Chapter 3 The Devil's Arrival

Alessia stood in the doorway of the cramped apartment, watching her mother swallow the last of her medicine with a weak smile. It had been three days since Leo had stormed out, leaving her to shoulder the burden alone-again. She couldn't help but feel the weight of it all pressing down on her like a storm cloud, threatening to break.

"I'm sorry" came Isabella's weak voice. "If I wasn't..."

"Don't" Alessia interrupted. She was going to listen to the sorry words of her mom. It wasn't her fault that she was sick.

Isabella's gaze drifted to the medication bottles as she continued "I'm sorry, Alessia. If wasn't..so broken, you wouldn't have to carry everything on your shoulders." Tears brimmed in her eyes.

Alessia rushed to her side, taking her frail hand. "Don't say that, Mom. You're going to get better. You just need to rest." She tried to reassure her, but the weight of their situation threatened to crush her.

Isabella's weak voice continued, "Leo leaving..it's all because of me. I wasn't strong enough to keep him here." A coughing fit interrupted her words, leaving her gasping for air. Alessia held her close, trying to comfort her. "Shh, Mom. It's not your fault. Leo made his choices. You focus on gettina better. okay?" She stroked her hair making few hair stands pull out unintentionally.

"Just close your eyes and sleep, okay?"

Isabella, her mother, nodded like an obedient child. She lay back against the tattered couch, her frail frame blending into the faded fabric.

Alessia's heart clenched as she watched the woman who had sacrificed so much for them. Now, she was left with nothing-no savings, no security, and hardly any strength left. The silence of the apartment echoed in her mind. She slipped into the tiny bathroom, the only place she could find a moment of privacy.

The bathroom was barely more than a closet, with peeling wallpaper that had long lost its color, a cracked mirror, and tiles so stained that they looked permanently dirty no matter how hard she scrubbed. The ceiling sagged in one corner, and the dripping faucet was a constant, maddening rhythm.

Alessia leaned against the sink, gripping the edge as she felt her emotions rising, threatening to spill over. She had always prided herself on being strong, on holding it together for her mother's sake, for her own. Tears were a luxury she couldn't afford-at least, that's what she told herself. They were a sign of weakness, something Leo would mock, something the world had no sympathy for.

But today, she couldn't stop them. Silent tears slid down her cheeks, betraying the iron control she always tried to maintain. The pressure was too much, and no matter how many times she told herself she could handle it, she was breaking. Quickly, she wiped her face with the back of her hand, trying to compose herself before stepping back into the harsh reality waiting outside the door.

Just as she turned to leave, a loud, impatient knock echoed through the apartment. Alessia froze for a second, her heart pounding. Another knock, this time more forceful. She inhaled deeply, wiping the last traces of her tears, and went to answer the door.

It was the landlord.

His face was red, eyes bulging with anger as he started his rant before she could even greet him. "You think I'm running some charity here, girl? Two months, two whole months you're behind on rent! What do you think this is, a free ride?"

Alessia opened her mouth to respond, but he didn't give her a chance.

"I've been more than patient, but I'm done waiting! You better come up with that money by the end of the week, or you and your sick mother can find a nice cozy spot under the bridge! This ain't a charity home!"

She felt the sting of his words like salt on a fresh wound. Her hands tightened into fists at her sides, the words "sick mother" hitting her harder than any insult he could throw at her. Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper, as she tried to stay calm. "I'll pay. I just need a little more time."

The landlord barked a laugh. "Time? You've had time, girl! Maybe if you spent less time crying and more time working, you wouldn't be in this mess. Or better yet, why don't you use that pretty face of yours? Bet you could make that rent in a night if you knew how to work your assets."

Alessia felt her stomach churn with disgust. Her jaw clenched as she struggled to keep her temper in check. The words stung, but she swallowed her anger, trying to stay composed. "I'll pay you by the end of the week," she repeated, her voice firmer.

The landlord wasn't done. He leaned in closer, his voice low and full of malice. "You better, or you and your sick mother will be out on the street faster than you can blink."

That was it. Alessia's patience snapped. She looked him square in the eye, her voice rising as she let the frustration and exhaustion spill out. "Rent! rent!! rent!!! Maybe you should do something about your building before talking about rent. Your building's a piece of junk! Every time it rains, it's like living in a waterfall, the roof leaks, the walls are crumbling, and you have the nerve to talk to me about rent? This place isn't worth half of what you charge!"

The landlord's face darkened. "You ungrateful little-"

"Ungrateful?" Alessia cut him off, her voice shaking with anger. "I'm doing everything I can, and you're acting like I'm trying to cheat you. Maybe if you fixed this dump, you wouldn't have so many tenants late on rent!"

He stepped closer, his voice filled with venom. "You're lucky I haven't thrown you out already. If you don't have that money by the end of the week, I'll personally throw your sorry ass out."

Alessia glared at him, the rage boiling inside her. "Fine! I'll get you the money," she spat, slamming the door in his face before he could respond.

For a moment, the apartment was silent. Alessia leaned against the door, her hands trembling, her heart pounding. The adrenaline rushed through her veins, but as it began to fade, the crushing weight of her situation settled in. How was she supposed to come up with that much money in just a few days? She barely made enough at the bar to cover food, let alone the rent.

She glanced at her mother, still sleeping peacefully on the couch, blissfully unaware of the storm raging in her daughter's mind. Alessia ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm only twenty-one," she muttered bitterly. "How did my life turn into this?"

Just as she sank into the worn-out chair, her thoughts spiraling into panic, another knock came at the door. This one was louder, more forceful. She groaned, pushing herself up, anger already bubbling to the surface again.

"I told you I would get you the money!" she yelled, storming toward the door and yanking it open. "I said I would-"

Her voice caught in her throat as her eyes locked with the last person she ever expected to see standing at her doorstep.

Dante Russo.

The man whose name sent shivers down everyone's spine. The man whose reputation was stained with blood and power, feared and respected in every corner of Velancia. His cold, piercing eyes met hers, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop.

"What...what are you doing here?" she stammered, her heart hammering in her chest.

Dante stood tall, his expression unreadable as he looked her over, his presence alone speaking danger. There was no mistaking the deadly aura surrounding him, and as he stepped forward, Alessia realized she was in a situation far more worse than she had ever imagined.

'Why was he here?'