THE MAFIA BOSS WANTS ME

The night sky spread its vast, inky cloak, as though an artist had painted the heavens in the deepest black. Restless clouds swirled above, their movements hinting at the brewing storm. A faint whisper of wind stirred, growing into a steady breath that danced through the trees, their leaves rustling like nature's symphony tuning itself for the performance to come.

The first raindrop fell-a delicate, glassy note, soft as the clink of crystal. Soon, the gentle drizzle became a cascading curtain, veiling the earth in silver strands of water. Each drop joined the chorus, amplifying the music of the storm as it painted the world anew.

Celia Ferrari stood firm amidst the deluge, dressed in a sleek black bodycon dress that hugged her form from shoulders to ankles. Her hand rested protectively on her round belly, five months pregnant, while her other hand gripped an umbrella, shielding her from the cold rain. Before her lay a grey tombstone adorned with fresh flowers-an offering to her late mother, Francesca Milano. Celia's dark eyes remained fixed on the grave, her heart weighed down by grief, her soul weary from the trials of her young life.

The rain mingled with her tears, streaming down her face in an unending flow. This was her second goodbye to her mother, but this time, there would be no reunion. A hollow ache filled her chest, the finality of loss echoing in every beat of her heart. Alone in the cemetery, the rain was her only companion, a relentless reminder of the emptiness surrounding her.

Memories flooded her mind-painful, vivid recollections of a life shaped by loss. Her first goodbye to her mother had come a month after her father's sudden death. At just twelve years old, Celia had been torn from the warmth of her family and placed in the care of cold, controlling relatives. From then on, her voice had been silenced, her will overshadowed by theirs. When her mother passed away, she was the last to know-a cruel pattern that repeated itself in her life.

The storm outside mirrored the tempest within her. The world grew unnervingly quiet, as though the rain itself mourned with her. Celia's sobs broke the silence, her voice trembling as she cried out to the heavens. "Is this what you planned for me, God? After all I've endured, is there no mercy? Am I invisible to you, unseen and unloved?" Her words, bitter and fragile, were carried away by the wind.

"What wrong have I done?" she whispered, a trace of anger mingling with her despair. "I was obedient-more so than even the most loyal dog. Yet here I stand, punished for sins I did not commit."

Her pleas faded into the rain as she turned to leave, pausing to visit her father's grave. The weight of grief followed her, pressing down with every step. Somewhere in the shadows of her life, an ominous figure awaited her return-a man she was bound to endure in a place that barely resembled a home.

Unaware of the storm brewing in her future, Celia walked away, her steps heavy with sorrow. Another loss loomed ahead, ready to shatter her fragile world once more. In the unrelenting rain, her destiny unfolded, preparing to inscribe another chapter in the tragedy of Celia Ferrari's life.