A month had passed since Albert and Kavya's wedding, yet the warmth and chaos of those celebrations still lingered inside the Romano mansion like a beautiful memory refusing to fade. After the wedding, the newly married couple had flown to Paris for their two-week honeymoon, while the Rajputs returned to India a week later. Since then, life had slowly returned to its usual rhythm.

The endless noise of wedding preparations had been replaced by business meetings, office schedules, phone calls, and quiet family dinners. The mansion no longer echoed with guests and celebrations every hour. Everything appeared peaceful on the surface.

And for Donato and Kiara, things truly had changed. The distance that once existed between them had slowly disappeared after that painful night during the engagement incident. They had become softer with each other, closer in ways neither of them had expected.

Their relationship no longer carried only tension and misunderstandings. Now there was comfort between them. Intimacy. Long late-night conversations, stolen kisses in empty hallways, quiet mornings tangled together before work. Intense love making.

Donato had become openly protective and affectionate toward her, while Kiara had finally started allowing herself to love him without constantly holding back. For the first time since their marriage, they actually felt like husband and wife.

Even Lucas had remained silent during this entire month. No attacks. No threats. No shadows lurking around them. The silence itself felt suspicious, but after weeks without chaos, the family had slowly begun relaxing again.

But not everyone inside the mansion was at peace. Rose was restless. And so was Enzo. Rose sat alone in her apartment balcony that evening, her healed leg crossed beneath her while the city lights flickered below. A cool breeze moved through her hair, but it did nothing to calm the frustration growing inside her chest.

Something had changed. No- someone had changed.
Donato. Yes, he still spoke to her normally. He still laughed at her jokes, still checked on her occasionally, still treated her kindly. But the closeness between them had vanished.

The effortless physical comfort they once shared was gone now, replaced by a careful distance Donato maintained every single time she tried to cling to him the way she used to.
Whenever she wrapped her arms around him playfully, he gently moved away.

Whenever she leaned too close, he created space politely.
Whenever she tried pulling him back into their old dynamic, he smiled-but detached himself immediately. And that hurt more than Rose wanted to admit. Because Donato had never done that before. Not once.

He used to let her invade his personal space without thought. Used to let her sit beside him for hours, complain endlessly, hold his arm, rest against him whenever she wanted. She had always believed their bond was untouchable.

So why now? The answer burned inside her mind like poison.
Kiara. Rose clenched her jaw tightly at the thought. Ever since that night after the engagement attack, Donato had changed completely toward her. Rose could feel it clearly. He was choosing boundaries now. Choosing his wife. And Rose hated how much that realization hurt.

Meanwhile, somewhere else inside the morrow empire, Enzo morrow was losing his mind for an entirely different reason.
He stood near the large office window in his penthouse, tie loosened carelessly around his neck while his jaw remained tight with frustration. His phone rested in his hand, the screen still glowing with Elana's last message.

She was out with Nico again. Again. Enzo shut his eyes briefly and exhaled harshly. For weeks now, he had been trying to convince Elana to slow things down with her boyfriend. Nico was decent enough, but Enzo hated how quickly things were progressing between them.

Every time he saw Elana smiling at another man, leaving to meet him, texting him late at night-it felt like someone was twisting a knife deeper into his chest. Because the truth was finally impossible to deny anymore. Enzo loved her.

Not casually. Not temporarily. Completely. And that realization terrified him. For years he had avoided accepting it, avoided crossing that line because he feared ruining what already existed between them. But now, after watching her almost slip away from him emotionally, panic had finally taken over. He wanted to confess.

Wanted to tell her everything. Wanted to ask her to choose him instead. But every single time he gathered courage, Nico's existence crushed it again. What if Elana no longer looked at him that way? What if he was already too late?

What if while Enzo was busy denying his feelings... someone else had become important to her? That fear was eating him alive slowly. And for the first time in years, Enzo-the man who feared absolutely nothing-was terrified of rejection.
______

Days passed smoothly, one melting into another so peacefully that no one realized how quickly time was flying inside the Romano mansion. Busy weekdays turned into lively weekends, nights faded into warm mornings, and somewhere between all the chaos, laughter, and endless teasing, the mansion itself had changed completely.

Ever since Kavya and Albert's wedding, the Romano mansion no longer felt like the cold, disciplined empire it once used to be. It had become louder. Happier. More alive. And the main reason behind that transformation were the four women who had completely taken over the mansion.

Kiara. Kavya. Elana. Sofia.

Whenever the four of them gathered together, the entire mansion practically exploded with energy. Loud music echoed through the halls almost every weekend. Sometimes they danced in the middle of the living room without caring about who was watching.

Other times they turned the grand sitting hall into a full "ladies-only kitty party," filling the space with gossip, laughter, snacks, teasing, and dramatic storytelling. Of course, the "ladies-only" rule never lasted long.

Because somehow Donato and Albert always managed to enter the gathering using little Elio as an excuse. "Elio wanted to join," Donato would say shamelessly while walking inside with the child in his arms. "Yes," Albert would add seriously, "we came only to make sure he doesn't disturb you ladies."

The excuses were pathetic. And everyone knew it. Especially the girls. But instead of throwing them out, the women simply rolled their eyes dramatically and allowed the two men to stay because, truthfully, the fun became even more chaotic once they joined.

The once elegant mansion would turn into a battlefield of pillows, teasing, dance competitions, and loud arguments over music playlists. Even the servants had gotten used to hearing random screams followed by laughter echoing through the corridors.

Sometimes Nonna herself sat nearby watching all of them with a hidden smile on her face. The mansion had not felt this alive in years. Kiara, Kavya, had brought a different kind of warmth into the family.

After winning the international dance competition and receiving the huge prize money, kavya had immediately decided what she wanted to do with it. She wanted to open her own dance academy in Italy. Not as "Albert Romano's wife."Not under the Romano name.

But as Kavya Rajput Romano herself. Strong. Independent. Successful. The moment the family heard about her plan, the entire Romano household practically protested together.
"Kavya, absolutely not," Mr. Romano had said firmly. "We already own enough land here. Use one of our properties."
Even Albert had refused instantly.

"I'm your husband," he had argued dramatically one evening while following her around the room. "At least let me do something for you." But Kavya had crossed her arms stubbornly. "Fine," she had finally agreed after endless arguments.

"I'll open the academy on Romano land. But the equipment, interiors, mirrors, studio setup-everything else will be from my own prize money." Albert had tried arguing again. And failed again.

Because everyone in the family already knew one thing very clearly-Kavya Romano looked soft and elegant. But she was terrifyingly stubborn when she wanted something. So eventually everyone surrendered.

Now the academy was under renovation, and every few days Kavya excitedly dragged Kiara, Sofia, and Elana to inspect the construction progress while Albert followed behind like a tired but hopelessly devoted husband carrying her bags, water bottle, and sometimes even her heels.

Life had settled into something unexpectedly beautiful. No gunshots. No enemies. No chaos from Lucas. Just family.
Love. Laughter. And a mansion finally beginning to feel like a real home.

_____

Its afternoon Donato was sitting in his office chair, completely lost in thought. The large glass windows behind him reflected the golden afternoon sunlight spreading across the room, but he barely noticed any of it. A soft smile rested on his face while he lazily twirled a pen between his fingers, his mind far away from business reports and mafia meetings.

Far away with his wife. The smile on his lips deepened unconsciously when he remembered Kiara's sleepy face from that morning, the way she had clung to him before leaving the bed, mumbling complaints about office work. Just the thought of her was enough to soften the dangerous mafia leader into something unexpectedly gentle.

The office door suddenly swung open without warning.
"Miss me, darling?" Enzo announced dramatically while walking inside. But Donato did not react. Enzo stopped mid-step and stared at him suspiciously. Then a mischievous smirk spread across his face instantly.

He walked closer, leaned both hands on the desk, and shouted loudly, KIARA! YOUR HUSBAND IS TALKING TO ANOTHER WOMAN!"

Donato practically jumped from his chair. "WHAT? WHEN DID I TALK TO ANOTHER WOMAN?" he snapped instantly while standing up abruptly, his eyes immediately darting toward the office door in panic as if expecting Kiara to storm inside any second.

Enzo burst into loud laughter. The moment Donato realized Kiara was nowhere near the office, he narrowed his eyes dangerously and grabbed the nearest file before throwing it straight at Enzo.

"You rascal!" Donato growled. "Here I am planning to impress my wife and you're trying to get me killed. Don't do that, bro. She is dangerous when she's angry."

Enzo caught the file easily while laughing harder. "Wow," he mocked dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. "The great mafia leader Donato Romano is scared of his wife's anger. Amazing."

"Yes, I am. So what?" Donato replied shamelessly before sitting back down. That only made Enzo laugh more. The entire office felt lighter than usual, the heavy tension that normally surrounded Romano business meetings completely absent between the two best friends.

"Anyway," Enzo said while fixing his sleeves, "why did you call me here? I was on some important mission."

" Important mission but I didn't assign you any mission donato said.'

"Oh, you didn't," Enzo said casually. "This one is personal."

Donato raised an eyebrow. "What type of personal mission?"

Enzo leaned back lazily, the smirk still present on his face. "To impress and propose a girl type mission."

For a second, Donato simply blinked at him. Then his eyes widened slowly. "W-wait..." He leaned forward immediately. "Bro, you finally found your dream girl?" Enzo nodded once. That alone shocked Donato more than any gunfight ever could.

"Wow," he breathed out dramatically. "And who is she? Do I know her?" A mysterious smile appeared on Enzo's lips. "Yeah. You know her. But for now, that's enough information. First let me propose properly. If she accepts me... then I'll tell you everything."

Donato stared at him for another moment before suddenly grinning widely. "Ohhh. Okay. Fine. All the best, darling."

Enzo nodded, but then his expression shifted slightly as another thought crossed his mind. "By the way," he said casually, "speaking of proposals... when are you planning to propose to Kiara?"

Donato paused. Enzo continued softly this time, "I know she's already your wife. But your marriage was arranged. At that time you didn't love her." A knowing smirk appeared on his face. "Now though? Anyone with functioning eyes can see you're completely crazy about her. Don't you think you should tell her properly too?"

For a moment, Donato said nothing. Then a soft smile slowly spread across his face again, far softer than before. "I've been thinking about that too."

Enzo leaned forward immediately. "So? When?"

Donato's eyes drifted briefly toward the city outside the glass windows before he answered quietly, Next month, "On our anniversary."

Enzo blinked once. "Oh damn." He laughed suddenly. "Yeah, your anniversary is next month. Baby, time flies too fast. I didn't even realize my darling has been married for almost one year already."

Donato chuckled softly and shook his head. "Me too. It feels like our wedding happened only two or three months ago. But somehow... in just one month we'll complete a whole year together." The thought itself made something warm settle inside his chest.

"I'm planning to tell Kiara everything that day," he continued quietly. "How much I love her. How important she became to me. I'll propose to her properly."

Enzo smiled genuinely at that. "That's actually a good idea."

Donato nodded slowly, already imagining it in his mind. "No family. No chaos. No business. No mafia problems." His voice softened further. "Just me and my wife. A romantic date. A proper proposal. I want our first anniversary to become a memory she never forgets."

For a second, Enzo simply watched him silently. Then he smirked again. "Darling," he said dramatically, "you are disgustingly in love." Donato looked completely unashamed. "Yeah," he admitted softly. "I really am."

______

The weekend had arrived once again, bringing a rare calmness to the Romano mansion. After an entire week filled with office meetings, renovation work, endless family chaos, and business calls, everyone had finally decided to relax.

Albert and Kavya had practically disappeared into their room since morning, shamelessly enjoying married life without caring about the outside world. Sofia and Elio were somewhere inside the mansion creating chaos together, while Elana had quietly informed everyone she was going out with friends.

Meanwhile, Donato and Kiara had decided to spend the evening together outside. Just the two of them. A simple coffee date. Nothing extravagant. And honestly, Kiara loved moments like these the most. No mafia business. No family noise. No responsibilities. Just her and her husband acting like a normal couple for once.

Soft Italian music played inside the car while Donato drove through the glowing evening streets of Italy. One of his hands rested lazily on the steering wheel while the other occasionally brushed against Kiara's fingers resting near the gear shift.

Kiara smiled softly while watching him. Even after almost one year of marriage, she still found herself staring at him like an idiot sometimes. The sharp jawline. The calm confidence. The dangerous aura softened only for her. It still affected her badly.

Finally, Donato parked the car outside a beautiful café glowing warmly under golden evening lights. Couples and tourists moved around the street while the aroma of coffee and fresh desserts floated in the cool air.

Donato stepped out first. As always, he walked around the car and opened the door for Kiara himself. Kiara smiled automatically before placing her hand in his large warm one. Donato intertwined their fingers naturally, pulling her gently closer as they walked toward the café entrance together, talking softly and smiling.

Everything felt peaceful. Until the moment they entered. Donato's footsteps stopped abruptly. Kiara almost collided into him because of how suddenly he froze. At first she frowned in confusion. Then she noticed it. Donato's entire body had gone rigid.

His jaw clenched so tightly that the muscles visibly twitched. His grip around her hand tightened unconsciously. The warmth disappeared from his expression completely, replaced by something dangerously cold. Kiara's heartbeat slowed instantly.

Slowly, she followed his gaze. And then she saw them. Elana. Sitting near the large glass window inside the café. Laughing softly. Smiling brightly. Across from her sat Nico. Her boyfriend. The two of them looked completely lost in their own little world, leaning toward each other while talking comfortably like a happy couple on a casual date.

Kiara immediately understood. Oh no. A heavy sigh nearly escaped her lips. She looked at Donato quickly. His eyes were locked on Nico with a terrifying intensity. Not anger. Pure fury. The protective older brother inside him had awakened instantly.

"Ro..." Kiara called softly, already sensing disaster approaching. But Donato did not even hear her. Or maybe he ignored her completely. Because the next second his voice exploded across the café loudly enough to silence half the people inside.

"ELANA!"

The sharp furious shout echoed through the entire café. Every head turned instantly. Elana froze completely. The smile disappeared from her face in a second. Her eyes widened in absolute horror after seeing her brother standing near the entrance beside Kiara. Nico stiffened too. And for one long dangerous moment...The entire café fell into complete silence.

Before Elana could even properly stand from her chair, Donato had already crossed the distance between them in two furious strides. The atmosphere inside the café shifted instantly. People who had been casually drinking coffee moments ago now stared silently at the dangerously furious man standing beside the table.

Donato's face had darkened completely. His jaw was clenched so tightly it looked painful. The veins near his neck were visible, and his eyes-God-his eyes looked murderous while staring directly at Nico.

Without a second of hesitation, he grabbed Elana's wrist tightly and pulled her toward himself protectively. "STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER," he roared at Nico like an enraged lion protecting its territory.

The entire café went silent again. Elana stumbled slightly from the sudden force, shock flashing across her face instantly. "Brother-listen to me-" she tried to explain quickly, panic rising inside her chest.

She genuinely thought Donato was angry because she had hidden her relationship from the family. In the Romano family, things like this were never hidden. If someone was dating or seeing another person, the family had to know. Not because they were controlling-but because they were Romanos. Enemies existed everywhere. Danger existed everywhere.

The family always investigated the person first. Made sure they were safe. Made sure nobody could use them against the family. Even Sofia had openly told everyone about Krish. But Elana...Elana herself was confused.

Yes, she liked Nico's company. He made her laugh. He distracted her from the emotions she constantly tried to ignore. But love? No. She wasn't even sure what she felt anymore. Not after Enzo. Not after the way her heart still reacted around him. So how could she tell her family about a relationship she herself did not fully understand?

"Brother, please listen-" she tried again. But Donato was too furious to hear anything. Or maybe he simply did not want to hear it. Because the next second, he dragged Elana away from the table entirely and pulled her straight toward the café exit.

"Donato!" Kiara called sharply this time while quickly following behind them. She was completely confused now. Yes, Donato was overprotective. Yes, Romano men were possessive about their sisters. But this reaction...This was too much. Way too much.

It looked less like an angry brother reacting to a hidden relationship...And more like a man who absolutely hated the person sitting across from Elana. That realization unsettled Kiara immediately. Meanwhile, Elana kept trying to pull her hand free while being dragged outside.

"Brother, stop! You're hurting me!" But Donato did not slow down. His entire body radiated rage. Outside the café, the cool evening air hit them immediately, but it did nothing to calm him down. Kiara hurried after them quickly, heels clicking sharply against the pavement.

Inside the café meanwhile...Nico still had not moved. Not once. He remained seated calmly in his chair exactly where Elana had left him. His expression held no embarrassment. No fear. No anger. Nothing. Almost as if he had expected this reaction.

Slowly, he leaned back against his chair while watching the Romano siblings disappear outside through the glass walls of the café. Then...A smirk slowly appeared on his lips. Dark. Knowing. Dangerously satisfied. And suddenly, that smile did not look normal at all.

_____

The moment they reached the Romano mansion, the tension had become unbearable. Donato entered the mansion first with furious strides, his entire body radiating dangerous anger. Behind him, Elana hurried after him with teary desperate eyes, trying again and again to explain herself.

"Brother, I'm sorry... I wanted to tell you guys but-"

"SHUT UP." His harsh voice echoed through the massive living room the moment he stopped in the center of it. Everyone froze. Nonna, Aravi, and Sofia came downstairs immediately after hearing his loud voice. Their expressions turned serious the moment they saw Donato's face.

Because this was not normal anger. this was Donato Romano furious. And that almost never happened inside the family. Still, nobody interrupted him. Because everyone in that house knew one thing very clearly-If Donato reacted like this...Then there had to be a solid reason behind it.

Donato turned toward Elana slowly, his eyes burning with fury. "Listen to me carefully, Eli," he said through clenched teeth. "You will not- NEVER meet that man again." He pointed his finger directly at her while speaking. The authority in his voice made the entire room tense instantly.

Elana's eyes widened again. "But why, br-"

"I SAID NO!" Donato shouted loudly, cutting her off completely. "You will not meet him again. and for a few days you will not going anywhere outside. Am I clear?" His voice thundered through the mansion. At the same moment, Albert and Kavya rushed downstairs too after hearing the shouting from upstairs.

Kavya stopped midway on the staircase in shock. She had never seen Donato like this before. Never. But right now...He looked terrifying.

Kiara herself stood frozen silently near him. This version of Donato was unfamiliar even to her. Even during business pressure, mafia matters, or family chaos, Donato always remained composed. Calm. Controlled. But now the warmth he always carried around family was completely gone. Only rage remained.

Elana's lips trembled. Tears gathered rapidly in her eyes as she stared at her brother in disbelief. This was the first time in her life Donato had shouted at her like this. Her favorite brother. The brother who spoiled her endlessly. The brother who never even raised his voice at her before. And now he was screaming at her in front of everyone.

The hurt was visible on her face. Slowly, she lowered her head. "Okay... brother," she whispered brokenly. Then she turned and ran upstairs toward her room while crying silently. "Elana-" Kiara immediately moved to follow her.

But Aravi gently held her wrist and stopped her. Kiara looked at her in confusion. Aravi slowly shook her head softly like saying. Let her calm down alone. Kiara sighed sadly before her eyes shifted back toward Donato.

He still stood there breathing heavily, his jaw tight with fury. And honestly...She did not like this. At all. the way he shouted on Elana. She walked toward him slowly. "Why did you shout at her like that, Ro?" Kiara asked softly but firmly. "What's wrong with dating? It's not like she's a minor or something."

Donato closed his eyes for one second and took a deep breath. Then he turned toward Kiara. His face was still red with anger. "There is nothing wrong with dating, Kiara," he said heavily. "But the man she is dating is wrong." That made everyone frown immediately.

Kiara blinked in confusion. "What?" she asked slowly. "What do you mean?" Donato's expression darkened even further. "The man she was sitting with in that café..."His voice dropped dangerously low."...is Lucas's man."

Silence. Complete silence filled the living room. Everyone froze instantly. Albert's eyes widened first in disbelief. Sofia gasped softly. Nonna's face lost color. Even Aravi stiffened. And Kiara...Kiara felt coldness crawl down her spine instantly.

Donato continued furiously. "You think I shouted at her because she hid a relationship?" he scoffed bitterly. "I don't care about that bullshit right now." "He was there intentionally." "He approached Elana intentionally." "That bastard works for Lucas."

The atmosphere in the mansion turned deadly cold instantly. Albert stepped forward sharply. "You're sure?" he asked seriously.

Donato laughed humorlessly. "I never forget a face." His fists clenched again. "I saw him before."

"He was one of the men present during Lucas's bussines deals years ago." Kiara's heartbeat quickened instantly. A horrible realization slowly formed inside everyone's mind. Lucas. Again. Always Lucas. And suddenly Donato's furious reaction no longer looked unreasonable. It looked terrifyingly justified.

Donato took a deep breath, trying to control the dangerous rage still burning inside him. But everyone in the room could see it clearly-his mind was already working rapidly, connecting possibilities, calculating risks.

"Listen to me carefully," he said in a cold serious voice while looking at everyone present in the living room. "If that man approached Elana... then I am sure there is a reason behind it." The atmosphere turned even heavier. Nobody interrupted him. Nobody even moved.

Because they all knew Donato Romano never made assumptions without reason. His instincts were rarely wrong. Donato's jaw tightened again before he continued. "So until I figure out what exactly Lucas is planning..." his eyes darkened dangerously, "...Elana will not leave this mansion for the next few days."

Albert nodded immediately. Aravi's expression also turned serious. Even Nonna looked worried now. Then Donato turned toward Sofia. The harshness on his face softened slightly when his eyes landed on his younger sister. "And Sofi baby," he said much more gently this time, "you also won't go outside for a few days, okay? Until I check everything carefully."

Sofia did not argue. Not even for a second. Because , Sofia had grown up hearing enough about Lucas to understand how dangerous this situation actually was. If her brother was worried...Then things were serious. Very serious. So she simply nodded quietly. "Okay, brother," she whispered softly.

Donato gave her a small reassuring nod before his gaze shifted toward Kiara. The anger in his eyes softened a little more automatically. "Go look after her," he said quietly. "And make sure she doesn't go outside." Kiara understood immediately he meant Elana. She nodded softly. Without another word, she turned and started walking upstairs toward Elana's room while the heavy silence continued to linger inside the Romano mansion.

BOOMMM....💥
Be ready with your tissues, because the fluff era ends here. Now only angst , truth, betrayal, shattered an all.