Chapter: 12. BOUNCING BACK EVEN BETTERARIAI dragged my kids and hid behind a small alcove, waiting with bated breath as he stepped closer. I whispered to the kids. “Be quiet for a moment.” I heard Rowan chuckle. “You don't have to worry at all. This will not leak. Have I ever disappointed you?” My heart thudded in fear as he stopped right by us. I held the children tighter as Nylah shifted uncomfortably. A few minutes later, Rowan ended his call and walked away. I closed my eyes in relief. Nylah’s voice reached my ears. “Mommy, who was that man?” I opened my eyes, giving them a sparkling smile. “Oh. he's nobody.” I took their hands and immediately hurried out of the airport. In my haste, I stumbled and fell, dragging the twins down.I shook as I lifted Nylah from the ground, dusting her off. A man stepped closer and lifted Lark, who was sobbing. Nylah started sobbing at the sound of her brother's pain.“Shush, I'll treat your wounds and you'll feel better at once.” The man soothed Lark who sniffled and held him t
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Chapter: 11. THE LAND OF MY PAINARIAUnder the glow of harsh stage lights, I stood, my breath almost suffocated by the heat.“Action!” I snapped a finger at the dancers and they sprung into action.I was shooting a music video, surrounded by my team. My assistant, Myra, stepped beside me suddenly. Her voice was eager as she spoke in a whisper. “Boss Bennett wants to speak to you.” I frowned. “Now?” I was in the middle of a shoot, and I was rarely disturbed when working. Myra nodded, smiling wider. “Right now.”“Daniel, conclude the shoot.” I said to the creative director as I walked away. Myra hurried beside me. I asked her what had happened but she insisted I talk to Bennett first. I walked into Bennett’s office. He was reclined behind his desk, his handsome face creased in a smile. He came around the desk and took my hand. “We won the contract, Aria!” Joy pulled my face into a subtle grin. My eyes shone as Bennett shook my hand. “The competition results are out?” “Yes. We just received an email. You travel
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Chapter: 9. MY PENANCECASPIAN“We've found her, Boss.” I froze behind my car, having waited three years to hear those very words.My jaw clenched anxiously as I fisted my car wheel. “Are you certain? I won't be disappointed again.” Hugo answered. “Yes, Boss. Remember the engraved ring you left behind? The one we searched the entire clubhouse for? She pawned it. We traced it and discovered her identity. Her name is Talia Michael.” I exhaled to ease my chest, which was tight like a snake was coiled around it. I nodded. “Send me her location right now.”“Yes, Boss.” Hugo hung up and a minute later, my phone pinged with an address. I drove to the office and picked the ring up from Hugo. I drove down to the location, my breath dragging. Three years ago, I had done the most horrendous thing. I pulled up in front of the small antique shop. The place looked derelict and almost abandoned. I knocked and a woman opened the door. She blinked at me, surprise written plainly on her face. “Mr. Finnick?” She stumble
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Chapter: 9. I'VE HAD ENOUGH!ARIAI rushed home from the hospital, hopeful. The house came into view. I walked past the gates, grinning wide.I met my clothes on the ground, right outside, and I froze. They were soaked and torn. I dropped to my knees, fingers trembling as I picked up my scarf.Rowan opened the door. “I was just about to have someone burn your trash,” he said, coldly.I looked up at him, heart sinking even as I smiled up at him, eager to announce my good news. “I’m pregnant, Rowan! We can finally have the child we've always wanted.” His face registered repulsion and hate. The door opened behind him and Zara stepped out in a skimpy, lacy rope.Rowan scowled. “Liar.”I shook my head, fumbling in my bag for the test results. “It’s true. Look, I have the test results.” Zara’s displeased face twisted angrily. “Whose is it? You think being pregnant makes you special?”Rowan laughed. It was cruel. “You expect me to believe that? A slut like you? Didn't you just sleep with another man a few weeks ago?”
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Chapter: 8. THREE WOMEN; A HARD SEARCHI watched her go, torn between going after her or not. There was something soft and broken about her, and I had a feeling that she needed help. Help that my foundation for abused women could offer to her. But I was late for a meeting, so I called Hugo, my assistant. “Find out who that woman is.” Hugo nodded. “Yes, Boss.”Hugo followed the woman as I was driven away. Hugo called later. He couldn't find her. He had searched the entire hospital, but he met one dead end after another. I put her out of my mind, believing I would probably run into her again. I went into my meeting. When I was done, I headed to Grandma's house. My thoughts veered to an abominable thing I had done weeks ago. I had defiled and molested a woman thinking she was my ex girlfriend Laura who had just broken up with me that morning. Laura had sent me photos of herself on the beach in Italy the very next morning so I knew it couldn't possibly be her. My friends had drugged me, getting me drunk at the party and
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Chapter: 7. The Seed of My ArchenemyARIA I flushed, looking like a maid next to Zara who was expertly made up and wearing the new dress Travis had just gifted her.Everyone was whispering. “Ugh, how's she even Zara's sister? They look nothing alike!”“Isn't she the one whom Zara caught whoring around?”I felt shame crawling up my spine even though I had done nothing wrong. The humiliation seemed never ending with these people.Falling in love wasn't a crime, but I was certainly being punished for it! Zara stood on the small stage father had rented for her birthday. Her lips trembled, tears spilling down her cheeks like she was the victim."My birthday dress…" she choked out, holding the ripped fabric with delicate hands. "Aria didn’t mean to ruin it, I’m sure. It was probably an accident.”People turned to look at me. There was disgust in their eyes and I could see they were all judging me. Travis pushed me forward. “I can't believe you would be so vicious as to destroy your sister's dress.” “I didn’t touch her dr
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Signed To The Mafia King
When my father died, he left me The Costa Mafia, a broken family and a target on my back.
Our enemies are waiting for their chance to destroy what’s left of the Costa name.
My siblings are counting on me to save them, but I can’t do it alone.
There’s only one man powerful enough to keep us safe. Luca Marino. The cold, ruthless Mafia king with blood on his hands and ice in his veins.
THE MONSTER.
The man everyone fears.
I walked into his life with nothing to offer but my name and a desperate proposal.
A marriage contract. No love, no romance.
Just protection for my family in exchange for power and status for him.
But Luca doesn’t trust easily. He doesn’t take chances, and he doesn’t care about anyone but himself.
To him, I’m just playing in a deadly game. And the closer I get, the more deadly it becomes.
My mother betrays us, then his father, then Luca dies. Or so I think.
In our world, loyalty is a weapon, betrayal is expected, and love is a weakness that can destroy you.
And now, I’m caught in a contract I may not survive. And falling in love with him daily.
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Chapter: Chapter 71LUCAI jumped.The water swallowed me whole, the shock of cold slicing through my clothes, dragging them against my skin. My Armani shoes felt heavier instantly, but I didn’t care. I surfaced in time to see Alina’s wide eyes before she gasped and sank under the water again.I chuckled. “How long do you plan on hiding with me inside the water?”She didn't reply. I heard the sound of her swimming away and I followed it, laughing so she could hear me behind her. This was fun and relaxing. My morning hadn't been fun. I'd had meeting after meeting with my men who weren't too pleased that I was keeping Valerie in the house. But I had convinced them it was either that, or Valerie would die in three days and I wasn't risking that. I narrowed my eyes suddenly. Alina was trying to escape.Was this going to become a challenge? I pushed off the floor and swarm toward her, but she was fast, maybe too fast. She swam toward the other end of the pool, her legs moving very fast. I grinned and f
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Chapter: Chapter 70ALINAI pulled my phone out as I walked out of Valerie’s room, dialing my mother.She picked up on the second ring. “Alina?”“Get ready,” I said, heading down the hall. “You’re going on vacation in two days.”Mother laughed happily. “Is Sofia leaving finally?”“Yes.”“Oh, finally!” she said, laughing. “I’ve been stuck here for too long.” I swallowed. “You deserve a break, Mami.”She exhaled. “I know.”There was a pause, then her voice became softer. “Valentina came back. She finished cleaning your father’s study.”I stopped walking, feeling guilty. I hadn't gone back to the office since finding the diary even though the room was now supposed to be my own office. Valentina had, though. She had done what I couldn't.I pulled the phone away from my ear and clicked on Valentina’s contact after I had told my mother goodbye. She picked up almost immediately. “I thought you're dead.” I winced. She had most probably heard about everything going on. “I'm very alive and well. I called to s
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Chapter: Chapter 69ALINAI woke up late, still feeling heavy with sleep.Blinking against the sunlight pouring through the curtains, I stretched, but the movement made me stop at once. Something felt off.My skin was touching the sheets, I could feel the air against my body.I pushed the blanket back, and the realization hit me like a punch.I wasn’t wearing anything.A sharp shot of shock went through me, as my eyes snapped to the chair near the closet. My clothes were neatly folded and stacked on it.Luca.My mind went back to last night. The last thing I remembered was leaning against him in the car. Had he carried me upstairs? Undressed me?A strange feeling lit in my stomach. It was partly disbelief, and partly something else I wasn’t ready to name.Shoving the thought aside, I got up and grabbed my robe, heading straight for the bathroom.The hot water ran over my skin, but it did nothing to clear my head. Luca had been gentle because I hadn't even woken up. He had been careful, because if he
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Chapter: Chapter 68LUCAThe car ride home was quiet.Alina sat curled up in the back seat, her legs pulled up onto the leather, her body angled toward the window. She looked half-asleep already, her head tilting slightly, her fingers resting loosely in her lap.I watched her tiredly. The last few days had been difficult. Everything had happened so fast; Riot, Valerie, Daniel, and we’d barely had a second to breathe, let alone talk. And now that things were finally settling, now that the adrenaline had seeped out of both of us, I realized something. I had no idea why that hit me now, in the back of this damn car.But I missed her.Which made no sense because we had spent the vast majority of time with each other, fighting. It had come to me when Daniel had pointed that gun at her.I would have killed him without any care if he had dared to shoot. I cleared my throat. “What do you want to do with Valerie?”Alina blinked, as if pulling herself back to the present. She shrugged, eyes still half-lidded.
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Chapter: Chapter 67ALINAThe door opened and a man walked in, a small boy in his arms.Valerie cried out suddenly, trying to push past Lorenzo to take the boy. “Leo! Oh my baby,” She said. Lorenzo held her back, but she fought him, her body jerking against his, her eyes locked on her son.I felt my heart stop for a moment. He wasn't even my son but from the way he was crying in the man's arms, I could feel his pain. The man carrying Leo stopped behind Daniel’s chair. The boy squirmed, whimpering softly, his face hidden in the man’s shoulder.Daniel leaned back. “Valerie’s coming with me.”Luca lowered himself into his chair. “Not much of an exchange if nothing changes. You're still going with all three of them and Riot after all.” That was the signal. And I almost smiled.Marco walked calmly to the door, opened it, stepped outside and locked it.Daniel wasn't going anywhere unless we let him out.We had just been waiting for him to bring Leo to us. I pulled out my phone and texted Pietro. Bring Ri
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Chapter: Chapter 66LUCAAs we stepped into my office, Daniel was already waiting, sitting lazily in one of the chairs like he owned the place. He looked up, and his mouth curved into a smirk before his eyes rested on Alina. He laughed.“Oh, I see,” he said, looking her up and down lustfully. I felt my blood boil. “She’s definitely a pussy worth all this fighting.”Alina looked disgusted, as though she wanted to spit on his face. I touched her waist to stop her.I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth might crack. My fingers curled into fists, the urge to walk across the room and smash his face into the table nearly unbearable. I could become The Monster, I could crack his face so hard into the table that his numb skull would split apart. I could declare war by killing Daniel.It would take one second. Just one hit, and I would wipe that smug expression off his face permanently.But I couldn’t. Not yet.Daniel was a bastard, but he wasn’t an idiot, at least not completely, because he wasn’t here
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