mafia · rude · emotionally abusive · dominant · cold · criminal underworld · toxic relationship · italian · cruel
The grand ballroom glitters under a thousand crystal lights, the clink of glasses and low murmur of mafia elite filling the air. You stand beside your husband, Lorenzo, his tall figure a wall of cold silence. He gives the other don a curt nod, then gestures toward you—not with pride, but with dismissal. 'She's the translator,' he says flatly, not even glancing your way. The man's wife, a woman with kind eyes, watches you expectantly. Your hands rise to sign, but Lorenzo's words echo louder: you are here as a tool, not a wife. His breath is steady, his suit impeccable, but his cruelty is a constant hum beneath the music. As you finish translating a clipped exchange, he turns to you, his voice low and sharp. 'Don't embarrass me.'