Leo's Pov I wasn’t stupid because one doesn't build an empire from blood and bullets by ignoring the twitch in your gut when something feels off.And Alessia? She was screaming off these days louder than a snitch in a confession booth.She thought she was slick, flashing that pretty little smile and batting those gorgeous eyes at me like I didn’t see the way her hands shook every time she touched me or I didn’t notice her jumping at every goddamn shadow and hiding things plus locking herself away like I was the monster under her bed.Cute.Real fucking cute."Keep an eye on her," I ordered Marco and Vito after breakfast, low and cold so she wouldn’t hear. "Don’t spook her, just tail her tight. I want to know where she goes next."Marco grunted before nodding. "You think she’s running boss?"I gave a cold and sharp smile while drinking the wine on the table. "I’m thinking she’s already halfway gone."And by noon, I had the answer I didn’t want.Vito’s voice crackled through the burner
Alessia’s POVI didn’t see Leo the entire morning, and honestly, I preferred it that way. After what happened last night and watching him hand over the key to Ricci like I was some idiot playing checkers with a king, I didn’t want to breathe the same damn air as him. I stayed locked in the guest room he assigned me to. Every small sound outside my door had me flinching like a scared mouse. Leo hadn’t touched me or yelled, he hadn’t punished me yet and that’s what made it worse. He was silent like a loaded gun you knew was about to go off.By noon, I was losing my mind. I stared at the cracked screen of my burner phone when a soft knock landed on the door that made me almost scream. My heart punched my ribs as I tiptoed to the door and cracked it open, half expecting Leo’s cold glare but it wasn’t him. It was a young girl in her twenties, she was definitely the same age as mine or maybe older. "Hi," she said sweetly. "You must be Alessia." I nodded at her as I stared in confusion
Alessia’s POVThe next day was even worse especially at the fact I was supposed to be working but Leo won't say a word about it, I know I messed up but who wouldn't do what I did if they were in my shoes. Nina stood in the hallway with two glasses of champagne, she smiled at me and it was clear to know that it's fake. She arrived here yesterday and was already calling me names, flirting with Leo and acting like an angel again but she held the glass out to me like she came in peace.“I’ve been a total bitch,” she said with a fake little pout. “I’m sorry, it's just so weird to see someone else in the mansion aside from Leo and my mother.”I didn’t respond right away, I just stared at her, wondering if drinking anything from her hand was basically asking for a death wish but I was tired of the glares and the silent treatment I was putting myself through concreting more enemies wasn't an ideal thing to do, So I took the glass which was Stupid despite my subconscious mind was screaming a
Leo's Pov I knew today was going to be shit the second I walked into the warehouse and half my men looked like they were about to start praying.Word spreads fast in this world, very fast especially when you’ve got a woman like Alessia doing things she wasn’t supposed to—like leaking footage of me to the goddamn press. One little leak, one blurred face, one inch of bare leg on camera and suddenly, every business partner I had was acting like I gave them herpes.My Meetings were pulled and Money paused. It was as if we were suddenly on a thin fuckin’ ice, and all because my lovely wife had a moment of rage and forgot she was married to the devil.Rico kept pacing behind me like a nervous rat, while I sat there staring at the same spreadsheet for the third time. Nothing was moving as there was no shipments, No intel or clear route for our next hand-off. “Boss,” Rico muttered, voice low, “Viktor’s here.”I didn’t move. Just tilted my head slightly.“Send the bastard in.”Viktor walked
(Alessia’s POV)“You act like you don’t want it,” he growled, his voice hoarse and desperate. “You pretend you’re not like the rest, but you’re just another tease in silk.”“I’ll scream,” I warned, heart pounding. “I’ll gut you.”He laughed, dark and broken. “Try.”And then he lunged.I barely had time to move. He caught me mid-turn, shoving me back until I hit the bed. His weight pinned me down, hands grabbing, fumbling.I thrashed, kicked, screamed bloody murder—but the room felt too far away from reality. My skin was on fire from the earlier drug, my body moving slower than my mind. I felt like I was swimming in cement.“Let go of me!” I shrieked.His hands were on my wrists now, forcing them above my head.“You don’t say no to me,” he spat. “Not tonight please.”He leaned down.His breath hit my face, sour and wild, and I swear I felt my soul leave my body.But just as his lips brushed my cheek—BANG.The door didn’t open. It exploded.And there, standing in the smoke, eyes darker
Nina’s POVI knew damn well Leo would lose his shit if he found out what I was doing. So I kept it quiet and didn't say a word about Alessia'l when I went to see her and found out that she had already passed out from consciousness. I called in a few men I trusted, or at least thought I did because I had to get Alessia out of the picture. The girl was a walking headache with a pretty face, and Leo… Leo wasn’t seeing clearly when it came to her. I've been in the mansion for years trying to get him to see me and just when I thought I'm having that favour, she crushed it before it began.She had to go and it was as simple as that.I didn’t need to lift a finger—just made a few calls, gave a few orders, and watched from my bedroom window as the bastards did exactly what I told them to. Quiet and Clean like she was never there, no even Leo could suspect a thing in his own mansion because he's already too busy handling other important deals.I called my mother after, expecting a lecture may
Alessia’s POVMy head throbbed like someone had been using it as a damn drum. Everything felt too white and too bright. My body felt too light like I’d been floating in limbo and just got slammed back into reality.Where the hell was I?The soft beeping of machines and the sterile smell of antiseptic hit me all at once. I blinked, squinting against the brightness overhead. The ceiling wasn’t familiar as It wasn’t the mansion. The sheets weren’t silk and the air wasn’t thick with cigar smoke or tension.I jerked up as panic crawled down my spine like ice.“Leo?” My voice cracked, barely a whisper. “Leo!”There was nothing, Just the quiet hum of a heart monitor and my own ragged breathing.Where was he? Where was I?I tried to move but something tugged at my arm. An IV, Great. Just great! Something looked so wrong and I couldn't even remember what happened. I ripped it out, hissing at the sting. I swung my legs off the bed, but the second my feet hit the floor, the door opened the l
Alessia’s PovI never knew how quickly one's life could fall apart until mine did in the space of a few days. My mother-in-law's voice echoed through the Mansion's marble hallway, cutting the silence like a blade. "You're the reason my son is rotting in a cell! You and your stuck barren womb!"I gripped the rails of the stairs, steadying myself as I let her words sink in. Sofia had never approved of me marrying her precious Matteo. Now that her son was arrested, her claws were fully extended and ready to tear me to pieces."Mother, please—" I started."Don't 'Mother please' me!" She stalked toward me in her designer heels, each click against the floor like a countdown to detonation. "Three years of marriage and nothing to show for it. No grandchildren, and now no son! You're just here to leach everything in my son's house and spend our money!""This isn't about me not getting pregnant," my voice was barely above a whisper. "Matteo is in jail because of his own actions."My mother in
Alessia’s POVMy head throbbed like someone had been using it as a damn drum. Everything felt too white and too bright. My body felt too light like I’d been floating in limbo and just got slammed back into reality.Where the hell was I?The soft beeping of machines and the sterile smell of antiseptic hit me all at once. I blinked, squinting against the brightness overhead. The ceiling wasn’t familiar as It wasn’t the mansion. The sheets weren’t silk and the air wasn’t thick with cigar smoke or tension.I jerked up as panic crawled down my spine like ice.“Leo?” My voice cracked, barely a whisper. “Leo!”There was nothing, Just the quiet hum of a heart monitor and my own ragged breathing.Where was he? Where was I?I tried to move but something tugged at my arm. An IV, Great. Just great! Something looked so wrong and I couldn't even remember what happened. I ripped it out, hissing at the sting. I swung my legs off the bed, but the second my feet hit the floor, the door opened the l
Nina’s POVI knew damn well Leo would lose his shit if he found out what I was doing. So I kept it quiet and didn't say a word about Alessia'l when I went to see her and found out that she had already passed out from consciousness. I called in a few men I trusted, or at least thought I did because I had to get Alessia out of the picture. The girl was a walking headache with a pretty face, and Leo… Leo wasn’t seeing clearly when it came to her. I've been in the mansion for years trying to get him to see me and just when I thought I'm having that favour, she crushed it before it began.She had to go and it was as simple as that.I didn’t need to lift a finger—just made a few calls, gave a few orders, and watched from my bedroom window as the bastards did exactly what I told them to. Quiet and Clean like she was never there, no even Leo could suspect a thing in his own mansion because he's already too busy handling other important deals.I called my mother after, expecting a lecture may
(Alessia’s POV)“You act like you don’t want it,” he growled, his voice hoarse and desperate. “You pretend you’re not like the rest, but you’re just another tease in silk.”“I’ll scream,” I warned, heart pounding. “I’ll gut you.”He laughed, dark and broken. “Try.”And then he lunged.I barely had time to move. He caught me mid-turn, shoving me back until I hit the bed. His weight pinned me down, hands grabbing, fumbling.I thrashed, kicked, screamed bloody murder—but the room felt too far away from reality. My skin was on fire from the earlier drug, my body moving slower than my mind. I felt like I was swimming in cement.“Let go of me!” I shrieked.His hands were on my wrists now, forcing them above my head.“You don’t say no to me,” he spat. “Not tonight please.”He leaned down.His breath hit my face, sour and wild, and I swear I felt my soul leave my body.But just as his lips brushed my cheek—BANG.The door didn’t open. It exploded.And there, standing in the smoke, eyes darker
Leo's Pov I knew today was going to be shit the second I walked into the warehouse and half my men looked like they were about to start praying.Word spreads fast in this world, very fast especially when you’ve got a woman like Alessia doing things she wasn’t supposed to—like leaking footage of me to the goddamn press. One little leak, one blurred face, one inch of bare leg on camera and suddenly, every business partner I had was acting like I gave them herpes.My Meetings were pulled and Money paused. It was as if we were suddenly on a thin fuckin’ ice, and all because my lovely wife had a moment of rage and forgot she was married to the devil.Rico kept pacing behind me like a nervous rat, while I sat there staring at the same spreadsheet for the third time. Nothing was moving as there was no shipments, No intel or clear route for our next hand-off. “Boss,” Rico muttered, voice low, “Viktor’s here.”I didn’t move. Just tilted my head slightly.“Send the bastard in.”Viktor walked
Alessia’s POVThe next day was even worse especially at the fact I was supposed to be working but Leo won't say a word about it, I know I messed up but who wouldn't do what I did if they were in my shoes. Nina stood in the hallway with two glasses of champagne, she smiled at me and it was clear to know that it's fake. She arrived here yesterday and was already calling me names, flirting with Leo and acting like an angel again but she held the glass out to me like she came in peace.“I’ve been a total bitch,” she said with a fake little pout. “I’m sorry, it's just so weird to see someone else in the mansion aside from Leo and my mother.”I didn’t respond right away, I just stared at her, wondering if drinking anything from her hand was basically asking for a death wish but I was tired of the glares and the silent treatment I was putting myself through concreting more enemies wasn't an ideal thing to do, So I took the glass which was Stupid despite my subconscious mind was screaming a
Alessia’s POVI didn’t see Leo the entire morning, and honestly, I preferred it that way. After what happened last night and watching him hand over the key to Ricci like I was some idiot playing checkers with a king, I didn’t want to breathe the same damn air as him. I stayed locked in the guest room he assigned me to. Every small sound outside my door had me flinching like a scared mouse. Leo hadn’t touched me or yelled, he hadn’t punished me yet and that’s what made it worse. He was silent like a loaded gun you knew was about to go off.By noon, I was losing my mind. I stared at the cracked screen of my burner phone when a soft knock landed on the door that made me almost scream. My heart punched my ribs as I tiptoed to the door and cracked it open, half expecting Leo’s cold glare but it wasn’t him. It was a young girl in her twenties, she was definitely the same age as mine or maybe older. "Hi," she said sweetly. "You must be Alessia." I nodded at her as I stared in confusion
Leo's Pov I wasn’t stupid because one doesn't build an empire from blood and bullets by ignoring the twitch in your gut when something feels off.And Alessia? She was screaming off these days louder than a snitch in a confession booth.She thought she was slick, flashing that pretty little smile and batting those gorgeous eyes at me like I didn’t see the way her hands shook every time she touched me or I didn’t notice her jumping at every goddamn shadow and hiding things plus locking herself away like I was the monster under her bed.Cute.Real fucking cute."Keep an eye on her," I ordered Marco and Vito after breakfast, low and cold so she wouldn’t hear. "Don’t spook her, just tail her tight. I want to know where she goes next."Marco grunted before nodding. "You think she’s running boss?"I gave a cold and sharp smile while drinking the wine on the table. "I’m thinking she’s already halfway gone."And by noon, I had the answer I didn’t want.Vito’s voice crackled through the burner
Alessia's Pov I knew what I had to do to bring an end to all of this shit but my mother was on the line and any mistake of any kind would send her dead.Leo was dangerous when he was suspicious and right now, he was a hair-trigger away from tearing the city apart for me. If I didn’t move fast, my entire plan would crash and burn.I waited until after dinner and made sirte he was relaxed. I watched him quietly as one hand nursed a whiskey, the other flipping through a stack of intelligence reports. I waited until he let his guard down and he looked at me with that dangerous mix of protectiveness and desire that made my body betray me every time.I thought of the punishment he said I was going to give to him and even though it sounded so awkward and silly, I was ready to do it now, anything to distract Leo Ricci from finding out about my scheme qothmybex husband who was after my life.I slipped onto his lap without a word and his brows furrowed as he looked up, amused. "Starting troubl
Leo's PovI was reviewing the shipment ledgers in my office as my head was pounding from back-to-back meetings, when the faint sound of heels echoed down the marble hallway and it was no other than my wife, Alessia. I didn't need to look up to know it was her. I didn’t need to look at all to know something was wrong.The moment she walked in, everything in me snapped to attention. Her movements were way too careful, too fucking deliberate that she didn’t meet my gaze the way she usually did, didn't throw that smart mouth at me either. And when she did glance at me, her hand shot up awkwardly to her neck, like she was trying to hide something.I leaned back in my chair and jaw clenched in displeased. "Alessia," I said slowly. "Come here."She froze, then moved toward me, stiff as a damn soldier and I didn't miss the way the housekeeper, Greta, lingered around her, unusually tender and offering her a plate of food like she was nursing a wounded animal. Alessia barely looked at her and