My husband was away, my in-laws beat me with a stick in the middle of our family Christmas party just because I refused to give my savings to my brother-in-law to buy a house – but the reaction of my father, a mafia boss, made her family regret…
The Christmas lights sparkled across the spacious living room, laughter filled the air, and for a brief moment, I thought peace had finally returned to my life. My husband, Lucas, had been away on a business trip for two weeks, and I tried my best to keep harmony in his absence. But harmony is fragile when greed lurks in every corner. It started with a question from my brother-in-law, Daniel — one that shattered everything. “You’ve been saving quite a lot, haven’t you, Emma? Maybe you should help me buy that new house.”
I smiled politely, declining in the softest tone possible. “I’m saving for our daughter’s future, Daniel.” That was enough to ignite fury in my mother-in-law’s eyes. Within minutes, the warm Christmas cheer turned into chaos. My in-laws accused me of being selfish, disrespectful, and ungrateful. When I stood firm, refusing to hand over my savings, Daniel snapped. He grabbed a stick from near the fireplace — and before I could react, he struck.
The room blurred in shock and pain. My cries were drowned by their shouts. My father-in-law didn’t stop him. My mother-in-law joined in, slapping me, calling me names. I fell to the floor, trembling, clutching my stomach, praying for someone to intervene — but no one did.
That night, bleeding and humiliated, I locked myself in the guest room, my hands shaking as I dialed one number I hadn’t used in years — my father’s. Giovanni Russo. A name that once made men in Italy tremble. The former head of one of Naples’ most feared mafia families. I had run away from that world long ago, craving a normal life. But as I whispered, “Papa, they hurt me,” I heard only silence for a long moment. Then came his calm, terrifying voice: “I’ll take care of it, bambina mia.”
I didn’t realize then that Christmas night would mark the beginning of their greatest regret.
