HIS TOUCH, HER WEAKNESS

Things were getting heated between the two. Adriana released Ambra from her grip and stepped back, panting. She watched Ambra wipe the blood from her face and glare at her with murderous intent.

Ambra tried to get up, but she was too weak from the blows. Adriana stood tall, watching her with a mix of annoyance and rage.

"I think I'm done here," Adriana muttered, not bothering about the wet floor. She has had enough. She couldn't risk others appearing in the hallway and then seeing her in wet clothes, her curves glaring hard.

She turned and attempted to leave the place when her eyes locked with Riccardo's who was not far away from them. His eyes were fixed on her and the awareness of her wet clothes hit her hard, she dashed out of the place immediately.

Riccardo watched her retreating figure till she disappeared into the room. He faced Bruno who had a complete shock on his face. He hadn't expected Riccardo to prevent him from separating Ambra from Adriana.

"Take care of the rest," he instructed and disappeared afterwards.

Haunter stared at Ambra whose face was severely disfigured from the harsh blows she received from Adriana.

She folded her arms across her chest, a smirk forming on her face. "You shouldn't have said those words to her. You really deserved it, I must say," Haunter muttered.

Ambra rolled her eyes and hissed in pain when her hand met her cheek which stung like hell.

"Help me up," she said more like in an authoritative tone. Haunter released a short laugh.

"Have you forgotten you almost devoured me earlier? You're the almighty Ambra, you can help yourself," Haunter said in a mocking tone. She left the hallway by passing another corner, oblivious of Bruno's presence who was approaching Ambra.

"Are you okay?" He asked when he got to where Ambra laid. Ambra scoffed before moaning in pain.

"Does it look like I am?" She spat, casting an annoying glare at him.

"Wait…" she gazed up at him when she suddenly realized something.

"You saw everything that happened here?" She asked slowly. Bruno nodded before giving a half shrug.

"And you couldn't do anything to stop her from killing me? Are you fucking insane?" She yelled, suddenly wishing to pluck out those green eyes on him.

"Because it was Don's order. Besides, I don't think you really deserved my intervention, seeing how your mouth keeps running even when you clearly need my help," Bruno shook his head. He was suddenly having a rethink of helping her to her feet and then taking her to the infirmary.

"Riccardo gave you that order?!" Ambra yelled. Bruno squinted his brows when the realization of Ambra addressing the Don by his name hit him.

"Mind your words, Ambra. I won't take that from you," he growled. Ambra swallowed hard when his eyes shone with anger.

"I'm outta here," Bruno muttered and began walking away. Ambra blinked her eyes in confusion. Wasn't he here to help her?

"Hey, where are you going? You need to take me to the infirmary!" She yelled but Bruno kept walking as though he didn't hear her till he was completely out of sight.

"That son of a vag," she groaned as she struggled to get to her feet. She finally did, but one thought kept lingering in her mind. Riccardo saw Adriana beating her to a pulp and he couldn't go a single thing? Was she wrong about them being exes, what if they were both secret lovers?

"I'm fucking gonna kill that whore," she dragged her legs behind her as she made her way out of the hallway. She was in deep pain and she continued avoiding the eyes the mobsters were casting at her when she got outside. Of course it was a strange thing to find her in that condition, but how could she tell them a lady who doesn't even know how to handle guns turned her this way? It's totally humiliating.

As she walked through the big mansion, heading to the infirmary. She came across Theodore who was sitting alone, staring at the mobsters who were at the training ground, testing their shooting skills.

He turned and his eyes met with hers. She saw how his brow wrinkled in confusion, of course he was also shocked to find her in that state.

"What the hell happened to you? You look… horrible," Theodore said as he walked up to her. Ambra scoffed, she's definitely aware of that, he didn't have to rub that on her face.

"Were you actually serious about that chic being the Don's ex?" She asked instead. Theodore frowned. How much he hates thinking about that.

"Why are you asking me that?" He asked. Ambra touched her face and instantly groaned in pain.

"Because he fucking saw that bitch beating me to a pulp and he couldn't do a single thing!" Ambra yelled in frustration.

Theodore stared at her for a while as though he didn't understand what she had sputtered out.

"You mean… Adriana was the one who made you this way?" Were the words which came out of his mouth. Ambra rolled her eyes, that wasn't the response she was expecting from him.

Agata showed that instant. She gasped when she saw Ambra's face and immediately rushed to her.

"What the hell happened to your face? Did Don send you on a mission?" Agata asked as that was the only way Ambra could end up in that state.

"It sucks whenever I recall that memory. Take me to the infirmary, it hurts like hell," Ambra muttered. Agata nodded and held her waist, leading her to the infirmary.

Theodore stood there, trying to register what he had just heard into his brain. The Riccardo he knew would have punished anyone to beat a mobster to a pulp, but he didn't take any action against Adriana of all people?

His eyes were everywhere. He had been watching Adriana whose face was looking fresh unlike someone who had been suffering. Her meals were always taken to Riccardo's room. He was expecting Riccardo to starve her to death, punish her till she can walk no more, but Riccardo did none.

Instantly, he fetched his phone and placed a call across Vincenzo. "Things are not well," he said as soon as Vincenzo picked the call from the other side.

•••••••

MILAN≈ITALY

As soon as the call ended between Alessia and Adriana, the twins entered the room, startling Alessia who was still shocked from the news she had just heard from Adriana.

"Hey." She breathed slowly. Emelio and Emiliano walked to the bed and sat on it with Emiliano picking a pillow and gently played with the soft fabric.

"When are we going over to our Mom's?" Emelio spoke out. Alessia was taken aback by that question. She wasn't expecting them to ask that question so soon.

"You already called her, right?" Emiliano stopped playing with the pillow, his blue eyes gazing at her curiously.

"Well… yeah," Alessia said. She walked to the bed and sat down beside them. She pulled both their heads to her shoulders.

"You know…," she began and sighed softly.

"Sometimes, we need to give someone the space they need. Your Mommy needs some time alone, you know handling the restaurant and all that. She wants the best for you. She wants you to enjoy yourselves that was why she suggested this holiday," Alessia spoke, hoping she sounded convincing enough.

"Are we disturbing our Mommy?" Emiliano's soft voice was heard. Alessia immediately shook her head. Where the hell did he hear that from?

"Of course not! Adriana wants the best for you, she's so happy knowing that you'll be free from the restaurant stress,"

"If she's so happy, then we'll be patient. We want the best for our Mommy," Emelio said after a long silence.

Alessia smiled widely. They both raised their heads from her shoulder and stared at them innocently. The thought of lying to these innocent souls saddened Alessia's heart but she had no choice. Their parents needs to settle their differences before they can be aware of anything.

•••••••

BLACK ACE MOB

Adriana stood in the room, staring at the pictures of her kids on her phone with her eyes filled with tears. Earlier, Ambra's words had hurt her greatly, the humiliation was far too much to bear.

As she was dwelling on her thoughts, the door creaked open and Riccardo walked in. Reflexively, Adriana hid the phone behind her back but it was too late, he saw the phone in her hand.

Her heart almost leap out of her chest when he began walking closer. To her utmost surprise, he stretched his hand towards her back and snatched the phone from her hand.

Adriana's eyes widened when he raised the phone to her face. Thankfully she had switched it off when she had hid it behind her back so he saw nothing.

Riccardo stared at the phone in his hand before throwing it to the bed. Then, his eyes went back to hers.

"Never knew you had this fierce side in you," he spoke out as he stared at her with piqued interest.

"You've always known, quit the lie," she mumbled unknowingly. Her eyes widened when she realized what she had just uttered out. She gazed at him, expecting him to have his usual dark expression on his face, but it was blank. To her surprise, he smiled. Once which didn't last for a second.

"Why didn't you stop me earlier?" She suddenly asked. He had seen her beating Ambra but he didn't even stop her. He appeared in the room and she had expected him to be there to punish her but instead, he was unusually cool towards her.

"Because it was an interesting scene to watch," Riccardo simply shrugged. Adriana scoffed inwardly. Ambra calling her all sorts of names was interesting to him? Really?

"Calling me a whore was interesting to you?" Her lips trembled as she said those words.

"Do you know what she said to me? She called me a whore!" She yelled, not caring if she was raising her voice.

"She called me an unwanted slut in your life and you find that interesting to watch?" Her eyes were suddenly filled with her tears. He wasn't saying a word, just staring at her which is just like him.

"Have you forgotten everything? You were the first man in my life, Riccardo! You were my first in everything! Okay, fine. I understand what I did was wrong, but do you know what I also passed through?" She yelled. The memories of what she passed through during those moments flowed back to her mind.

She had suffered greatly. Her parents died during those moments, leaving her alone in the harsh world. She had no one to run to, Alessia was quite young then so she really couldn't do a thing.

Even while she was heavily pregnant, she did all menial jobs just to fend for herself. A lot of companies turned her down, saying they can't hire a pregnant woman to work with them. She resolved into selling little things by the street. During one of those days, she almost had a miscarriage. But she scaled through everything.

And the man whom she had done all these for had to watch another woman calling her a slut?

"Everything I did was for you!" She yelled, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Do you even know what I also passed through? I was preg…" the remaining words died down in her throat when she felt his lips on hers.

She didn't resist. She only stood there, letting him do his thing. He pulled away after a short moment and stared down at her chest.

"You talk too much, Mi Amata," he murmured in an unusual soft voice. He gazed at her eyes again and without any other word, his lips captured hers again, taking her by surprise.

Adriana slowly melted in his arms. This man here was her weakness, his touches could make her go crazy.

When his hand met with her breast and squeezed it softly, a moan slipped out of her mouth.