LOGINAraceli.A message flashed onto the screen.A: I can see you. Take the back exit through the restroom, love.My breath caught instantly.Without thinking, I pressed the side button, shutting the phone off as it had suddenly burned my fingers. My eyes lifted, and Sonia was already looking at me.A gasp almost escaped my lips.“What happened?” she asked, her voice soft but edged with concern.I shook my head quickly… then nodded… not even sure what I was doing. A strange wave of nervousness crawled up my spine, settling deep in my chest.“I’m fine,” I managed, swallowing the lump forming in my throat.She didn’t look convinced. Her eyes lingered on me, studying, searching—as she could see straight through whatever I was trying to hide.“I just want to use the bathroom,” I added quietly, pushing my chair back as I stood.She hesitated for a second, then nodded. “Do you want juice or matcha?”“I’ll take matcha,” I replied, not even turning back to look at her.I walked toward the end of t
Araceli.We have spent three days now since we got back to New York, yet I hardly come across Matvei. I guess we are both avoiding each other.The thought alone made my chest tighten painfully.I rolled my eyes at myself, wondering how he does it so effortlessly, like everything that happened between us meant absolutely nothing to him. Meanwhile, my stupid heart keeps breaking into tiny pieces whenever the memories of our last moments together flash through my mind.Every single thing keeps replaying.The way he looked at me.The way he spoke to me.The way he hurt me without even realising how deeply it affected me.I hate that despite everything, I still can’t get his name out of my head. It echoes inside me every minute like a curse that refuses to leave me alone.Matvei.Even thinking about him now made something weak curl deep inside my stomach.But I would rather live with that pain forever than keep throwing myself at a devil who only knows how to own me instead of loving me.I
Matvei.My hands clenched into fists as I watched Dmitri drive Araceli away.Fucking hell.I actually made her cry all because of my fucking ego.I just don’t want her thinking we can be in love—or whatever the fuck she calls it. Being around her already makes me weak. Vulnerable.And letting her love me… letting myself feel all those stupid emotions back… would make me even worse than I already am.“Shit,” I cursed again for what felt like the millionth time.How the fuck do her tears affect me this much?I shouldn’t give a fuck about her.She’s my property. I own her and every fucking thing that belongs to her.But dammit… I do care.And that’s the weirdest part of all this.My chest hurt so badly, and I couldn’t even go through my fucking day without wondering if she was still crying… or if she had finally forced herself to accept what I wanted this to be.I shook my head, a migraine creeping in from the thousands of thoughts running through it.I intentionally hurt her.I said all
My heart felt shattered into a million pieces. My eyes burned, heavy with tears, and when I finally spoke, my voice came out low, pain laced through every word.“You didn’t remember it was only a contract when we were together… when you touched me and made me feel all these things I’ve never felt before?”“That was your fucking duty,” he snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose. “What do you think this is?”For a second, I couldn’t even feel my own heartbeat. His words felt like a knife twisting slowly into my chest.“That’s not my duty,” I managed to murmur, though it was loud enough for him to hear. “You know I let you touch me because of what I feel for you.”Another sardonic chuckle escaped him.“No. You let me touch you because you had no other fucking choice.”I stepped back slowly, finally taking a proper look at him. His greenish eyes were stormy, tension heavy across his shoulders.“What about Grace?” I asked quietly. “Did she let you touch her because she had no other choice
Araceli.She widened her eyes and raised her hand to hit my cheek, but my instincts were faster. My other hand caught her wrist mid-air.She froze for a second, and I caught the fear in her eyes. My grip tightened around her wrist as I glanced down at it.She tried to pull away, but I didn’t let go.“Araceli,” Dmitri called, but it did nothing to calm the sudden rage burning through me. How dare she try to slap me? The anger was so intense I almost forgot Dmitri was even in the room, watching everything.“You—get your hands off me!” she shrieked, still struggling.I shook my head, then let go of her hand harshly.“For a mafia princess, you’re way too weak,” I said, rolling my eyes before turning toward the stairs where I guessed Matvei was.I heard her gasp, but I ignored it. My steps were slow, steady, my gaze fixed on the stairs.“The second room by the right,” Dmitri said, like he already knew what I was thinking.I muttered a quiet thank you, about to move—but I paused again.I tu
Araceli.The drive with Dmitri was actually a bit fun… if only I had let myself feel it instead of letting all my thoughts circle back to Matvei.Dmitri kept playing different songs I had never heard before, but they were cool to listen to, the soft bass filling the car as we moved. I just wasn’t in the mood. All I wanted was to see Matvei and ask him questions.Why was I being treated this way?Dmitri tried to hold a conversation with me, but my short replies weren’t helping. I felt bad about it and even tried to keep up, but my attention kept drifting back to Matvei.I must have been boring him, because after a while, he called one of his friends and started talking to them instead.My thoughts finally broke when I noticed Dmitri pulling up in front of a black iron gate. It was tall, solid, and intimidating—something about it screamed wealth and control.My chest tightened.We were here.The guards stepped forward, speaking in Russian. Their voices were low, sharp, and unfamiliar. I
Araceli.“Hi, Matvei.”The brunette from earlier suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around my husband like she owned him.My stomach dropped the moment her arms circled him.Matvei’s jaw tightened instantly.His eyes never left me, but his fingers did.My eyes burned as I watched another
Araceli.I turned slightly and saw Matvei standing outside the door, his tall figure casting a shadow across the seat.I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling too widely and stepped out of the car.The moment my feet touched the ground, he slammed the door shut behind me.He avoided my gaze.His j
Araceli.My heart wanted to argue back, to tell her he had done enough just by offering to take me shopping—nobody had ever done that for me before.But my mind craved more.I could feel it deep inside me, that quiet hunger for more of him. I wanted him to be softer with me, to love me… to apologiz
Araceli.I nodded and stood up, quickly walking out of his office. My chest was hammering so loudly that I couldn’t even hear Sonia’s footsteps behind me.“Araceli,” Sonia called my name.But I was too deep in my head to stop for her.My legs quickened their pace, almost hopping with excitement as







