The way Domenico stared into Renata's eyes made her heart race with fear. His gaze was steady but intense, as if he could see through every thought she tried to hide.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the weight of his stare made the words stick in her throat. For a moment she simply sat there, frozen, unsure of what to say or how to face him.
"Speak," Domenico said in a commanding tone. His hand remained wrapped around her neck, not tight enough to choke her but strong enough to remind her that she could not simply walk away. "Why are you silent now?"
Renata swallowed hard before forcing the words out. "I was forced to walk down that aisle," she said, her voice shaking despite her effort to stay composed.
Her lips quivered as the memories of the church returned, and her eyes slowly filled with tears.
"Do you really think I wanted to marry that disgusting old man? My father sold me to him just to save his business."
Once the words started coming, she could no longer stop them. Weeks of fear, anger, and humiliation spilled out at once.
"When did you ever ask me to wait for you?" she continued, her voice rising with emotion. "That night meant nothing more than a one-night stand. The next morning when I woke up, you were gone. Just gone. And now you expect me to trust you?" Her breathing became uneven as tears gathered along her lashes. She pushed his rough hand away from her neck, creating distance between them. "You have no idea what I went through after that night."
Her voice broke as she took a shaky breath. "I will abort this baby," she said firmly, forcing the words out despite the fear inside her. "I don't need this child."
Domenico's expression changed instantly. The calm certainty on his face hardened, and his voice dropped into something far colder.
"What did you say?" he asked.
"You heard me," Renata replied, lifting her chin even though her hands trembled. "I don't want this baby. You're a criminal. You killed a man inside that church, and you didn't even hesitate."
The car suddenly fell silent.
"Stop the car," Domenico ordered the driver.
The driver glanced at him through the mirror, clearly nervous. "Sir... we're in the middle of the highway."
"Do what I told you," Domenico said in a chilling authority.
Within seconds, the driver pressed the brakes. The car came to a sudden stop on the deserted stretch of highway, and the vehicles behind them halted one after another with sharp screeching sounds.
Domenico stepped out of the car. His men were already exiting the other vehicles, watching silently as they waited for his next move. Without looking at them, he walked around the car to Renata's side and pulled the door open.
Renata barely had time to react before he grabbed her arm and pulled her out. The force of the movement sent a wave of dread through her body.
"Ahh!" she cried out as her back hit the side of the car.
Domenico pressed her firmly against the vehicle, towering over her. His presence felt overwhelming in the empty highway, the dark road stretching endlessly around them.
"I am more than a criminal, Renata," he said coldly. "I am mafia."
His hand moved to the holster at his side, and within a second he pulled out his gun. The barrel rose until it pointed directly at her chest, exactly where her heart beat wildly beneath her ribs.
"So listen carefully," he continued, his voice low and dangerous. "You will never speak about abortion in front of me again."
Renata's breath caught as she stared at the weapon aimed at her.
"I will empty every bullet into you if you try," he said without raising his voice. "And I know you want to live. It's written in your eyes."
His gaze moved briefly to her stomach before returning to her face.
"You are carrying my child," he said. "Until that baby is born, you are under my protection and my control. If you defy me, I will make you regret it."
His words grew even darker.
"I will make you watch the people you care about suffer," he said. "Starting with your family."
Renata's heart pounded so violently that she thought it might burst. Fear gripped every part of her body. She had never imagined that the man she had given herself to for the first time would turn out to be someone so terrifying.
The stranger from that night was no ordinary man.
He was a mafia boss, feared by everyone, and now her life was completely in his hands.
A tear slipped down Renata's cheek, glistening under the dim highway lights. The sight of it made Domenico pause. For a brief moment, his expression shifted, and he slowly lowered the gun, withdrawing it from her chest.
"Get in the car," he said.
Renata did not hesitate. She quickly turned away from him and climbed back inside. The moment she settled into the seat, her hands began to tremble uncontrollably.
Her entire body felt cold despite the warmth inside the car, and she pressed herself against the seat as if trying to make herself smaller.
Domenico remained outside for a moment longer, standing beside the car as he slipped the gun back into its holster. He began walking toward the other side when a voice stopped him.
"Don't scare her like that."
Domenico turned slightly and saw Emilio Amadori standing behind him. Emilio had stepped out of one of the cars that had halted behind them.
Unlike the other men, he did not look nervous or intimidated. After all, he had known Domenico for years and was his only friend.
Domenico tilted his head slightly as he looked at him. "Emilio, she wants to abort my baby," he said. "I have to make it clear what kind of man I am. When she stands in front of me, she cannot say whatever she wants with that sharp tongue of hers."
Without waiting for a reply, Domenico walked around the car and slid into the seat beside Renata.
Emilio watched for a moment before shaking his head slightly and returning to his own vehicle. Within seconds, the engines of the cars started again. One by one, the vehicles pulled back onto the empty highway as they disappeared into the night.
