A tribute

Prologue

Third person point of view

"Find my daughter, Roberto." Maria cries. "She's been missing for 2 years. Find my god damn, daughter." She yells.

Maria Celano, became friends with Valentina Costello in high school. They've been bestfriends ever since. Through thick and thin. Even when Valentina fell in love with the Don of the Italian mafia. They stuck together no matter what.

Isabella Fiore Celano, the daughter of Roberto and Maria Celano, has been missing for 2 years. They suspected that she had been taken by the Russian mafia.

"Va bene amore mio. I told you, we're gonna find her, I promise you." Roberto says, as he leaves a kiss on Maria's forehead. (Okay, my love.)

Their little girl, Isabella, was very precious to them. To all of them. This was the first time a little girl was so loved and protected in the Italian mafia. So when she went missing at just 10 years old, everyone grieved.

Everyone but the don of the Italian mafia, Vincent Costello. He never liked Isabella very much. For the sole reason that she was a distraction. A weakness. A weakness for his heir, Alessio Giovanni Costello.

Vincent had noticed that his heir, Alessio, had taken a liking to Isabella. He always played with her. Helped her when she was sad. Picked Lilac flowers from the garden for her, because they were her favourite. Alessio even gave Isabella, his mafia heir ring, just because she liked it. He had become gentle, caring and soft. For her.

On top of that, Marco, Alessio's younger brother, had also taken a liking to Isabella. Vincent could see Alessio's jealousy whenever Marco played with Isabella. Or when he hugged her.

Vincent knew this little girl would break apart the two brothers. There was no place for that in the mafia. No place for a useless girl, to mess everything up. No place for love, care or gentleness.

So when Isabella went missing, Vincent was rather happy. He told everyone that he was doing his best to find her and track her down. But he made no such efforts. In fact, he didn't make any efforts at all.

"Mama. The Guards have a package at the front door." 12 year old, Marco yells as he takes the package and walks to the living room, where everyone had been sitting.

"What is it, baby?" Valentina, his mom, says. Vincent scowls, upset that she was being gentle with his boys again.

Marco hands the package to his mom. 14 year old, Alessio reads the tag on the box.

"It says for Maria and Roberto Celano." His heart hurts at the memory of his little Isabella. 'Could this be connected to her?' He thinks.

"Here, Maria." Valentina says, as she hands the box to Maria.

Maria takes the box curiously as her and Roberto open it. As soon as they open it, their eyes turn into a look of horror. A shriek leaves Maria's lips as she falls to the ground, breaking into loud heart wrenching sobs.

Alessio approaches the box curiously as Valentina pulls her best friend in her arms as she cries.

Alessio freezes as he catches sight of a cut off little finger, laying on a piece of clothing. The little finger, has a ring on it. His ring. The one he gave to Isabella. The ring that didn't even fit perfectly, now placed loosely on her cut off finger.

And the clothing is the same dress she was wearing when she went missing. Only now, its all ripped up and tainted with blood. A big sign with a writing written in red crimson dye. The red crimson dye that would unmistakably be blood. "Rest in peace, Isabella Fiore Celano. Sorry we couldn't send the body, it was in too many pieces. Net poŝady." (no mercy.)

The writing confirmed who it was. The Russian mafia.

"Cristo." Alessio mutters, his eyes filling up with tears. (Christ) He looks up to see Maria, crying and screaming. Grieving her dead little girl. His mother, Valentina, crying as she held on to Maria. Roberto's gaze simply stays glued to the note, as tears fell down his face.

Alessio's little heart breaks, a tear falling down his face, as he never lost hope for Isabella. But now that hope was gone. Long gone. That's when he realized that his father was right. The mafia was no place for softness, gentleness, care or emotions. That's when his heart froze, shutting off to everyone.