"Don't try to escape, Lisa. Be a good girl, and you won't have to be punished for it. From the moment you said yes to me, you became mine… your body and your life belong to me," his baritone voice whispered as his hands slid between my thighs. ** When Lisa Sanders is kidnapped by Alessio DeLuca, a ruthless Mafia boss, she’s thrust into a world of danger, luxury, and deceit. "She thought he was a monster. He thought she was his salvation." But the closer she gets to him, the more she realizes he’s not the monster she imagined. Beneath his cold exterior lies a man haunted by his own demons. In a world of lies, bloodshed, and forbidden love, can they survive the ultimate betrayal?
Lihat lebih banyak(Lisa's POV)
"Are you really sure about this, Lisa?" my dad asked, his tone full of worry, as I placed the last of my clothes into my luggage. "I'm definitely sure about this, Dad. I'm going to Italy," I replied firmly, giving him a determined smile. I wanted him to know I wasn’t going to change my mind. I was heading to Italy to see my boyfriend, Nathan. He had been there for over three months now, and I missed him terribly. Sure, we texted and video-called almost often, but it just wasn’t the same. I missed being with him, holding his hand, and feeling his presence. Three months ago, Nathan told me he needed to go to Italy for work. He said there was a potential client he had to persuade into partnering with him. Nathan owns a wine business in California, but it hasn’t been doing well. The market is competitive, and he struggles to find the right sponsors to take his business to the next level. I’ve always supported him however I could—financially, emotionally, and in every other way possible. In fact, I was the one who encouraged him to go to Italy when he first told me about the opportunity. But now, here I was, packing my bags and getting ready to follow him because I couldn’t bear being apart any longer. You might call me impulsive or overly attached, but I love Nathan more than I love myself. He’s everything to me, and I’d do anything to see him succeed and be happy. "You should at least tell him you’re coming," my dad said again, his voice tinged with concern. I knew he didn’t want me to go. Being his only daughter, he has always been protective of me. But I’m stubborn—always have been. Once I set my mind on something, no one can stop me. "I want to surprise him, Dad. He’ll be so happy to see me," I replied, trying to sound cheerful. "Do you even know where he’s staying in Italy?" my dad asked, his worry deepening. I could tell he was grasping for reasons to make me stay. My dad has never liked Nathan. He tolerated him for my sake, but I know deep down he doesn’t think Nathan is good enough for me. "Yes, Dad. Nathan told me about the hotel he’s staying at. I’ll figure everything out when I get there," I said, brushing off his concerns. "And what about the language barrier? Italy isn’t like California," he added, still trying to dissuade me. "I’ll manage, Dad. Italy isn’t entirely non-English-speaking, and with Nathan by my side, I’ll be fine," I reassured him. He sighed, realizing I wasn’t going to budge. Though he wasn’t happy, he stopped arguing and instead reminded me to be careful since this would be my first time traveling to another country. When we got to the airport, my dad hugged me tightly, holding on as if he didn’t want to let go. "Just be safe, okay?" he said softly, and I nodded before boarding the plane. The flight to Italy felt quick, though I was too excited to notice the time passing. My heart raced with anticipation, thinking about seeing Nathan after three long months. I arrived in Italy in the evening. The air smelled different, rich with the scent of spices and the sea. I felt a buzz of energy as I stepped outside, taking in the sights. It was a beautiful country, vibrant and alive, with people chatting and laughing as they went about their evening. I hailed a cab and gave the driver the hotel address Nathan had shared with me. At first, he spoke in Italian, but when he realized I wasn’t local, he switched to English. I spent the ride marveling at the streets of Italy, the historic buildings, and the lively nightlife. When we arrived at the hotel, I paid the driver and stepped out, pulling my small suitcase behind me. The hotel was grand, with tall glass doors and glowing lights that made it look even more stunning at night. My heart pounded with excitement. I briefly considered calling Nathan to let him know I was there but decided against it. I wanted to stick to the surprise. Inside the hotel, I approached the receptionist. She greeted me in Italian, and I smiled politely. "I’m from California," I said. "I’m here to surprise my boyfriend." She switched to English and asked for Nathan’s name. After I gave it to her, she hesitated, saying she couldn’t share room details for privacy reasons. I lied, saying it was his birthday and I needed to surprise him. She seemed to believe me and eventually handed over a key card and his room number. "Thank you so much!" I said, beaming as I headed toward the elevator. The elevator ride felt like an eternity. My palms were sweaty as I clutched the key card tightly. I imagined the look on Nathan’s face when he'd see me. I pictured him pulling me into a hug, telling me how much he missed me. When I reached his door, I swiped the key card without hesitation and pushed the door open. "Surpri—" The word froze in my throat, and my suitcase fell from my hand. My heart shattered into a million pieces. Nathan was in bed with another woman. They scrambled to cover themselves, but the damage was done. I had seen everything. My knees felt weak as I stepped into the room, my voice trembling. "What’s going on here?" Nathan didn’t even look ashamed. Instead, he glared at me. "I should be asking you that, Lisa. What the heck are you doing in Italy?" His tone was cold and accusatory as if I was the one in the wrong. "I came to see you, Nathan," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "You’re unbelievable," he snapped. "You do things without asking me! Did I ever ask you to come here?" "Don’t try to turn this on me, Nathan!" I shouted, tears streaming down my face. "You told me you were busy with work, but here you are, cheating on me!" "Well, now you know," he said coldly. "Paige here can help expand my business. She can take it to the next level, something you can’t do, Lisa. You even deprive me of intimacy. I was planning to break up with you when I returned to California, but now that you’re here, I’ll say it to your face—I don’t need you in my life." His harsh words felt like a knife to my chest. Yes, I’d set boundaries in our relationship, but I had supported him in every other way, even giving him my savings. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The man I had loved and sacrificed so much for was throwing me away like I was nothing. "You’re ungrateful, Nathan," I whispered, my voice breaking. Tears blurred my vision as I turned and ran out of the room, leaving my luggage behind. I didn’t stop running until I was outside, my chest heaving as I gasped for air. I collapsed onto a bench, burying my face in my hands as sobs wracked my body. This wasn’t how I imagined my trip to Italy. I had come here to reunite with the love of my life, only to have my heart broken in the worst way possible. As the night wore on, the reality of my situation sank in. I was alone in a foreign country with no one to turn to. My luggage was still in Nathan’s room, but I couldn’t bring myself to go back and face him again. This was the worst day of my life—my first heartbreak, in a place I didn’t even know.(Alessio's POV) I watched the rain as it hit the window in the hotel suite. It's raining just like Lisa had announced yesterday. I couldn't stop thinking about her throughout the night. The way she laughed carefreely with her co-workers lingered in my mind. She seemed happy, as if she had forgotten what she did to me. Why I hid from her is still a mystery I am yet to solve. No matter how hard I think, I can't come up with one specific reason why I hid away from her like I was the one who had done her wrong. I didn't know what she did to me that I can't forget about her or even my feelings for her. I never resented her like I thought I did. Just seeing her face after five years melted all the resentment I had against her. I wanted her back, and I hated myself for craving the woman who almost sent me to my early grave. The ringing of my phone brought me back to reality, and when I looked at the caller, it happened to be Ivan. "What do you want?" I asked after I swiped gree
(Lisa's POV) "That's a pretty name for a pretty lady like you," I complimented her, finding her overwhelming. She laughed and flaunted her hair. "You think so?" she asked in a funny way, and we both laughed. "Yes, you do. You're pretty," I complimented her again. She didn't have California beauty, but she was beautiful. "Thanks for the compliment, Lisa," she sighed. "I wish my fiancé could also say that to me. Do you know he has never complimented my beauty or tell me he loves me?" There was a string of pain in her voice, but she cleared her throat. "I'm saying too much for a first-time meeting, aren't I?" I opened my mouth to say something, but I changed my mind and shook my head. Her fiancé just reminded me of Alessio. He never complimented my beauty, and I only hear him say he loves me once, and it happened because of the situation we were in. "Are you busy?" she asked. "Why?" I muttered, and she sighed again, flipping her hair backward. She was tall. "I came to Ca
(Lisa's POV) Laughter erupted throughout the whole restaurant as I ate dinner with my co-workers. At first, I didn't want to join them, but I decided to—at least it's time for me to make more friends and hang out with them like a normal lady would. "I'm glad you joined us for dinner, Lisa. You've always rejected our offer whenever we invited you for dinner, so I guess this is one of our lucky days," Malia said. She had been working in the company way before I did, but this is the first time we would be having a conversation. Don't blame her, blame me—I always tend to avoid chit-chats, but not anymore. "I'm glad I accepted too," I smiled sheepishly, sipping my glass of red wine. We were ten in number and we were all dining in a round table, just like co-workers do. "You were also amazing today, Lisa. Everyone keeps talking about how smooth and breathtaking your voice is," another complimented me and I smiled at him. "Are you guys having dinner without me?" Frederick asked as he ap
(Alessio's POV) Chloe and I stepped out of the airport, her hand cuddling over me. Looking around the city where Lisa comes from, it almost smelled like her. I've kidnapped her from this city, but this will be the first time I’d be stepping foot here. "I'm so happy you changed your mind and came here with me, Alessio. We are going to have a wonderful moment together, then once we're back in Rome, we will push through with the wedding," she squealed excitedly, but the scornful look I gave her made her stop smiling. "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong to offend you?" she asked. "I make the decision on when we get married, not you. Do I make myself clear?" I declared, and she nodded, smiling again. "You should make the decision on when the wedding will happen. You know better," she beamed at me. A black car stopped in front of us, and two men in tailored suits came out of the car to get our things into the car trunk. We got everything prepared before we embarked on a trip to
(Lisa's POV) "Mummy, when is Daddy coming home? You said he'll be back soon, so why hasn't he come home yet?" Alessia asked as I prepared her for preschool. Isabella was seated on the sofa, but she didn't say anything because she had warned me about this before. "He'll be back soon," I replied softly. "That's what you keep saying, and yet he hasn't come home to be with us. Does my daddy hate me?" she asked, and I quickly shook my head, defending Alessio. "Of course not, Alessia. Your daddy loves you so much," I replied, even though I didn't know what Alessio's reaction would be if he found out we have a daughter together. Is he going to hate her? Love her? Or resent her because of me? "If he doesn't hate me, why is he wasting time coming to stay with us?" she pouted and I licked my bottom lip as I was short of words to say to her. I shouldn't have lied to her, knowing fully well that Alessio would never come to find me. Isabella cleared her throat all of a sudden and said, "Yo
(Alessio's POV) "Why should I go to California?" I asked, knowing that a certain person I didn't want to see lives there. "As you know, Chloe here is my princess," he said with a smile. "And how does that answer my question?" I asked, and he smiled. "It's simple, Alessio. Chloe wants to go on a vacation to California." "I thought you said your dad wanted to discuss something serious with me?" I said, directing the question to Chloe, but she smiled sheepishly at me. It's obvious she talked her dad into this. Just like he said, Chloe is his princess, and he wouldn't hesitate to do anything for her. It was through her influence that he helped me restore the Declan empire. "If she wants to go on vacation to California, she can do it on her own. I don't need to go with her," I said. I wasn't ready to meet her again. I've said it countless times that I resent her, but I wasn't ready to meet her again. "You're her fiancé, Alessio, and you both will be getting married soon," C
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Komen