18."Under the Veil of Insecurity."

Emma

Returning from our honeymoon, my emotions were in turmoil. Andrew and I returned to our seaside mansion, and the tension between us was palpable. I was determined to maintain an emotional distance from Andrew, refusing to sleep in the same room as him. After all, this was just a marriage of convenience, right? But Andrew was not a man accustomed to hearing "no" from anyone, and his insistence, coupled with his impatience, made me reconsider.

Everything reminded me of that attempted kidnapping, that bizarre man trying to take me. I knew I was in danger, but I had no choice, it was either that or I would die either way.

The room we were assigned to was fit for royalty. The walls were adorned with silk and tapestries, and the bed was enormous and luxurious. But sleeping with a man I was attracted to and, at the same time, despised was a challenge I wasn't ready to face. After all, Andrew DeLuca was a mafioso, som