My Mafia Queen Only

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Shadows of Doubt

Armando's POV

The sound of shattering glass echoed through my study as Sylvia hurled the whiskey tumbler against the wall. Her eyes, usually warm and gentle, now blazed with fury and hurt.

"You don't understand, Sylvia! Everything they've told you, everything you've seen—it's all a setup!" I pleaded, my heart racing. I'd faced down rival gangs and corrupt officials, but nothing terrified me more than the thought of losing her.

"A setup?" Sylvia scoffed, her voice dripping with disbelief. "And I'm supposed to just believe that? After everything? The whispers, the late nights, the sudden secrets—how can I not doubt you?"

I stepped towards her, but she recoiled. The pain in her eyes was like a knife to my gut. "This life... it breeds shadows," I said softly. "People want to see me fall, us fall. They'll say anything, do anything to tear us apart!"

"You think I haven't noticed?" Sylvia shot back. "The danger you drag behind you like a storm? But this... this is different. This is betrayal, and you know it!"

I ran my hands through my hair, frustration and desperation coursing through me. "I swear on everything I am, on everything we are, Sylvia, I did not do this! They're using your fear against us. Can't you see it? They want you to turn away from me, to doubt me when I need you the most!"

For a moment, I saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. Then she squared her shoulders, her jaw set with determination. "Then show me the truth, whatever it is. Prove to me you're not the man they say you are!"

As she stormed out, slamming the door behind her, I sank into my chair. I had to find a way to prove my innocence, to save our love. But little did I know, the storm that was about to engulf us was far bigger than I could have imagined.

Sylvia's POV

That night, my dreams were haunted by shadows and doubt.

I found myself adrift on a vast, endless sea. The sky above was a dark, brooding gray, pressing down on me, suffocating me. I couldn't remember how I got there, or why I was there at all. The waves lapped against my small boat, cold and relentless, pushing me further and further from shore.

I turned back, desperate to see land, but it was gone—swallowed by the mist, lost to the horizon. The fog thickened, wrapping around me like a shroud, pulling me into its depths. I tried to steer, to fight the current, but the boat wouldn't obey.

Panic surged through me as the water began to churn, violent and unforgiving. The boat tipped, the waves clawing at me, trying to pull me under. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, just felt the coldness seep into my bones as I was swallowed by the sea's dark, endless depth.

Just as I felt myself slipping away, I jolted awake, gasping for air, my heart pounding with fear and uncertainty. My friend and neighbor Diva rushed to my side, her eyes wide with concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat. The nightmare had felt so real, and a terrible realization was dawning on me—this marriage could be the end of me. As much as I wanted to convince myself otherwise, I couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom.

"Diva... I..." I managed to stammer, still reeling from shock and confusion.

"Sylvia, what's wrong?" Diva reached out to steady me, but the world was already spinning. The last thing I felt was her arms catching me as everything faded to black.

When I came to, Diva was hovering over me, a cup of tea in her hands. "How are you feeling?" she asked gently.

"I'm fine," I lied, forcing a weak smile. "Don't bother calling Armando. I just need some rest."