CHAPTER 60

Ellis...

Are you already accustomed to the customs of the Amorielle Family?

Ellis...

You will get used to our customs soon.

Ellis...

Penetrating blue eyes.

Penetrating blue eyes.

Icy blue eyes...

Ellis...

Welcome to Calabria.

Icy and lifeless blue eyes...

Ellis was still trying to gather her thoughts and deal with what had just happened. She looked at Matteo's lifeless body on the floor, and then at Vittorio.

"Ellis!" Vittorio called, holding his wife's face between his hands.

Ellis remained frozen in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief. The sight of Vittorio, the man she had enjoyed herself with just a few days ago, cruelly killing his own uncle, was something she could never have anticipated. The realization hit her like a wave, shattering the illusion she had desperately clung to.

"Come with me."

As Vittorio tried to lead her back to their room, Ellis could only stumble, her mind in turmoil with a storm of emotions. She couldn't comprehend how the man who had shown so much sensitivity in Milan could be capable of such a cold-blooded murder. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing the dark truth behind the charming facade.

Vittorio helped her sit on the bed and then began changing his clothes calmly. Ellis turned to the mafioso, her voice trembling as she managed to utter a few words, her shock evident.

"Your uncle... Your uncle, he..."

"Matteo... he had a heart attack. I tried to save him, but it was too late," he spoke calmly as if he had just completed a business deal.

But Ellis wasn't convinced. She had witnessed the events unfold before her eyes, and the images were etched in her memory.

"No, Vittorio. I saw you," Ellis whispered, her voice barely audible. The weight of the truth threatened to crush her.

"Yes, you probably saw me trying to save my uncle," Vittorio explained as he unbuttoned his shirt.

"No, that's not what I saw. I... I saw it all, Vittorio," Ellis argued, her voice gaining strength. The shock had transformed into a resolute determination to confront the truth. "I saw you poison him and then... then torture him with that weapon."

Vittorio paused, taken aback by Ellis' revelation. He took a deep breath and then stood in front of his wife, serious.

"Ellis, you don't understand."

"I understood perfectly well that you killed your uncle. I just don't understand the reason."

Ellis looked into those dark brown eyes that had always looked at her with tenderness and didn't know what to think. She never imagined she would be married to a mafia boss, and now she was terrified of what other kinds of things could happen in that world.

Vittorio's lips parted, ready to offer a worthy answer to Ellis.

"MATTEO, AMORE MIO!"

The shrill scream echoed from outside the room. It was Carmela, Vittorio's aunt. Realizing that time was running out, the mafioso quickly finished changing, putting on a robe. Ellis watched her husband's movements in shock. Vittorio did everything so calmly that it didn't seem his desperate aunt was outside, searching for her dead husband on the floor.

"Stay in the room," Vittorio ordered, and then left the room, leaving Ellis alone with her thoughts.

***

Ellis could barely stand as she watched Vittorio talking to the family as if nothing had happened. She still couldn't believe that less than an hour ago she had witnessed her husband poisoning his uncle.

While the aunt and cousins were crying, Vittorio took on the role of a comforter, as if he had no responsibility for the terrible crime he had committed.

"He was so happy..." Carmela commented, devastated. "He was such a strong man."

"I know, Aunt. But you can never predict when a heart attack will strike," Vittorio consoled his aunt.

"You know that Dad didn't take care of himself properly," Alessandro admitted, holding his mother's shoulder.

"At least we had the opportunity to say goodbye," Giovanni said.

While the men of the family tried to comfort Carmela, Ellis observed Sofia crying, desperate, sitting in a distant chair. The brunette wished she could approach the young woman, but she was in shock and could barely keep her eyes open. She looked around, trying to find comfort in something, but all she could see was Vittorio's face.

He seemed so calm, so undisturbed. Like a true mafia boss, acting as if murder was a normal part of his routine. But for Ellis, it wasn't normal, it was utter madness.

"Don't worry about anything. I'll organize the funeral for you and make sure everything is ready according to Uncle's wishes. However, we won't be able to stay, as I really need to go back to New York," Vittorio said.

"You're already doing so much, my dear nephew," Carmela said, touching Vittorio's face. "You're an angel in our lives."

When the meeting was over, Vittorio approached his wife. He put his hand on her arm, smiling as if he hadn't just killed her uncle right in front of her.

"I need you to come with me. I have some matters to attend to."

Ellis reluctantly agreed, but she knew she would never be the same after witnessing a man die right before her. She felt lost and didn't know how to deal with the emotions she was experiencing. She simply let Vittorio lead her out of the mansion, still unsure of how she would move forward after witnessing something so horrible.

***

Ellis watched in astonishment as Vittorio meticulously organized the preparations for his own Uncle Matteo's funeral. Shock spread through her body, leaving her speechless. Ellis struggled to comprehend the magnitude of what had just happened. How could she have married someone capable of such a horrendous act?

Although Ellis had initially agreed to this marriage solely to save Jason, she had never imagined the extent of the darkness that resided within Vittorio's soul. She couldn't deny the undeniable chemistry and attraction that had slowly grown between them during their honeymoon. However, now she was confronted with the harsh reality of the man she had married.

Her mind was filled with questions and doubts. What would become of her in this twisted world of organized crime? Was she merely a pawn in Vittorio's game, a means to an end? The weight of her situation weighed heavy on her heart, making it hard to breathe.

He even ordered Matteo's organs to be removed for donation and the body to be cremated. Ellis couldn't help but wonder about the fate of Matteo's organs. Vittorio's decision to donate them showed a peculiar side of his character - an act of compassion amidst tragedy, some might think. However, Ellis couldn't shake the chilling feeling that Vittorio's motives might be more sinister than they appeared, especially when the conversation between him and his uncle came to mind. The coldness and indifference with which he acted in the face of the tragedy were frightening.

"A heart costs $120,000," Ellis whispered in the car.

The atmosphere grew heavy with an eerie silence as Vittorio drove back to the mansion. With everything meticulously prepared for Matteo's funeral, Vittorio turned his attention to his grieving aunt, Carmela. Ellis watched him from a distance, her eyes fixed on the man she was tied to, the man responsible for orchestrating such a tragedy.

***

As they waited to board the private jet that would take them back to New York, Ellis sat next to Vittorio, keeping a cautious distance between them. Silence hung between them, laden with the weight of recent events. It was as if a dark cloud loomed over them, overshadowing any joy they had shared thus far.

As the jet took off, Ellis felt a mix of fear, shock, and a strange curiosity about what Vittorio intended to say. She knew she couldn't ignore the situation she found herself in. It was time to confront reality and face the man who was now her husband, even if it meant putting her own life at risk.

"Now we can talk," Vittorio said, breaking the tense silence between them.

The words echoed in Ellis's mind, making her tremble. She looked at him, trying to decipher what lay behind those cold and calculating eyes. His voice was soft, but there was an underlying tension, a hint of hidden secrets. Ellis felt a shiver run down her spine, and her heart began to beat faster.

With a trembling sigh, Ellis agreed, her voice barely whispering:

"Alright, Don Vittorio. Let's talk."