His Kryptonite

Chapter 28

Laila's POV

It's been nearly two weeks since I last laid eyes on my family. I've tried reaching out to them countless times, calling and texting like a maniac, but their silence speaks volumes about my papà's directives. They've completely cut me off, and I'm still struggling to understand how they could do this to me.

I'm caught in the middle of two intense emotions, struggling to find my way. My heart feels heavy by the pain of this family feud. However, I can't ignore the fact that I still love Michael and the sacrifices he's made for me. The thought of leaving him is unfathomable, and also impossible considering how he keeps me under his control, dragging me along wherever he goes. He's made it crystal clear that he's the one calling the shots, making all the decisions. He hasn't allowed me to visit my family and attempt to mend our broken relationship.

Yet, amidst his twisted ways, I can see him desperately trying to bring happiness back into my life. He's showered me with countless gifts over the past two weeks. While money doesn't impress me all that much, I can appreciate the grand gesture of a man spending millions on me in such a short span of time.

Also, I'm pretty sure he coerced Gianna into keeping me company, because wherever we go, she's always there.

He took me to that extravagant race car event, prepares breakfast for me every day, and plays my favorite TV shows on his headquarters' screen without me even asking. I'm pretty sure it was him who arranged for one of his criminal lawyers to visit me the other day, just to engage in conversation. The amount of time that busy man spent with me was mind-boggling. We discussed his trial tactics and some of his past cases, and I have to admit, I was captivated, hanging onto his every word.

I know Michael wants to restore things to how they were, but I can't pretend. If this is the life I'm destined to lead, I can't deny that it will be incredibly difficult. I'll have to put on a facade, pretending everything is alright as he parades me around to everyone he knows. We still have sex, driven by our magnetic attraction, but we don't make love. I refuse to meet his gaze during sex—I simply can't bring myself to do it.

All I want is to move past this, but I'm unable to. The absence of my family is causing me immense pain that I can't overlook. I have fleeting moments of happiness, but my overall mood remains low because they occupy my thoughts constantly.

I feel as though I've lost all my anchors. I've been thrust into this new world with a man who has no connection to my past, and in just a week's time, I'll be married to him with none of my loved ones present.

It's Saturday night, and here I am at La Dolce Vita, occupying the most exclusive booth in the entire club, accompanied by Gianna. She's the only person I truly trust. The other girls, on the surface, pretend to be friendly, but I've caught them exchanging whispers and throwing disdainful glances when they think I'm not looking. I initially dismissed it as my imagination, but now I'm certain it's all true.

"I feel like some of the girls don't really like me," I confide in Gianna, frustrated by yet another sideways glance from one of them, only to receive a fake smile as soon as our eyes meet.

"Who?! Who is disrespecting you?" Gianna responds, rising with an intense determination. "They better start showing you some damn respect, or I'll break their fucking neck!" Her words echo loudly, ensuring everyone nearby can hear her.

My face flushes with embarrassment, thankfully concealed by the dim lighting of the club. I appreciate Gianna's loyalty, but her assertive nature is not something I share. I won't resort to violence and break someone's neck just because they're giving me a sideways look.

"Forget about it. It's probably just my imagination playing tricks on me," I say, attempting to calm her down and dismiss the issue.

As I look toward the entrance of the club, I catch sight of Elena and Vincenzo who has just made their entrance. My heart skips a beat. Like an automatic response, I immediately rise from the couch and begin walking towards them. I need to talk to my brother. Almost instantly, a bouncer trails behind me. "Is there something you need, Mrs. Rizzuto?" he asks.

I'm taken aback by being addressed as Rizzuto, as if I hadn't already known that would soon be my name. No longer a Scorsese. "I just want to say hi to my friends," I reply, gesturing towards the entrance.

He doesn't say anything in response, but I can feel him closely following behind me.

When Vincenzo spots me, there's a flicker of surprise on his face. Not because he wasn't expecting to see me here, but more due to the fact that this is the first time we've crossed paths since the whole incident. I can sense his discomfort. He mutters something to Elena, who turns around. As soon as she sees me, she shyly smiles and gives a quick wave of her hand. Her whole demeanor indicates she wants to speak with me, but Vincenzo is urging her to follow the waitress. He turns around, ready to exit the nightclub.

In a rush, I walk towards him and grasp his arm. "Vince, please, wait!"

He gently pulls his arm from my grip, wearing a regretful expression. "Laila... I can't, I'm sorry," he says, shaking his head before leaving.

In that moment, my heart shatters into a thousand pieces. I look upwards, fighting back the tears, determined not to let them fall.

With no desire to party, I ascend the stairs to Michael's office and swipe open the door with the magnetic card he provided. The room is empty, as Michael is currently downstairs in the basement.

Taking a seat on the couch, I retrieve my cellphone. I can't continue living like this, with my family intentionally ignoring me.

I make the decision to text Lucas, knowing he's the person I'm closest to.

Lucas, I know it's papà's orders, but I can't fucking bear it anymore! I just saw Vince, and he completely ignored me. I feel like I'm slowly dying inside. I just need someone to talk to...please!

Resting my head against the couch, I exhale deeply. Suddenly, my cellphone starts ringing, and I glance down to see Lucas' name on the screen. I've never answered a call so quickly.

"Lucas!" I exclaim, my tone filled with desperation.

"Hey, sorella. How are you?" Lucas responds.

"How do you fucking think?!" I reply, shocked.

He lets out a sigh. "Yeah, I knew things were serious when you dropped the F-bomb, and you've just confirmed it."

"Lucas, I'm falling apart here! This can't keep going on! Papà needs to listen to me, to hear me out!"

Lucas remains silent for a moment, and I can sense his hesitation. "Look... I've never seen Papà like this. Vince keeps saying that this is the version of him before you were born. He's in a very dark place. Mamma tries to reason with him, but he's shutting her out. He's constantly in a terrible mood."

"And so am I! That's why I want to fix it."

"You don't understand, Laila. You blindsided us! What if a fucking war had broken out? It would have all revolved around you, and we wouldn't have even known! Papà took it fucking hard, and judging by how things are now, he's not ready to move forward. He destroyed the entire library when we received your wedding invitation, making it clear that no one should dare attend. If he finds out I spoke to you, I might as well be dead."

I run my fingers through my hair, exhaling loudly. I'm trying to hold back my tears, but I can feel the moisture welling up in my eyes. "Lucas... what can I do?" I ask, my desperation evident.

"I'm sorry, Laila, but if you're marrying Michael, that's how it'll be. I don't see a clear way to fix things."

"Damn it, do you think it's that simple?! We don't choose who we fall in love with in life!" I say, on the verge of exploding.

"Look, you don't have to explain it to me. I get it. You know, everyone thinks I got mixed up with LaPierre's gang because of some drugs and territorial shits. But in reality, it was all because of a broad from their clan," Lucas confesses. "Listen, I'll try my best to stay in touch with you, but Papà knows we were close, so he's always watching me and checking my phone. I'll have to be extra cautious, deleting our conversations all the time, so I can't have ongoing discussions with you. But I'll do what I can."

My throat tightens. So this is where we stand. I noticed how Lucas said we 'were' close, emphasizing it as a thing of the past.

"That's fine... I don't want to get you into trouble," I reply, my voice breaking. "I have to hang up now. Take care, Lucas."

As soon as I end the call, a sob escapes my lips, followed by many more. I can't stop crying.