The Mafia’s Substitute Bride

Sofia mustered all her courage and firmly stated, “Then kill me because I am not going to sign.”

“You bitch,” Mak hissed, his anger boiling over. He swiftly pulled the trigger.

Sofia closed her eyes, bracing herself for the imminent shot. Yet, instead of the expected gunshot, she heard a deafening crack as the door burst open, followed by the sound of gunfire. Trembling with fear, she cautiously opened her eyes and saw Mak sprawled on the floor, clutching his bleeding hand while his gun slipped from his grasp.

Her gaze darted toward the broken door, and her heart skipped a beat when she spotted Leonardo and Mark rushing toward her. Leonardo’s men retaliated with their own gunfire, quickly incapacitating Mak’s henchmen, who now lay motionless on the ground.

With swift efficiency, Leonardo untied Sofia from the chair and enveloped her in a protective embrace. Relieved yet shaken, she nestled into his arms. Leonardo pulled back slightly to study her face, his eyes now burning with rage. He marched over to Mak, gripping his collar and yanked him to his feet, before delivering a powerful punch to his face.

Mak crumpled to the ground, sprawled on his back. Leonardo approached him with a vengeance, delivering a forceful kick to his already injured hand, causing Mak to cry out in agony.

“Boss, look at these papers,” Mark interjected, extending the documents toward Leonardo.

Leonardo snatched the papers, his eyes widening with disbelief and his jaw clenching in furious resolve. It was clear he was gritting his teeth, his anger seething beneath the surface.

“You fucking bastard! How dare you prepare this power of attorney?” Leonardo growled, his voice laced with venom.

He forcefully kicked Mak’s bleeding hand once more, causing fresh streams of blood to trickle from the wound.

“Leonardo… he… he forced me to sign the papers. B-but… but I… I hadn’t. I didn’t,” Sofia hastily revealed, recounting the events to him.

Leonardo swiftly closed the distance between them, his footsteps urgent. He stood before Sofia, his gaze intense.

“Do you know what is written in these papers?” he demanded, his voice tinged with concern. Sofia shook her head in response.

“Its a power of attorney and it’s stating that you are handing over all the rights of the Ricci Empire to this fucking bastard,” Leonardo seethed, pointing an accusing finger at Mak.

Sofia furrowed her brow in confusion, her mind grappling to comprehend the situation before her. “How can I possibly give anyone the right over the Ricci Empire?” she questioned, her voice laced with bewilderment.

“Because,” Leonardo responded, a smug grin playing on his lips, “according to Lady Valentina Ricci’s will, she specifically chose you to be the heiress of the Ricci Empire. You now possess sole ownership of all the properties and fortunes belonging to the Ricci family.”

Sofia gasped in disbelief, her hand instinctively rising to cover her mouth as the weight of the revelation settled upon her. A whirlwind of thoughts and emotions cascaded through her mind.

“Did Grandma really transfer all the rights to me?” she whispered, her voice trembling with uncertainty. “But… I don’t have the knowledge or experience to manage such an enormous empire. Why would Grandma entrust me with this?”

Leonardo’s voice remained steady as he offered an explanation. “According to her will, you are the first legal child of Carlo Ricci. As the first legal child, all the rights to the property are to be transferred to you, Sofia Ricci Morelli,” he stated proudly, his words carrying a sense of honor.

A rush of emotions flooded Sofia’s heart, overwhelming her senses. The realization that she held a significant place within the family brought tears of joy and relief to her eyes. She was no longer an outsider, unwanted and overlooked child of the Ricci family.

After Leonardo left to retrieve Sofia, Carlo’s mind was in chaos. A multitude of questions plagued him, consuming his thoughts.

“Emma, what are you hiding? Tell me the truth,” he demanded of his wife, his voice filled with a mix of desperation and frustration.

“Believe me, Carlo, I haven’t done anything. I don’t know where Mak and Sofia are,” Emma sobbed, tears streaming down her face as she desperately tried to convey her innocence.

“Why did Leonardo accuse us? Why does he distrust the Riccis?” Carlo’s voice cracked with anguish and disgust. Never before had he been subjected to such a cruel insult, especially from Leonardo, who accused him of kidnapping his own daughter.

“I’m telling you the truth, darling. I genuinely have no knowledge of what’s happened. However, I sensed something was amiss with Mak. His behavior changed after your mother’s death,” Emma pleaded, drawing closer and holding Carlo’s trembling hand.

“Do you believe he had a hand in Sofia’s disappearance? If it’s true, don’t attempt to contact him. He’ll be on guard. I’m going after Leonardo. I need to find out who wants to harm our daughter,” Carlo warned her sternly, his resolve strengthening as he prepared to leave in his car.

Leonardo’s accusation gnawed at Carlo, fueling his determination to prove his innocence. He resolved to tail Leonardo’s car, ensuring he had evidence to counter the damning allegations.

From a safe distance, Carlo observed as Leonardo’s car came to a halt in front of a lavish villa. Without warning, Leonardo’s men unleashed a volley of gunfire upon the guards stationed outside the premises.

Stepping out of his car, Carlo waited for the sounds of gunfire to cease. Then, with utmost caution, he made his way toward the villa, each step deliberate and silent.

Peering through the shattered door, Carlo’s heart sank as he laid eyes upon Mak lying lifeless on the floor. Standing nearby, Leonardo spoke to Sofia, revealing the truth about Carlo’s mother’s will.

And there it was-the missing puzzle piece behind the vanishing of the will. Carlo now possessed the knowledge he sought, painting a clearer picture of the events that had unfolded.

Carlo was taken aback by the unexpected decision his mother had made, appointing Sofia as the heiress of the Ricci Empire. Conflicting emotions surged through his heart, leaving him bewildered. Throughout his life, Carlo had never shown any affection toward his daughter, Sofia, harboring a deep-seated hatred for her mother-his wife-until her death. His interactions with Sofia had always been cold and callous.

Suddenly, a chilling voice shattered Carlo’s thoughts, bringing him back to reality. It was Mak, rising to his feet with a gun pointed at Sofia. Carlo’s eyes snapped toward the sound, his instincts kicking in. In a split second, he drew his own weapon, aiming it directly at Mak, and with unwavering precision, pulled the trigger, dispatching a fatal shot that struck Mak’s head.

The sound of the gunshot echoed in Carlo’s ears as Sofia’s piercing scream filled the air. “Leonardo!!!” she cried out, her voice laced with desperation and fear.

Carlo rushed toward them, his heart pounding in his chest, only to find Leonardo sprawled on the ground, his body enveloped in a pool of his own blood. The realization hit Carlo like a thunderbolt, freezing him in place. He couldn’t comprehend the horrifying scene that had unfolded before his eyes.

The bullet Mak fired was meant for Sofia, but Leonardo, her selfless protector, had valiantly intervened, taking the lethal projectile in his own back. His act of sacrifice had shielded Sofia from certain death, but at the cost of his own life.

All the air escaped Sofia’s lungs as she continued to scream Leonardo’s name, her voice saturated with anguish and disbelief. She knelt beside him, cradling his head in her lap, desperately hoping for a miracle. Leonardo’s eyes remained closed, his face drained of color. Sofia couldn’t bear to see him in such a lifeless state.

“Leonardo, open your eyes,” she pleaded, her voice trembling with sorrow. “Why did you do that? Why did you take that bullet? Wake up, please.” Sofia’s tears cascaded down her cheeks, falling upon Leonardo’s motionless face. But he remained unresponsive, not even the slightest movement indicating his consciousness.

Amidst the chaos that erupted around them, Sofia heard the clamor of people shouting and running toward their location. The world seemed distant and hazy as her life force drained away, mirroring the hope slipping from her grasp.

“Ma’am, please let us take him to the hospital,” Mark pleaded, his voice filled with urgency and concern.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Sofia heard the desperation in Mark’s words, urging her to release her grip on Leonardo. But her heart rebelled against the idea, unwilling to let go of her husband. Her trembling hands clung tightly to his body, as if by sheer force of will she could infuse him with her own life, refusing to be separated from him.

“Ma’am, please! Come to your senses. We need to take him to the hospital immediately,” Mark insisted, his tone becoming more insistent.

“Sofia!” A familiar voice called out, and she looked up to see her father, Carlo, standing nearby, his face etched with worry.

“Let him go, Sofia. He needs medical attention. We have to take him to the hospital immediately,” Carlo implored, gently tugging at Sofia’s hand, attempting to pry her fingers away from Leonardo’s form. With a mixture of reluctance and helplessness, Sofia allowed herself to be pulled away from him.

Tears streamed down Sofia’s face, their flow seemingly endless. She was overwhelmed with fear at the thought of being separated from Leonardo. Her eyes refused to stray from his sight even for a moment. Through her blurred vision, she witnessed a group of men lifting Leonardo’s limp body and rushing him outside. The sight of his blood staining the floor only intensified her anguish, causing her tears to cascade down her cheeks at an increased pace.

“Dad! Save him, please,” Sofia pleaded, her voice laced with desperation. “I can’t live without him. I love him, Dad. I love him so much. Please, do something.” She confessed.