MotherleptatAntonietta was finishing up arranging the room that would now belong to Vittorio and Ellis, with luxurious furniture and sophisticated decor. She fluffed the pillows on the bed, adjusted the satin sheets on the large canopy bed, and gave one last look to the surroundings.
"My son, Vittorio, finally married," Antonietta muttered to herself. "I can't believe Vittorio married that poor waitress. What was he thinking?"
Just as she finished arranging her son's things, the door creaked, and Eleonora entered the room. Antonietta's eyes widened in surprise.
"Eleonora? What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Oh, Antonietta, I came to offer my condolences to you and Vittorio. They're coming back today, right?" Eleonora said, smiling slyly.
Antonietta's expression became cautious, suspicion gleaming in her eyes.
"How kind of you, Eleonora," Antonietta commented. "I'm just not sure if Ellis would appreciate your presence."
"Oh, I'm sure that my presence is the least of Ellis' problems," Eleonora remarked with a smile.
"What do you mean by that, Eleonora? Did something happen?" Antonietta asked, frowning.
"Antonietta, my dear, I need to tell you something very interesting about your son and his new 'wife,'" Eleonora began as she walked towards the couple's bed. She sat down and locked eyes with the family matriarch. "On their wedding night, Vittorio didn't share the bed with Ellis, as everyone would imagine."
"What do you mean? How do you know?" Antonietta asked, incredulous.
"Well, my dear, I know because he was busy with me at my apartment," Eleonora revealed with a mocking laugh.
"What? That can't be true! Why would he do such a thing?" Antonietta exclaimed, shocked. "And with you, Eleonora... I thought he had left you behind."
"Oh, Antonietta, dear, Vittorio and I will always have a special connection," Eleonora replied.
Antonietta's face twisted with a mix of shock and anger.
"You said they made a deal? What kind of deal was that, Eleonora?"
"Well, you see, Vittorio is seeking the people involved in Don Marco's death," Eleonora began, making Antonietta raise an eyebrow. "He asked me to bring Tommaso Grecco to the wedding, and I did. In return, he slept with me."
Antonietta's voice trembled with indignation.
"This is complete nonsense! He shouldn't have done that... And you... you shouldn't have proposed such a thing."
"Why not? I saw an opportunity and took advantage of it," Eleonora explained. "And I took advantage quite well..."
"And what? Are you going to tell me you think you're pregnant? My son was away for only three days," Antonietta said, furious.
"I know, but don't worry, because Vittorio is very careful... I just have to trust those two percent," Eleonora replied.
Antonietta's face reddened with anger as she clenched her fists.
"I won't allow you to come up with this pregnancy story for my son, Eleonora," Antonietta said through gritted teeth.
"Don't worry, Antonietta. I would never stoop so low," Eleonora said.
Antonietta looked at Eleonora with a mixture of suspicion and gratitude.
"Thank you, Eleonora."
Eleonora smiled maliciously and approached Antonietta.
"Don't thank me, Antonietta. Don't forget that you need to help me get back to him. After all, I think that once he eliminated his own uncle, no one involved in what happened that night is safe."
"Matteo died of a heart attack," Antonietta corrected. "Besides, Vittorio doesn't know about Matteo's involvement..."
"Vittorio left here knowing about his uncle's involvement... I told him," Eleonora revealed.
"How could you do that, Eleonora? You knew Vittorio would seek revenge..." Antonietta said horrified.
"I think the right question is: What is Vittorio capable of when he finds out that more people are involved, including his own mother?" Eleonora asked sarcastically. "If I were you, I would help me return to your son soon."
"Alright, Eleonora," Antonietta agreed, apprehensive. "I will do whatever is necessary. But please, stay away from my son and his wife."
Before Eleonora could say anything else, the door opened, revealing Rocco's presence. He entered the room with a stoic expression.
"Signora Amorielle, they have arrived," Rocco announced.
Eleonora smiled satisfactorily and left the room, while Antonietta quickly got up and approached Rocco.
"Rocco, I need you to do me a favor."
***
Vittorio and Ellis arrived at the imposing stone mansion adorned with white marble. The atmosphere exuded luxury and sophistication, but there was a palpable tension in the air.
As they stepped out of the car, they were greeted by Antonietta and Eleonora. Ellis looked at Vittorio and spoke mockingly before approaching the former mafia boss's ex-fiancée.
"Well, it seems your ex-fiancée is here, Vittorio, probably to discuss 'business.'"
"Welcome, my dear ones," Antonietta said to the couple.
Ellis greeted her mother-in-law with a light hug and turned her back to Eleonora, completely ignoring the presence of the blonde woman.
"Good evening, Antonietta. Thank you for the reception," Ellis said with a serious tone. "I'm tired from the trip, so I'll go to the room."
"Of course," Antonietta said understandingly. She gestured to the housekeeper and continued, "Take Mrs. Amorielle to the couple's room, please."
The housekeeper nodded and led Ellis toward the room. Vittorio, on the other hand, greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek.
"Hello, Mamma."
"Hello, my son," Antonietta replied, offering her cheek.
"Hello, Vittorio," the blonde said, drawing the attention of the mobster. "My condolences."
Eleonora approached, attempting to kiss Vittorio, expressing her condolences for his recent loss. However, he evaded her, firmly gripping the wrist of his ex-fiancée with a serious expression.
"What are you doing here, Eleonora?" Vittorio asked.
"I came to offer my condolences on the loss of your uncle," Eleonora replied with an angelic face.
Vittorio approached her, touched her face, and then held her firmly by the wrist, making her wince, while saying, "I don't need your condolences, let alone your presence. Leave before I make you."
He released her forcefully, causing her to almost stumble from her heels. Eleonora, somewhat embarrassed, stepped back without saying anything and went to her car.
"Mother, I need to talk to you alone. It's important," Vittorio said.
Antonietta furrowed her brow, surprised by Vittorio's request. "Alright, Vittorio. Let's go to the office. We'll be alone there."
The two entered the majestic mansion and made their way to the office, where they could have the necessary privacy for their conversation.
They walked in silence to the office, where Antonietta closed the door behind them. The atmosphere was filled with tension and anticipation.
As they sat down, Vittorio took a deep breath before starting to speak.
"Mother, I need you to arrange an extra room for me. Ellis will be staying in mine, and I will move to another."
"But Vittorio, you're married now. Why do you need separate rooms? I don't understand," Antonietta said, looking into her son's eyes, mustering the courage to reveal the truth he had been keeping inside.
"Mother, there's something you need to know about my marriage to Ellis. Not everything is as it seems. There's a secret I need to share with you."
Antonietta's eyes widened, showing surprise and concern. "My son, what's happening? Please talk to me. I'm here to listen to you."
"Ellis and I are going through a difficult time in our marriage," Vittorio sighed, feeling the weight of guilt in his words. "She doesn't accept who I am. She gets upset with the women, with how I handle situations. She believes I enjoy this world, this lifestyle."
His mother's serious expression reflected her concern and genuine desire to help. "Vittorio, in part, Ellis is right. My son, we need to talk about your actions toward Ellis. It's not right to have left your wife alone on your wedding night and sleep with Eleonora, your ex-fiancée. And yes, it was Eleonora who told me. Regardless of the reason, it will undoubtedly hurt Ellis when she finds out."
"Mother, I only did that because I obtained Grecco's location. It was part of the plan," Vittorio interrupted, his mother's hand on his shoulder.
"It doesn't matter the reason, Vittorio. What matters is how Ellis will feel when she finds out. Do you think she'll understand the motive behind it? She thinks you enjoyed what you did, that you took the opportunity to betray her trust. Just like all the other women..."
"Dad used to do that, and you never cared," Vittorio retorted.
"It's different. First, your father didn't meet those women himself. He sent Giuseppe in his place," Antonietta explained. "Second, your father never left me on our wedding night for any business. He stayed by my side, looking at you with me. And third, I grew up in this environment, and I know we have to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of the family, even if it breaks our hearts."
Vittorio felt a pang of guilt and acknowledged Ellis's words about his actions as a mafioso. Antonietta looked directly into her son's eyes, conveying a mixture of understanding and wisdom.
"If I were in Ellis's place, I wouldn't accept those actions either. You need to understand that this is not her world, Vittorio. She wasn't born into this environment, and that's why she's suffering."
"But those things weren't what pushed her away from me," Vittorio said, looking at his mother
seriously.
Antonietta looked at her son, concerned by the seriousness in his expression.
"Ellis saw me kill Uncle Matteo. She witnessed me making him suffer... She witnessed me torturing him to death. She saw the Rabbia..."
Antonietta widened her eyes, surprised by Vittorio's revelation. Vittorio lowered his head for a moment, gathering the courage to continue.
"She said she saw that I enjoyed it. And I have to admit, mother, I enjoyed it a lot, doing that to that son of a bitch," Vittorio admitted. "I know it's wrong, but I felt pleasure when he begged for his life. I felt something inside that... Anyway, she saw."
Antonietta looked at her son with a mixture of concern and understanding.
"My son, how could this have happened? How did she see?"
"I don't know, but she saw it, and now she doesn't want anything to do with me... I don't know. Have you ever seen Dad...?"
"No," Antonietta shook her head. "Your father was cautious. Besides, I would have ended up an accomplice to murder, and I don't think your father wanted that for me."
"And I didn't want that for Ellis."
Antonietta held her son's hand, conveying support and encouragement.
"I know. Vittorio, you don't realize it, but this revenge is consuming you. Ellis will never see these actions as normal."
Antonietta's words echoed in Vittorio's mind. He realized it was time to face reality and prioritize Ellis's happiness, even if it meant letting go of his marriage.
"Do you think I should leave Ellis?" Vittorio asked, and Antonietta nodded sadly, knowing it was the most difficult decision Vittorio had to make.
"Vittorio, sometimes loving someone means setting them free to find happiness where they can feel complete. You need to understand that Ellis is not part of this world. She deserves to find the happiness you can't provide."
"But you were happy with Dad, weren't you?"
"Vittorio, it's not that simple. I found a way to feel happy within the Mafia, but I wouldn't say I am happy."
Vittorio sighed deeply, accepting his mother's words.
"I have another question for you," Vittorio began, serious. "How long have you known about Uncle Matteo?"
Antonietta took a deep breath and then looked at her son, saying, "I've always known. I knew he was involved with Grecco, about the business and also about your father."
"And you knew all that, mother? Why didn't you do anything?"
His mother looked at Vittorio with sadness and compassion.
"Yes, my son, I knew. If I had done something, I would have been doing Grecco a favor, and that's why you need to stop seeking revenge by killing those involved with Tommaso. You're becoming one of Tommaso's henchmen, doing exactly what he wants. You're doing Grecco a favor by eliminating those people. Follow your wife's advice and find another way to get back at him."
Vittorio fell silent, absorbing his mother's words. He knew she was right, but letting go of his thirst for revenge seemed like an almost impossible task. However, deep down in his heart, he knew he needed to find a new way to deal with Tommaso Grecco before everything was lost in an endless cycle of violence and destruction.
He knew it was time to make a difficult but necessary decision for the sake of everyone involved, especially for the sake of Ellis.