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publish date:
2026-06-04 06:39:16
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The Mafia's Substitute Bride 261
Except she didn't.The television still glowed faintly against the far wall, the sound muted to a low buzz that's barely heard, except the flickering tv light catches anyone's attention. Valentina was curled sideways on the couch, the empty popcorn bowl balanced against her thigh, a few kernels and popcorn around her legs and in the bowl, her head resting on the back cushion. She hadn’t meant to drift, but the warmth of the blanket and the buttery smell had worked like a lullaby.The rain had started again at some point, thin streaks sliding down the windows, tapping the glass with a impatient rhythm. Somewhere in the house, the sounds of the chefs cleaning up the kitchen, the drawers closing, the pans clinking softly as they made dinner resonated around the house. The scent of melted butter now overpowered by whatever was being prepared.She stretched her toes under the blanket, absently watching the flicker of light across the coffee table. It wasn’t quite late, or maybe it was, bec
The Mafia's Substitute Bride 260
The rain had stopped sometime in the early evening, leaving the glass of the living room windows streaked and cloudy. Valentina was curled up in the armchair, scrolling lazily through the messages on her phone when the soft chime of the doorbell pulled her from the screen.Camilla stood on the other side, holding a medium-sized box wrapped in pale gold wrap. Her cheeks were flushed from the wind, hair slightly tousled, and she had on a a dazzling smile. She'd never seen her this smiley or happy before.“Happy almost-birthday,” Camilla said, stepping in and dropping the wrapped box on the coffee table like a present. “I’ll be gone by the time the confetti falls. Consider this an early celebration from your favourite bad influence.”Valentina laughed. “You’re going somewhere? What happened?” she asked.“Hmm, it's just a short trip,” Camilla replied, shrugging out of her coat. “But I do have to go, uh…Ethan kinda want me at his place.” She sat heavily on the arm of the couch and looked a
The Mafia's Substitute Bride 259
The day’s shoot had run longer than expected, yet the large, white-lit hall still buzzed with activity. Valentina eased herself out of the last outfit with the help of a lady in the wardrobe crew, careful with the zipper so it didn’t catch on the thin fabric, while across the space one of the male ambassadors joked loudly with his assistant about how his suit had been tighter last year, she didn't know if he was flirting or not but that sounded like he was flaunting his ability to stay fit, and even get thinner by each spoonful of food. Camera flashes popped from a far corner where two others were still posing, their smiles holding for just a beat longer before dropping into hushed gossips between takes.Assistants wove through the open floor, some carrying trays of bottled water, others balancing phone calls on one ear while holding makeup kits in the other. A makeup artist crouched near Valentina’s chair, brushing the last bit of powder over her cheekbones while murmuring something
The Mafia's Substitute Bride 258
The black car had lingered just long enough to make Lucas certain it wasn’t coincidence. Even after they pulled into the company’s underground parking, its glossy nose still pointed in their direction, idling a few spaces back like it was trying not to alert anyone.Lucas remained seated, one hand lazily tugging his tie loose, the other resting on the leather armrest. “Get him,” he said evenly.The driver didn’t question and only gave a short nod before stepping out. Lucas rolled his window halfway down, leaning an elbow against the frame while his gaze followed the driver’s stride toward the vehicle behind through the side mirror. There was a muffled exchange, a jerk of motion, and a few seconds later, the driver was marching a young man forward by the collar of his hoodie. The guy's sneakers scuffed against the concrete, his face flushing with something between embarrassment and fear.He couldn’t have been more than twenty-two, hair falling over one eye, trying to grin like he was i
The Mafia's Substitute Bride 257
Rebecca stood in the middle of the living room with a notepad in hand, tapping her pen lightly against the paper as she eyed the space. The afternoon sunlight poured through the wide windows, catching in the dust motes that swirled above the polished floor. She had called in extra staff earlier, and now they were arriving one after another, cleaners, decorators, a delivery boy carrying boxes of fresh flowers.“Alright,” she said, addressing the small group in front of her, “we’re not turning this place upside down, but I want it spotless. And the dining area I want new table setting. Think m gold trim. The cake will be here by Friday morning, but I want the tables and the chairs and the stairs, I want this entire place ready before then.”A few nodded, already jotting notes or heading toward the kitchen. One of the younger decorators moved to the staircase. “What about the entrance? Balloons or no balloons?”Rebecca shook her head. “No balloons. This is for Valentina and she likes ele
The Mafia's Substitute Bride 256
ITALY, NAPLES The morning sunlight filtered through the lace curtains in soft strips, laying patterns across the edge of the bed where Valentina sat with her phone in hand. She’d been staring at the email for ten minutes now, re-reading the words from the foundation even though she’d memorized them on the first pass. We’d like to have you back, starting next week, maybe we'd discuss reduced hours at first, flexible schedule. It wasn’t a demand, more like an invitation, but still, her pulse quickened at the thought of walking back into the office after weeks of enforced stillness.When she finally told Lucas over breakfast, he set his coffee cup down with obvious care, his expression unreadable for a moment before the disapproval settled in. “Back to work?” he asked, like the words themselves didn’t quite sound right.“We've discussed it, t’s not full-time. Just a few hours, three days a week kinda thing,” she said, trying to make her voice sound less enthusiastic that she was, hell s
The Mafia's Substitute Bride 161
The days that followed her release from the station moved strangely slow and loud in her head, but also quick in the way everything kept happening. She stayed mostly indoors, definitely it wasn't out of fear or caution, but out of irritation. Matteo was gone, Bianca had stepped in as though she ran
Last Updated : 2026-04-03The Mafia's Substitute Bride 160
The room smelled like stale coffee and cheap cleaning fluid.Alecia sat at the narrow table, one heel tapping faintly beneath her chair, though her posture remained otherwise relaxed. She didn’t look at the clock, or even shift around uncomfortably, she didn’t ask how long this was going to take, a
Last Updated : 2026-04-03The Mafia's Substitute Bride 162
Alecia hadn’t slept.She’d tossed, turned, stared at the ceiling until her eyes burned, and then stared some more. The sheets tangled around her legs like restraints, and the room was too cold no matter how high she turned up the heat. But none of that was the real reason she couldn’t close her eye
Last Updated : 2026-04-03The Mafia's Substitute Bride 159
Morning brought no clarity.Alecia stirred restlessly under the weight of unanswered thoughts, her phone lying beside her like it had the night before, with the screen dim and untouched. She reached for it again, checking for missed calls or texts—nothing. She’d called Matteo three times the previo
Last Updated : 2026-04-03
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