Chapter 11 - Second thoughts.

A L Y S S AThe next morning...I barely slept last night. I lie in my bed staring at the ceiling, replaying every word Stephano said to me, every look he gave me, the way he stood there, so certain of himself and so sure that I am temporary. I turn onto my side, then onto my back again, pulling the blanket up and then pushing it away, my mind refusing to quiet down. It is not just what he says that keeps me awake; it is how easily he says it, as if reducing me costs him nothing at all. By the time morning light begins to slip through the curtains, I feel more drained than rested, but there is no space to indulge that exhaustion today.Carmen sits across from me at my small kitchen table, her mug of coffee cradled between both hands as she listens to me recount last night in a voice that sounds unfamiliar even to my own ears. The breakfast she insisted on making sits in front of me, eggs and toast that would normally make me grateful, but I keep pushing the food around my plate instea

Chapter 12 - She's perfect.

A L Y S S AWe finally reach the Valentino estate, and the sight of it feels even more overwhelming today, given what is to take place.Once the car parks at the front of the house, the driver steps out and opens my car door for me, and I have to admit, that's still something I'm not yet used to. I smooth my hands down the front of my white dress before stepping out of the car, conscious of every movement, of the way the fabric falls around my legs, of the fact that this is the closest I have ever come to looking like a bride. That's when I notice the same woman who greeted me the last time standing waiting near the entrance, dressed smartly in a formal dark grey dress, her expression polite as she watches me approach her."Welcome back, Ms Hart." She greets me just as I slow down my steps as soon as I reach her. That's when I notice that she's not the only one standing by the doors. There seem to be two men standing at either side, both of them dressed in black with an earpiece in ea

Chapter 13 - Just like that.

A L Y S S AMy heart races as the number echoes in my mind, making it almost impossible to focus on anything else. I try to picture that amount in practical terms, hospital bills, treatment plans, debt erased, but it feels abstract, almost unreal, as though it belongs to someone with a different name.“In addition,” he goes on, and that's when I bring my attention back to the present, watching as Mr Whitmore continues to read the document in his hands, “a final settlement payment of five hundred thousand dollars will be granted upon completion of the two-year term...” He lets out, and my heart drops a second time as I swallow quietly. 500,000 dollars. Just like that.I should feel relieved hearing that. Security, or some sort of stability. Instead, I feel strangely detached, like I am listening to a deal being discussed about someone else’s future. It makes me think about what would happen to me, and the child I'm supposed to have...Will I be able to stay with him? Will I be able to

Chapter 14 - None of us wanted this.

A L Y S S A“Thank you for agreeing to do this, Alyssa… I know it’s a difficult decision…” Mrs Valentino says, her tone soft and composed, as if she is acknowledging a small inconvenience rather than the complete restructuring of my life.I stand in front of her with my hands loosely clasped in front of my dress, feeling the faint tremor in my fingers that I hope she doesn't notice. “Right… I’m happy we could help each other…” I mumble, and I hear how rehearsed it sounds even to myself. I say it because that is the narrative that makes this easier to accept, the idea that this is mutual, balanced, beneficial to both sides. What I do not say is that I barely recognise the version of myself who signed those papers half an hour ago.She nods approvingly, as if I have said exactly what she hoped to hear. “Our people will escort you to your home and help you begin moving out,” she explains, smoothing a hand over the front of her tailored blazer as though she is organising an event.“Alrea

Todos los capítulos de A Marriage with the Mafia Prince: Capítulo 11 - Capítulo 14

Chapter 11 - Second thoughts.

Chapter 12 - She's perfect.

Chapter 13 - Just like that.

Chapter 14 - None of us wanted this.