Her Bloody Destiny

Trapped in a nightmare of abuse, Stella Brown endures daily torment, clinging to a fragile hope for escape. Unbeknownst to her, she is Ava Russo, the lost princess of a powerful Italian Mafia family, desperately sought by a father who never lost hope and a mother consumed by vengeance. As her adoptive parents' cruelty escalates, forcing a move to San Francisco, Ava's hidden past draws closer. Will the threads of destiny finally intertwine, pulling her from the clutches of her tormentors and into a world she was born to rule?

The blare of the alarm tore me from a fitful sleep, each pulse of the sound a fresh throb in my head. Groaning, I pushed myself up too quickly, a wince escaping my lips as yesterday's 'punishment' made itself known. Emma's missing gold ring, the one she’d stolen from a casino, had been the catalyst. Of course, she'd accused me. As if I'd dare.

At least Charles hadn't been home. His presence would have guaranteed a longer, far more agonizing session. I stumbled towards the bathroom, my body a map of pain. After the usual morning routine, it was time to confront the artwork Emma and Charles had painted on my skin.

I peeled off my hoodie, revealing the masterpiece: a vivid, reddish handprint on my neck, blue-black marks blossoming on my shoulder. My ribs, a grotesque spectrum of blue, black, red, and purple. Then, the back – red, and sickeningly, yellow. Infected. My body, a literal rainbow of suffering.

After bandaging what I could and cleaning the infection, I swallowed two painkillers, hoping for a fleeting reprieve. It was 6:02 AM. My day, like every other, had begun. The kitchen beckoned; breakfast for them, the 'parents' I refused to call Mom and Dad.

Her Bloody Destiny

Mafia Abuse HiddenIdentity FamilySecret survival