chapter 2

Chapter 2: Collision of Fire & Ice

Leonardo descended the grand staircase at a deliberate pace, his polished shoes clicking against the marble. His father, Alessandro, stood near the entrance, greeting Elena Russo—a woman who looked far too polished for the world they lived in.

Elena was elegant, refined, and poised—a perfect mafia wife. Dressed in a cream-colored dress with pearl earrings, she exuded quiet confidence. But Leonardo knew better. Women like her never entered this life without an agenda.

"Elena, welcome," Alessandro greeted, kissing her hand. "I trust the journey was smooth?"

"Of course, darling," she purred, then turned to Leonardo. "And you must be Leo."

Leonardo's gaze remained cold. "It's Leonardo."

Elena's smile didn't falter. "Of course. Leonardo."

He could already tell what kind of woman she was. The kind who smiled sweetly but carried knives behind her back.

But it wasn't Elena who had Leonardo's attention.

It was Isabella.

She stood just behind her mother, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. She didn't cower, didn't shrink under his gaze. If anything, she looked bored.

Leonardo exhaled sharply, stepping forward. "And you must be the daughter."

Isabella tilted her head slightly, amusement flickering in her dark eyes. "And you must be the watchdog."

A sharp silence fell over the room.

Alessandro's brows furrowed, and Elena's eyes widened, but Leonardo? He just smiled—slow and dangerous.

Most people would have apologized, stammered, or backed down after disrespecting the De Luca heir.

Isabella did none of those things.

Instead, she arched an eyebrow. "Did I say something wrong?"

Leonardo's jaw tightened. "You don't know who you're talking to."

"Actually, I do." She took a step forward, as if challenging him in his own home. "You're the heir. Ruthless, feared, and probably drowning in daddy issues."

Elena gasped. "Isabella!"

Leonardo chuckled. A dark, humorless sound.

No one spoke to him this way. No one dared.

But here she was. Testing him.

Alessandro cleared his throat, stepping between them. "Enough. Isabella, you'll show respect to my son."

Isabella's lips twitched. "Of course."

But the way she said it? It wasn't respect. It was mockery.

Leonardo watched her closely as she turned away, taking in the grandeur of the estate. It was the kind of luxury most people never dreamed of, but Isabella didn't look impressed.

She looked unmoved.

Like she had seen worse.

And that was what interested Leonardo the most.

Later That Night –

Leonardo found her in the garden, standing beneath the moonlight, her fingers grazing a single white rose.

"I thought the watchdog would be off duty by now," Isabella murmured without turning around.

Leonardo smirked. "You talk a lot of shit for someone who just walked into my world."

Isabella turned then, meeting his gaze head-on. "I grew up around men like you, Leonardo. You think your power makes you untouchable?" She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I've seen men with twice your power fall to their knees when the right string was pulled."

Leonardo's amusement faded. There was something real in her words. A warning.

"Is that a threat?" he asked, voice low.

"It's a reality check." She smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Don't assume I'm just some spoiled mafia princess. I know exactly what I'm dealing with."

Leonardo studied her, his instincts sharper than ever. She wasn't afraid of him.

And that meant she had seen true monsters before.