Kate's POV "Please do me the honour of telling me why I have been graced with your presence." My tone was sarcastic and it was evident Rosa realised it from the sour expression on her face as she turned. Just like every other day she was dressed in beige pants and a white sweater over which she had draped a paper thin shawl. I knew the real reason she had that shawl and no, it wasn't just for 'fashion' that piece of clothing served a much greater purpose.

"I am here to check up on you." She spoke clearly with the confidence of a woman in her position, she always exuded power, I scoffed "I am tied to bloody chair with ropes that keep digging into my skin, my body is covered in my own blood and countless unsealed wounds, oh and not to mention I have been surviving on moody pieces of bread and water for the past three weeks. So why don't you tell me how I'm doing."

Rosa looked at me as if I had slapped her, "You that as if it is my choice to keep you in such a state. It is Alexie who makes these decisions." She stared at me, I nodded back at her.

"Yeah, I get that." Her reaction told me she wasn't expecting me to understand and stand down but nevertheless she was extremely happy. Without another word she turned to leave but my words stopped her, it was like she had frozen up into a statue.

"Tell your puppet I said hi!"

"What?"

I smirked, I loved to see her riled up, "Your husband, that puppet told him I said hi. Tell him I am pleased that he is so willing to take responsibility for your decisions." Her eyes flashed with an emotion I couldn't really detect. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

"Oh honey. You aren't as decrees as you think. A for effort but you could have done better." Rosa shook her head, "Stop with your games. Tell me straight away what you mean."

"I grew up with two abusive parents, one of which was my biological mother, the woman who gave birth to me. Over the years I learned how to read people, and trust me you are one of the easiest I have ever come across.

The tattoo on your shoulder."

Rosa's hand flew to her shoulder, her eyes wide. I smiled, "Busted." I stated simply. The unspoken question in her eyes was clear: How? "It is truly stupid how you think I wouldn't even know enough Italian to figure out the phrase 'No woman should ever kneel to a man'. Now I agree the tattoo in itself isn't too suspicious but mix it with your conniving nature and the situation in general and it becomes the biggest clue for me to figure out that you are the mastermind behind everything that has been happening."

I paused for dramatic effect.

"Sokolov, a man whose wiggle dies a long time ago, one fortunate night he meets this beautiful woman who looks at him like he isn't the devil himself, he knows who this woman is but the love drunk act she puts on in front of him and the way she promises him a life of happiness and maybe even an heir one day. This seals the deal for him.

Once the woman is in she slowly and steadily starts corrupting him, controlling him. Because you see this woman has a vendetta, a motive to want to destroy the entire Italian mafia."

Rosa retaliates immediately. "I have no bloody motive, the Italians are my family, my brother used to be the leader!" "Exactly! It was your brother who was the leader, the man you grew up with, yet when the time came he chose his son rather than you take on his role, he didn't even give you a subordinate role, you were nothing, absolutely nothi-."

A hard slap landed across my right cheek. My face whipped towards the side, I was sure that her hand print would be there bright and red. My manic laugh grew louder once I saw the tears rolling down Rosa's face. This was so satisfying. I fucking broke her. The woman that wanted to break me is now in pieces because of me.

"It was me who deserved it. I was with him, by his side through everything. And he didn't think twice before giving it to Xavier." Her voice was a whisper. "Well, that's because Xavier worked for it. And he didn't want this for the money unlike you. He did it to carry on his father's legacy and improve this business."

Rosa just shook her head, "None of that matters anymore, the day is near and after that I won't have to hear your screeching voice ever again." My eyes widened at that. I jerk forward in my seat immediately being pulled back by the ropes, "What does that mean?"

She laughs evilly, stalking forward she grabbed the front of my shirt pulling me near to her face, "I have been waiting for the perfect time, and in just two days time you will be set up on a pedestal, in front of your entire fucking family and I'll cut your head off. The final show of my power."

It left me speechless. What the fuck was wrong with that women's head! I huff out a sigh. God! I know we don't talk much. In fact for a long while I was convinced there was no one up there. I'm still not to convinced with the whole concept but just in case you're listening. Please, please make sure my brothers find me. This is not how I want to die.

It had been three hours since Rosa and I had a talk. I had been staring at a moth as it tried and failed again and again at trying to go fly through the door. I honestly thought I was going to go insane, suddenly I hear faint noises.

My head perks up, I could hear shouting but it was too faint for me to figure out what they were saying, and I had to press carefully to make out the sounds of gunshots. Oh my god. They're here. My family found me. Yes! Yes! I knew they weren't idiots. They figured the code out. Oh thank you god!

I looked around desperately, as I tugged at the ropes that bound me, with all the power I had in me. I yanked and yanked until I felt blood trickle down from my wrists onto my palms. This was hopeless, there was no way out for me by myself.

The sounds of the locks opening made me look at the door. It was pulled open hastily. The doctor ran inside, he looked to be frazzled, his distracted eyes found me and rushed forward, undoing my binds.

"They are here. Your family." I sighed out in relief. Pulling myself up, my legs were shaky from sitting this whole time but I pushed forward anyway. As I started to walk out his hand on my arm pulled me back. "Wait."

"What?" "You must do one thing first. I beg you." I looked at him quizzically the doctor pulled a hand gun out of the back of his pants. With shaky hands he extended it towards me I took it from his hands. "What now?"

He looked at me with tear filled eyes. "I need you to kill me." "What!"

He shoulders sagged with what looked like defeat. "This is not ideal but it is the only option I have, no matter if you win or loose today, I will end up dying." I cut him off "No, I can get you out of here. I can help you."

"You already did. The menagerie." I remembered what he was talking about, it was a Russian pleasure house, that had boys and girls of all ages working for them, in pathetic conditions, when I had gotten wind of it, I was so repulsed that I had to do something.

Me and Eren had stormed that place, gotten the slaves out before we burned that place to the ground. "From the people you had gotten out of that place one was my wife, unfortunately Sokolov had found me out with her, and threatened me with the death of my wife and son. But I would give myself up again a thousand times if it meant I could save my family."

"So I will find a way to get you back to your family. Dying is not the only solution." He shook his head again. "No you need to listen to me. Even if he dies today, my family will never be safe as long as I'm alive, they will keep coming after her. I already arranged for her to disappear off the grid, she would be able to start a new life with our son, give him the life he deserves so please just kill and rid me of the pain of seeing my family get hurt."

The doctor was on his knees on front of me, hands together as he begged me to kill him. The sting of tears at the back of my eyes made me blink to get rid of them. I clocked the gun as I aimed it at his head. "I don't even know your name." My voice wavering. He looked at me smiling. "It's alright, just think of me as one of the countless people you have saved."

He then closed his eyes lowering his head. He knew I wouldn't be able to go through with it if he was looking at me. I closed my eyes as well, a single tear rolling down my cheek. And I pulled the trigger, a thud sounded across the room. When I opened my eyes I saw him on his side, a trail of blood flowed from the bullet hole in his forehead.

I didn't have the time to mourn him, as not even a second later the door opened again. I turned sharply, my gun aimed at whoever entered next. In came Sokolov and Rosa, Sokolov had a similar gun in his hands while Rosa stood behind him weaponless which in my opinion was the stupidest thing ever.

"You killed my doctor."

"Yes."

"I am going to kill you."

"I don't doubt it."

"Any last words." This time it was Rosa who spoke, her voice calm like she knew how this would all pan out. Like she has predicted every possible outcome.

I didn't even think too much about it but my mind went straight to my mother. How everything, all of this started with the one decision she decided to make. I also remembered something else I learned a long time ago and I now knew how this was going to end.

With my gun trained at Sokolov's head and his at mine I spoke calmly. "I had learned very young that Everyone creates something they fear and my mother, well she hated the things she couldn't predict. She hated anything she couldn't control."

So I guess my last words"

I clocked my gun so did Sokolov.

"Are.... Fuck you."

I tilted to the right and pulled the trigger.

Marco's POV

We had reconvened in the main hall, the area was cleared out. Not one Russian in sight, we had captured many others were killed. My brothers Ace, Eren and their teams were surrounding us. A few of them were still looking through the rooms, we hadn't yet found Kate or the Russian leader.

"Everyone here?" Xavier asked, all of us were covered in blood, a chorus of yeses rung out through the area. Before more of the plan could be discussed two gunshots were heard simultaneously.

We knew it had to have something to do with Kate, there was no doubt, all of us ran towards the east part of the building where the noise seemed to be coming from. Door after door was broken until we reached the correct one.

The first things that caught my eye was Sokolov on his knees bawling his eyes out, beside him was Zia Rosa, her body lay completely still, blood seeped from the left part of her chest, her vacant eyes a clear indicator.

She was dead.

Good after what she did to our family she deserved to die. The sound of Sophia's pained shout brought my attention from the sight in front of me to another body that lay in the room.

There she was, on her back, gun still lossless clutched in her right hand, her expression was so peaceful, her closed as if she was asleep, the barest hint of a smile on her lips as of she was having a good dream, but she wasn't asleep, the blood pooling around her left side was sickening.

We had found her, we were there but we were still late.

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Helloooo!

Oh my god! This one was intense😮😮😮

Please me if you guys liked it?!? I would love to hear what you thought

The end is near I'm hoping you guys like how I'm ending this story!

IMPORTANT- My exams are starting and I will try to find time to write but I might be a little late with the updates! Sorry🥺🥺

Anyway....

Chapters left- 2+ epilogue

Love you all!💕💕✨✨