His hand shot out, gripping her chin tighter, forcing her to meet his eyes “listen carefully and make sure this words stick in your head” “You belong to me, I own you. No matter how far you run.. i will find you and then the next time you try to escape, I will make sure you are in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. Do you understand?” Rosa’s body shook as his words sank in, each one a cold sharp blade, she nodded unable to form words. ******* Sold to Italy's most feared mafia don to repay her father's debt, Rosa's life becomes a prison. Her only way out? Escape - even if it means running while eight months pregnant. But one wrong move leads to betrayal, a bullet, and her disappearance. Years later, Rosa reemerges as Jia - a new name, a new life, a loving husband, and twin children. She's finally free... or so she thinks. When fate brings her face to face with Silvio, the man she fled, Jia must hide the truth at all costs. But with each encounter, danger grows and so does a forbidden attraction
View MoreMay4th
On the night of her 20th birthday, Rosa sat on her bed, her fingers tracing the sides of a photograph. A picture of her and her parents from a time when things were easy. They were smiling, she sighed, brushing her hand over the surface.
"I miss us" she whispered
The sound of raised voices echoed through her room.Her parents were arguing again, She didn't need to hear the words to know it was bad
Rosa glanced out the window, watching the
daylight fades, It was supposed to be a joyful night..a celebration of the years behind her, the woman she was becoming.
Her father had never been like this. He had once been the soft-hearted man who would joke with her at the dinner table, who would spin her around the living room in a dance whenever her favorite song came on. But that was before the business failed, before the gambling took hold, before everything unraveled. She had been sixteen when it started.
Now, it felt like her family, her home and her life was just a shadow of what it had been. She pressed the photo to her chest
Suddenly, her mother's scream cut through the
night.
Rosa's heart lurched. She knew that scream. It meant things had gone too far, she didn't think, just reacted. Her legs carried her out of the room.
When she reached the living room, her mother was laying on the floor, hands pressed against her face. Her father stood close.
Rosa's fists clenched as she moved to her mother, blocking her from view. She stood between them, her voice low but fierce "Dad, you've done enough"
He turned "Shut up, you brat.
Now you have the guts to talk back to your father?"
Rosa didn't flinch. Words with him were useless now. She bent down beside her mother, her hands gentle but urgent as she helped her up "Let's go to my room, Mom" she said, her voice steady despite the fear bubbling inside.
" where do you both, think you are going?" Fabio's voice rose
Rosa straightened, meeting his glare with a defiance that burned hotter than her fear "To a place where we don't have to see your face."
Without warning, Fabio's hand cut through the air, and a sharp sting exploded across Rosa's cheek. Her head whipped to the side, her hair flying, blocking the tears that had welled up.
"Fabio!" Hana screamed, she rushed forward, shoving him away then wrapped one arm around Rosa, pulling her close. Her other hand shot out, pointing a trembling finger at Fabio "Don't you dare lay a finger on my daughter!"
Fabio sneered "Teach your daughter some respect, then. Never speak to me like that again"
He then strode to the small couch and pulled out a cigarette.. lighting it with deliberate slowness. The thick smoke curled up in the cramped room.
"Are you okay, Rosa?" Hana's voice cracked as she leaned down, her fingers brushing Rosa's face.
Rosa nodded silently, but her eyes moved to her father and she felt a pang in her chest, before she could stop it.. the tears began to fall, hot and unstoppable.
How had it come to this? How had the man she once loved turned into a stranger she feared?
She wrapped her arms around her mother and together they turned to leave. But Fabio's next words froze them both in their tracks.
"Get your daughter ready. Tomorrow, Silvio Romano’s men are coming to get her. He and I made a deal” his voice cold and detached like the words were casual as any other
Rosa and her mother turned slowly, the weight
of Fabio's words still hanging in the air, Rosa opened her mouth but the words stuck in her throat.
"What deal?"
Fabio's smile was cold, a flash of something
dark behind his eyes. "A deal that's going to
change everything for you... for us"
Hana took a step forward, her hand trembling
at her side. "What deal did you make with
that monster of a man?"
Fabio's eyes flicked to her with a sharp, calculating glance "She's been sold to him" he said, "The contract's already signed and by tomorrow, Silvio's men will be here to take her."
Rosa's stomach twisted, the ground seemed to disappear beneath her feet,
Hana's face contorted in disbelief. In a flash of rage, she lunched herself at Fabio, her fingers gripping his shirt "You are despicable."
Rosa stood frozen, she couldn't tear her eyes away from her father, the man she once trusted. She couldn't process the words he had just spoken, the cold finality in his voice. He had sold her.
Was this a nightmare? She had seen things like this happen in movies, heard about it in whispers... but this was her reality.
Her breath came in shallow gasps as the tears finally came again. She wiped them away but they kept coming, each one heavier than the last.
Fabio peeled Hana's hand from his collar with a lazy ease as if nothing had happened. He straightened his shirt, then took a long, deliberate drag from a cigarette.
"Go pack up her things" Fabio's words cut through the air like a knife "By morning, Silvio's men will be here"
Hana's knees buckled and she pressed a trembling hand to her mouth. Her eyes darted from Fabio to Rosa, disbelief freezing her in place. This couldn't be the same man she had married--the man she had fallen in love with. He was a stranger now, a monster in a man's body.
"You have to kill me first before I let my daughter live with such a man”
Fabio's cold laugh echoed through the room, but his eyes never left Hanna’s. "You really think I care about your opinion? This is the moment Rosa pays me back for everything I've given her. I gave her the best life, didn't I?"
Rosa’s voice tremble with a fury she could no longer contain “pay you back?” She took a shaky
step forward, her hands balled into a tight fist "I don't owe you anything. Not even Mom owes you"
Her words landed like a slap but they didn't stop Fabio. He smirked, stepping closer to Rosa with slow, strides. Hana's heart squeezed as she watched him, fear creeping up her spine
Rosa's breath hitched, waiting for the sting of his hand.But when it came, it was not a slap-it was something worse. Fabio's fingers curled in the air
His hand crashed down onto her hair, gripping it with merciless force. Rosa gasped, pain shooting through her scalp.
She struggled to pull away but he yanked her head back, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Look at me Rosa.” he growled
Rosa's vision blurred with tears, but she refused to look away.
Hana lunged forward, her hands reaching out, desperate to pull Fabio off. Before she could get close.. he shoved her aside with a force that sent her stumbling to the ground.
The next morning, Elena stood in front of the company building, her fingers gripping the strap. She took a shaky breath, steeling herself. Just pretend yesterday never happened, she whispered in her head.She stepped inside and walked straight to her office.Her footsteps were steady, her movements automatic, like she was just following a routine without thinking. When the clock hit 9 a.m., she stood up, grabbed the scarf from the back of her chair and wrapped it around her neck. She checked the mirror, adjusting the scarf until the mark from last night was completely hidden. A small smile formed on her lips, just as someone knocked on the door."Come in" she saidThe door creaked open and in walked a tall man in a black shirt and slacks, his broad shoulders filling the frame. His brown eyes lit up with amusement as he smiled."Brandon" she breathed, surprise flickering in her eyes.He opened his arms, grinning "Come on” She crossed the room quickly and fell into his embrace. For a m
The morning light spilled across the room.Elena's eyes fluttered open to the sight of a glittering chandelier overhead. For a moment, she lay still, disoriented. Then she turned her head toward the corner of the room and her breath hitched.Tiziano.He was there, asleep beside her.Her chest tightened. Slowly, she lifted the blanket. She was naked No... no way. It happened.Panic surged through her. She had to leave—before he woke up. Moving carefully, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Quietly..she gathered her purse and scattered clothes, clutching them to her chest as she tiptoed toward the bathroom.Behind her, Tiziano's eyes snapped open.He caught a fleeting glimpse of her naked figure and the delicate butterfly tattoo inked between her shoulder blades as she slipped into the bathroom.He sat up slowly, resting against the headboard. A sharp pain stabbed at his temples.The headache. The blurred memories.Flashes from the night before hit him like shards of broken g
Moments later, a man in a black leather jacket and matching cap approached her. Without a word.. he handed her a small, wrapped item. She passed him a thick stack of cash. He gave a brief nod, keeping his face down, then disappeared into the crowd.Zara's fingers tightened around what he had given her. She glanced around sharply, making sure no one had noticed. But her eyes caught a figure sprawled across one of the velvet couches—several empty bottles littered the table nearby.She narrowed her gaze.It was Elena.Her lips twisted in surprise, then disdain "A manager by day, a drunkard by night" she scoffed under her breath. "What a loser."With a final glance, she shook her head and turned away.Moving to the lower tier of the VIP room, Zara kept her head low beneath the brim of her cap. She glanced briefly at Tiziano. He sat casually, legs crossed.. swiping through his phone.Without slowing, she passed through and exited the room.In the hallway, she made a quick call and a woman
Taking a deep breath, Jia forced a smile "It suits you so well, my love” "I also got you a gift" Silvio said as he stood up, breaking the moment.Everyone's gaze turned to him as he reached into his pocket and pulled out another small red box. He opened it slowly, revealing a necklace identical to Kira's, only in a larger size.Silvio stepped closer to Jia, his hand hovering briefly before he gently helped her lift her hair. He placed the necklace around her neck, his fingers lingering as he adjusted it. Once it was in place, he smiled and looked around the room, his eyes settling on a large mirror hanging on the wall. Without a word.. he gently took Jia's hand, guiding her toward the mirror.As she gazed at her reflection, Jia's hand instinctively reached up to touch the necklace. The sparkling pendant caught the light and she couldn't help but curl her lips into a soft smile "I love it" she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.Her eyes met Silvio's in the mirror and something st
Without waiting for an invitation, Silvio stepped inside. Kira's eyes lit up the moment she saw him."Uncle Handsome!" she squealed, running towardhimSilvio's features softened into a smile as he dropped to one knee and swept her into his arms. She clung to him, arms wrapping tightly around his neck."I missed you, Uncle" she whispered"I missed you too" he said gently Across the room, surprise and confusion flashing across his face. Silvio seemed like a completely different person. So, he knew about Jia's daughter—did that mean he also knew she was married? Tiziano recalled the scandal involving Jia. When he had seen the man in the photo beside her, he had recognized him instantly it was Silvio.Tiziano cleared his throat. Silvio looked up. Their eyes locked and the warmth in Silvio's expression vanished, replaced by a sharp edge."What are you doing here?" he asked, voice clipped "And when did you get back from Tokyo?"Tiziano gave a half—smirk "Chill, brother. One question at a
Days passed in a blur and Zara's scandal exploded across every headline, Her face was everywhere—on gossip blogs, news reports and social media. The consequences came fast—major brands cut ties with her, her agency released a cold, distant statement and her name was removed from all upcoming projects. Once admired and celebrated, Zara had become a warning sign to others in the industry—still trending but now for all the wrong reasonsMeanwhile, Jia stood in her new mansion, surrounded by half—unpacked boxes and the faint scent of fresh paint. She had just finished arranging Kian's room and now worked alongside Kira in the smaller pink—themed space next door."Mommy, let's fix this picture here" Kira said, holding up a framed photo of the three of them, her fingers leaving faint prints on the glass Jia took the frame gently, wiped it clean with a soft towel, then placed it carefully on Kira's nightstand.She stepped back and scanned the room—fluffy curtains, a princess—style canopy
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