ISABELLA ROMANO (10 years old)
The Romano estate was a grand fortress, evidence of the family's power and influence. It was a place where Isabella at 10 years old had felt both love and security. The nights were always filled with warmth and laughter, but tonight felt different. Tonight was filled with whispers of betrayals.
Isabella's parents, Vincenzo and Maria Romano were respected leaders of the Romano mafia family. Their empire was built on loyalty and fear, but there was also a sense of family and protection within their household. Tonight however, the walls of the estate seemed to close in with an invincible weight.
Isabella was in her room, tucked in bed with her favorite teddy bear. Suddenly she heard the muffled sounds of raised voices and hurried footsteps. Out of curiosity she slipped out of bed and tiptoed towards the grand staircase, looking down at the large hall below.
She saw her father, standing at the center with his expression a mixture of anger and betrayal. Her mother stood beside him with her face set with determination. They were being confronted by Fernando, Vincenzo's younger brother and Isabella's uncle.
Fernando's eyes glinted with hate and malice, he had armed men on either sides of him, his loyalists.
"How could you betray your own family, Fernando" Vincenzo's voice thundered loudly through the hall. "This isn't how we handle our business."
Fernando smiled, his smile was very cold and malicious. "Times have changed brother, you've gone soft during your reign. It's time for the rise of a new leader, a leader who understands the true meaning of power."
The confrontation escalated really fast. Shots were fired and chaos erupted. Isabella watched in horror as her father fell to the floor, clutching his chest. Her mother looked towards the staircase, her eyes locking in with Isabella's. At that moment, Maria's face softened as she mouthed a single word to Isabella. "Run."
Before Isabella could move, her mother was struck down by dozens of bullets, sacrificing herself in order to buy Isabella a precious moment to escape. Isabella was in shock, Isabella finally found the courage to move her legs and ran upstairs.
With her heart racing rapidly, Isabella got into her room and hid under her bed while trying to stifle her sobs. The sound of heavy footsteps kept getting closer so she braced herself for the worst. But instead of Fernando's men it was Victor, one of her Father's most trusted guard. His face was grim but there was also a look of determination in his eyes.
"Come with me Isabella," Victor whispered with a sense of urgency. "We have to get you out of here immediately."
Isabella clung to him for dear life with her tears flowing freely down her face as he carried her out of the mansion. They passed through secret tunnels which only the most trusted guards knew about and then they fled into the night leaving her life behind.
For the next few years, Isabella's life was a blur of grief, sorrow and relentless training. Victor took Isabella to a hidden safe house fat from Fernando's reach. During this time he taught her everything he knew about survival, strategy and combat. She learned to wield a knife, shoot with utmost precision and fight with a ferocity that contradicted her age.
Victor trained Isabella brutally and relentlessly, but it forged her into a weapon of vengeance.
Victor became her mentor, her family, the only family she has left and he instilled in her the skills and strength she needed to reclaim her birthright.
By the time Isabella turned 18, she was no longer the scared little girl she used to be, she became an unstoppable warrior driven by a single goal which was to avenge her parents death and reclaim her legacy.
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8 YEARS LATER
I stood at the edge of the city, staring at the skyline with a steely resolve,"I'm ready." the time has come to return to the world that once betrayed me. The Romano empire will rise again and Fernando will pay for his treachery.
The journey has been long and tedious but I'm ready for the challenges ahead. I have mastered my skills, sharpened my mind and built alliances in the shadows and now I am ready to step into the light and take my throne as the true Romano heiress.
With a final glance at the city that held both my past and future, I began my walk back into the heart of the storm. The game was just starting and I'm determined to win at all cost.