "We don't know who did it, but we need to find out."There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and Isabella wondered if Luca was going to refuse her request."Okay," he finally said. "I'll be there as soon as I can."Isabella breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that Luca had been estranged from the family for years, but she also knew that he was the only one who could help them now.Hours later, Luca arrived at the hospital. He had always been the black sheep of the family, always getting into trouble and causing problems. But Isabella couldn't help feeling a sense of relief when she saw him."Isabella," Luca said, embracing his sister. "I'm sorry about what happened to Dad. How is he?""He's in surgery," Isabella replied. "The doctors say he's stable, but he lost a lot of blood."Luca nodded, then turned to the group of men that had gathered around them. "Okay, what do we know?"One of Sal's men stepped forward. "We don't have much to go on. The cameras in the lobby were disabled, and no one saw anything."Luca frowned. "There has to be something we're missing."Isabella thought for a moment, then spoke up. "What about Enzo's death? Could this be connected?"Luca's expression darkened. "It's possible. Enzo's death was no accident, and I always suspected that it was someone from within the family.""But who would want to hurt Dad?" Isabella asked.Luca shook his head. "I don't know. But I have a feeling that we're about to find out."They spent the rest of the night poring over security footage and interviewing anyone who might have seen something. But they came up empty-handed.As the sun began to rise, Isabella finally decided to go home and get some rest. Luca promised to stay at the hospital and keep watch over their father.As Isabella walked through the quiet streets, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. She knew that her family was in danger, and she didn't know how to protect them.But as she walked through the door of her penthouse, something caught her eye. It was a small envelope sitting on the table.Isabella's heart raced as she picked it up and opened it. Inside was a single piece of paper with a message scrawled in thick, black letters."You're next."Isabella's hands shook as she read the words on the paper. She had always known that her family was in danger, but seeing the threat written out in front of her made it all the more real.She turned the paper over, hoping to find some clue as to who had sent it. But there was nothing - no name, no fingerprints, nothing that could give her a lead.Isabella knew that she couldn't stay in the penthouse. It wasn't safe. She grabbed her phone and dialed Luca's number."Luca," she said when he answered. "We have a problem. I just found a threat in my penthouse. It says 'you're next.'"There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. "Stay where you are," Luca finally said. "I'll be there in ten minutes."Isabella paced back and forth, her heart racing. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were running out of time.Luca arrived a few minutes later, his expression grim. "Let's go," he said, grabbing Isabella's hand and pulling her towards the door."Where are we going?" Isabella asked."We need to get out of the city," Luca replied. "There's a safehouse about an hour's drive from here. We'll be safe there."They rushed out of the building and climbed into Luca's car. Isabella sat in the passenger seat, her heart pounding in her chest.As they drove, Luca filled Isabella in on what he had learned at the hospital. "Dad's surgery went well," he said. "But the doctor said that he might not make it through the night."Isabella's eyes filled with tears. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her father."We'll do everything we can to keep him safe," Luca said, reaching over to squeeze her hand.As they drove through the deserted streets, Isabella's mind raced. Who was behind the attack on her father? And why did they want to hurt her family?Luca must have been thinking the same thing, because he spoke up. "We need to figure out who's behind this. And we need to do it fast."Isabella nodded. "But how do we even start?"Luca didn't answer. They drove in silence for a few more minutes before he finally spoke up. "There's someone we can talk to. Someone who might know something.""Who?" Isabella asked."His name is Marco," Luca replied. "He's a friend of mine. He used to work for Dad, but he left a few years ago. He might be able to help us."Isabella's heart lifted at the prospect of finding a lead. "Where is he?""He lives in a small town outside of the city," Luca said. "We'll stop by there on the way to the safehouse."They drove for another hour, the tension in the car palpable. Isabella was lost in her own thoughts, trying to piece together everything that had happened.They finally arrived at Marco's house. It was a small, rundown place on the outskirts of a small town. Luca knocked on the door, and a few moments later, a man in his forties opened it."Luca," the man said, his voice surprised. "What are you doing here?""We need your help, Marco," Luca said, pushing past him and into the house. Isabella followed behind.They sat down in the living room, and Luca explained the situation. "Someone's after our family," he said. "We don't know who it is, or why they're doing it. But we need to find out."After they finished telling their story, Marco sat in silence for a few moments. He rubbed his chin, deep in thought.Finally, he spoke. "I think I might know something," he said. "A few weeks ago, I overheard a couple of guys talking in a bar. They were talking about a hit on your family."Isabella's heart skipped a beat. "What did they say?" she asked."I didn't hear everything," Marco admitted. "But I did hear a name - Salvatore.""Salvatore?" Luca repeated. "Do you know who he is?""I don't," Marco replied. "But I know someone who might. He's a guy I used to work with. He's got his ear to the ground. He might have heard something."Luca nodded. "Can you take us to him?"Marco hesitated. "I don't know if that's a good idea," he said. "He's not exactly a friend of mine.""We don't have a choice," Luca said. "We need to find out who's after us."Marco nodded, resigned. "Okay. I'll take you to him."They got back into the car and drove deeper into the town. Marco led them to a seedy-l
The incident in the garden left everyone shaken. Luca doubled the security measures, but Isabella knew it wasn't enough. They needed to go on the offensive and find out who their enemy was. She couldn't bear the thought of living in fear for the rest of her life.Luca seemed to have the same idea. The next morning, he called a meeting with his top advisors. They sat in his study, sipping coffee as they discussed their options."We need to hit them where it hurts," Luca said. "We need to find out who's behind this and take them down.""But how do we do that?" one of his advisors asked. "We don't even know who we're up against."Luca leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "We start by putting pressure on the people we think are involved. We need to make them think we're onto them, make them slip up."Isabella listened intently, feeling a glimmer of hope. Maybe there was a way out of this after all.That night, they put their plan into action. Luca and his men made a surprise visit to one o
Isabella's hands were shaking as she drove. She could barely see through the tears that streamed down her face. She glanced at Luca, who was lying in the back seat, his shirt soaked in blood."Stay with me, Luca," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're almost there."They were heading to a safe house, a place that Luca had set up for emergencies like this. Isabella had never been there before, but she trusted that it was secure.As they drove, Isabella's mind raced. She thought about the attack, the notes, and the constant feeling of danger. She couldn't believe that they had come so close to losing everything.But she also knew that this wasn't the end. They still had enemies out there, and they would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. Isabella was determined to protect Luca and everyone else she loved, no matter what it took.Finally, they arrived at the safe house. Isabella helped Luca out of the car and into the house, where they were met by a group of armed guar
As they made their way out of the building, Isabella and Luca realized that they still had a lot of work to do. They had taken out one of the key players, but they knew that there were still others who posed a threat to their family's business."We need Dad back," Isabella said, her voice resolute. "He's the only one who can help us take care of these guys for good."Luca nodded in agreement. "But how are we going to get in touch with him? He's been in hiding for years. No one knows where he is."Isabella thought for a moment. Then, an idea struck her. "What about Uncle Tony?" she said. "He's still in contact with Dad. Maybe he can help us."Luca nodded. "It's worth a shot," he said. "Let's see if we can get in touch with him."They made their way back to their safe house, and Isabella got on the phone to call Uncle Tony. After a few tense moments, he answered."Isabella?" he said, surprise evident in his voice. "What's going on? I haven't heard from you in months."Isabella explained
~Flashback~Sal stood outside the smoky bar, eyes scanning the dark alley for any sign of trouble. It was his job to protect the family, to keep them safe from the rival gangs that had been encroaching on their territory. He knew he had to act fast if he wanted to stay ahead of the game.Sal's mind flashed back to a time when he was in his mid-twenties, when he first took over as the head of the family. He had just lost his father, and the responsibility of leading the family had fallen on his shoulders.At that time, the family was facing a lot of challenges from their rival gangs. The streets were filled with violence and bloodshed as the gangs fought for control over the city. Sal knew he had to take drastic measures to ensure the family's survival.One night, Sal received a tip that a rival gang was planning an attack on their family. He gathered his most trusted men and headed to the rival gang's headquarters. The gang was caught off guard, and Sal and his men were able to take t
(Sal's POV) Sal leaned back in his chair, lost in thought. The memories of his early days in the mafia were flooding back, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at how far he had come. He had been just a young man in his mid-twenties when he had taken over as the head of his family's organization. And he had fought tooth and nail to establish himself as the undisputed kingpin of the city.I remember those early days like they were yesterday. It wasn't easy, but nothing in life worth having ever is. I had to claw my way to the top, step by step, until I had earned the respect and fear of every man and woman in this city. I wasn't afraid to get my hands dirty, and I made sure everyone knew it.As the years went by, I became more and more powerful. My influence spread like a virus, infecting every corner of the city. And I knew that I couldn't have done it alone. I had a loyal team of men and women by my side, people who would do anything for me. They were my family, and I woul
(Sal's POV) I met his gaze evenly, my own expression just as grim. "I understand," I said, my tone cold and deadly. "And believe me, I have no intention of crossing you. But if you or anyone in your gang tries to harm me or my family, I promise you, it will be the last thing you ever do."With those words, I turned and walked away, my mind racing with thoughts of my half-brother and the danger that he posed to everyone around him. I knew that I had to be careful, that I had to keep a close eye on him and make sure that he didn't cause any trouble.But at the same time, I couldn't help but wonder: what would happen if he and I ever found ourselves on opposite sides of the same war? And what would happen to Isabella and Luca if they were caught in the crossfire?Those thoughts weighed heavily on my mind as I made my way back to my car and drove away into the night, the city's dark streets stretching out before me like a map of all the dangers and opportunities that lay ahead.~~~~Sal'
Sal Moretti stood at the window of his penthouse apartment, gazing out at the glittering city below. He felt a sense of pride and power as he surveyed the streets that he controlled. He was the king of New York, and no one dared to challenge him.As he turned away from the window, Sal saw his daughter, Isabella, standing in the doorway. She was wearing a black dress that clung to her curves, and her dark hair fell in waves around her shoulders."Hey, Dad," Isabella said, as she walked over to him. "What's on your mind?"Sal took a sip of his whiskey and looked at his daughter. "I just got some bad news. Enzo's been hit."Isabella's eyes widened in shock. "What? Is he okay?"Sal shook his head. "No, he's dead. Someone got to him."Isabella's face paled, and she looked down at the floor. "Who could have done this?""I don't know yet," Sal replied. "But I'll find out. And when I do, they'll pay for what they've done."Isabella nodded, then looked up at her father. "What can I do to help?