The Moretti Heiress

The warehouse echoed with a silence so sharp it felt like the air itself was holding its breath.

Serena stepped up to Billy like a reaper in soft sneakers, her grip on the knife tight, jaw clenched, and her eyes void of anything but rage. There was no trace of the girl who smiled at Kayden's dumb jokes or cried over cartoons with Nico.

No softness.
No tears.
Just wrath wrapped in flesh.

The blade glinted under the low flickering light as she gently—almost lovingly—dragged the tip across Billy's cheek. Not deep. Just enough for his skin to split open.

He whimpered.

She smiled.

"Oh no, don't cry yet," she cooed. "We're just getting started."

She trailed the knife slowly down to his chest, watching his muscles twitch under the fear. Then—

SLAM.

The blade plunged into the top of his shoulder, so hard it buried deep in muscle. Her hand twisted.

Billy howled.

"You hear that?" she asked calmly, eyes gleaming. "That scream?"

She dragged the blade downward—shoulder to elbow—slow and vicious.

"Was that how Leo screamed, huh?" she snapped, voice breaking. "Did he scream when you stood over him while he begged for his big sister to come save him?"

Billy sobbed. "Please—please—"

"Oh now you beg?" she hissed. "Where was that mercy when he cried out for me—while bleeding out in the fucking street?!"

Blood dripped from the knife, from her fingers, painting the concrete beneath them red.

She turned to Jared.

He flinched.

"Your turn, Jerry," she said sweetly. "I saved the best for last."

She moved toward him, slow and deliberate, like a wolf with a scent. His eyes widened.

"I wonder," she mused, head tilting, "how it'll feel to slice that lying tongue out first. Since you love using it for bullshit."

Jared shook his head violently. "Don't—don't touch me—!"

"Touch you?" she whispered, inches from his face. "Baby, I'm going to rearrange you."

She slammed the knife into his thigh.

SCREAM.

"That's for my mum, bitch."

Another stab—just above the knee.

"And that's for Leo."

Jared thrashed, crying out, his blood soaking his pants, chest heaving. He was incoherent now—just noise and shaking chains.

Serena raised the knife again.

Then—

"SERENA!"

Kayden's voice broke the haze, but she didn't stop.

"SERENA!" Nico barked, louder, but it was like she was underwater—drowning in her own rage.

Her arm swung up—

CLANG.

Strong arms locked around her from behind.

"That's ENOUGH!" Kayden yelled, yanking her back with force.

"LET ME GO—" she screamed, voice wild. "LET ME FINISH THEM—KAYDEN—MOVE!"

"Serena, LOOK AT ME!" he shouted, gripping her face. Her eyes were wild. Blood on her cheeks, her hands, her hoodie. She didn't look like Serena—she looked like war.

"You'll never come back from this," he said, voice cracking. "This rage will eat you whole. Don't let them win like that."

She blinked.

The knife hit the ground with a clang.

Then—

She crumpled.

Kayden caught her before she hit the floor, pulling her close as she sobbed into his chest. Her shoulders shook. Her hands wouldn't stop trembling.

The Moretti brothers swarmed around her like a wall—shielding, protecting, ready to kill.

Dante picked up the knife, flipping it once before tucking it away. "Warehouse gets torched if it has to. This never happened."

Luca nodded, silent and cold, already planning every possible loose end.

Adrian knelt beside Jared, who whimpered like a wounded animal. "That was five minutes," he whispered. "You better hope she never gets ten."

Back at the Mansion

The ride home was silent, heavy. Kayden didn't let go of her hand once.

When they reached the mansion, Alessandro only gave Kayden a single nod before letting him escort Serena to her room. No questions. No judgment.

Even the brothers didn't complain.

Luca and Adrian brought her food. Nico and Dante followed with ice cream and a warning.

"If you so much as kiss her cheek right now, we'll break your face," Dante said mildly.

Serena didn't even smile.

She sat on the bed, knees drawn up, Kayden beside her.

"You know," she whispered, voice flat, "at first I used to blame myself."

Kayden looked at her, heart pounding.

"I tried to protect Leo. I covered him with my body. I held him. I begged him to stay."

Her voice cracked.

"I thought he died in that crash. That I failed. But today I found out—he was alive. And those sick bastards... they killed him anyway."

Tears slipped down her cheeks.

She looked up at Kayden, eyes burning.

"I'm going to kill them," she said quietly. "Not out of rage. Not because I snapped. But because Leo and Mum deserve justice. My whole family does."

She sighed, curling into the blanket.

"But not tonight. Right now, I'm sleepy."

A/N: 

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Ding ding ding!
Ashes to Blood officially wins!!

Y'all really showed up in the comments and made it loud and clear — you're ready for chaos, trauma, and seven overprotective brothers. 

I'll be posting the prologue and character profiles soon (Probably right after this), so get ready to meet Eden Blackthorn and the rest of the fam.

BUT (don't come for me 😭)... you'll have to wait just one week for regular chapter updates because — drumroll — EXAMS.
(Yes, I'm suffering too.)

Thanks for being patient and amazing, as always.
Love you all to bits

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Revenge level: Uninstalling their soul through slow stabbing. 

This chapter was therapy. Serena went full Final Boss and honestly? They got off easy. 

Drop your revenge scores below:

"Stab them again"
"Full chainsaw next time"
"Let Leo haunt them until their teeth fall out" 

Let's hear it!