Because if I truly die here today, I want Allegra to know I did love her, and I'll continue to love her.
But then it all fades away.
"You were lucky,"the doctor tells me as he looks over my chart. "The bullets didn't hit any vital organs. It could have been much worse."
Mamanis one of my first visitors, and she keeps lamenting how bad I look and how she thought I wouldn't make it. I'd been told Chiara had come to visit, but she hadn't stayed long.
Did she come to make sure I was dead?
"Qu'est-ce que tu as fait, mon fils?"Mamancries out, and I wince.
"I'm fine,maman,"I'm quick to assure her, but as I see her so worried, I suddenly get another idea.
Since my plans have all been sabotaged, I'll need an alternative to make the Marchesi pay. I'd gathered from my sources that both Jimenez and his son, Carlos, are dead. His entire organization is dying, and I can already foresee different cartels fighting for supremacy. It won't affect me much, since I've somehow ended up with Martin's moneyandJimenez's investments. The only drawback is that I'm stuck with a now-thriving empire.
As for Marchesi… now that Jimenez can't help me anymore, I'll have to think of something else. And I might have just the thing…
"Maman,I need to make everyone believe I'm worse off than I actually am," I tell her, explaining my reasoning.
If the Marchesi think I'm on the verge of death, they'll be quick to come to New York and assert themselves as the de facto rulers of the Agosti family. They'll probably say they are doing so until Luca comes of age, scheming to kill him before that happens.
The thought only fuels my hate even more, and I askmamanto move into the house with Luca to make sure no one touches him.
Three more to go. Three more to fall. Three more to suffer.
The game has just begun.
PART II
AFTER
48
ALLEGRA
Present Day
Lia thinksshe knows what happened to me, but she has no idea. I still have nightmares about Chiara and what she'd done to me—my own twin bludgeoning me to death.
I'd just put Luca to sleep when she'd come in, her expression disgustingly smug as she'd looked me up and down.
"Still a fat bitch, I see," she'd commented, a vicious smile spreading across her face. I'd tried to be the better person, and I hadn't responded to her taunt.
"What are you doing here, Chiara?" She was the last person I'd ever expect to come congratulate me on giving birth.
"What else?" she'd taken a few steps inside, looking around, her eyes narrowing on Luca. I'd put myself in front of him, not wanting her to be anywhere near my baby. I'd rather die than have this joke of a human being have anything to do with my precious little boy. "I wanted to see your brat."
"You've seen. Now you can go."
"Is that how you greet your sister? After I had to marryFranzè because of you. At least you got a hot one. I got one that could barely get his dick up. And even then I barely felt it."
"Don't be crass," my face had twisted in distaste. "I'm surprised Franzè didn't kill you, since we both know you didn't go to your marriage bed a virgin."
Chiara had laughed in my face. "Good thing he liked my ass better than my pussy, but even then it was just like having a finger in…"
"For God's sake, Chiara, is that why you came here?" I'd asked, exasperated.
"No," she'd stopped in front of me, and it was like looking in a mirror. "I came here to give you a little warning. Your little stunt with the feds is going to get you killed."
