IVY'S WORLD

__________Third person Prov__________

(I would be using Moretti often for Caspian as that's what they call him in the mafia world.)

Don Moretti, he was the head of one of the most powerful Mafia families in the city. The name Moretti was given to him by his grandfather to rule the underworld, so whomever knows him as Moretti Comes from the underworld.

Ruthless in business and underworld, yet fiercely loyal to those he loved, Caspian had built an empire on strategy and unflinching resolve. But there was one person who had touched a part of him no one else had managed to reach— Ivy Leah Steel, his bride-to-be.

He put on a face for the world to see but he's a total different person when dealing with the underworld.

The abduction of his bride to be has activated his murderous inner self even though he always tries not to kill unnecessarily.

Everyone is worried. The two families has been staying at his mansion for security reasons. He has been searching for hours and days. It's another day without Ivy and he's about losing it.

Brandon, Nick and Scott has been doing everything to track her but what can they do when she's not with her phone or any other thing that can be used to track her. All they have are the traces of Andy from the day he abducted her.

They are all gathered in Caspian's office when a call came in.

"We have your bride," the caller said. "If you ever want to see her again, you'll do exactly as we say."

The words hit Caspian like a dagger to the heart. Ivy had been abducted, and it was clear that this was more than just a simple kidnapping. It was a message—a declaration of war. The rival family, the Russian cartel, had been eyeing Moretti's empire for years, and now they had found his weakness. This was when he knew that the abduction is not just about Ivy's ex lover but about himself too. They had gotten to him through his woman and that's where he drew the line.

Although they had established a green ground with the former Don, but Dimitri is another problem all together. He's the cousin to Vasquez the previous Don and his right hand while he was alive. Dimitri has always wanted that position and he has it now. Killing his Don is not the problem but he's wanting the impossible.

Moretti/Caspian's first instinct was to raze the city to the ground, to burn every building and tear apart every alley until he found her. But he knew that this was exactly what his enemies expected. Instead, he took a deep breath and summoned the cool, calculating persona that had made him so formidable. "I need proof of life," he said, his voice as icy as steel.

A moment later, his phone buzzed with a video. It was Ivy, tied to a chair, her eyes wide with fear but still defiant. "Cas, don't listen to them," she said, her voice shaking yet firm. "Do what you have to—"

The video cut off abruptly, leaving him staring at his phone, fury boiling inside him. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "Gather the men," he ordered his consigliere, Mario. "We're going to war."

But even as he said the words, Moretti knew that brute force alone wouldn't save Ivy. The Vasquez Dimitri cartel was cunning, and they had gone to great lengths to plan this. If he wanted to rescue her, he needed to be smarter than them. He needed to play a game of shadows, just as they had.

Through the video call, he had sported the ring on her finger. He had installed a tracker on it and couldn't be more thankful that she had it on. Why haven't he thought of it in the first place. He noticed that she looked so pale and it hurts him so much.

Over the next few hours, Caspian gathered every piece of information he could. He called in favors, leaned on informants, and even paid off law enforcement contacts. It was a race against time, and every second that passed felt like an eternity. Through his network and Nick's skills, he learned that Ivy was being held at an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city, a place notorious for its secrecy and heavily guarded by Vasquez's men.

Realizing that a direct assault would be suicide, Moretti devised a plan that was as risky as it was brilliant. He contacted one of the cartel's competitors, a group that had long been at odds with Vasquez. He offered them a deal—help him rescue his bride and he would provide them with the resources to take over Vasquez's operations. It was a dangerous gamble, but one that promised rewards too tempting to refuse.

That same night of the rescue, Moretti moved like a ghost through the city. He had only a handful of his most trusted men with him, Brandon, Mario, Scott, Martial and few others. While the rest were stationed to create diversions across the city, drawing the Vasquez cartel's attention away from the warehouse. Explosions echoed in the distance, and chaos spread through the streets as fires erupted at strategic locations. It was a smokescreen, designed to sow confusion and mislead the enemy.

Meanwhile, Caspian and his team infiltrated the warehouse, silently taking out guards as they advanced. Every step was measured, every breath controlled. When they reached the underground room where Ivy was being held, Caspian could feel his heart pounding, not with fear, but with a cold, determined rage.

Inside, Ivy was alone, her hands bound, but her spirit unbroken. The moment she saw Caspian, her eyes welled up with relief. "I knew you'd come," she whispered.

"We're not out of this yet," Cas said, cutting her restraints. "Stay close to me." they stepped out but he soon observed that she couldn't hold out much longer so he carried her in one swing.

As they made their way out, the Vasquez men finally realized what was happening, and gunfire erupted. Bullets ricocheted off walls, and Moretti shielded Ivy with his own body, firing back with deadly precision. The odds were against them, but He had anticipated this, and within minutes, the rival cartel arrived, storming the warehouse and creating the chaos Moretti needed.

In the confusion, Caspian and Ivy managed to slip away, retreating to a waiting car. Mario was at the wheel, ready to get them out of there. But just as they thought they were clear, a final obstacle emerged—the leader of the Vasquez cartel Dimitri, flanked by a dozen armed men.

"Going somewhere, Moretti?" the man sneered.

Moretti stepped forward, pushing Ivy behind him. "If you're going to try and stop us, make sure you finish the job," he said, his voice low and deadly.

The standoff was tense, and for a moment, it seemed as if neither side would back down. But then, from the shadows, came the sounds of sirens. The police, tipped off by Moretti's allies, swarmed the area, forcing the Vasquez men to scatter.

The leader glared at Moretti, knowing he had been outmaneuvered. "This isn't over, Moretti" he snarled before disappearing into the night.

Moretti didn't respond. He simply turned to Ivy, taking her hand and guiding her to the car. They sped away, leaving the chaos behind, the city still burning with the echoes of their escape. As they drove through the night, Ivy leaned against him, exhausted but safe.

What just happened? She wondered.

Why are they addressing you as "Moretti" she asked.

Relax, you're safe now. We will talk about everything after you have checked yourself at the hospital. For now don't say anything and relax.

Andy's words came back to her again.

Do you think you know him enough?

"You took a huge risk," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I would have burned the whole world to find you," Caspian replied, his tone softer than she had ever heard. "But I'm glad I didn't have to."

As the city lights blurred outside the window, Caspian knew that this was just the beginning. There would be more battles to fight, more enemies to face, but for now, he had won. And as long as he had Ivy by his side, he was ready for whatever came next but there's another storm he fears now.

It's time to tell her everything she needs to know. It's time to let her in into the dark world.

They drove straight to the mansion where everyone has been waiting including a doctor. He carried her to his room as she has fallen asleep inside the car.

Everyone had a relief look on their face as the doctor proceed to check on her. He discharged everyone but Caspian insisted on staying.

The doctor carried out a few tests and placed her on Ivy. Gave her some injections and proceeded to the lab with the test species. He said he would be back the next morning.

He told them to get food ready for her as soon as she wakes up.

Caspian could have taken her to the hospital but he's not taking any more chances. He stayed beside her on the bed, cleaned her up with wet towel was now waiting for her to wake up. He caressed her hair and face. His heart hurts for what she might have gone through. He had instructed Mather to get food ready for her.

Her mother has came in few times crying but Caspian assured her that she's fine and nothing would happen to her under his watch.

His own mother has offered to stay with her so he can get some rest but he disagreed and sent them out of the room.

Downstairs, everyone has been quiet. The girls had been blaming themselves for what Happened even though Caspian had told them it's not their fault. He knows the girls knew about Andy and had asked them not to say a word about him to both their parents. He had also briefly explained to Stephen what's going on skipping the part of him being in the other family.

The night was thick with silence, broken only by the distant hum of sirens and the soft murmur of city lights flickering against the darkened sky. It had been six hours since the rescue, and the house was still on high alert. The air inside was thick with a mix of relief and anxiety, as everyone waited for what would come next. Everyone is awake. Ivy is yet to wake up and many questions needs to be answered.

Ivy lay on the bed in the center of the room, her eyes closed, She's starting to wake up. The bandages around her wrists were fresh, covering the raw bruises that told the story of her captivity. Her dark hair, once meticulously styled, now lay in tangled waves around her face, framing the deep shadows under her eyes.

Her rescuer, Cas sat in a chair by her side, his gaze fixed on her fragile form. He had been by her side almost constantly, a silent guardian, as if afraid that if he left, she might disappear.

The room was dimly lit, and the only sound was the occasional rustle of fabric as Amara shifted uncomfortably. She was still getting to adjust to her surrounding and heal not just from the physical wounds, but from the deeper, invisible scars that no bandage could cover. The bruises would fade, but the fear, and emotional scars — those would take longer.

Cas's thoughts were interrupted when Ivy's eyes fluttered open. She looked at him, her gaze clouded and distant, but there was a spark of recognition there. She tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace.

"You're still here," she said, her voice hoarse, barely above a whisper. I thought it was all a dream that you came to rescue me.

Caspian nodded, leaning forward. "I'm not going anywhere. You're safe now."

A tear slipped down Ivy's cheek, and she quickly brushed it away, as if ashamed of showing weakness. "Safe… I never thought I'd hear that word again."

Caspian hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. He had seen many things in his line of work, but nothing had prepared him for the raw vulnerability in Ivy's eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gently.

She was silent for a long moment, her eyes tracing the pattern of the blanket on her lap, as if the words she needed to say were hidden there. "I don't know where to start," she finally said, her voice cracking. "I was… so scared. They said they would kill me if I didn't cooperate."

It was no longer just Andy. At first I thought it was just Andy's sick obsession for me.

Andy stayed with me for a while but later left and never came back. I was relief but that was short lived.

They took me to the underground basement. At first they left me alone but one Dimitri came in later and said he would kill me that I'm just a chess in his game.

He said he would use me to get something from you but will still kill me and Andy in a matter of time.

Did they… hurt you?" Cas's voice was barely a whisper, but Ivy heard the strain in it.

"They… they kept me tied up, barely fed me," she said, her voice shaky, as if she were afraid that saying the words out loud would make the memories more real. "But they didn't touch me, not in that way. They needed me alive and unharmed… as a bargaining chip." He said you killed someone of his and he would take what you cherished most as payment.

She looked up, asking the question with her eyes and Caspian understood that it's time to let her know. He's still scared of the out come but he will take his chances. Whatever happens he's never going to let her go.

Ivy, the truth is that your ex has been chasing after you for a while now using the help of my rival in the mafia. And yes I'm a mafia Lord. I am known as Don Moretti in the mafia.

I took over from my grandfather. My parents are a peace sacrifice between the Italian and Americans, so they excluded them in the mafia. I was born and raised to take over from my grandfather. He thought me everything I know today.

I'm sorry I hid it from you all this while, I was scared that you would leave once you get to know. And I didn't also tell you about Andy because you would run away too. He explained.

Holding his breath and waiting for her reaction or what she would say.

What happened to Andy, she asked.

I don't know yet. Our focus was to rescue you first. I'm yet to meet with the boys to discuss how things are and the next step. Cas answered.

One more thing Ivy, the wedding was for your protection. He continued.

I mean I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you but having the wedding now was to protect you. You having my name to your name will give you some sort of protection from my enemies. No one would like to touch what's mine except the likes of Dimitri and his punishment awaits him. 

Will you kill him? Ivy asked.

He has to die for us to live. Cas answered not looking at her.

He got up but stood looking at her. Whatever you decide, you can't leave me. I can't imagine a world without you in it Tesoro. He said, touching her face. Emotions speaking louder than his voice through his eyes.

I will go get your food, he whispered. Everyone has been waiting for you to wake up.

As he walked out of the room, the air felt heavier, like the calm before a storm. The truth was out, but it was only the beginning. The healing process for Ivy has just started even though she needed time to process everything but she knew that she's not going anywhere and here is where she belongs.

Caspian knew one thing for certain — the game had changed, and the stakes had never been higher. It's no longer about Andy but about Dimitri. He has to finish him off soon or he will lunch another attack on them.

He went downstairs and told them she's awake and needs to eat.

Almost immediately, they all got up some moves to the kitchen while others rushed upstairs to the room.

He shakes his head with a smile. Knowing that she has a lot of people to care for her he moved to his office where the boys has been waiting for him.

How is she? Brandon asked.

She's awake. He answered.

Report?. He asked.