Dark Romance: A Cruel Obsession

The air in the ward froze for a moment. Vivian shrank back in fear, not daring to look at Joseph’s eyes. Alajos sat by the bedside, showing no surprise at Joseph’s sudden appearance. Instead, he comfortingly patted Vivian’s hand.

Smiling at Joseph, he made no attempt to conceal, “Yes, Vivian is pregnant, I’m going to be a father.”

Alajos asked, “Are you congratulating me, Joseph?”

“Of course, this is something everyone should be happy about. I certainly want to congratulate you,” Joseph said, looking down at Alajos with an air of superiority.

Alajos always found Joseph’s sense of superiority puzzling. They held nearly equal status in the mafia, and Joseph had not even become a true Capo. In terms of rank, Joseph was lower than Alajos. Yet, he always managed to display an air of superiority and disdain towards everyone, which Alajos found quite perplexing.

“Hey, Vivian,” Joseph greeted her, “why are you afraid to look at me? What are you afraid of?”

No matter how friendly Joseph’s expression was, it couldn’t conceal his cruel nature. Vivian had been afraid of him since she was a child. “No, I, I’m not afraid,” she stammered.

“Then why can’t you look into my eyes?” Joseph pressed.

Vivian flinched even more.

Joseph reprimanded, “Look at me, Vivian!”

Trembling, Vivian timidly raised her head. Her fearful gaze didn’t meet Joseph’s sinister eyes before she felt pressure on her head – it was Alajos.

Alajos’s hand covered Vivian’s head, gently pushing it down. She instinctively complied with his force, lowering her head. She heard Alajos speak to Joseph in a displeased tone, “You’ve frightened my wife, Joseph! Are you forcing her?”

“Don’t misunderstand, my dear brother-in-law, I’m just having a friendly conversation with my pregnant sister.” Joseph’s expression and tone always changed rapidly and drastically when facing Alajos.

Alajos sneered, “I don’t feel your friendliness, Joseph. Perhaps you should go back to school and relearn the course on friendliness. Don’t embarrass yourself here any longer.”

Alajos arranged for a car to take Joseph back to the apartment. “You should go back to the room I arranged for you and get a good night’s sleep. I know the journey at sea hasn’t been easy.”

Yes, their recent voyage had been exceptionally difficult. They had encountered naval patrols twice in the Three Seas just before reaching the open sea. They had to turn back, unload cargo at the transfer station, and return to the port of Houston.

As soon as the ship docked, an explosion occurred at the port square. Joseph and the sailors had to drift at sea for an additional three hours until the port authorities cleared the remaining bombs before they could come ashore.

“I don’t need your lectures, Alajos,” Joseph suppressed his anger, “We don’t share a common understanding of friendliness, but that’s okay. Now I’m taking my wife with me, please show your understanding of friendliness.”

Luzia subconsciously wanted to escape, but Joseph was quick. He grabbed her shoulder almost the moment she turned around.

Feeling the weight on her shoulder, Luzia’s body stiffened, goosebumps immediately covering her whole body.

“Where are you going, Luzia?” Joseph felt the shiver of her body under his palm. He revealed a cruel and eerie smile, like some kind of sticky, soft-bodied creature crawling inch by inch over the back of Luzia’s fair neck.

“I…” Luzia felt a chill from his smile. She was on the verge of tears, “I… I’m worried about Shelley. She’s still in surgery, and I…”

“You’re not a doctor, Luzia. Your presence does nothing to heal the patients’ pain, but…” Joseph’s chest pressed against Luzia’s back.

Luzia widened her eyes in terror, tears welling up in her eyes, ready to trickle down at the blink of an eye.

Because of her extreme fear, Luzia’s body stiffened like a stone, unable to shiver anymore.

She heard Joseph’s voice draw near, like a demon’s call, “I need you, Luzia.”

“No!” Luzia struggled to force a syllable out of her throat, but she couldn’t find more words.

Vivian couldn’t bear to watch and quietly said to Alajos, “I want Luzia to stay with me.”

Vivian’s voice was soft, but it didn’t escape Joseph’s ears.

Joseph turned around, and with just a gentle glance, the fierceness in his eyes couldn’t be hidden.

If Joseph had fangs, they would have been bared in an instant to sever theprey’s neck. “Vivian, you should believe that I need my wife more than you do.”

“But…”

“Don’t anger me, Vivian,” Joseph licked his teeth like a vampire, “I believe your husband wouldn’t want to see us engage in a more ‘friendly’ conversation than we just did.”

Vivian tightened her grip on Alajos’s sleeve.

Alajos stared at Joseph with a dark look.

Joseph fearlessly met his gaze, his eyes shifting occasionally, revealing a hint of malice as he aimed at Vivian’s stomach.

“Am I right, Alajos?”

It was a blatant threat and a provocation to Alajos.

But Alajos had to grit his teeth and endure.

“Am I not right, Alajos?” Joseph’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, his tone growing heavier, expressing dissatisfaction with Alajos’s brief silence.

“Of course, you can take your wife, Joseph. It’s your right.” Alajos struggled to steady his breath, resisting the urge to explosively shoot Joseph in the head. He reminded himself that the time was not yet right, to endure, to endure!

“I suppose you have also heard that my grandfather in distant Italy has selected a bride for my brother, Simpson. They are getting along quite well,” Alajos said. “My aunt is preparing to host a family gathering for them. As a member of this family, I hope you and Luzia can join. Can you?”

Joseph sneered, “You can tell me the time of the gathering.”

“Out of respect and courtesy, my aunt will personally send you a formal invitation,” Alajos seized the opportunity to make his request, “Aunt Yazmin is very fond of Luzia, please don’t let her be saddened by Luzia’s scars.”

Joseph looked at Alajos with a cold gaze. He must have cursed Alajos angrily in his mind more than once, but at least he maintained a facade of peace, “If it’s the wish of the beautiful and noble Lady Yazmin, I am happy to oblige.”

In the end, Luzia was taken away by Joseph, and Mare silently left the room. Simpson raised his eyebrows, looking at Alajos, not very pleased, “A family gathering for me and Giulia? Why wasn’t I informed?”