All Chapters of The Mafia Ruthless Bride; A revengeful Heart: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

ELENA POV I should feel nothing after all this is a mission. A lie. A carefully spun game. But walking into Daemon’s office again, knowing what I’m about to do, still makes my pulse race. The receptionist watches me for the second time like I’ve grown two heads. Of course she does. I’m Alexander Bianchi’s wife. What business do I have coming here, especially after the last time I was here and bumping into Rachel in the elevator.The rumor mill must be spinning out of control, good I smirk at that thought Daemon stands by the window, back turned, sleeves rolled up, phone to his ear. The view of Manhattan sprawls behind him, but his gaze snaps to me the second I step inside. “Elena.” His voice drops an octave. Warm. Too warm. “Am I early?” I ask, feigning innocence. He hangs up. “Never too early for you.” I walk closer, careful, each step calculated. My dress clings to my hips, chosen for this moment. His gaze drags over me openly. “Interesting choice,” he murmurs, nodding at

ELENA POVI should be asleep but my thoughts won’t shut up, so I get out of bed and pad downstairs in nothing but an oversized shirt and bare feet, hoping cold water will help.The mansion feels too big at night, echoing hallways, polished marble that catches every sound. Somewhere in the dark, my heart still beats too fast from what happened earlier.Samantha’s desperacy, Alex saving me again.I’m almost at the kitchen when voices drift from the other side of the hall. The voices are Low, sharp. Angry and I freeze because I immediately recognize the voicesIt’s Alex and Samantha.I want to barge in there and ask whats she's doing at the mansion, especially at this time and right after she almost killed me again but I stay silent and creep furtherI know I shouldn’t listen, I should turn around, go upstairs, pretend I didn’t hear but my legs stay rooted to the spot, my breath caught somewhere in my throat.“I warned you,” Samantha spits out, voice high and brittle. “She’s ruining you

ELENA POV The morning after the beach, I half expect Alex to pull away. Maybe regret the kiss. Maybe remember why we kept our walls up in the first place. But he doesn’t. Instead, over breakfast, he asks almost too casually, if I want to come to a meeting with him at the docks. I’m still in my robe, hair damp from the shower, when I look up at him. “You mean actually come with you? As in, be there?” Alex sets down his coffee, lifts a brow. “That is what ‘come with me’ means, Elena.” My heart stutters, and I hate how obvious it must be on my face. “Yes,” I say, before I can second guess it. “Yes, okay.” We ride down together, windows tinted, Marco driving up front. The closer we get to the docks, the more Alex’s posture changes, a little straighter, a little harder around the edges. It should scare me, but it doesn’t. Somehow, I feel steadier beside him. Outside the car, the wind tastes of salt and diesel. A group of men in dark coats cluster near the containers, voices

ALEXANDER POVThe door clicks shut behind me, and for a second, everything feels still quiet.I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. It’s been three days, meetings, numbers, men who smile too easily and hide knives behind their backs. But the second I step into this house, it all falls away.Because she’s here.I hear her voice before I see her soft, hushed, coming from the living room and my chest tightens, Elena.I walk closer, rolling my suitcase behind me. She’s by the window, phone pressed to her ear, brow slightly furrowed. The light from the afternoon sun cuts across her face, catching the curve of her jaw, the faint pink in her cheeks. She sees me and stops talking mid sentence. Her eyes widen then soften, then something warmer, brighter. She ends the call so fast it’s almost clumsy. “Alex,” she breathes out, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Missed me already?” I tease, voice rougher than I mean it to be. She crosses the space between us, arms sliding aroun

Elena POV For once, the morning sunlight doesn’t feel like something to hide from. It slips across the sheets, warm and gentle, and I let my eyes open slowly instead of snapping awake in fear. Alex lies next to me, his arm draped over my waist, his hair mussed against the pillow. He looks younger like this, like the weight he carries all day finally lets go at night. My fingers almost move to trace the line of his jaw, but I stop, afraid to wake him. I stay still, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. It shouldn’t matter to me this much, but it does, and that scares me because every minute I fall a little more for him is another minute I’m risking the plan I’ve clung to since the memories came rushing back. The plan that keeps me angry, sharp, and unbreakable. Except right now, staring at him, I don’t feel unbreakable. I feel… human. His eyes flutter open, lashes lifting heavy, and he catches me staring. “What?” he asks, voice thick with sleep, mouth quirking into a s