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176

Penulis: Western.R
last update Tanggal publikasi: 2026-01-20 18:49:30

After three days of press madness, canceled meetings, and murmurs spilling across every hall of the foundation, the board finally made a decision: a full day off. The idea was to pause everything. Let the noise settle. They'll be no shoots, no planning, no PR rounds of any sort. One still day before the official ten-day campaign run began tomorrow.

The message came in the night before, and she had barely acknowledged it when it arrived, simply placing his phone down and turning off the light, h
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  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   271

    Lucas was on the phone for most of the ride, his voice an almost inaudible murmur about shipments and timelines that Val only half-followed as she watched the city gradually give way to the coastal road. She was grateful for the distraction, for the chance to let the suspense of the suprise bother her more than anything else, and the unpleasant aftertaste of her mother’s call slowly faded with each passing kilometer.She only realized their destination when the glittering new towers of the waterfront district rose into view, all sharp angles and reflective glass standing sentinel over the sea, because this wasn’t his usual style—not one of his old-money clubs or discreet hilltop properties—so the novelty sparked a flicker of curiosity that finally pulled her fully from her thoughts.It was a familiar place. Why wouldn't it be? This was the same place he had threatened to lock her up in if she didn't take care of herself now that she was pregnant. It's been a little while she came here

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   270

    Val had barely made it to the middle of the grand staircase, the unsettling aftertaste of her mother’s call still clinging to her, when a new shift in the air announced his presence.All sound from the dining room seemed to be sucked into a vacuum. The light, airy chatter of the influencers cut off so abruptly it was as if someone had hit a mute button. He stood at the top of the stairs, already dressed for the day in a dark, impeccably tailored suit that looked more like armor than clothing. His hair was damp from a recent shower, and his features were sharp and awake, he looked a lot different from the sleeping man an hour ago, the last traces of sleep completely banished.His gaze swept over the scene below, missing nothing. It flickered over Val for a second, before moving to the dining room doorway where three faces were now visible: Laina’s frozen smile, Olive’s pale and anxious expression, and the two wide-eyed, star-struck influencers who looked like they’d just seen a panthe

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   269

    The breakfast was a study in contrasting energies. The two influencers, Naya and Celeste, were a whirlwind of excited chatter and no stop talking porcelain, their voices bounced off the high ceilings of the dining room. They didn't fail to dissect every detail of the upcoming party with the unnecessary fervor of art critics at a premiere, and their questions about the Rolls-Royce Droptail and the guest list wouldn't stop flowing.“So, the dress code is strictly black-tie, right?” Naya was asking, her phone held aloft as if to record the answer. “Because I have this stunning gold lamé gown, but I can switch to the black Valentino if it’s more…”Val was about to give a response when her phone, sitting face-down on the table next to her napkin, began to vibrate insistently. The screen lit up, casting a faint glow on the polished wood. She didn’t need to flip it over to know who it was as the specific, jarring ringtone, a clipped, classical piece she had set for a specific person, was eno

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   268

    The breakfast spread in the main dining room was understatedly lavish, a quiet prelude to the evening's spectacle. Silver domes covered plates of eggs Benedict and fluffy pancakes, while a cut-crystal bowl held a vibrant colorful mosaic of fresh berries. To her dismay this was what the chef served. She wasn't being over mindful of the pocket but the fact that she was working for a foundation that focus on everything including the hungry children on the streets, and here she was enjoying her life away while they begged for scraps.Influencers these days loves such juicy news, even though it made no sense why she had to go hungry because someone out there was hungry. It's the government job, there are other wealthy people out there, these influencers included, and she's donated more than a few times so whatever was wrong with eating healthy. But she has an image to keep clean now, Lucas' included even though he barely gives a fuck, and it's unfortunate the chef could read her mind.

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   267

    The morning of her birthday unfolded and shockingly it was a total contrast to what Valentina and everybody in the household expected, it was like every other morning, but the silence didn’t quite belong to a house preparing to host one of the most anticipated gatherings of the year, and everyone knew what it was. Still, the morning was shockingly calm. Valentina stirred awake first, silk brushing against her skin as she slipped from beneath the heavy duvet . The room was still dusky, the curtains only half-drawn, but she could see Lucas lying peacefully, his chest rising in steady rhythm. He looked peaceful in sleep, stripped of that iron composure he wore while awake, or the worry. His mouth was slightly parted as though even his dreams had let him rest. She stared at him a second longer before turning away to get ready for the day.Barefoot, she padded across the cool marble, she washed her face and brushed her hair into some order before heading downstairs. Her nightgown shuffling

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   266

    The chandeliers above the grand hall gleamed like rows of captive stars, each crystal piece painstakingly polished by trembling hands under Rebecca’s watchful eye. Silverware gleamed on the long banquet table, roses and orchids filled every vase, and the golden drapes had been freshly pressed until they fell in perfect lines. The room smelled faintly of beeswax polish and cut flowers, as though beauty could be bottled and forced into the air.Rebecca stood in the center, silk dressing gown catching the light as she gave orders. One servant adjusted a centerpiece an inch to the left, another straightened a chair, both terrified of her sharp tongue. They moved quickly, afraid she might lash out if she caught them breathing too loudly. Rebecca’s lips curved in satisfaction. At last, the house was coming alive. For once, everything would shine. Everything would remind Valentina of home, of what she had left behind.This birthday would heal it. It had to. Rebecca repeated the thought like

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   65

    "I was this close to actually dying, and all you tell me is you have no idea who it is?!"Lucas's voice roared through the room as he downed the last of his scotch whiskey in one sharp gulp. The glass followed a second later, crashing into the wall with a force that made me flinch. My body tensed,

    last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2026-03-23

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   60

    Lucas stood, gathered the first-aid kit as if he was unsure of his next step. He then made his way toward the door, and I couldn't hold it in any longer.“Wait,” I blurted out, my voice cracking mid-word.He stopped instantly, his back stiffening before he turned to look at me. His eyes searched mi

    last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2026-03-23

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   61

    I woke up to an unsettling quiet. The faint rays of sunlight filtering through the curtains did little to comfort me as my hand instinctively reached out, searching for him. The sheets beside me were cold, untouched. Lucas wasn’t in bed.Panic began to bubble in my chest. Did he leave already? With

    last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2026-03-23

  • The Mafia's Substitute Bride   68

    His expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker in his eyes that seemed like curiosity, maybe, or annoyance. I couldn’t tell.I swallowed hard and continued. “My father was furious. He was embarrassed, scared of what it would do to his reputation if word got out, I mean, his business was alre

    last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2026-03-23
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