The afternoon sun bled its last light across the horizon when Romeo found Daisy leaning against the hood of his black car, her arms folded, her expression colder than the steel sky behind her.
He approached slowly, as if nearing a wounded lioness who could bite or melt, depending on the wind.
She didn’t look at him.
"Don’t ’Daisy’ me, it’s now i have your time, Romeo." Her voice held that soft, lethal anger he feared more than bullets. "You asked me to marry you, then you disappeared before I could even open my mouth. Who does that?"
He exhaled, sound heavy with regret. "A coward," he admitted. "A fool."
She blinked, startled.
Romeo never called himself weak.. Ever.
He stepped closer, hands tucked in his pockets like a man approaching his own judgment. "I panicked. You looked at me like you were about to cry and smile at the same time. I didn’t know which one I deserved."
Her throat tightened, but she kept her gaze hard. "You didn’t deserve either. I should’ve thrown my shoe at you."
He laughed—soft, real, the kind of sound he only ever made around her. "That would have hurt less than the silence attitude that followed."
She finally turned to face him.
Her eyes—deep, fragile, furious—held the kind of pain only someone who loved him could carry.
He reached out, fingers brushing her cheekbone with reverence. "I’m sorry, tesoro mio. I should have stayed. I should have listened." His voice dropped to a vow. "Let me fix this."
Daisy’s breath hitched. "And how do you plan to fix leaving me hanging with a proposal I waited seven months for? Or you didn’t know i was in love with you?"
His lips curved—a slow, dangerous, beautiful smile. "By asking again."
Her heart skipped. "Romeo.... "
"But not here." He stepped even closer, fingertips grazing her jaw. "Not , i owe you more and i want the place to be worthy of you."
She raised a brow. "Oh? And what magical kingdom do you have in mind?"
He smirked. "Seriona city. "
Daisy straightened. "Seriona? The ancient river city? The one i have been hearing stories about since I was a child?"
"The very one." Romeo assured her.
Her expression softened, wonder flickering through her eyes. "You... want to take me there?"
He nodded. "Seraphina and I used to go years ago when we needed to escape the world. I thought..." His voice gentled. "Maybe it can be our place now."
Something warm unfurled in Daisy’s chest.
She didn’t answer at first, just stared at him, this infuriating man who broke her heart and stitched it back with the same hands.
Finally, she whispered, "Okay."
Romeo breathed out as if released from chains.
Within an hour, they were dressed—their signature mafia elegance mixing with the soft, dreamy excitement neither dared admit out loud.
Daisy wore a breezy white dress that made her look like a stolen summer; Romeo in his sharp black shirt and open collar, the kind that said he could shoot a man at noon and kiss her by dusk.
Dusty roads. Empty highways. Sky peeling from gold to navy.
Daisy leaned her head against the window, watching the world stretch in wild, untouched silence. "I used to imagine Seriona as a city made of lanterns," she murmured. "Where people danced on bridges and the river glowed like the moon was trapped inside it."
Romeo smirked. "You’re not too far from the truth."
The closer they drew to the old river borders, the more the world seemed to hum—alive, expectant. Fireflies blinked against the grass, and strange, sweet music floated on the wind from somewhere unseen.
After three hours, they slowed.
A tall, weathered wooden banner arched over the old road.
Painted in shimmering gold:
WELCOME TO THE VEIL FESTIVAL – SERIONA CITY
Daisy inhaled sharply. "It’s real."
Romeo chuckled. "You thought I was lying?"
"I thought you were exaggerating, Like always."
They passed beneath the banner.
But the road ahead was... empty and silent.
No people, no lanterns and no musicians. Just a thin stretch of road hugging a wide, silver-blue river on one side and tall hills on the other.
Daisy frowned. "Romeo... where is everyone? Isn’t this supposed to be a festival?"
"That’s what I thought." He slowed the car even more. "Maybe we came through the wrong entrance."
"It feels like the back of the city," Daisy murmured, peering through the windshield. "Like we’re seeing Seriona’s secrets first."
Romeo hummed, eyes narrowing slightly.
The road curved, following the river.
The silence deepened, eerie and beautiful at once.
Then Daisy noticed him go still beside her.
His posture straightened. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.
"Romeo?" she whispered. "What are you staring at?"
He didn’t answer at first.
His dark eyes were locked ahead, focused on a single shape near the hill’s edge.
A woman wrapped in a long golden veil, standing too close—far too close—to the drop.
Romeo’s jaw clenched. "She’s trying to jump."
"What?" Daisy blinked hard, staring. "Maybe she’s... admiring the river? Or trying to swim..."
"She’s not wearing anything for swimming," Romeo muttered, voice tensing. "And this isn’t a festival performance. She’s alone, no crowd, no torches just nothing."
For a moment, Daisy tried to deny what she saw.
But then the girl on the hill shifted forward, toes at the cliff edge, veil fluttering like a dying flame.
A cold chill raced down Daisy’s spine.
"Romeo," she breathed. "She’s going to drown herself."
The car hadn’t even fully stopped when Daisy grabbed his arm. "Get down, Romeo. Let’s save her."
Romeo nodded once—sharp, decisive, no hesitation.
The car jerked to a halt.
They threw open their doors.
And as the golden-veiled woman stepped closer to the edge...
Romeo and Daisy broke into a run...... ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel•fire.net
They weren’t fast enough.
The woman in the golden veil—Alessia—threw one last glance over her shoulder, eyes shimmering like breaking glass... then leapt into the river.
Her name ripped from Luca’s throat like a wound reopening.
A man in a black suit sprinted toward the bank—Luca Morano, his face carved with terror.
He didn’t hesitate; he plunged into the dark water, the impact sending silver spray into the night.
Romeo cursed under his breath and dove in after him.
But the river swallowed everything.
Luca thrashed through the current, breath ragged, searching, reaching, fighting the cold that dragged at him like chains.
His voice cracked, raw with helplessness.
"Alessia... if you can hear me—please... come back. Don’t leave me. I love you, dammit... everything she said was a lie. You’re mine. You’re my woman. I don’t keep secrets from you—Alessia, please..."
The river answered with silence.
A figure appeared at the bank.
A hooded woman. Her presence felt wrong, ancient... dangerous.
She stared at the water with eyes that knew too much. "She cannot enter the river," she said, voice low and steady. "If she goes any deeper... Alessia will be lost forever."
Luca turned, dripping and desperate.
Helena gave a slow nod—not to him, but to someone emerging from the shadows.
For a job well done. One of the two figures that just came into the scene said.
"What job?" Daisy demanded, stepping forward, fury shaking her voice.
Helena’s expression didn’t change. "To make Alessia do exactly what she did." he answered.
The two silhouettes stepped beside her.
Enemies and long time traitors ghosts, Luca wished he’d buried them deeper, when he had opportunities to cut their life short.
Luca’s jaw tightened. His eyes—usually stormy—were black with murderous calm.
"You again?" he snarled at Enzo, the night vibrating with his rage.
Lorenzo smirked, but Romeo stepped between them, voice a growl.
"What the hell do you want, you bastard?"
Enzo smiled and said I have served the morano for years, but it’s my time to be the mafia boss, I can be serving the Moranos for years while I die in it, to the great Alessandro Morano I’m sorry for this betrayal but I had to, to fulfil all righteousness. Then Lorenzo cut him short.. I also need to do this, Alessia Is a priceless jewel, if I can’t have her, I won’t let luca keep what’s mine. It’s best I destroy her and I destroy luca and myself. The end determine who’s the smartest in the game... He let out a wicked mockery laughter and said loudly... I Lorenzo, I am the master of this game. And Alessia is forever gone, gone fat deep into the ocean spirits world. She shall never return.... He continued laughing.
But before Daisy could answer—
A massive shadow stretched across them... swallowing the sunlight.
Romeo’s breath hitched. Daisy stumbled back.
Luca Morano was changing into something dangerous and terrifying.
His chest heaved. His back arched unnaturally. Skin rippled, bones shifting beneath like something untamed was breaking free.
Anger too violent, too deep was devouring him.
His eyes glowed and his teeth sharpened.
A monster... born of fury and love twisted too tight.