**Chapter 10**
Don Alessandro woke to the dim light of dawn filtering through the curtains of his room. The feeling of a nightmare still lingered in his mind, but he knew he had to stay focused. The pain of losing his children still consumed him, and the fight to rescue Isabella kept him going. But when he got out of bed, a horrific sight awaited him.
In the center of the room, on the table, were Isabella's eyes and tongue, arranged in a macabre manner, like a cruel warning. Blood was still dripping, staining the cloth covering the table. Beside it, a note was pinned, the words written in filthy handwriting:
*"Continue, Don Alessandro, for your wife will suffer more. If you do not surrender, she will be dead. Time is running out. Your wife is losing blood along with the rats."*
The world around Don Alessandro collapsed. The scream that tore from his throat was a mixture of horror, despair, and rage, a primal sound that reflected the unbearable pain he was feeling. The image of Isabella's eyes, now lifeless, and the tongue that had once spoken his name, would haunt him forever. He fell to his knees, the weight of reality crushing him. "No, no, no!" he screamed, tears streaming down his pain-stained face. Gabino's brutality was unthinkable, and the thought of his beloved wife suffering so much consumed him inside. Fury quickly turned to fierce determination. "This monster will pay!" he growled, his fists clenched, his breath ragged with the combination of pain and rage. He knew that Gabino had crossed a line that could not be undone. The war was no longer just about power or territory; it was a fight for Isabella's life and her honor. Don Alessandro stood, his mind buzzing with plans for revenge. "Gather all men! Prepare for battle!" he ordered, his voice firm and purposeful. "Gabino will feel the pain he has caused. I will rescue Isabella, no matter the cost." As his men gathered, Don Alessandro's resolve grew. He would not only fight for his wife, but also against the monstrosity that Gabino represented. The city was about to be engulfed in a new cycle of violence, and Don Alessandro was determined to end Gabino's tyranny once and for all. He prepared for battle, knowing that in facing his enemy, he would also face the demons that haunted his soul. The war was far from over, and the cost would be inestimable. But Isabella's life was at stake, and he would do anything to bring her back, even if it meant plunging himself deeper into darkness.