Alessio Denaro is what you would call a "lone wolf".

He is a quiet person, with a scary reputation and an intelligent glint in his eyes.

His solitude was entirely his choice. It's not like people were trying to avoid his company, au contraire they would love to become his friends, there was only one problem. Alessio wasn't interested in friendships. People to him were incredibly boring to him like everything else in this school including classes that were not up to his level.

Today, as every day he was sitting at his table, chilling and enjoying his book. Lately, he was hooked up on Heidegger, he didn't know why exactly. Maybe because the less he understood something the more he was invested in trying to figure it out.

But then something unusual happened.

One overheard sentence changed Alessio's life "Why are you raising your voice at my ".

As the scene was unfolding in front of him, Alessio was carefully analyzing everything. He took a good look at the girl who was standing in between two angry men. She was clearly careless about her safety. Sofia meant wisdom but she couldn't be very wise if she was risking getting hit by a random guy.

He focused on her features. She was a short and frail-looking girl. Her dark brown eyes had the same shade as her brother's but her dark-brown hair weren't matching the classic Ianniello look. Their brown hair had a very light shade falling into dark blond. Sofia on the other hand had hair with a deep shade of brown, they were almost black. Like his. He took a better look at her face and he could see the resemblance to the old pictures of his father. This can't be.

She couldn't possibly be his long lost sister, right? She wouldn't be just standing there like that, casually, in front of Alessio's eyes. As if she had any right to appear unannounced, without any grand opening, the sky was not falling. She was just there. A normal girl.

Blonde haired Catarina Sanzaro was the love of his father's life. The love that disappeared without a trace one day. But before she disappeared she cheerily announced to his father that she's pregnant with a baby girl. Because she didn't know back then that they won't be having their happy ending. Not if Giorgio Ianniello has a say and unfortunately he did.

Catarina's disappearance took place when Alessio was 2 years old so naturally, he didn't remember that. But Catarina's ghost was living with them even when she was gone. His father got obsessed with finding his only daughter and her mother. It was his life goal, a goal that at the end of the day remained unfulfilled. At the end of his life, he didn't get to see his daughter there was no happy ending for his struggle.

So when he saw his sister next to Ianniello he got positively murderous. He realized in a split second that Ianniellos were intentionally keeping her away from him and his older brothers.

Alessio was a level-headed, analytical mind. Always coldly assessing the situation, carefully crafting his next course of action. But today he saw red.

***

When Sofia left the cafeteria she wanted nothing but to finish her last lesson and go home but of course, Cynthia has to appear in the corridor as if she was the final boss in the videogame.

"You were telling the truth" traces of shock were still visible on Cynthia's face "About Valentino being your brother"

Yeah. No shit. Sofia thought sarcastically but didn't respond verbally. Sofia didn't respond. She just wanted to go past Cynthia as if the bully never addressed her but Cynthia had another idea. She grabbed Sofia by her arm to stop her from moving.

"What do you want?" Sofia snapped. She wriggled her hand out of Cynthia's hand and stepped away looking at her with mistrust.

''You can't tell anyone" Cynthia said firmly, confidently. As if she had the right to make demands. But the dead giveaway of her nervousness was her hands. She was shaking.

"You have a nerve," Sofia said angrily, ignoring the bell signalizing that she should be in class right now. The corridor emptied, it was just her and Cynthia.

"It would be a mess if your brothers found out. Listen, I am sorry for what I did. I won't bother you anymore" Cynthia responded without looking at her.

"Are you kidding me?!" Sofia yelled, frustrated.

"Now that it turns out Valentino is your brother I feel like an idiot" Cynthia muttered, still no eye contact. Sofia could see those words can barely slip through Cynthia's lips.

Sofia didn't care. It was time for her to be mean too. "You know I do feel sorry for you in a way. So sickly jealous for the boy that will never notice you" Sofia didn't recognize her voice when she was openly mocking Cynthia. It was... vicious. And so not her. But it felt... satisfying.

"Well the last time our families were fighting my mother died as collateral damage so forgive me for hoping that I could be someone who will end the constant battles between our families," Cynthia said with sarcasm and anger filled voice.

So this is why she wanted to date him. Why she was so obsessed with intimidating any competition she might have.

She wanted Denaros to be at peace with Ianniellos. But was her dating Valentino enough. Or did she planned to win his heart and then marry him? It seemed very outdated but possible. There was so much Sofia didn't know about her family and the customs they were living by. They seemed to be rather traditional.

"Collateral damage?" Sofia repeated slowly. Cynthia's mother died?

"You don't understand anything, must have been nice living abroad, huh?" Cynthia asked bitterly as if she was... jealous. "The ceasefire between our families never lasts long. It's a matter of time till we become real enemies. I'd rather postpone it. This is why if you let anyone know about what happened in that bathroom I will make sure the video is out " Cynthia warned.

What video? What was she talking about?

Oh. The video. Oh fuck, she completely forgot. Sofia took a deep breath to calm down. It hasn't worked. She could recall with vivid details how Giada was filming her misery. Was that all to blackmail her if needed?

"You understand now, right? If you tell on me I will make sure every person in this school will enjoy looking at your face and clothes smeared with yoghurt and orange juice. By the way, did you know that the white shirt you're wearing is completely see-through when wet?" she asked.

Cynthia lifted her phone to show Sofia the frozen frame of her figure kneeling on the bathroom floor. The thin white sports bra was useless. Her nipples were visible through the white shirt. The wet shirt was clinging tightly to her stomach. She hated it. When she looked at that picture she felt naked despite her clothes being still on. It made her nauseous.

"I won't tell anyone"

"Smart choice" Cynthia commented, hiding her iPhone in her pocket.

"Just leave me alone. Pretend I don't exist" Sofia said quietly. She didn't want to be humiliated in front of the whole school.

"Deal," Cynthia visibly relaxed. "For what it's worth I am really sorry, I shouldn't have done that," she said, and then as if nothing happened she entered the classroom.

Sofia's hands turned into fists. Her nails dug into the palms of her hands. She was feeling so helpless all the time but now that helplessness has turned into fury. She wanted to hurt something or someone and she realized that she's always taking out on herself. She skipped the last class and stayed in the bathroom to cry her heart out. She couldn't just leave the school premises because Raul was there somewhere. Shit. She hated having a nanny 24/7.

When Sofia came out after about an hour she discovered that Bruno was leaning on the wall next to the bathroom door, waiting. He had is hands crossed over his chest.

"You were crying" he stated, without any doubt.

"Bruno, I'm sorry. I understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore" she said.

"Idiot. I'm temporarily pissed off at you, it doesn't mean I don't want to be your friend" he rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you skipped class because you thought we're no longer friends" he smiled gently.

"No, I... there's a video," she said quietly.

"What?"

"There's a video of... what happened in the bathroom. How they were spilling food and drinks on me" she whispered quietly. Tears welled up in her eyes again so she started wiping them furiously. She didn't want anyone to see her crying. "Cynthia said she's going to release it if I tell anyone"

Bruno didn't respond. He just started walking. Quickly. Because he was tall Sofia had to run to keep up with him.

"Bruno wait!" She pleaded.

He didn't wait.

"Bruno? What are you planning to do?"

"You don't want your brothers to find out? Okay. I'm getting that video myself" Bruno said with rare determination.

"Wait what?" Sofia followed Bruno leaving the school building and going right after Cynthia. "Are you insane?! Bruno!" Sofia couldn't even tell him that the video was originally filmed by Giada so it meant that it was already redistributed between the members of Cynthia's clique.

But it was too late. He already made a grievous mistake of grabbing Cynthia's arm to stop her and now they were both facing each other.

"Give me that phone or I will take it myself" Bruno warned. Sofia never saw him this angry.

Cynthia was an excellent actress. She screamed so loudly everyone in the school courtyard heard her and she started holding her arm as if she was in pain, tears flowing down her cheeks created a pitiful image of a victim. Bruno looming over her was an image that gave a little to interpretation.

At this point, Sofia was just impressed. Cynthia was a bitch on completely another level.

But of course the bad situation just had to get worse.

"What are you doing to my cousin?" a deep male voice spoke. The scene was watched by no one else but Alessio Denaro.

____

Hi guys,

Sorry for tormenting Bruno so much! It's just not his day.

I started an IG account it's called @secretmafiabrothers it's private for now I will let you know when I will make it public (if I will) but you can follow me if you want I will be accepting requests if there will be any.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I really want to know what you think is going to happen next