Francesco woke up from his nightmare breathing heavily. He sat up on his bed and looked at the bed side clock. It was one in the morning. So it meant he had hardly slept for one hour after he had called it a day at work. He looked at Adele and leaned over to her and gently planted a kiss at the side of her head and whispered "You are my world sweetheart."

Francesco took care not to wake her up as he slowly got up from the bed and walked to his liqueur cabinet. He always needed a drink after seeing one of his nightmares. The effect of alcohol on his system was quick. It made it easier to endure the images of the horrors he saw in his nightmares. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and walked to the balcony door but didn't open the door. He didn't care about walking out with no shirt on and catching a cold. He just didn't want to wake up his angel with an unexpected wind.

Francesco started sipping from his drink and looked over at his compound. He tried to make himself forget his nightmare. He kept telling himself that he didn't need anyone anymore and had an empire that was the envy of the top business men in the world. Now he had power too. Plenty of it. His father couldn't hurt him and his brother anymore. He was old enough to move on with his life and be with the girl of his dreams soon. His Adele. His shining light. The first and only girl he had laid eyes on that he truly loved. He still remembered the first time he had seen her. it was the best day of his life. The day he had found a ray of hope in his life. The day he had found her, he had become convinced that miracles happened. He never dreamt he could find a woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He never thought he could find a woman that could ever walk in a room and make him feel like the luckiest man in the world just by being there. He never thought he could ever meet a woman that could light up his dark world with her bright smile. He never thought he could love anyone so much.

Then he heard her beautiful voice. She sounded sleepy "Francesco ... What is it? Why are you awake?"

Adele was afraid. She was still shaken up from the events that day that had gone by so slowly and painfully. The day Francesco had murdered so many people for revenge for his fathers assassination. She shuddered at the thought. She wasn't sure how to think about him being awake. Was he up to more dispecable acts even at that hour? She couldn't be sure. But she thought back to Costanzo's words. He kept telling her not to give up on Francesco and be strong. So she was putting her fears aside and making a conversation with him hoping to carry on their relationship as it was without showing his much he was scared of Francesco after a fresh reminder of what he could do and what he did for a living.

Francesco gave Adele a weak smile and leaned to the balcony window sipping from his drink. He whispered " I am sorry for waking you up sweetheart. I just woke up from a nightmare."

Adele was curious. She spoke " A nightmare? Really? Do you ... want to talk about it?"

Francesco sighed and put down his drink on a side table. He walked to Adele and sat on the edge of the bed as Adele moved slightly to give him room to sit. He spoke " It happens sometimes. I get nightmares. I just need a drink afterwards to keep me calm. I don't think talking about it will help."

Adele spoke " It's obviously bad enough to wake you up and keep you awake. Was it ..... about me or anything to do with me?"

Francesco shook his head " Not this time. Sometimes I see nightmares with you present in them but this one wasn't about you ..... It was about one of my last memories of my mother."

Adele felt sympathy for Francesco as emotion crossed his face. She moved her hand towards his. She gently took his hand in hers and spoke " Tell me. What was it about? I want to know what's keeping you awake tonight."

Francesco took a deep breath and looked thoughtful. He then sighed " Fine. I tell you. But it don't matter. It is from a long time ago.... My dream was a memory of the past. What i describe to you actually happened but its one haunting memory. It was a scene showing the last thanksgiving dinner my family had. All four of us. My father, Costanzo, I and my mother. All around the same table. My uncle couldn't make it for some reason that year. I don't know why. So Costanzo and i set up the table and my mother brought the turkey in and all those delicious pies she had made. We sat together and ate. And then ..... my father and my mother started arguing. They were fighting. I couldn't remember before why the fight had started till now but I saw it in this dream. It was an actual memory I had forgotten. I think that's what this nightmare was. It was me revisiting the past. One of my last memories of my mother ...."

Adele spoke softly " So why were they fighting. What had happened?""

Francesco spoke in a sad tone " It started when we all took turns to say what we were grateful for. Costanzo and I didn't even get to say what we were grateful for since our parents started fighting before it was our turn.... My father said he was grateful that he had two sons and he was grateful he could one day mold his oldest son in his own image and mild his second son in his brothers image. Of course now it makes sense. back then his plan was in place. He wanted me to take over from him and wanted to give Costanzo away to my uncle since our mother had helped our uncles wife escape. And then it was my mothers turn ....." Francesco closed his eyes shut

Adele squeezed Francesco's hand and spoke " Go on."

Francesco opened his eyes. He looked hurt. He spoke with pain " She was brave. She gave my father an answer he didn't like. She said she was grateful that her blood was running in the veins of his sons too alongside Rosario blood and she was grateful she had sons that knew what love was. That did it. My father didn't let her say anything else. She had more to say. He got up and ...... he walked to her chair. He told her to get up and follow him. She said no. Then ... He ..... hit her on the cheek and told her again to follow him. When she refused again, then he .... he slapped her harder and made her lose her balance and fall off the chair. Then he started hitting her more and more and shouted at her " " These children are all you have. I would take them away from you. I will turn them against you. Call your lawyer and tell him our court date will be moved forward. I won't let you make them weak."

Francesco continued "Costanzo and I were very little. We couldn't stop our father but we ran to our mother, fearful telling our father to stop and pleading to him. He didn't stop. He just ordered a couple of his employees to come in and drag me and Costanzo to our bedrooms while he carried on. That's the last thanksgiving with our mother. A total nightmare."

Adele sat up and looked at Francesco with concern. She shook her head in disbelief. She whispered " I am so sorry ..... I can't believe this ..,,, no child has to go through this. Your father is a true monster. He ruined everything."

Francesco nodded " I know. But it's over now. This memory shouldn't affect me so much now but it does. I have planned to destroy my father and my uncle when I receive my mother safely which would be soon. My uncle promised he would hand her over once I carry out his revenge mission. But I would want my mother to have a say in how to get revenge o my father for hurting her and my uncle for separating her from Costanzo and I. My uncle Piero was protecting my mother from my father but could at least let us visit her but he didn't. And cherry on top of my fathers crimes is separating me from you. That's unforgivable. But when I think of this nightmare I just saw I think my mother should be the judge. She suffered too much. I really want her to meet you Adele. She would love you."

Adele spoke " I don't know what to say. I just hope you feel better soon and see your mother. I also hope you don't see nightmares any more..."

Francesco spoke " I think seeing that nightmare was triggered by something I did yesterday. Nightmares sometimes happen for reasons."

Adele spoke " How do you mean? Are you talking about ...... killing people?"

Francesco shook his head " Not exactly. Specifically I am looking back to how I killed those men my uncle ordered me to. I killed those people .... in front of their families. As you can tell when someone watches a family member suffer, it stays with them. I got the idea when Antonio told me to spare the women and children. I mean I don't care if they live or die. They are no threat now. But they maybe one day. So I agreed to Antonio's ideas since he insisted but on one condition. I let women and children go free but they had to fully witness how their man of the house suffered and died. Those I spared were informed that if they ever wronged a Rosario, they would watch anyone else that they ever knew suffer the same faith right in front of their eyes including themselves. So they would suffer nightmares and would learn not to ever cross a Rosario. So that's why I think my nightmare was triggered. I was traumatised years ago and I traumatised many yesterday ..... at the cost of their life. That's a good bargain that I was never offered. I witnessed my mother suffer and my father took over my life. He separated you and I to train me to be like him. Only one slight problem for him is that he didn't predict that I would be even more powerful than him one day. I could crush him if I wanted to but I have to wait to see my mother first and ask her for a verdict. Anyways sweetheart, I better not tire you out. We have a long day tomorrow. Try to go to sleep." He then got up and walked around the bed as Adele complied and laid down.

Francesco then laid down on his side of the bed.

Adele asked " What are we doing tomorrow? Are you still ...... busy with your business? Are you still doing what your uncle asked you to do all day tomorrow?"

Francesco spoke " No, I don't have to be present the whole time. I will order my men on how to deal with whoever that's left to be dealt with. We have tomorrow to ourselves and can pick up your clothes from that French boutique and see the Hollywood designers. We can maybe go shopping for thanksgiving that's in two days and then we can drop by that Hollywood ball if you felt like it. Since the Rosarios didn't attend the organisers extended the ball to a two day event. So you can still meet some new people. I would love to keep you awake and talk some more now but you need to rest. Good night now sweetheart."

Adele sighed " Good night." She couldn't believe how many sides there was to Francesco. One minute he was cold and short tempered that she feared talking to him. The next minute he was showing a side that proved he was human and had some feelings deep buried inside his soul. Only Costanzo could have answers when she was confused about her relationship with Francesco. He always had answers.

Costanzo believed she was strong enough to handle whatever Francesco was going to throw at her in life. But she was doubting her strength. How could she put up with Francesco for a life time knowing he was doing criminal acts that she couldn't even endure hearing about let alone watch. How could she spend a life with a cold blooded crime boss who no one dared to argue with or confront. She was doomed. She knew it since her feelings towards Francesco were becoming more intense.

She was beginning to love Francesco more and more in the past few days. The caring and gentle side he showed her when they were alone had glimpses of the past. She still remembered Francesco's acts of kindness and bravery towards her. He had risked his uncle's wrath boldly all those years ago by confronting his uncle to save her from suffering. She still couldn't believe how a child could be so brave. Francesco had only been fifteen when he had committed himself to saving her and her parents. She could still see glimpses of that Francesco sometimes when he smiled and truly laughed. This made her feel overwhelmed with love for him but also she was becoming so overcome by feeling sympathy for Francesco. If he wasn't his father's first born son , maybe he wasn't going to be facing this life. If Costanzo was the first son maybe he was now in Francesco's place and Francesco could be more caring just like how Costanzo was and Adele didn't have to fight so hard to get used to a relationship with a mob boss.

But now after listening to the account of what Francesco had endured at a thanksgiving table as a child, made Adele more determined to get to know Francesco better and make more effort to make their relationship work. She knew Francesco's father was abusive but she didn't know Paulo Rosario even didn't allow his sons peace at a thanksgiving dinner table leading to nightmares and trauma years later.