Hearts Divided: A Mafia-Superhero Love Triangle, Volume 1

Prologue

Present

Surrounded by a sea of men, I couldn't help but notice that their unique interests revolved around wealth and women. Despite the supposed purpose of the event, none of the attendees arrived with their life partners, which instantly made me speculate that the lure of wealth far outweighed any romantic inclinations.

Despite my reservations, I couldn't ignore the fact that these individuals were skilled in the art of masquerading as perfect husbands or lovers. It made me question if it would have made a difference if their significant others had been present at the event.

I could hear them asking me questions, but my mind was a million miles away. They were probably eagerly awaiting an answer, but my thoughts were consumed with other issues, some of which those in front of me had no idea about. These issues forced me into the dangerous position of running one of the most notorious gangs in all of New York.

Though my body was present, my consciousness was locked in a battle with the past, rendering me deaf to the voices screaming for my attention in the here and now.

Even though I wasn't paying attention at all to what they were saying, I was aware that they were motivated only by a one-sided desire to please me and climb as high up the gang hierarchy as possible.

It was tempting to do this just to watch them eat each other out, but I decided not to give them that opportunity. Not only would I be jeopardizing my relationship with my boyfriend—in fact, both of my boyfriends—but these men were unfaithful even to their partners. 

Loyalty, in this world, is a rare commodity.

Many, if not all, of them thought I was unfit to lead simply because I was a woman. However, their attitude, repulsive at first, did not influence me, and that is due to those who helped me along the paths of this world.

This world has been and always will be beyond anything I could have ever imagined, but fate has already rolled the dice. Reluctant at first to accept such a heavy responsibility, I was forced to take this step, more so to help my friends. They have been my allies through the best and worst of times, offering support and acceptance even when I was struggling to find it within myself.

I was never mistreated simply because I didn't initially belong in their world.

A surge of emotions threatened to overtake me, and I could sense my eyes growing moist. There were still moments when I doubted my ability to carry the weighty responsibility that had been placed on my shoulders. But despite my inner struggle, I had no other option but to be present in this moment. If anyone in this room had even the slightest inkling of what was truly happening, we would be dead.

Dead as a doornail.

It took considerable effort, but I managed to curve my lips into a smile before standing up from the table and exiting the room without saying a word. Despite the heaviness in my heart, I refused to let them see it.

My loyal bodyguard, Zack Collins, opened the door for me and followed closely behind. He is not one for idle chatter, but he couldn't help but commend me on how I handled the earlier situation. He understands the difficulty of my position better than most. Despite this, he has always been patient and unwavering in his trust in me.

A warm, grateful smile spread across my face as I gazed up at him. Trusting him came naturally; he always fulfilled his responsibilities and stood by me more than my Mother did. Along with my driver, he was one of the few people I could completely rely on without hesitation.

I was grateful that they never pried into my personal issues, although I'm sure they overheard enough complaints from me to make them swear off women forever. Yet, they didn't judge or hold any resentment towards me; in fact, they behaved admirably.

As we strolled through the seemingly never-ending hallway, I could tell Zack was on high alert, scanning for any potential dangers. Finally, we reached the end and stepped outside, where he paused to quickly survey our surroundings before opening the door to a sleek, white Mercedes Maybach S 680.

Getting into the car, I sank into the back seat, eager to relax after a long and tiring day. Making myself more comfortable, I quickly checked my phone to see if I had received any notifications from the hospital. I glanced fleetingly ahead, seeing Zack sitting in the driver's seat, then chatting amiably with Constantine Price.

Relieving my aching feet from the constraint of heels, I closed my eyes and let out a sigh as I felt the burning sensation subside. All I wanted was to go home and have a hot, comforting bath, but my thoughts were still preoccupied with my friends and boyfriend in the hospital. At least I could speak with one of them, albeit briefly.

I yearned for guidance and encouragement from them, but their physical presence meant that I wouldn't have had to step up as a leader in the first place.

I exhaled deeply before turning my attention to the small refrigerator between the seats and taking a cold shot of Pepsi Twist from there. Even though my wealth had grown considerably, I never forgot my somewhat humble beginnings. Besides, I never liked to drink, although I did have some terrible hangovers in the past.

"Is everything all right, Miss Woods?" I heard Zack ask.

I saw my driver look briefly at me in the rear-view mirror, then back at the road, realizing I probably looked a lot worse than I wanted to admit.

"I'm fine," I replied, though it was a lie meant more to convince myself. "I'm just tired."

I turned my attention to my Pepsi can, which I uncorked without hesitation as I looked out the car window.

While I enjoyed the luxury of having a personal driver take me wherever and whenever I pleased, there was a part of me that missed the feeling of being in control behind the wheel. Ever since I took on this "job," I had people at my beck and call, eager to fulfill my every desire. It was nice to have others take care of tasks for me, but it was hard not to long for the simpler times when I did things on my own.

I can still vividly recall the day my entire life changed, as if it were only yesterday. The day that fate seemed to choose for me.