TWENTY-FIVE YEARS LATER
A black suit encased the body of Alessandro Romano, now mature and commanding. He stood before a large mirror, his reflection mirroring the image of a king born to rule. His short, neatly trimmed black hair emphasized his mixed Indonesian and Italian features. His face exuded a charm that was intensely contrasting: beautiful yet dangerous, captivating yet deadly.
He was not just handsome. He was poetry incarnate, elegance cloaked in menace, light born of darkness.
At this young age, Alessandro, the sole heir of the Romano Mafia Dynasty, had taken full control. His authority was cold, but behind the gleam in his eyes, a calm storm lay in wait, ready to thunder.
Alessandro turned toward the door when he heard approaching footsteps. His mother, Bianca, an elegant woman with distinct Indonesian beauty, stood in the doorway.
"Mama," Alessandro greeted softly.
Bianca smiled softly. "You look very handsome tonight, son. Will Giulia accompany you to the party?"
"Yes, Mom," Alessandro replied briefly, gazing tenderly at the woman who had given birth to him.
Bianca looked at her son with a searching gaze, trying to find something hidden behind Alessandro's handsome face.
"Do you still have frequent dreams, son?"
Alessandro sighed deeply, his gaze fixed on his mother. His memories drifted to the dreams that haunted him nightly since childhood. Soft cries, long screams, and the roars of a pair of tigers often robbed him of his peace.
"Those dreams are like a curse to me. But even when I'm awake, there's something I can't ignore. My breath always quickens whenever I recall the gaze of those two tigers. Their eyes look at me as if pleading for help," he said in a heavy, painful voice.
Bianca sighed deeply. The elegant middle-aged woman walked towards the large window of her son's room. Gently, she pulled back the curtains, allowing the full moonlight to stream in and bathe the room in a pale, mysterious glow. She looked up at the sky and whispered,
"The full moon has come."
Her memory drifted back to the past, when her son was born under the light of the full moon, accompanied by such strangeness. A strangeness that became even more apparent during Alessandro's childhood, when he was never like other children.
"What's wrong, Mom?" Alessandro asked, stepping closer. He looked at his mother's face as she gazed at the moon, lost in thought, as if he knew what weighed on her mind. Alessandro smiled faintly, trying to soothe her heart.
"Trust me, nothing will happen to me," he said softly, trying to calm her.
Alessandro knew his mother's habit; every full moon, Bianca would look gloomy and filled with anxiety. After comforting his mother and saying goodbye, Alessandro left for his girlfriend's house.
That night, the city of Naples was illuminated by lights. The narrow streets, lined with old Renaissance-style buildings, glowed dimly. Music from the party seeped out of the large villa owned by a famous mafia family. The aroma of red wine mixed with cigar smoke filled the air, creating an atmosphere both warm and dangerously heavy.
Inside the villa's hall, a grand party was in full swing, seemingly turning a blind eye to the blood that never ceased to stain their world.
Alessandro stood among the crowd of guests, lost in the dance with his girlfriend, Giulia, who looked stunning in a red dress. The two of them were absorbed in their dance, accompanied by a live orchestra.
"We shouldn't be here. I hate being among these old men with blood on their hands," Giulia whispered as Alesandro pulled her tightly into his arms.
Alessandro smiled faintly. "I know, amore mio. But as the heir to the Romano family, I cannot refuse this invitation. They are waiting for my move. One day, I will leave this world. I promise you."
Giulia looked into Alessandro's eyes, trying to convince herself of the truth of the words spoken by the man she loved so dearly. "I will wait for that day."
Alessandro tightened his embrace, soaking up the warmth of the woman he loved. Slowly, he lowered his head, his lips gently touching Giulia's forehead, as if he wanted to capture that moment forever.
"I will never break my promise," he whispered softly, as if every word was an oath born from the depths of his heart.
Giulia lifted her face, her eyes lost in the depth of Alessandro's gaze. Time seemed to stop; there were only the two of them amidst the glittering party. Two oceans of souls met on the horizon, intertwined with no intention of parting. Music played, conversations echoed, but all of that vanished from their ears. All that remained was the warmth of love, promises engraved in their hearts, and a silence that spoke more deeply than a thousand words. In that embrace, they seemed to live in another world, where romance and loyalty became a single breath.
Amidst that deep gaze of love, the lively atmosphere was shattered in an instant.
Bang! Bang!
Gunshots broke the air, drowning out the music and laughter. Glasses and bottles shattered. The panicked screams of the guests mingled with the sound of overturning chairs. The dance floor turned into a chaotic sea of running bodies. The luxurious villa instantly became a battlefield.
Alessandro grabbed Giulia, pulling her behind a marble pillar. "Tiara mia! Don't let go of my hand!" he shouted anxiously, his eyes darting around.
But bullets are always faster than promises. A shot pierced Giulia's chest.
Her body swayed, her face pale, eyes wide in disbelief. Fresh blood spurted out, soaking her red dress until it looked like a wilted rose cut by a storm.
"Giulia!" Alessandro screamed, hugging his lover's weakening body in his lap. Giulia's trembling hand touched his face, leaving a trail of blood on his cheek.
"Ale... don't... don't cry for me. Your life... must go on." Giulia's voice trembled, barely audible, her lips smeared with blood.
"No! Don't say that. I can't live without you!" Alessandro screamed hysterically, his body shaking, while bullets whizzed around them.
Slowly, Giulia's eyes closed. A faint, fragile smile appeared on her lips, full of love, as if she wanted to leave one last mark on the heart of the man she loved so dearly.
"Arrivederci... amore."
Giulia's head fell back. Her last breath disappeared in Alessandro's embrace.
The full moon appeared from behind the cracked large glass window of the villa. Its silvery light fell directly on Alessandro's face, illuminating the tears mixed with his lover's blood. Suddenly, his eyes flashed silver, a strange and frightening light clearly visible in both eyes.
The faint sound of a tiger's roar reached Alessandro's ears. The sound echoed wildly and mysteriously, creeping into his bones. The sound of gamelan music could be heard, as if heralding war drums from a hidden world, shaking the air.
Alessandro looked up and… "Arghh!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. His roar sounded like an angry wild animal, terrifying enough to pierce bones. The villa fell silent; guests, guards, and even the attackers froze in place.
Roarrr! Alessandro's roar split the air. Instantly, his eyes turned tiger-like, terrifying silver flashes emanating from both eyeballs.
Slowly, Alessandro lowered Giulia's body to the cold floor, covering her gently, as if giving her a final, eternal embrace.
"Whoosh!" He darted like a tiger, his body nimbly weaving through the crowd. Shadow claws and roars combined with the thud of bullets and breaking glass. Every deadly movement, every leap and attack sent the attackers tumbling, as the magnificent villa transformed into a mystical battlefield, filled with blood and terrifying shadows.
Vengeance was born, under the same full moon, demanding retribution for the blood that was spilled.