INICIAR SESIÓN"Is something the matter?” Maxton asked Veer with an intense scrutinizing gaze.“Don..Don Retroferd, I was a little confused on what to make for dinner, and I couldn't ask madam because she is resting” Veer said with a timid voice and lowered his head like he was scared.Maxton's frown deepened and he stared at Veer a few seconds longer.“I will have someone replace you, it seems like you are not fit for the job” Maxton said with an irritated tone and Veer immediately became tense.“No…no sir, I was just being conscious because madam is pregnant and I don't know what she is allergic to or what's good for the baby,” Veer said with a panicked voice.Maxton calmed down when he heard him mention Raina and the baby. It also lowered his suspicion towards Veer.“Wasn't a nutritionist employed recently?” Maxton asked impatiently.“Yes Sir” “Then why are you asking anyone else for what to cook for my wife?” Veer quickly racked his head for any excuse, but the anger he was feeling got the bes
“Veer, I can't believe it's you… It's been so long. How have you been?” Raina asked after a few seconds.She was so surprised to see Veer that she just kept staring at him with her eyes wide open. Ava stood on the side with a confused expression on seeing Raina's reaction. She just stood between her and Veer, looking between them."Do you both know each other?" Ava asked with a timid voice but she quickly covered her mouth with her hand like she was scared.Raina frowned on seeing Ava's weird reaction but before she could say anything, Veer laughed calmly.“Raina and I were high school classmates and very good friends. We haven't seen each other ever since” He said with a smile while staring at Raina, but she didn't return the smile, and her eyes darkened slightly. “Ava, are you okay?” Raina asked her with a frown.Ava, have you forgotten what you were doing in the kitchen? Go to the kitchen and check the dishes.There's a lot of work to be done." Veer said with a cold expression, be
The villa felt heavier that morning, a quiet solemnness hanging in the air as Maxton stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his black suit. Carlos and Pascal waited near the door, both dressed the same, their expressions somber, none of them speaking much as the weight of the day settled over them.Raina stood nearby, watching Maxton straighten his jacket, her arms crossed as she worked up the courage to say what had been sitting on her mind since she'd learned about the funeral arrangements."Let me come with you," she said finally, stepping closer.Maxton didn't even look up from adjusting his cufflinks. "No.""Maxton, please," Raina pressed, moving to stand directly in front of him now, forcing him to meet her eyes. "These men died protecting this family. I want to pay my respects too. I want to be there for their families, to show them we haven't forgotten their sacrifice."Maxton's expression softened slightly at her words, but his resolve didn't waver. "I understa
Raina woke up to the sound of loud voices and hurried footsteps somewhere outside the villa. She blinked against the early morning light, reaching over instinctively to feel for Maxton beside her, but her hand met only cold, empty sheets.She sat up quickly and her heart was already starting to race. "Maxton?"She got no response in return, which meant he wasn't around.She climbed out of bed, wrapping her arms around herself against the morning chill, and made her way toward the door. The commotion outside grew louder the closer she got to the staircase, voices shouting instructions, the sound of boots moving quickly across the courtyard below.By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, she spotted Ava standing near the front window, peering out anxiously, her whole body tense.Raina walked up quietly and tapped her on the shoulder. Ava jumped, letting out a small startled gasp before spinning around."Madam! You scared me," Ava said, pressing a hand to her chest."Sorry," Ra
Bailey stood frozen beside her bed, her hand was still pressed against her burning cheek. The pain had already faded, but something else burned hotter underneath it and it refused to cool down.Her mind kept replaying the same thought over and over. It's all Raina's fault, everything that was going wrong in her life was because of Raina!Before Raina ever came into the Retroferd estate, her brothers spoiled her rotten. Whatever she wanted, she got and whatever tantrum she threw, they always tolerated her without any anger. Not once, not a single time in her entire life, had Carlos ever raised his hand against her.Now she has lost count of how many times he has hit her recently. Now she has become a joke to everyone in the estate and was even humiliated by being thrown in the basement."This is all because of her," Bailey muttered under her breath, her nails digging into her palm.Carlos took a slow breath, while watching her carefully from where he stood. "Bailey, look at me." He s
Carlos yanked a shirt over his head and rushed out into the hallway, Marcus already moving quickly ahead of him, his footsteps echoing loudly against the marble floor of the villa's second level."Tell me exactly what happened," Carlos demanded, his voice tight with urgency as he fell into step beside his younger brother. "Start from the beginning. Don't leave anything out, Marcus. I need to know everything before we get there."Marcus's breathing was still uneven from running, but he forced himself to explain as clearly as he could while they hurried down the corridor, past startled maids who quickly pressed themselves against the walls to let them pass."After you and Boss agreed to let her go, I went straight to the basement and got her out myself," Marcus said, his words coming out fast. "She was so happy, Carlos. Crying, hugging me so tight I could barely breathe, saying she couldn't believe she was actually getting a second chance. I hadn't seen her smile like that in months.""
Raina remained standing at the altar and some of the guests stared at her with pity while others had mocking expressions on their faces and were gloating over the fact that she wouldn't be acknowledged as the Don's wife by the Retroferds.Steps suddenly echoed on the stone floor and Lorenzo walked
The cathedral was a monument to old blood and older sins. Its towering stone arches and stained-glass windows usually spoke of peace, but today, they felt like a cage. The pews were filled with the elite of the underworld, men in tailored suits with bulges under their jackets, and women whose diam
The morning of the wedding arrived quickly. For forty-eight hours, Raina had been a prisoner in her own bedroom, the four walls closing in on her until the air felt thin and toxic. She hadn't slept or eaten the bland meals the guards slid through the door. She felt exhausted, her body aching from
“Thud!”“Thud!”“This!”The rhythmic sound of leather hitting canvas was the only tone Raina Valente craved. The boxing gym was a dump but to her, it was a sanctuary and the only place where the name 'Valente' didn’t restrict or meddle in her life. She leaned into a sharp jab and the heavy bag gro







