The streets of downtown Central New York pulsed with life. Cars crowded the main boulevard, idling impatiently at the endless cycle of traffic lights. Overhead, silver‑blue clouds drifted across the sky, pierced here and there by thin streaks of sunlight. There were no skyscrapers in sight, only rows of brick maisonette-style buildings—storefronts below, small apartments perched above them like urban nesting boxes.
As if guided by some twisted fate, two strangers wandered closer and closer within the bustling crowd: a young man with short, dark hair marked by a single pale streak, and a young woman with natural silver hair that brushed her shoulders.
They had no reason to meet.
And yet… here they were.
[Totally a conventional way for strangers to bump into each other, right? Too bad they're only twenty‑four. Which means they can't know each other's surnames until they turn twenty‑five. Mafia rules. Literally. A century ago, the Dons created this whole identity‑lockdown system to keep adolescents alive long enough to actually become adults. You can't assassinate what you can't identify. And, well… you can't produce heirs with someone who's already dead.
In short: until twenty‑five, no rival is allowed to target you. After twenty‑five? Good luck—you're a walking bullseye. I sincerely hope you're fast. Hah… Hah… no, seriously. Anyway—]
Aurelio, also known as "Lio," the pride and joy of the Bernardi family, came to a stop at the sidewalk corner, waiting for the light to change.
[The Bernardis are one of the three ruling Mafia families in the region—powerful, feared, and notorious for removing anyone who stands in their way.]
Meanwhile, as if guided by some ridiculous twist of fate, Giulietta—"Giul"—the hidden jewel of the Cavallo family, was approaching the same crosswalk.
[The Cavallos are another of the three head families. The third is the neutral Lupo family… but they'll come into play later.]
Aurelio kept his focus on the green light ahead, silently urging it to turn red. He checked his wristwatch, unaware of the soft brush across his left elbow.
Giulietta, however, was completely absorbed in the song looping in her head. She drifted past Aurelio, past the small crowd waiting with him, and right off the curb into oncoming traffic—without noticing a single thing.
She barely made it one step into the street before a strong arm wrapped around her not‑so‑tiny waist. [Who even wants a twig-thin lady these days? Being that skinny used to mean you were starving, not stylish. And being too round? People would call you lazy or ill. Society is truly a circus.] The arm yanked her backward until her body collided with something solid.
Giulietta froze, her thoughts scattering as she tried to process what was happening. Was someone holding onto her? Scratch that—more like grabbed! Perhaps she should teach this stranger some manners on how to handle a lady. Of course, something like this would happen on the one day she ditched her bodyguards… more like babysitters.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he whispered coldly into her ear, not letting go.
Snapping out of her daze and feeling a spark of sass, she shot back with a hint of sarcasm.
"What if I was?" she retorted, trying to pry his arm off her waist. The attempt failed miserably; his grip only tightened. Why does this guy have to be so strong? she thought.
"Well, that's too bad then. You only get one life, so you shouldn't cast it aside so recklessly. You know what? You can spend the rest of the day with me. Sounds lovely, no?" Aurelio replied smoothly, confidence dripping from every word. He mentally patted himself on the back, thoroughly impressed with himself.
Aurelio, unlike his parents, had a pure heart. His appearance may have been cold, but he cared deeply—even about a total stranger. Most would see that as a weakness, but it was one of his best traits.
"Excuse you? Tch… I don't even know you," she clicked her tongue before failing again to get his arm off. Damn, this guy is strong! Perhaps a bit too strong for her liking.
"My name is Lio," Aurelio replied quickly, offering his nickname without hesitation. "There. Now you know me." His eyes drifted downward for a moment, taking in her denim jacket—unbuttoned, despite the chilly weather. Then his gaze stopped on her silver hair. How old could she be? Young people don't usually have hair like that, he thought.
"Like Leo, the lion?" Giulietta grumbled as she continued struggling to wiggle out of his hold, but he was stubbornly refusing to take the hint. On top of that, she felt like her back was pressed against a wall—his chest was solid. This man had to have abs of steel. Then, remembering she was supposed to be protesting, she snapped, "Wait, no, that doesn't count! Now unhand me, you ruffian!"
"Then how about you tell me your name?" Aurelio persisted, curiosity bubbling up as he completely ignored her request.
She pursed her lips as she crossed her arms over her chest, giving up on forcing her way out of his hold. "The name's Julie, but everyone calls me Giul…" she mumbled, letting the lie slip out. She had to be careful—she never knew when she might run into someone who spelled trouble. Speaking of which, if this guy didn't let go soon, she was tempted to use her pocketknife… or maybe pepper spray would be smarter.
"Hm? What was that?" he asked, leaning in closer.
She rolled her eyes and repeated the last part, slowly reaching for her left pocket—only to find it empty. A flicker of dread crawled up her spine. She checked her right pocket next. Also empty.
Well, that's not good, she thought.
"Giul…" she breathed, trying to calm herself enough to think clearly. "Stronzo…" she muttered under her breath. Should she really be insulting the guy who might've saved her life? Probably not.
Aurelio tilted his head. "Jewel?" he echoed, looking amused as he studied the pocketknife and pepper spray resting safely in his own hand—hidden from her view. He found it hilarious how easily he'd managed to pickpocket her. Judging by how tense she'd become, she had just realized it, too. Although he wondered why she'd called him an "asshole" under her breath, he chose not to address it.
"That's what I said," Giulietta grumbled in annoyance. She hated playing twenty questions. Even more so, she hated people taking things from her without permission. Maybe if she just positioned the heel of her foot just right… she could crack his nuts and maybe run—after she laughed at his misery. Perhaps that wouldn't be the best plan in a crowd, no matter how small.
Aurelio straightened himself, thinking about it before subconsciously letting a word slip. It was barely above a whisper. "Cute…" Then, as if sensing her uncertainty, he dangled her missing items in front of her face. "Looking for these?"
Just then, the traffic light turned red. Aurelio finally let go of her waist and linked his right arm with her left instead.
That was until she unleashed some kind of secret ninja move that ended with him falling back onto his tailbone—her items back in her possession. Aurelio was speechless for just a split second before snapping back into action, springing to his feet, but not before noticing that his pants had ripped along the seam. He had to admit the silver‑haired woman had guts, but there was no way he would accept that as a loss.
More shocking yet for Giulietta, when she looked back, she was already halfway across the crosswalk. Her amber eyes briefly met his blue ones. She almost thought they looked like the blue flame in a fire, and he, in return, thought her eyes resembled hot embers. The moment their gazes connected, Giulietta sped up—right as Aurelio began to chase after her.
It had been a long while since Aurelio had found someone this entertaining, so he didn't want to let his new acquaintance escape so easily. He laughed as he weaved through the crowd along the sidewalk, enjoying the chase, but then burst into hysterical laughter when she ran straight into a lamp post while trying to look back. He tried to stop laughing as he caught up to her, but to no avail, offering his hand.
In a daze with invisible tweetie birds flying around her head, Giulietta reached out to take the offered hand, not registering that it belonged to the same man she'd been running from. He pulled her up to her feet before quickly linking his arm with hers. His grip was so firm this time that trying to escape was pointless. Without hesitation, he began dragging her down the sidewalk again.
"Where are we even going? I have places to be," she muttered after he'd hauled her along for five blocks. She rubbed her forehead, hoping her mishap wouldn't leave a bruise.
"Really?" Aurelio cocked his head to the side in doubt. "Like where?"
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©Lynnifer Ice 2026