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CHAPTER 24

Author: Nancy Grey
last update Last Updated: 2025-09-10 02:11:22

Dahlia’s POV

I looked up slowly, and my breath caught in my throat. There he was—Luca. Tall, broad, and impossibly still. His presence filled the room like it had a weight of its own, pressing down on me without touching me. His eyes scanned me carefully, unreadable, as if he could measure my heartbeats, my thoughts, my fear. My chest tightened, and my palms became slick with sweat.

I had on a simple white sundress that fell gently to my knees, and I was barefoot. The cold marble floor pressed against my feet with each step I had taken, making me feel even smaller, like a child caught in a world meant for giants. My hair had fallen loosely over my shoulders, slightly messy from hours of wandering through the library.

“Hello,” I whispered, my voice barely audible in the quiet, cavernous space. It sounded like a leaf falling in a storm.

He said nothing about me being in the library, nothing about the fact that I had been touching books I wasn’t supposed to touch. He only nodded slightly
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Iva
Interesting novel. I like it very much
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  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON    CHAPTER 141

    Unknown POVI sat alone in my office, staring at the papers spread out on my desk. Numbers, names, locations. They all blurred together. I had been looking at them for too long, but my mind refused to focus. Every time I tried to read a line, my thoughts drifted back to one name.Luca Romano.Just thinking about him made my jaw tighten. My hand curled slowly into a fist. I hated him with a deep, burning hatred that never went away, no matter how much time passed. He had taken everything from me. Everything that was supposed to be mine.And now it was my turn.I didn’t want to kill him quickly. No. That would be too easy. Too kind. I wanted him to suffer first. I wanted him to watch his empire crumble piece by piece. His power. His reputation. His precious control. I wanted him helpless before I finally ended him.My eyes drifted to another file on the desk. Thicker than the rest.His marriage.A slow, dark smile tugged at my lips. Luca loved his wife. It was obvious to anyone paying a

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 140

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  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 139

    Dahlia’s POVI sat there staring at her, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it was trying to escape my chest. The café suddenly felt too small. Too loud. Every sound around us blurred together, like I was underwater.“So,” I said slowly, my voice low and tight, “you really came all this way thinking I’d just… move aside.”Denise shrugged, like it was obvious. Like it made perfect sense.“You were never meant to be there in the first place,” she said. “That life was mine. Luca was mine.”I let out a shaky breath. “You ran away,” I reminded her. “You left. You chose to disappear.”She rolled her eyes. “Because I was scared. You know how I get.”That sentence.That excuse.It snapped something in me.“You don’t get to say that like it fixes everything,” I said, my voice rising despite myself. “You don’t get to vanish and leave me to clean up your mess, and then come back and ask me to give you my life.”She leaned forward, lowering her voice. “Luca already thinks you’re me. He marrie

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 138

    Dahlia’s POVWhen I went downstairs, Liam was already waiting by the door. He straightened when he saw me and gave a polite nod.“Good afternoon, Mrs. Romano,” he said.“Hi, Liam,” I replied, offering a small smile. “How are you doing?”“I’m good,” he said. “You ready to go?”“Yes,” I answered, even though my stomach twisted as I said it.He led me outside where a black SUV was parked, shining under the afternoon sun. He opened the back door for me, and I slid inside, smoothing my dress over my knees. Once he got into the driver’s seat, I gave him the address of the café I had sent to Denise earlier.The car pulled away from the mansion, and I stared out the window, barely noticing the passing streets.My thoughts were loud.I hadn’t seen Denise since the night she ran away. The night she left me behind

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 137

    Dahlia’s POVI laughed quietly. “Already?”“Yes,” he said immediately, like there was no other answer.My chest warmed. “I miss you too.”I sat down on the bed and pulled the blanket around myself. “How are things going over there?”“I’m handling it,” he replied. “Everything is under control. You don’t need to worry, my beautiful wife.”I smiled at the words, feeling comforted just hearing his voice. “I know.”Then I heard someone call his name in the background. Luca turned his head slightly, listening, his attention being pulled away.“I have to go,” he said, looking back at me. “But I’ll call you later.”“I know,” I said softly. “Go take care of things. We’ll talk later.”He smiled then. That slow, private smile that always made my heart skip. “Be good,” he said.“I will.”“Goodbye, princess.”“Goodbye.”The call ended, and the room felt too quiet afterward. I stared at my phone for a long moment before placing it beside me. My hand drifted back to my stomach again, my fingers curl

  • SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON   CHAPTER 136

    Dahlia’s POVLuca left for Florida that night.I stood by the window and watched his car disappear down the long driveway, the headlights fading until there was nothing left but darkness and silence. The house felt too big after that. Too quiet. Like it was holding its breath without him in it.He called me when he landed. I was already curled up in bed, clutching my phone like it was the only thing keeping me steady. Hearing his voice helped. Just knowing he was safe, at least for now.“I’m here,” he said. “I landed safely.”I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. “Okay,” I whispered. “Call me when you can.”“I will,” he promised. “Go to sleep, princess.”I didn’t fall asleep right away. I stared at the ceiling for a long time, my mind full of thoughts I didn’t want. Warehouses. Guns. Blood. Luca in danger. Eventually, exhaustion pulled me under, and sleep came in pieces, light and restless.The next morning, it hit me out of nowhere.I woke up with my stomach twisting

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