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The Don's Stand-In Isn't Playing Pretend Anymore

The Don's Stand-In Isn't Playing Pretend Anymore

Short Story · Mafia
By:  LotusCompleted
Language: English
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11Chapters
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Synopsis

Winning Back the Wife

Tragic Love

Plot Twists

Obsessive

Mistress

Unattainable Love

Bias

Regret

Countdown

After I, Rosalie Ricci, was stood up 17 times, the mafia don, Daniel Marino, finally holds the perfect engagement banquet for me. In our second year together, we are ready to get married. But every single time, he has an excuse to hold our engagement off. He says he's busy with work, the timing isn't right yet, or that he isn't quite ready. I never blame him because I love him. I have loved him since our school days. In fact, I have loved him for seven whole years. This is the 18th time. I stand in the banquet hall wearing the gown he personally chose for me and watch as he slips the ring onto my finger. He kisses me with a passionate intensity he has never shown me before. At that moment, I believe that I have finally secured my perfect happiness after waiting seven long years. My happiness only lasts until the guests leave. As I step into the back garden, I see Daniel holding my twin sister, Leah Ricci, in his arms. He says in a hushed voice, "I announced my engagement to Rosalie 18 times. This time, you're finally back." That's when I realize that the engagement banquet that I have longed for is nothing more than a ploy by Daniel to draw Leah back to him. But when I decided to let them be together, Daniel panics.

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11 Chapters
Chapter 1
The guests' blessings still echoed in my ears, but I could no longer feel happiness.My fiance, Daniel Marino, had drunk quite a bit that night. He said he needed some air, but he never came back. He wasn't back even after the engagement banquet ended.I searched everywhere until I finally saw his silhouette from the shadows in the back garden. I was just about to call out to him when my voice caught in my throat.The woman he was holding tightly lifted her head, revealing a face identical to mine.It was my twin sister, Leah Ricci. But I hadn't invited her."You finally came back," Daniel said in a clear voice. It was nothing like his tipsy tone from earlier. He went on, "I arranged to get engaged to Rosalie 18 times. I sent you every single invitation to our engagement banquet... Finally, you decided to show up."My breath caught in my throat.Leah leaned pitifully against Daniel's chest. Her tears and smeared eyeliner dirtied the front of his pristine white suit jacket.Da
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Chapter 2
My mother, Anna Greco, didn't ask a single question. She simply agreed. Many years ago, she had immigrated to Mofrand and had been doing exceptionally well there since then.Just as I hung up the call, a message from Daniel popped up on my phone.He texted, "Babe, I ran into Leah. I'll take her home first. Take a cab back after you see the guests off."But he had been drinking the entire night, so how could he drive?Just as that thought formed in my mind, I laughed at how ridiculous I was. Even after everything, I was still worrying about him.An intense feeling of self-loathe surged within me. As I walked, I clenched my teeth and hurled the engagement ring to the ground as hard as I could.This was not enough… Not even close! Everything I was wearing made my skin crawl. I grabbed the hem of my gown and tore it apart, shredding the tulle until it hung in tatters.Only then did I feel a hint of relief.I didn't know how long I walked before I realized the back of my heel was th
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Chapter 3
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Daniel's call."Are you awake, Rosalie? I asked the maid to prepare your favorite breakfast."I answered with a faint "Okay", and he rambled on. "Something urgent came up at work today, so I can't accompany you to try on the wedding dress. Don't worry. We'll definitely get the wedding photos done before the ceremony," he said. He was still the same—always making promises, but rarely keeping them."It's fine if we don't," I said flatly, stifling a yawn.He fell silent upon hearing that. In the five years we had been together, I was always the one to make peace the next day, no matter what happened on the previous day.I expected him to get angry. But to my surprise, he softened his tone and said, "Don't be mad about last night. I ordered that pink diamond set you liked. Wear it for me at the wedding, okay?"I felt a lump in my throat and hung up without a word.I didn't like pink diamonds. In fact, I didn't like anything pink.Th
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Chapter 4
A week before the wedding, Daniel had still tried to come up with excuses for not coming home at first. But sometime later, he simply vanished.If I were any other bride, I probably would have broken down. But all I felt was relief. If he were back, I would have to pretend and direct my efforts into playing my part to deal with him. All I wanted now was to leave quietly.The day before the wedding, I was packing the last of my encrypted documents into my suitcase when my best friend, Emily Barbieri, called."Hey, Rosalie! How's Parneyland? Was the firework show magical?" Emily asked excitedly.I frowned and said, "Parneyland? I think you got the wrong person."Emily fell silent for a moment before saying, "Wait, didn't you see Daniel's latest post? I'll send you a screenshot."I tapped to open it. In front of the Parneyland castle, Daniel had his arm around a woman with straight hair. She wore a cute mouse headband while holding onto his arm tightly. Daniel looked down at her w
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Chapter 5
Two years ago, I drank until I threw up just to secure a business deal for Daniel. When we were driving home, my stomach hurt so much that a layer of cold sweat formed all over my body. Even when I was so unwell, Daniel prohibited me from throwing up in his car very sternly.However, it seems that his supposed severe obsession with cleanliness could be easily disregarded for the woman he truly loved.I slammed the car door shut and slid into the back seat.Daniel glanced over his shoulder and asked, "Why aren't you sitting in the front?""I'd get car sick." I closed my eyes and refused to talk to him. The rest of the ride passed in heavy silence.When we arrived at Marino Manor, Leah was already there. She was wearing an exquisite white chiffon dress with a garment bag in her arms. A dazzling pink diamond necklace glittered on her neck."Hey, Rosie! I picked up your wedding dress," she said, thrusting the bag toward me. "Go on and try it on."I didn't move.Daniel's eyes flic
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Chapter 6
Daniel's phone slipped from his hand and fell to the floor."Don't be mad, Daniel." Leah stepped closer, looping her arm around his, her eyes flashing with concealed triumph. "Since Rosie and I look exactly the same, why don't I just step in for her? The don's bride running away from her own wedding would be such a scandal.""That's ridiculous!" Daniel snapped, jerking his arm free so hard that Leah stumbled. "Rosalie isn't someone who would disappear without a reason! She loves me so much! Something must have happened to her!"He turned and announced, "The wedding is postponed indefinitely until I get Rosalie back!"Without another glance at anyone, he stormed off, barking orders at his subordinates. "Check every flight. Lock down the ports. Find her and bring her back to me!"Leah's triumphant smile froze. She ran after him, grabbing at his sleeve. "What could possibly have happened to her? You wanted to marry me all along! Why go looking for her?""Leah!" Daniel snapped at her
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Chapter 7
As the plane touched down, I stepped out into the terminal while dragging my suitcase along. From a distance away, I saw my mom waving to me excitedly amidst the crowd.She looked younger than I remembered. She was draped in a sharp tailored suit with her hair softly curled, and her bright eyes full of life. She was nothing like the weary and broken woman tormented by her broken marriage that I had last seen years ago."Rosalie!" She rushed forward and pulled me into her arms.The hug was warm and strong, carrying a faint and familiar scent that was uniquely hers."Mom…" I choked and hugged her back hard.She held my face between her hands and studied my features with reddened eyes. "I'm so sorry, my baby. I couldn't take you with me back then."I shook my head fiercely. "You don't have to apologize, Mom. I never blamed you."If she hadn't built her life from scratch abroad and built her career, I wouldn't have been able to leave so easily without worry."My silly girl," she mu
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Chapter 8
Daniel fell silent for a full minute. When he finally spoke again, his voice was suddenly calmer than before. He asked, "Rosalie, did you look at the photo album in my study?""Yes," I admitted without hesitation."That was in the past!" he blurted anxiously, sounding as if he felt hurt that I'd misunderstood him. "Everyone does stupid things when they're young! I admit that I mistook you for Leah on the night of the graduation party. But that was years ago. I fell in love with you! I changed!"Then, he changed his tune and started blaming me. "But you don't love me anymore, do you? If you did, you'd have asked me in person instead of running away! Why didn't you do that? Why did you run away from our wedding to punish me?"There he went again, trying to push all the blame onto me. However, I would no longer let him have his way, not anymore.Calmly, I rebuked his accusations. "Daniel, you know me better than anyone. You know how long I loved you and how much I wanted a family
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Chapter 9
I squinted my eyes and looked toward the source of that shout.Across the road, Daniel stood beside a car. His suit was wrinkled. His eyes were bloodshot, and there was a layer of stubble on his chin. He looked grim and disheveled, a far cry from his once-refined and noble self.He stormed across the street in long strides and shoved the young actor aside while reaching out to drag me with him. "You're coming home with me!"The bodyguards immediately stepped forward to shield me. "Sir, please keep your distance."In response, Daniel roared, "Get out of my way! I'm her fiance!"The absurdity of it all made me laugh as I corrected him, "Ex-fiance.""Ex?" Daniel exclaimed, seemingly hurt by that one word.He fumed, "Stop throwing a tantrum, Rosalie. I never agreed to breaking up! Look at what you've become! You stayed out so late and let two men help you out from the bar in a drunken state! What do you take me for?"I scoffed frostily and said, "A stranger."Daniel was so mad tha
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Chapter 10
The glare of the light stung my eyes. I squinted and blinked until the shape in front of me came into focus.Daniel?The moment he saw that I was awake, he rushed forward to hug me. "Rosalie, I missed you so much!""Are you insane?" I snapped, glaring at him.He acted as though he hadn't heard a word I said. His fingers worked quickly to untie the knots binding my wrists.He muttered, "Don't be so harsh now. I tried everything. I called. I texted. You ignored me… I just had to see you."The instant the rope loosened, I swung my hand and gave him a tight slap.Daniel's head jerked to the side. After a long moment, he slowly turned back to face me. He pressed his tongue lightly against the side of his cheek that was slapped.Suddenly, he smiled."Rosalie, I find you even sexier now compared to when you were all submissive," he said appreciatively.I felt utterly nauseated. "You're sick. Why aren't you with Leah?"The moment I mentioned Leah, Daniel's expression twisted into on
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