Library
Maghanap
Home / Not Your Chip / Chapter 1

Share

Not Your Chip
Not Your Chip
Author: Soda

Chapter 1

Author: Soda
The wheels of the plane barely touched down at JFK when my phone blew up with over a dozen encrypted alerts.

I grabbed my luggage, walked down the jet bridge, and swiped open my screen. Plastered across the homepage was a big, bold red banner: [Congrats Don Valenti on your heavyweight gift from the Rossi Family!]

Below it was a receipt from a high-stakes underground poker game. The loser's signature: Julian Vance.

The stake: Chloe Rossi.

My secret boyfriend of three years—the guy who swore he missed me every single day while I was in Europe—had just traded me away like a chip the second I landed. He handed me over to Lucian Valenti, the top Mafia Don in New York.

Before I could even swallow the disgust, the encrypted chat room went wild.

Julian uploaded a photo of me himself.

It was my old profile picture from four years ago. One hundred and eighty pounds. Oversized gray sweats, a bloated face, and cowardly eyes.

Julian Vance: [Everyone, meet Miss Rossi, fresh back from her European studies! Don Valenti, if she's not heavy enough for you, I'll throw in two cases of fine wine.]

The mocking comments poured in like a tidal wave.

[Hahaha! Second-in-command, you're wild! Is this a gift or a prank?]

[European butter really plumped her up. She must be two hundred pounds by now!]

[Can the Don even sleep tonight? Or will this pig crush him to death?]

Ding.

A private message popped up from Julian. A voice note. His voice sounded hungover, fake, and callous:

"Chloe, listen to me. Put your European fairy tale aside for a second. Don Valenti was at the table tonight. If I didn't lose something major, the Rossi family wouldn't get the arms deal for next quarter. As the old Don's daughter, it's your honor to step up for the family. Be a good girl and show up at the club tomorrow night. Don't embarrass me."

I squeezed my phone, my knuckles turning white, my stomach churning.

Three years together. One year apart. In his eyes, I was just a stepping stone for his ladder.

Right then, someone started a high-stakes poll in the chat: [Betting time: Will Miss Rossi actually show her face at the club tomorrow night after a whole year?]

Julian dropped a public bet without hesitation: [30 grand says she stays home hiding in her hole.]

Next, Camilla—the city's infamous socialite—dropped a voice note into the group. Her tone was sweet, dripping with pure malice:

"Julian, how could you do that to little Chloe? Sure, she's a bit chubby and weak, but she's still the former Don's bloodline. Chloe, sweetie, if you're scared, just beg Julian. I'll ask the Don to go easy on you."

I stood in front of the giant mirror in the private lounge. I put on my sunglasses and slid off my heavy trench coat.

In the mirror stood a woman in a tight black slip dress. Sculpted collarbones, sharp shoulders, and a waist without a single drop of extra fat. Drop-dead gorgeous proportions.

That year in Europe, I trained four hours a day, transforming from 180 pounds to a stunning 105. I earned my title as a top jewelry designer from the Royal College of Art. I washed away all my fear and self-doubt.

I thought I came back to New York for love.

Turns out, I came back to crush a bastard's pride.

Looking at Julian's 30-thousand-dollar bet, I stayed silent. Inside, my heart turned to ice.

I opened the betting channel, linked my card, and dropped fifty thousand dollars on one option: [Shows up on time].

The chat room froze. Everyone lost their minds.

[Holy crap! Who just dropped fifty grand on her showing up?!]

I wiped away a stray tear. My fingers flew across the keyboard.

Amidst the chaotic laughter and taunts, I sent my very first message since coming home:

[I'll be there on time. See you all soon.]
Patuloy na basahin ang aklat na ito nang libre
I-scan ang code upang i-download ang App
Nakaraang Kabanata Susunod na kabanata

Pinakabagong kabanata

  • Not Your Chip   Chapter 10

    "Chloe! Wait for me!"Screeching tires shattered the warm moment. Julian ran out of the club doors, clutching his sports car keys, dripping in sweat. His clothes were a mess, his eyes filled with begging and desperation."Chloe! Please give me a chance! Let me drive you home! We can talk this out—"Before I could speak, Lucian stepped sideways. His tall, broad frame blocked the car door like an unscalable mountain.He looked down at Julian with eyes cold as steel:"No need. Starting tonight, she's the true boss of the Rossi family. As for you..."Lucian paused, dropping the final blow with a cold smirk:"A pathetic piece of trash isn't worthy of standing by her side.""Chloe! Please pick up! I was wrong, I swear!"The piercing ringtone kept going off all morning.Since midnight, the rumor had blown up all over New York's underworld: "Underboss lost his supermodel girlfriend of three years on a bet." Julian became the biggest laughingstock in the whole city. He completely lost his pull.

  • Not Your Chip   Chapter 9

    "N-No... This isn't real! Fake! You faked this!" Julian held the papers, his hands shaking like crazy, his eyes bulging out of his head."An official addendum signed by the Old Don, backed by the seal of the International Notary and all Five Families." Lucian's voice carried zero warmth, booming through the silent VIP room. "The Old Don saw right through your greed and uselessness. Every Rossi asset, the armory, and the core shares go to Chloe. Anyone who tries to steal them will be stripped of their title and thrown out!"The whole room fell into dead shock."Holy shit... The real big boss was Chloe all along?!""The Old Don trusted the Valenti family to hold his private business and guns... He was just waiting for Chloe to turn of age!""So Julian was just a fake insider working for the heiress?! He's not even a boss—he just got wiped out!"The loud whispers slapped Julian straight across the face.He collapsed onto the floor, pale as a sheet. "I don't believe it! How could the Old D

  • Not Your Chip   Chapter 8

    "Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen..."Amid the wild gasps and countdowns from the crowd, Lucian held me steadily in one arm. His chest pressed tight against my face. The steady thumping of his heart beat against my eardrums.Julian lunged forward like a maniac to snatch me back. "Give her back to me!"Lucian didn't even spare him a glance. He turned his body, using his solid back to block Julian completely out. He kept me guarded, flawless and untouched."Let go of her! She's been my woman for three years!" Julian roared hysterically, his eyes bloodshot like a demon."Three years together, and you still put her up as collateral on a bet?" Lucian's voice dropped, cold as a poisoned blade. "Three years, Julian. Is that all it was worth to you?"The words hit Julian like a sledgehammer to the face. He stood there, mouth agape, pale as a sheet, unable to squeeze out a single word."Three, two, one! Time's up!" a bodyguard yelled.Fifteen seconds. Not a second off.Lucian gently set me down. The

  • Not Your Chip   Chapter 7

    I slammed right into Lucian's chest—hard as steel. His cold cedar scent instantly wrapped around me."Sure you don't want to back out?" Lucian's hand tightened on my waist. His deep voice brushed against my ear, suppressed and raspy. "Just give the word, and the bet is off.""Are you kidding, Don?" I tilted my head back slightly, my red lips brushing his chin. "I always keep my word. The show's just getting started."The whole room held its breath.A flash of heat lit up Lucian's eyes. He picked up a silver fork from the table, cut a piece of rich chocolate cake, and fed it right to my lips.Without missing a beat, I parted my lips and bit down on the cake. The tip of my tongue casually brushed against his fingertips. Lucian's entire body went rigid. His eyes darkened instantly.I took the silver fork from his hand, cut another small piece, and held it to his lips. "Your turn, Don."Lucian locked eyes with me. He leaned down slightly and took the silver fork into his mouth. Under his d

  • Not Your Chip   Chapter 6

    "W-What did you say?!" Julian froze, struck like lightning.Dead silence fell over the room. A second later, disbelief and mocking laughter erupted from the crowd."No way! She's gotta be a plant!""Hey sweetheart! Whatever she paid you, I'll pay double! Do you even know who you're playing? She's the prize tonight! Quit joking!""Right! That picture on the dark web was a 200-pound whale! Underboss, did you hire a top-tier escort to save face?!""Exactly! Bringing a fake to play the part? You think we haven't seen a hot woman before?"A few flustered enforcers shouted, waving their phones with the old photos from the encrypted channel. They stormed forward to expose my "fake mask." But as they zoomed in on my face, searching for plastic surgery or faked details, the gunman in front suddenly went wide-eyed. His breathing stopped dead."Wait... Look under her left eye!" The gunman screamed, holding up a digital photo. "That tiny brown mole! The size, the spot... It's exact! Just like the

  • Not Your Chip   Chapter 5

    Just before stepping inside, I paused and whispered to the man beside me, "Mind if I go in first, Don? I'd love to see the look on their faces.""After you," Lucian said, smooth as silk. He gestured to his men to open the heavy doors, stepping back with effortless chivalry.I gave him a sharp, knowing smile, then strutted right into the main hall.The loud laughter, clinking glasses, and rowdy catcalls died out the second the doors flew open. Dozens of eyes turned to the entrance, expecting a trainwreck.Two mob bosses near the door froze, high-end cigars hanging uselessly from their lips."Holy shit..." one muttered, almost dropping his glass of whiskey. His eyes nearly popped out of his head."Where'd this bombshell come from? Did some mob princess lose her way?" The other pushed his chair back so fast it shrieked against the floor, ignoring the clatter of his own gun. He offered me a predatory grin, gesturing to his table. "Hey sweetheart! Over here! Best seat in the house!"Pure lu

Higit pang Kabanata

Maaari mong magustuhan

Galugarin at basahin ang magagandang nobela
Libreng basahin ang magagandang nobela sa GoodNovel app. I-download ang mga librong gusto mo at basahin kahit saan at anumang oras.
Libreng basahin ang mga aklat sa app
I-scan ang code para mabasa sa App
DMCA.com Protection Status