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173

Author: Western.R
last update Last Updated: 2026-01-20 03:48:00

SAME DAY- EVENING

Val didn’t even realize how long she’d been staring at her phone. The screen lit up in her hand, and she was still sitting by the window, one leg curled beneath her, the other stretched out. Outside, the sun had dipped low, casting long shadows across the floor — she hadn’t moved since she got back from the shoot. Her muscles ached a lot, she wondered if the work was really worth all the stress. She needed a massage.

Messages from the post has been popping up all day and now it was really getting into her head, she couldn't stop herself from looking and reading.

Another new post wasn’t even from one of the big blogs. Just a random user with a following barely past four digits, but the words were harsh and catching fire fast. It opened with a screenshot of a campaign photo of her face front and center and the caption read “Is this really the image we want for young girls? Nepotism, scandal, and murderers.”

The comment section had spiraled within minutes.

She scrolled,
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  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   182

    Valentina stood in front of the mirror, dragging a brush through her damp hair in slow, steady strokes. Her robe clung softly to her shoulders, sleeves slipping down one arm as condensation fogged the glass from her earlier shower. The coughed, the sound echoing slightly in the silence.She looked around, and chuckled when her eyes settled on the frame of her in a shimmering silver dress from one of the shoot. Lucas had insisted he made a frame for it, and he hung it just above his bed, or their bed now? He wouldn't let her go back to her room.She shook her head in amusement and sighed. Tomorrow, she’d go back to work.She didn’t feel ready, not exactly. But she also couldn’t stay buried in this house any longer, waiting for everyone to shut up or something new and interesting to pop up. The world had been feasting on her silence like it was some kind of game, they were speculating, spinning rumors, throwing words like ice queen and fallen wife around with the kind of carelessness th

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   181

    CHAPTER 181 – People Who Shouldn’t Be ThereAlecia quickly packed up, not caring if she did so properly. She just yanked a duffel bag from the closet, stuffed it with enough clothes to get her through a week, maybe two, and left before Marco could say one more thing to make her feel like she was insane for expecting basic respect from the people around her.It seems they all saw her as easy, nothing.She drove into the De Luca mansion and the sound freightened the working staff.Why was she back again? They all wondered.Alecia sighed, looking at the building. She’d always hated how quiet it got at night. The place echoed when she walked, like even the walls were bored. But for now, it was the only place she could go that didn’t feel like she was choking. Her father wasn’t around, thankfully. And she wasn’t stupid—she knew where he probably was. Bianca had returned to town, and if history had taught her anything, it was that men like her father didn’t age with dignity. They aged with

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   180

    The sky had already turned a dull, swollen gray by the time Valentina stirred awake. It m sat heavily above the earth, pressing down like an unrelenting bad omen. She sat up slowly, blinking past the haze of sleep, and heard the faint sound of rain tapping against the window.Lucas had already gotten up. His side of the bed was cool and empty, the sheets pulled tight. The curtains hadn’t been drawn back, but the light in the room was already a tired blue and it made her want to go back to sleep. She didn’t speak as she got up and padded toward the bathroom, rubbing the back of her neck. There really wasn’t much to say. It was a funeral day.By the time she was dressed, Lucas was seated by the window, phone in hand, dressed in black. With an umbrella leaned against the wall next to him.“It’s raining,” she yawned, reaching for her coat.He looked over, and gestured for her to come over. “Bring the black one. Yours is too thin.”She picked the heavier coat from the hanger and buttoned i

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   179

    The early morning felt quieter than usual, even for them and the event they came for. It seemed as if they packed into their suitcases and carried along with the folded clothes and shoes, like it was tucked between carry-ons and lukewarm cups of airport coffee.Their flight left just after seven. Neither of them said much on the drive to the airport. Lucas had taken a call the entire way, angry responses to someone she couldn’t hear on the other end, it was as if he woke up on the wrong side of the bed because he's been grumpy since the first cock crow.Olive drove without saying anything either, and Valentina just sat in the backseat, Rue curled up quietly beside her in the travel bag with one paw sticking out, twitching every now and then. She couldn't bear to leave her alone in a house so big like that.She hadn’t even asked if they were stopping for breakfast. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t in the mood to think about it, but immediately their car screeched into a stop in the hanger

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   178

    The morning started with a soft yawn from Rue, who was already sitting by the bedroom door before Valentina even stirred. The pup’s tiny frame and eager eyes blinked up at her like a silent nudge. Outside, the sky was still a pale blue, it looked like the weather was confused abd didn't yet know whether it wanted to warm or chill the air. Inside, the house was quiet, peaceful and it made her happy. She was bubbly today.Val pushed off the covers with a low groan and sat up slowly, watching Rue scamper across the room as if she’d been waiting all night for someone to join her in the day. She reached down and scratched gently behind her ear, murmuring, “Alright, alright… you win.”Olive was already waiting downstairs, leaned casually against the kitchen counter with her phone in one hand and a cup of something hot in the other. She looked up when Val entered, dressed in sweats, her hair loose and still a little rumpled from sleep.“Good morning, ma'am, the car is ready and running, woul

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   177

    The foundation resumed at full speed that morning, just as expected. After the brief pause yesterday to let things cool down, everyone was back in motion again—meetings, calendar updates, and a campaign schedule that didn’t leave much room to breathe. Ten days of on-ground activity across different cities was a lot even on a normal week. But with the online post still echoing in comment sections and people whispering behind corners, things didn’t quite feel normal.Valentina had planned to sleep a little longer after yesterday's unexpected detour with Lucas, but the soft movement in the hallway pulled her out of sleep. She heard a coat sleeve rustle, keys slipping into a pocket, and a quiet breath as someone passed her room.When she finally got up, the sun had only barely pushed its way through the curtains. She took her time getting dressed, unsure if she wanted to acknowledge how the quiet hum of domestic life had felt oddly comforting. In the kitchen, Lucas only looked up from his

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