Chapter 15: Control Freak I wriggled under his grasp, trying to wrestle my way out. I attempted to kick him with my legs, but he firmly pinned them down, taking advantage of his size and height. "Adriano Di Salvo, let me go!" I protested strongly. "Bella, you are becoming more arrogant by the day. I don't appreciate the person you are becoming. No one has dared to address me the way you just did." His expression was dark, and different. "I'm arrogant?" I scoffed. "You beat someone up, I shot him. You held me close in the car, treated my wound, and then ignored me like a child. I am simply trying to call you to order. That is my duty as your wife!" "I do not need you to call me to order!" he yelled. "I act and call the shots on my own terms." "By ignoring problems?" I sinisterly laughed. "That's cowardly," I sneered. His grip tightened on my hand, and his nails began to dig into my skin. "Let me go! You're hurting me," I hissed in pain as he dug deeper. "Do you want to know how
Chapter 16: His Bidding"Mamma Lia! Madame! Help!" Mamma Lia and I woke up to the wailing screams of a maid.I opened the door in a fuss to send her off, but her state didn't let me. She bowed with her head to the ground, refusing to look up. I could hear her heavy whimper, and no one had to tell me who was responsible for the sorrows of a young girl on a morning like this."H-help p-please Don Adri will k-kill Stefano." She cried, her voice was so shaky, it was obvious- the petrified emotions that surrounded her.A few more maids came and bowed in the same position as she was in."Help Stefano madame!" They all chorused. Mamma Lia stood beside me, and I saw the worry in her eyes as well. I should've known from the way that his cheeks were swollen yesterday that Adriano wasn't going to let him go like that.It was my fault, I put him in trouble so I would have to take responsibility. "Where are they?" I inquired."The t-torture c-chambers." The girl was still sobbing. I don't know why
Chapter 17: Like MeI hurried back upstairs to check on Stefano. He was in one of the guest rooms, and they were beginning to clean him up and apply ointment."He's burning up. I'm afraid he's developed a fever," one of the maids said, concerned about his well-being."Does Adriano have a personal doctor or something?" I asked. I didn't want to call Rafaelle's doctor; I didn't want him to find out about anything."Y-yes, he does," Mamma Lia managed to say without fidgeting. She looked perplexed seeing how battered Stefano was.The red-haired maid, Evonne, came in holding a tray of scissors, cotton wool, more ointment, gauze, and bandages. She placed the tray on the table before getting on her knees before me."T-thank y-you, Madame. Without you, he might've died," she said with teary eyes and a shaky voice."Get up," I helped her up. "Your uniform will get dirty. Let's focus on the fact that he's here now," I told her."Yes," she said, smiling and wiping her eyes. I thought Stefano was
Chapter 18: Adriano's POV - (Date week)I was taken aback when she rejected the idea of a honeymoon. The internet clearly stated women liked honeymoons, even though I barely had time to spare, I made sure to choose Serena over work whenever I could. I didn't want to be anything like my father, a man who couldn't look after his own family. My mother died waiting for him to come to see her. She could've died peacefully, but he prevented her from having peace even in her last moments.I swore to never be like him and follow the teachings of my mother, to respect my wife and love my family over work or to give both equal attention. I did like the idea of us going out every week. That would prove to Roderigo, my business partner, that I can handle my work as well as my family. Pietro just had to interrupt my morning with my beautiful wife. I left before I could see her wake up.Ever since my father had assigned him to train me and put me in check for at most two years before his death, he h
Chapter 19: Adriano's POV (Date week continued)I couldn't finish signing all the contracts. I needed to be extra careful because I was dealing with spiteful men. I withdrew my assent from documents I didn't trust enough to sign. Business deals aren't child's play.I had asked Mamma Lia and Stefano to find a way to put a tracking device under her heels. I couldn't put it in her purse or in her dress or anywhere near her jewelry. Serena had a knack for noticing things like that. She had shot a man who tried to spike her drink at a party the same day I met her. Till today, how she knew remains a mystery. When they asked, she said she just knew.She would get weary of me if she found out about it. She hated being watched because it made her feel like a child. But I couldn't take risks. My father had too many enemies, and all his enemies became mine after he passed. For heaven's sake, I didn't touch anyone's family before he passed. They could've just died and made my dad pay the price in
Chapter 20: Adriano's POV (for fun & petty)"Come with me," I said, selecting a few of my men while the rest guarded the restaurant. I had to do that just in case one of the perpetrators involved in kidnapping my wife was still in there.Once we were out of the restaurant, I told them to search the street while I took Stefano with me."If anything happens to her, you'll be paying with your life," I warned Stefano as we reached an alley. Stefano ran ahead of me. I guess he wanted to live.I got furious seeing that lanky fool point a gun at my wife. As expected, he took off running. I wasn't surprised; I'd come across several cowardly men like him.I had my men get him so I could torture him before I sent him to hell.I pointed my pistol at his head. "Who the heck are you to mess with my wife?!" I needed to know his name, if he was related to any of my father's enemies."Ask her!" He grinned as though he was going to survive whatever was going to happen to him."I told you, Adriano, it w
Chapter 21: Adriano's POV (Control Freak & His Bidding)"I'm arrogant? You beat someone up, I shoot him. You hold me close in the car, you treat my wound, then you ignore me like a child. I am simply trying to call you to order. That is my duty as your wife!" She spat as though her ego had been hurt."I do not need you to call me to order!" I retorted. "I act and call shots on my own terms." I didn't need Serena to tell me what to do. I simply tried not to vent on her, but now she asks for trouble and I had no problem giving it to her."By ignoring problems? That's cowardly," she mocked. Those words sounded so familiar; my father said the same to me. It only pissed me off."Do you want to know how I run my mafia?"The only way to control a woman without physical torture is sex. My father's words rang in my ear."I don't give a damn about that anymore, just let me go!" She snapped. I could see she was struggling, and it pleased me. It pleased me.I wrapped my hand around her neck, apply
Chapter 22: Gia.Earlier that morning, Evonne had informed me about the gift Adriano had sent me. Apparently, it wasn't something that could be brought to my room. My mind went to several things. I was a reckless driver, so Rafaelle had given Adriano a strict rule against me driving, so it couldn't have been a car.As I got closer to the main entrance of the mansion, I saw a red cloth covering a cage."What is that?" I asked one of his men."It's a surprise, boss," he replied. He gestured to another man to take off the cloth, and lo and behold, it was a small, fragile, white-furred Maltese puppy.I stood in shock. Adriano sent me a dog? Someone must've told him to; there was no way he thought of that himself. He didn't seem smart in those aspects. There was a black bow tie on the puppy's head."Male or female?" I inquired."Female," he answered.It gently barked as I stretched my arm toward it. "Who will take responsibility for you after everything? I don't plan to take any of his belo