Semua Bab CLAIMED BY THE MAFIA DON: Bab 21 - Bab 30

Five years AgoThat must have been, the end for us. I tried calling him. He never picked up.And so, I did what everybody said—I moved on.It was just a prom date. He just took me because, maybe, he probably felt sorry for me or whatever. I didn’t know his reasons. But that didn’t mean we were ever getting close, and it definitely didn’t mean we were getting married any day soon.So, I tried to forget him.Of course, there was still news about him. Stories about his arguments with his father, because supposedly, he blamed his father for his mother’s death. And then, there was the talk of him coming back every now and then.When I turned 18, he was 21.I had just turned 18, and a lot of our friends—had either been proposed or already had arranged marriages. I didn’t have any prospects yet. I didn’t know if I even wanted any.~~~~We were at my cousin’s wedding. She was 19, and this was my first wedding. My mother told me I needed to attend so I could be prepared, and maybe someone migh

Five Years Ago"I'm sorry, honey, but you're going to marry the Don." The world around me blurs. "You mean Asher's father?" My voice was barely a whisper. "You mean the father of the man I have been spending all this time with? The man you allowed me to date? The man I’ve fallen in love with? The man who loves me? The man I want to spend my life with? That man's father?" Neither of them spoke. I took a step back, shaking my head. "Is that what you're saying?" My mother exhaled as if she was explaining something to a child. "Ariella, listen, this is good for our family. We’re moving up the ranks. Your father will gain power. Our family will gain respect. Your children will be royalty." "Shut up, Mom!" I snapped, my voice cracking. She gasped as if I had slapped her. Okay, maybe I had—just not physically. I turned to my father. "Does Asher know?" He wouldn't look at me. "Does Asher know I'm supposed to marry his father?" My hands were trembling. "Did you at least have the dece

Asher exhaled sharply, his entire body tensing beneath me. "For fuck’s sake," he cursed, shoving me off his lap so suddenly I nearly stumbled back into my seat.Before I could react, he was already out of the car.I watched in shock as he ran a hand through his hair, pacing in the dim glow of the car lights. He cursed under his breath, his hands clenching into fists before he spun on his heel stalked toward the trees and disappeared into the darkness.I sat there, frozen.Confused. Scared.And then suddenly, tears started spilling down my cheeks.I don't know how long he was gone or how long I cried Before I even realized it, he was opening the car door.I hadn’t seen him pass by, hadn’t heard his footsteps. But there he was—pulling me into his arms, holding me close as I shook with silent sobs. His hand moved over my back, soothing me."Stop crying, please," he murmured against my hair. "Just stop. I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you, Ariella. I swear, I’m not mad at you."I clung to his

I don’t know where I got the courage to answer him, but I did."If I know why you’re here,” I said, “you also know why. We both know why I wasn’t picking up calls, and we both know why you’re here. There, case solved.”“You think you’re smart like that, huh?”I smiled, even though I was nervous and scared. “I kind of, um...” I answered back with a smile.He let go of my chin as he took a step back, then started roaming around my room—touching things, peeking into my dresser, looking at my pictures. I got all red when he picked up the picture that was beside my bed—a picture of him. A picture I kissed before I went to sleep. A secret I was going to take to my grave.He looked at the picture, then gave me a look that made me go even redder—if that was possible—before his eyes turned back to the photo.“Handsome. Who is he?”“Just a guy,” I answered.He raised an eyebrow with a restrained smile.“Like... I have this huge crush on,” I said.He sighed as he came and sat beside me.Then he

I stayed in the bathroom long after my mom left. I wasn’t doing anything in there—I just didn’t want to be in the same room with her while she kept trying to convince me to break up with Asher. That wasn’t happening.I had a plan. And the plan was going to work. I hadn’t expected Asher himself to be the obstacle. I knew he loved me. I felt it. In the way he kissed me, the way he touched me, how his hands lingered when he held me. I thought that would be enough. I thought if I wanted it, he’d want it too—if not more.But he was hesitating. And that made it a problem.Still, I could see him slowly bending. I just needed to wait for the right moment—somewhere calm, somewhere private. Somewhere where no one could interrupt us.When I finally walked out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, I called him. He didn’t pick up. For a moment, my heart sank. But then I remembered what he said earlier—his father had tasked him with something, and he had to work on it. So I told myself to relax. He’