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Chapter 27: Simmering Anger
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2025-04-30 16:50:06
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His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 28: Escaping The Devil
ISABELLAâYes.â He wasted no time, tossing his things into the trunk. "Let's go. He's probably already trying to figure out where you've gone. We need to hurry," he said, quickly pushing my wheelchair back to the van. He carefully lifted me into the back seat, securing my seatbelt. "You don't know the kind of man you're dealing with, Isabella.""Oh, I know exactly the kind of man he is," I replied, a weariness in my voice. "More than you can possibly imagine. And you're right, he's likely searching for me right now. And you're the only one who can help me, Enrique."He nodded grimly, then hopped into the driver's seat, immediately making a call. "Ready the plane for me, please."The voice on the other end responded instantly, "Yes, General."Enrique hung up and started the engine, pulling away from his house. A wave of relief washed over me. This was it. I was finally going to be free!I felt guilt as we arrived at the secluded airfield where a private jet waited, its sleek lines gle
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-30His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 29: She's Gone
DANTE"Sir, we can't reach Miss Isabella's phone," my secretary blurted out as he rushed into my office. A dark frown immediately creased my forehead. Why wasn't Isabella answering? I understood that the tension between us, the awkward distance, was a consequence of what had happened. But right now, all I wanted to know was if she'd eaten, if she'd done her exercises, if she was alright.Last night wasâĶ complicated. One of my business partners had unexpectedly brought his new secretary, Danica, to our meeting. She'd been hired just the other day, and we'd taken some photos for the deal's announcement. Never in a million years did I think she'd plaster them all over her Instagram, making it look like we were some kind of couple.I sighed heavily, rubbing my face in frustration. "Then call the fucking mansion. Ask what Isabella is doing." The anxiety twisting in my gut was a cold, unwelcome guest.My secretary's face drained of all color as he looked at me, his eyes wide with a fear tha
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-30His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 30: I Let A Woman Play Me
DANTEI softened my gaze, offering Flora a semblance of warmth, though my eyes held a silent, menacing demand. "Now, tell me, Flora. What do you know?"Flora dissolved into quiet sobs, as if her very life was draining away with each tear. I clicked my tongue, the sound sharp in the tense silence. "Flora, I don't want to kill you or anythingâĶ but you most certainly won't die if you just tell me the fucking truth!"Her body trembled uncontrollably. I gestured to one of the guards, who offered her a bottle of water. She gulped it down, her thirst evident, before whispering, "Sir, pleaseâĶ I really don't knowâĶ""Flora, you know me," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "If you lie to me againâĶ" I pulled my phone from my pocket, the screen illuminating her tear-streaked face. "Your son is going to pay for what you've done."Her eyes widened, overflowing with fresh tears. "Please, sir! Don't touch my son! He's only in high school, his life hasn't even begun!""Oh, really? Then why are you lyi
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-30His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 31: Iceland
ISABELLAThe cold Icelandic wind hit my face hard. It was so different from the humid air of the mansion I had left. This cold stung, but it also felt clean. I leaned against the porch of the small cottage. The expansive, dramatic view stretched out before me like a painting. Snowy mountains touched the gray sky. And the air felt quiet and old.Enrique and I had been here for three weeks. For three weeks, the air didn't feel dangerous. The quiet wasn't scary. My body started to relax. The tight feeling inside me from before was starting to go away.Granny ElÃn was Enrique's grandmother. She was strong. Her hands were rough but gentle when she helped me exercise each morning. Her Icelandic language sounded like music. I was slowly starting to understand it. It filled the cottage with stories and laughter. She accepted me without asking too many questions. She always offered strong coffee and her tasty rye bread.The first few days were tiring. I still felt like something bad was going
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-30His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 32: I Want Them Alive
DANTEThe silence in the mansion was heavy, like a thick blanket. Her being gone was real, a hole in the air of every room. I gripped the letter, reading it again. The fancy writing was a mean reminder of what she'd done. âYou wanted to own me, Dante. Now you own nothing.â The words cut me deep.I was angry and felt betrayed. How could she do this? After everything I did for her, after the way IâĶ cared for her, she used me. She played me like I was stupid. I pictured her leaving with that other man, the one Flora described. It made me burn with a cold anger.My men were looking everywhere â airports, ports, every lead. I had people watching, but she had just disappeared. This General, Enrique McCullen, was like a ghost. No recent trips, no friends outside the army. It was like he made her vanish.I couldn't even sleep. Her face was in my dreams, changing from scared to defiant. I remembered how she felt when I touched her, the way she sometimes looked at me likeâĶ like she cared. I was
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-04-30His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 1: The Betrayal
ISABELLA"To Isabella and Caspian!" My father, Victor Sterling's voice boomed as he raised his glass of champagne. "May your future be as bright as your present."I don't know if today is the best day of my life, but I'm thrilled. I'm engaged to the man I've admired since grade school, and now, in our twenties, our families have arranged a marriage. It was intended as a business arrangement, but for me, it's everything I've ever wantedâto marry Caspian Thorne.Everything seemed perfect.I smiled at Caspian, but his eyes were distant. Following his gaze, I saw him staring at my cousin, Danica. Danica, with her pretty, luscious face and perpetually haughty attitude, had always been distant from me. However, Iâd seen her at every family event like this. Her mother is my motherâs sister. But since my mother died, her mother has been rumored to be my dadâs mistress for a decade. Iâve chosen to remain blind to it; as long as my father is happy, what can I do?Danica is Caspianâs newly hire
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 2: His Voice
ISABELLA"Miss Isabella, we regret to inform you about your father.""What? Where is he?" My voice trembled, a knot tightening in my stomach. I never imagined this day, this feeling of utter helplessness."He's been arrested. Financial fraud." He sighed, his gaze dropping to the polished floor as if he couldn't bear to meet my eyes.A gasp escaped me, my hand flying to my mouth. "No..."Outside, the media just arrived; they look like a fucking chaotic monster who wants to get a hold of me with their blinding flashes of cameras. "Shut the gate, please!" I yelled at the guards."He can't have done that. My father is innocent. He can't." My voice was a strained whisper, a desperate plea to a world that seemed to be crumbling around me.My knees felt weak, and I swayed slightly. Financial fraud? The phrase was foreign, impossible. My father, the man who instilled in me the importance of honesty and integrity? He wouldn'tâĶ he couldn't. But the captain's somber expression, the chaos outsid
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 3: Ridiculous Offer
ISABELLA"Where am I?"The nurse checked my IV fluids and replied, "You're in the hospital, Miss Sterling."A flashback flooded my mind. I held my head and asked, "Where's the man who saved me?" I took a deep breath, trying to recall his face, but it was so blurry. I could only remember his voice."A man?" the nurse smiled. "Miss Sterling, you were brought in by your driver."I grasped the sheet tightly, fighting back tears. There was no man.The door opened, and Caspian entered, this time with Danica. Danica clung to his arm, a sweet smile on her face. She looked me up and down, her gaze lingering on the bruises on my arm. "I'm so sorry for what happened, dear cousin. We did our best to find the person who did this to you, right, Caspian?" And I glared at her, my stare piercing her very soul. But she just laughed. "Look at her," she said, "look at how she's staring at me, as if I was the one who tried to kill her."Caspian walked towards me and snatched my chin. "Isabella, you've be
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-13
āļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ
His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 32: I Want Them Alive
DANTEThe silence in the mansion was heavy, like a thick blanket. Her being gone was real, a hole in the air of every room. I gripped the letter, reading it again. The fancy writing was a mean reminder of what she'd done. âYou wanted to own me, Dante. Now you own nothing.â The words cut me deep.I was angry and felt betrayed. How could she do this? After everything I did for her, after the way IâĶ cared for her, she used me. She played me like I was stupid. I pictured her leaving with that other man, the one Flora described. It made me burn with a cold anger.My men were looking everywhere â airports, ports, every lead. I had people watching, but she had just disappeared. This General, Enrique McCullen, was like a ghost. No recent trips, no friends outside the army. It was like he made her vanish.I couldn't even sleep. Her face was in my dreams, changing from scared to defiant. I remembered how she felt when I touched her, the way she sometimes looked at me likeâĶ like she cared. I was
His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 31: Iceland
ISABELLAThe cold Icelandic wind hit my face hard. It was so different from the humid air of the mansion I had left. This cold stung, but it also felt clean. I leaned against the porch of the small cottage. The expansive, dramatic view stretched out before me like a painting. Snowy mountains touched the gray sky. And the air felt quiet and old.Enrique and I had been here for three weeks. For three weeks, the air didn't feel dangerous. The quiet wasn't scary. My body started to relax. The tight feeling inside me from before was starting to go away.Granny ElÃn was Enrique's grandmother. She was strong. Her hands were rough but gentle when she helped me exercise each morning. Her Icelandic language sounded like music. I was slowly starting to understand it. It filled the cottage with stories and laughter. She accepted me without asking too many questions. She always offered strong coffee and her tasty rye bread.The first few days were tiring. I still felt like something bad was going
His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 30: I Let A Woman Play Me
DANTEI softened my gaze, offering Flora a semblance of warmth, though my eyes held a silent, menacing demand. "Now, tell me, Flora. What do you know?"Flora dissolved into quiet sobs, as if her very life was draining away with each tear. I clicked my tongue, the sound sharp in the tense silence. "Flora, I don't want to kill you or anythingâĶ but you most certainly won't die if you just tell me the fucking truth!"Her body trembled uncontrollably. I gestured to one of the guards, who offered her a bottle of water. She gulped it down, her thirst evident, before whispering, "Sir, pleaseâĶ I really don't knowâĶ""Flora, you know me," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "If you lie to me againâĶ" I pulled my phone from my pocket, the screen illuminating her tear-streaked face. "Your son is going to pay for what you've done."Her eyes widened, overflowing with fresh tears. "Please, sir! Don't touch my son! He's only in high school, his life hasn't even begun!""Oh, really? Then why are you lyi
His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 29: She's Gone
DANTE"Sir, we can't reach Miss Isabella's phone," my secretary blurted out as he rushed into my office. A dark frown immediately creased my forehead. Why wasn't Isabella answering? I understood that the tension between us, the awkward distance, was a consequence of what had happened. But right now, all I wanted to know was if she'd eaten, if she'd done her exercises, if she was alright.Last night wasâĶ complicated. One of my business partners had unexpectedly brought his new secretary, Danica, to our meeting. She'd been hired just the other day, and we'd taken some photos for the deal's announcement. Never in a million years did I think she'd plaster them all over her Instagram, making it look like we were some kind of couple.I sighed heavily, rubbing my face in frustration. "Then call the fucking mansion. Ask what Isabella is doing." The anxiety twisting in my gut was a cold, unwelcome guest.My secretary's face drained of all color as he looked at me, his eyes wide with a fear tha
His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 28: Escaping The Devil
ISABELLAâYes.â He wasted no time, tossing his things into the trunk. "Let's go. He's probably already trying to figure out where you've gone. We need to hurry," he said, quickly pushing my wheelchair back to the van. He carefully lifted me into the back seat, securing my seatbelt. "You don't know the kind of man you're dealing with, Isabella.""Oh, I know exactly the kind of man he is," I replied, a weariness in my voice. "More than you can possibly imagine. And you're right, he's likely searching for me right now. And you're the only one who can help me, Enrique."He nodded grimly, then hopped into the driver's seat, immediately making a call. "Ready the plane for me, please."The voice on the other end responded instantly, "Yes, General."Enrique hung up and started the engine, pulling away from his house. A wave of relief washed over me. This was it. I was finally going to be free!I felt guilt as we arrived at the secluded airfield where a private jet waited, its sleek lines gle
His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 27: Simmering Anger
ISABELLAEnrique listened intently as I recounted the past few months, his expression shifting from concern to shock to a deep, simmering anger. When I finally finished, a heavy silence filled the car."Isabella, I'm so sorryâĶ" he finally said, shaking his head, his voice thick with emotion."I thought you knew about the Sterling's scandal, the embezzlement news?" I asked, a sliver of hope flickering within me.He frowned. "Well, it's possible that someone in the underground organization paid a large sum of money to suppress it, to take it out of any source, any news, to delete it from everyone's mind and internet history." He paused, then his gaze sharpened. "So, this DanteâĶ is he your boyfriend?""No. Not exactly," I replied, a bitter taste in my mouth. "We had an arrangement. I felt more like his auctioned bride. HeâĶ he bought me at an auction held by my ex-fiancÃĐ.âEnrique nodded slowly, his jaw tight with barely contained fury. He reached out and gently squeezed my hand, his touc
His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 26: Just Hate Me
ISABELLAA soft gasp escaped my lips, and then a sob tore through me. Tears streamed down my face as I choked out the truth. "YesâĶ"A bitter smirk twisted his lips, but his eyes held a deep, raw pain. "I knew it. I'm not that much of a fool not to see it. Because why would you, right? Why would you ever like someone like meâĶ I'm a monster." He offered a small, heartbreaking smile before turning away and walking towards the door.The words I wanted to say, the confusing tangle of feelings that had taken root, remained trapped in my throat. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe he needed to hate me. Just hate me, Dante.I lowered my head, the sobs wracking my body, echoing in the silence of the room. My heart ached, a dull, heavy throb as if I had physically wounded him. And in hurting him, I realized with a sickening certainty I had hurt myself too. I hated this. I truly, deeply hated breaking his heart.I wiped away the last of my tears with the back of my hand and called out for the ma
His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 25: You Used Me
ISABELLAThree months. For three agonizing months, I'd been trapped in this body, a prisoner in my own skin. Seeing Dante flit around, effortlessly handling business, laughing with some new woman in the living room while I lay here, a useless weight, only amplified the crushing feeling of being a burden. I could move, yes, with Herculean effort, but the most straightforward tasks felt like climbing mountains.My days were a monotonous cycle. Physical therapy every morning, a humiliating two hours of pushing and stretching. Then came lunch, the maid patiently spoon-feeding me like a child because my own hands refused to cooperate. Sometimes, if Dante wasn't consumed by his world, he'd take over, a forced smile on his lips as he narrated some random story, his eyes occasionally betraying a weariness I couldn't ignore. I pity myself. What if he grew tired of this? Of me? The thought was a cold dread that settled deep in my chest, a constant reminder of my helplessness."I'm sorryâĶ" I wh
His Auctioned Bride: Mafia's Ruthless Obsession   Chapter 24: Partial Paralysis
ISABELLA"Miss Sterling," the doctor said gently, "the examination reveals partial paralysis, specifically quadriparesis, or tetraparesis. This means you're experiencing weakness in all four of your limbs. It's a consequence of the severe accident you were in. Please know that in many cases, partial paralysis is treatable, and people can regain varying degrees of movement and strength. Recovery can take time, potentially several months, as your body heals and we work through rehabilitation."The doctor's explanation swung in the air. I didn't even know how to react. The trauma of the accident, the very violence of it, hadn't fully registered, yet here was this new reality: partial paralysis. I stared blankly at the wall, a profound sense of weakness washing over me, eclipsing any other emotion. This moment, this diagnosis, felt like the day I lost a part of myself. Was this my destiny now?"I'm really sorry." The female doctor left after explaining everything, but none of it registere
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