~ Aria's POV
"The only man Lucien ever feared was the one he tried to erase."
The words from the letter were haunting my mind as I drove my car to the location. The letter mentioned a building that was in the outskirts of the city, hidden from plain sight. It was definitely not where I expected to find Lucien's brother.
The rundown building had a neon sign flickering across it: Fight Club. I parked in front of it and went inside. A ring filled with fighters caught my attention. A staff member must've noticed my hesitation when he approached me. "You looking for someone?"
"I'm looking for Damien Voss." My voice was steady, despite my heart thundering in my chest.
The staff member didn't ask further questions but stared at me. Then, he nodded and led me to the back of the ring. The place wasn't lit well, but the smell of blood and sweat was strong in the air. I looked around, and at the far end of the room, there was a figure wiping his bloodied hands with a rag. I sighed heavily and walked over to him, my heart threatening to jump out any second. "Damien Voss," I asked, my voice louder than I wanted it to be.
He slowly turned to me, his expression was a mixture of exhaustion and annoyance. For a moment, he scanned me before his lips curled into a faint smirk. "What's a woman like you doing in a place like this?"
I wasn't here for greetings or introductions, so I said what I came here for. "I need your help, Lucien..." A lump formed in my throat as I forced my words out. "Your brother---he killed my son, Leo. He murdered him to take the throne."
As soon as I mentioned Lucien, Damien's jaw clenched and his gaze sharpened. "He killed your son?" A mixture of disbelief and anger was evident in his voice. "You're telling me he did it... for the throne?"
I nodded. "I have proof. The burner phone. Look at this." I took out the phone and handed it over to him. His fingers moved swiftly across the screen. His gaze kept darkening as he continued to read every message, each one confirming the unimaginable. "Lucien killed Leo..." he muttered under his breath. "I always knew Lucien was capable of anything, but this... this is something else."
The weight of the truth pressed down on both of us, almost suffocating us. "He did it to take the Romano throne," I said, the words bitter on my tongue. Damien knew he could do it because Lucien had once gotten rid of his brother just for the throne, too. "Leo was supposed to be the heir as per the legacy, not Lucien."
Damien's bloody fists clenched again, his body tense with rage. "That bastard," he growled, eyes flashing. "Our father never wanted Lucien to take the throne. When he died, he made sure the one with the wife would take the throne, and Lucien knew how to get around it. And after the wife, he wanted the next bloodline to be the heir, proving that Leo was supposed to inherit it. Without a son, and you as his wife, the throne belongs to him now." He paused, his gaze turning colder. "Father never wanted the throne to be his, so Lucien killed Leo to steal what was never his."
I took a step closer, desperate. "Damien, I need you to help me take him down."
Damien was staring at me. I watched his unreadable expression, trying to decipher him. "I don't know if you understand what you're asking. Lucien is dangerous---he's twisted. He'll do anything to protect what he's built."
"I don't care," I replied, my voice firmer now. "I want him to pay for what he's done. I'll burn everything down if that's what it takes."
Damien looked at me for a long moment, his expression hardening. "You think you can take him down? He's not just some Mafia boss. He's a monster. The power he holds... It's not something anyone can just tear down."
I didn't flinch at his remark. "I'll do whatever it takes. I don't want power. I just want him to pay for what he did to Leo."
Damien sighed, wiping his bloodied hands on his jeans. "Fine," he muttered, shaking his head. "I'll help you... But on one condition."
My breath hitched in my throat as I watched him. "What is it?"
"You'll know soon enough, but you need to help me out when I ask you." I hesitated for a second, but there was nothing scarier than my husband killing my son to take over the throne.
My heart skipped a beat as I sighed. "I'm in. I'll destroy everything if it means making Lucien pay."
Damien's lips curled into a grim smile. "Alright then. Let's tear it all apart."
~ At Night
I returned home, putting up the role I'd perfected over the past few days of the grieving wife and a dutiful partner. In Lucien's study, he was smoking a cigar, and the smell was corrupting the air.
"Back so soon?" Lucien asked, glancing up from his papers. "Everything alright?"
"Just needed some time to think," I said, my voice soft. "I've been... Lost without Leo."
Lucien's eyes softened, his hand reaching out to take mine. "I know, Aria. But we'll get through this. Together."
I suppressed a shudder as I gripped his hand, feeling the weight of my own lies. "We will," I agreed, forcing out a smile. "I trust you to fix everything."
Lucien nodded, his expression pleased. "I'm glad to hear that. You have no idea how much this means to me."
I almost couldn't breathe as I forced myself to nod in return. Inside, I was already plotting. But as I excused myself, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I stepped outside, my pulse quickening as I saw the name on the screen---Federico. He was Lucien's right-hand man and had no purpose in personally texting me.
Confused, I opened the message.
Meet me. I know everything. I'm willing to betray Lucien. I'll give you what you need.
Another message followed. It was a photo---a child, unmistakably Leo, his face still innocent, still alive.
"Leo..." I whispered to myself.
Federico's next message was simple but devastating.
He's alive.
