All Chapters of Bound By Marriage : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Bella found herself at a beautiful coffee and pastry shop that she had always seen when she passed by, her eyes scanned the room before she settled into a booth at the back. She wanted to keep a low profile, and not get recognised for her security.so she ordered her food and sat alone, lost in thought. Looking out the window, she pondered her new life as a wife. She was intelligent and had degrees, she felt a sense of restlessness all her life, yearning for something more. Now that she was married then what?.Was she going to spend her time chasing her Husband.Perhaps she could ask her mother to let her run one of her companies. Her father used to involve her in his less dangerous business dealings sometimes and she had enjoyed helping him. She remembered the countless hours of navigating complex financial transactions for him, and helping with some business strategy ideas. Now she just needs to find something to keep her busy. Its not like she needed the money but she wanted to h

Bella sat on the nearest chair in a daze, her eyes welling up with tears, she felt the disappointment wash all over her, she had never felt so rejected in her life, and the pain of it was so embarrassing and sad. The weight of her husband's rejection was crushing her, and she couldn't bear the thought of facing him tonight.She needed to also leave the room too, there was no way she was going to sleep ashamed and angry beside him tonight she grabbed her usual long robe and stormed out the room, She needed to escape, to get away from the hurt caused by the rejection that was simmering inside her. She made her way to the wine cellar, her heart heavy with emotion. She selected a fine bottle of wine, she was not even a drinker like that, she only drank on social occasions when there was a need but today she hoped that the alcohol would numb the pain she was feeling.She also needed someone to vent to so she walked through the long dark hallway straight to her Sebastian, thank god she ha

Bella stood in the kitchen leaning against the counter, her fingers curled around a steaming mug of chamomile tea, hoping it would soothe the restless ache in her chest. It was well past nine, and Luca still hadn’t come home. Her mind was going crazy with the events that almost transpired in the shower, his cold departure, the way his eyes had burned with both desire and restraint. She had spent hours replaying every moment, every word, trying to understand where she’d gone wrong. Was he still angry about Sebastian? Did he think so little of her?The sound of the front door creaking open snapped her out of her thoughts. Her heart leapt, hoping it was Luca, but when Sebastian sauntered into the kitchen, her shoulders slumped. His nose was still bruised from Luca’s punch, but he wore his usual easy grin, as if the chaos of the morning was just another Tuesday.“Hey, Bella,” he said, grabbing a beer from the fridge. “You look like you’re waiting for the world to end.”“Where’s Luca?” s

The next morning, Bella stood in the grand foyer of the estate, her nerves buzzing with anticipation. Luca had called her to his study before leaving for the day, his demeanor as guarded as ever. “Taylor will show you to the club,” he’d said, his tone clipped. “You’ll meet your co-manager there. Don’t make me regret this, report to men assigned to you at any sign of danger.”The idea of going with Taylor did not sound fun at all to her,Taylor wasn’t bad, she was just full of it, and the fact that she was close to her husband. She didn’t hate Taylor at all, but its just the jealousy sometimes. she had to push it down. Now all she had to do was prove herself to Luca, and even to Taylor and everyone who thought she was too soft for the Mafia world. ***************When Taylor arrived, her sleek black car waiting outside, Bella squared her shoulders and stepped into the passenger seat.Taylor didn’t bother with pleasantries, her eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses as she drove. “Luca’s

The nightclub’s music still lingered in Bella’s mind like a fading echo as she sat in the passenger seat of Luca’s black Maserati, the city’s neon lights streaking past in a blur of color and shadow.Her fingers clutched the strap of her clutch, the black beautiful dress she’d chosen for the night a dress meant to catch Luca’s eye now feeling like a useless gesture. She had spent hours preparing, curling her hair, perfecting her makeup, all for him. But the night had spiraled into chaos with the Petrov situation consuming Luca’s attention, and Sebastian’s careless revelation about Taylor had sliced through her like a blade.The car was suffocatingly silent, the low hum of the engine punctuated only by the occasional flex of Luca’s jaw, his hands steady on the wheel, this was actually the first time they have driven alone together.Luca was the embodiment of control, a mafia leader whose name alone commanded fear in the underworld. His dark eyes were fixed on the road, his expression