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Chapter 7
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Cheated, Replaced, Then I Took His Empire Chapter 14
Flora’s POVStefan turned to me, surprise flashing across his face. I hadn’t answered him before—he had given me time, never pressing. But somewhere along the way, I had already made my decision.He was the better choice.Not just because he was capable—but because he had proven it. He gave back what wasn’t his. He treated power as something to share, not hoard.I was long past the age of choosing love blindly. Now, I chose the man who could stand beside me.And I knew Stefan could be that man.Whatever this feeling between us was—too early to name, too uncertain to define—it was enough to take the first step.Because together, we wouldn’t just be a couple. We would be a team. And that was what mattered.The hesitation in the room vanished. Hands that had been unsure lifted without pause.There was no need to count. The result was clear.Stefan had won.Luca shouted, his voice breaking into something wild, but before he could do anything, Stefan’s guards stepped in and held him back.“
Cheated, Replaced, Then I Took His Empire Chapter 13
Flora’s POVI didn’t answer.Around the room, murmurs began to rise.“What is this, Luca? We’re laundering money now?”“And for the Raven family? Weren’t they banned from all formal dealings?”“Look at this—an arms deal route in Cuba, and we’re only reporting a million in revenue? Are we running a charity now?”The voices grew louder, sharper.Stefan stepped forward, subtly positioning himself between Luca and me. His tone remained calm, almost gentle.“As it stands, our Don seems less interested in leading this family and more interested in diverting its wealth. Funds that should be distributed, reinvested, used to strengthen the Ricci… have instead been redirected for personal gain.”Several members of the family stood up at once, anger clear on their faces.Luca’s guards moved quickly, blocking them before they could get any closer.The room spiraled into chaos.“Shut up, all of you!” Luca snapped, his control slipping. “I’m your Don! I do what I want. Sit down and mind your place!”
Cheated, Replaced, Then I Took His Empire Chapter 12
Flora’s POVThe second the words left my lips, I wished I could take them back.We were still this close, still wrapped in the same space, but somehow, I had made it harder to breathe.But I couldn’t deny it—there was a small part of me that needed to know why.Stefan’s gaze shifted to me. For a moment, his eyes didn’t feel like eyes at all, but something deeper—like an abyss I could fall into if I stared too long. I should have looked away, but I didn’t.“I’ve never been someone who regrets things,” he said quietly. “But I do regret not introducing myself to you the first time I saw you.”My heart stilled.“That night, at that party… I fell in love with you.” His voice remained steady, but there was something raw beneath it. “And I let you walk away.”I couldn’t move.“I know you’ve been through a lot,” he continued. “I know you won’t trust easily. Maybe not anytime soon.” A small pause. “But I won’t let myself lose that chance again.”His gaze held mine. “My offer… it’s not about u
Cheated, Replaced, Then I Took His Empire Chapter 11
Flora’s POVI remembered what we had been—what I thought we were, the way it started and the way it quickly changed.Was any of it real? I think… once, it was. But love doesn’t survive everything. Not years of power, of calculation, of turning every relationship into something transactional.I remembered it now—I had once wanted something simple, something honest. But I gave all of that up when I chose Luca.I knew a marriage with him would never be easy. Luca was an ambitious man.And back then… I loved him.So I chose him anyway.Now, we stood on opposite sides of the table, not husband and wife, just two people trying to win.Did he really want me back when he placed that bet? Or did he just want to win? To prove something? To keep a perfect wife at home—someone who would never question him?The truth was—That wife role of his could be filled by anyone, even Annie.The host hesitated, clearly unsure how to proceed, but everyone in the room already saw Luca’s face and knew the outco
Cheated, Replaced, Then I Took His Empire Chapter 10
Flora’s POVGasps rippled through the room.“Are they insane?”“Why would they—”“They’re throwing money away!”The host revealed the next card.Eight.We now had Twenty-eight. Bust. Just like that, the round was over.Luca didn’t even need to show his second card. He had already won.His mood lifted instantly.He even stepped onto the stage, taking the microphone with a pleased smile. “Booth six, right? I remember you. Sorry for your loss—but I appreciate the generosity. If you’d like, we can arrange a private meeting later.”The room laughed lightly.The sight made my skin crawl.I looked back at Stefan.He must have seen something in my expression, because he reached over, his voice low. “Trust yourself.”Tonight had been nothing but hesitation—second-guessing, fear, doubt.I kept waiting for certainty, for the perfect move.But maybe…That wasn’t what I needed. Maybe all I needed was to believe—just once—that I could win.The final round began.And Luca— He was even more careless no
Cheated, Replaced, Then I Took His Empire Chapter 9
Flora’s POVThe party was more crowded than I expected, nearly a hundred people filled the space.Every pair had their own booth, separated just enough to keep identities vague. It felt more like an auction than a party—quiet, tense, calculated.But instead of bids, tonight’s game was blackjack.Blackjack 21.Stefan and I were seated in booth six. Luca and Annie were at booth one.I hadn’t expected him to bring her here. Then again, with how obsessed he was with that baby, it made sense. He probably took her everywhere now, afraid something might happen.A bitter thought crossed my mind watching the way he leaned toward her, speaking softly, smiling like nothing else existed…I wondered—Had he thought about me at all? Even once?The host’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Everyone, please take your seats. Tonight’s blackjack game will begin shortly.”The room quieted.“As usual, Don Ricci will play as the house. All other guests will play against him. There will be ten rounds. At the end
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