"Yes, son it's me," she says as she takes steps further towards me. Her presence has everyone mute as all eyes are on her.

"How is this fucking possible? You're dead!," I utter shaking my head in disbelief as I go to stand back up.

She died in one of my father's trades in Mexico that horribly went wrong from what I was informed as a boy. My father searched for her body after the explosion that occurred at the trade, but never got anything. How can anyone survive an explosion?

"I have a lot of explaining to do Leo, but that's a conversation for another time. Right now, I need you to hand over Santana," she sternly demands.

"Are you delusional? I need an explanation to where the fuck you've been all these years because I highly doubt you just rose from the dead!," I clench my fists. The nerve of her to throw demands at me as if she holds some superiority over me.

She lets out an irritated sigh before responding, "if an explanation is what you want then so be it. However, I hope you can take it considering you've become that weak little bitch you were as a boy."

Flashbacks of all the mental abuse I went through because of her. Those three words, that took so long to forget. The same words that I made sure to always prove wrong since I came into power. My hands clench into fists tightly most likely my knuckles turning white from the pressure.

I don't say a word knowing she's trying to get under my skin like she always did before. She notices my silence seeming a bit impressed by it before she continues on, "I faked my death back in Mexico all those years ago. That infamous explosion was caused by yours truly," she smiles sinisterly.

You would think I would feel pained or broken by this truth that was just thrown at me, but I don't feel anything besides pure confusion. As fucked up as it may sound, I have no love for her. How could I? She was never a mother to me. Not once have I known the love of a mother until Madison sacrificed herself to protect our son. Due to her, I've seen what mothers are like, real mothers.

"I don't understand. Why would you do that to father? To the red eagles?," I find myself asking wanting to clear my confusion.

"Plain and simple. Your father dropped the ball many years ago by his alcoholism. The red eagles were definitely losing its top spot because of him. I tried to reason with him, but all that ever got me was trips to the hospital every time. I had to do what I had to do, I didn't waste nor invest so much of my time and hard work into a mafia just to start from the bottom again. I would never allow that," she calmly responds as she crosses her arms against her chest.

As a child, seeing her beat wasn't nothing out of the ordinary. Shit, both of us were always beat. However, unlike her, I had no escape. I was forced to endure this lifestyle, I was born into.

However, one question remains on my mind. Knowing her, she would of never been able to pull such an explosion off all on her own. She isn't the brightest in this mafia world, so there was definitely someone else involved, but who?

"Who helped you? There's no way you could of pulled off all of that all by yourself?"

"You're absolutely right, what an intelligent boss you turned out to be son," she smiles.

"Don't call me that," I coldly spat.

"I'm your mother no matter what you tell yourself. I birthed you always remember that."

I clench my jaw hating how she's absolutely right. No matter what has happened and how much I want to completely cut her out of my life, she's my mother and that's something that can't ever change. It's a curse really.

"Now to answer your question. Just like your father had his sluts, I had my own fun time with his rival whom helped me with everything," she confidently smirks as she looks over my shoulder causing me to turn around quickly.

Santana is now standing up completely wobbling from how weak he currently is.

"You fucking did not!," I murmur feeling my heart fall down to my stomach.

"Oh yes I did. Emiliano would of never gotten near Julian if it wasn't for me."

As I process all of this mess, I can't help, but feel sorry for my father. Regardless, of our relationship, he got betrayed by his wife in the worst way possible for a mafia boss.

It all makes sense, a few months after the explosion where my mother was considered dead, my father was targeted and killed at one of his warehouses. No one knew how Emiliano got near our warehouse, some believed it was mafia luck while others believed, a rat was among us, but little did we know then that the rat was my own mother whom everyone thought was dead.

"Did you know this the entire time?!," I grumble turning around letting a punch hit Santana right on his cheekbone. Soon after the impact, he's on the floor wincing in pain trying to get back up.

"I've always been a step ahead Castillo. Didn't it ever cross your mind how I became aware of your precious Madison?," Santana lets out a spit of blood before continuing on, "You see, your mother has always kept her eye on you," he slightly chuckles causing me to punch him down again.

"You!," I scold turning around grasping her neck. Her chocolate brown eyes widen in horror as she tries to free herself from my hold on her.

"How dare you? I-I'm your mot-"

"My mother is dead since the day she made my life a living hell," I grumble giving her neck a squeeze causing her to gasp for air. Seeing her struggle for air like a fish out of water causes a smirk to appear on my lips. It's so satisfying seeing her weak for once. I've always been the victim by her hands, but now the tables have turned and I'm loving every second of it.

I watch fear swirls in her eyes as she stares at me. "Biggest mistake you ever did was come for my family," I firmly say as I squeeze her neck tightly closing all possibilities of air entering into her lungs and brain. She starts to choke and makes grunting sounds as her eyes start to roll back.

Just when I was about to end the person who was suppose to love and protect me as a child, an annoying voice utters from the back and what she says was enough to grab my attention stopping me from furthering justice.

"S-she escaped!," Ruby grumbles as she slams her cell phone down to the ground shattering it.

"How?!," Santana splutters.

Ruby stays silent looking completely guilty and fearful as if she's hiding something. Something that would get her killed if exposed.

And then it clicks, all these three are connected. Santana, Ruby, and my mother are all working together. However, the difference between the three is that I know Santana and Ruby's intentions besides my mother.

What is she getting from all of this?

"You're behind my destruction aren't you?," I clench my jaw as I loosen my grip on her neck. She starts hysterically coughing as she gasps for air to enter her immediately.

"No, I would never do such a thing. Unlike your father, you're a true leader. You did what he lacked to do and that was the assassination of Emiliano. You did that all on your own and I must say that that was a proud moment for me," she croaks catching her breathe every here and now.

If I thought I was crazy, I underestimated how my mother is. She betrayed my father with Santana's father, faked her death, and now is admitting on how proud she is of me that I took out her lover or old lover whatever their status may be which I don't care to know.

This women is a sick woman.

"Then why are you fucking here?," I scold losing my damn patience.

"Oh Castillo, don't you see? She obviously is after her grandson," Santana responds letting out a chuckle. He's immediately stopped from laughing as Rios kicks him on his back inflicting more pain on him.

Several kinds of emotions mostly anger consumes me as I glare at my mother. Why in the world would she do such a thing? She obviously lacked at being a mother herself, so why would she want what is mine?

To make him go through the same shit as me?

The thought of it fumes me. There's no way I would let that ever happen.

Over my dead body.

"It's not what you think Leo. I just want to make sure he's on the right path. That bartender of yours isn't fit to raise him into this lifestyle and you know that. He's the heir to our legacy, he needs to be guided into becoming the best mafia king just like you," she explains.

"How dare you feel entitled to anything? And be very careful on what you say about my wife Sarai," I warn as I throw the most hateful glare before I continue on, "You're the last female on earth to say anything about parenting."

"I'm the reason you're the top mafia boss ain't I?," she firmly says raising a dark brow. The disgust of seeing her actually feel so accomplished not regretting a single thing she's done to me is almost sickening to my stomach.

"None of this makes sense. You want his son, but Santana over here wants him dead?," Diaz utters completely confused.

"Hello Diaz, what a lovely man my niece got may I say," my mother smirks before continuing, "I'm sure you two know how the mafia game is all about. I would never allow the Castillo bloodline to go extinct. That's why I took it upon myself to hire someone to rescue my dear daughter in law and my grandson as we speak."

"Bitch!," Santana stands up launching himself towards her. However, one of his men stops him from doing so.

"Where are they? Bring them to me now," I demand impatiently.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You see my son, she's the reason why you've become soft. I can't allow for you to become a wuss. As for my grandson. He will be well taken care of that I can promise you," she blankly responds raising her arm up snapping her fingers in the air.

As soon as the snap is heard bullets strike from outside within the premises striking Santana immediately along with his men and the bitch Ruby. The red eagles and I drop down to the floor waiting for the bullets to stop firing.

Once the gun shots stop, two men enter the premises standing behind my mother. Instantly, I knew they're under my mother's control.

"You're not taking my family. I'll fucking kill you!," I scold getting up on my feet aiming my gun at her. As soon as I aim my gun at her, so do her two guards which causes my men to do the same.

"You two are outnumbered," I murmur.

"Am I son?"

As she says this, two more individuals enter the premises changing the entire mafia war. As my eyes land on her brimming emerald green ones, a thousand flips occur inside my stomach as my heart drops down to the pit of my gut.

"Leo," she sniffles as she is pushed to walk near my mother. My jaw clenches as I look behind her recognizing the man who's holding her captive with his grip and gun placed on her temple.

"Good job Damien. I'm very impressed," my mother claps in victory.

"Now son, this is going to be a very crucial important lecture that I need to teach you in this life. In the mafia world, you can't have both. It just never works out so...," she calmly says throwing me a sardonic smirk before proceeding.

"It's time for you to choose between the red eagles or Madison. So who is it going to be son?"

2-3 chapters left until this book is completed. The sequel will be published when I publish the last chapter of this story.

I might hold a title contest or suggestions on my Instagram page for the sequel of Pregnant by a Murderer, so make sure to follow me to vote/suggest titles when available.

Any who, next week I'll be starting my fall semester of college meaning updates may be slow.  You guys know the drill, if I can update I will, but if I don't have the time to then.. please be patient and understanding during school mode.

Any predictions of what might happen next?

Giavanni 🧡