Elena Russo adjusted the lace mask over her eyes, the cool evening air of the mansion's balcony offering a momentary respite from the opulent chaos inside. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration of a truce between her family and their oldest rivals, the Morettis. Instead, it felt like a powder keg waiting to explode.
Her father, Vincent Russo, had insisted she attend the masquerade ball. "It's time you learn the ropes, Elena," he'd said, his eyes hard with determination. She knew better than to argue, but the presence of the Morettis set her teeth on edge.
She glanced through the French doors back into the ballroom, her eyes scanning the crowd. That's when she saw him—Marco Moretti, standing by the bar, his dark suit tailored to perfection, his mask doing little to hide his chiselled features. Their eyes met briefly, and she quickly looked away, her heart pounding with an emotion she refused to name.
Elena turned back to the night sky, taking a deep breath. She needed to clear her head. The rivalry between their families had always been bloody, and tonight's uneasy peace did nothing to reassure her.
"Enjoying the party?" a deep voice asked, startling her. She turned to see Marco stepping onto the balcony, his eyes glinting with something between amusement and curiosity.
"I was," she replied coolly. "Until now."
He smirked, leaning casually against the railing. "No need to be hostile, Elena. We're supposed to be making peace, remember?"
She crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Peace doesn't come easily when there's so much blood between us."
Marco's expression sobered. "I know. But maybe it's time for a change. For all of us."
Before Elena could respond, a loud crash came from inside the ballroom, followed by screams. Her blood ran cold as she and Marco rushed back inside, pushing through the panicked crowd.
In the centre of the chaos, a group of masked men, clearly not guests, held the room at gunpoint. Elena's heart pounded as she realised this wasn't a random attack—it was a message.
A message meant for her family and his.
Hi guysss!! This chapter is a little short but I promise that they will get longer <3 I hope you like thisss!!
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Forging Bonds: A Mafia Tale of Love and War
ActionIn the tranquil expanse of a countryside untouched by the bustle of urban life, where the rolling hills echo the tension between rival mafia families, 18-year-old Elena Russo stands on the brink of a perilous game. Raised in the shadow of the formid...
