All Chapters of The Lord Of Chaos: A Forced Marriage: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Vittoria stood frozen, as if Vincenzo’s question had unraveled the fragile certainties she clung to in vain.She found no words to answer, because deep down, even she didn’t know what she was doing there.All she felt was that contradictory force within her: one part pulling her toward him, another screaming for her to run.“I’m just trying to help,” Vittoria said, her fingers trailing unconsciously along her arm, a reflexive of self-protection. “How did this happen?”“I’m too exhausted for another fight with you,” Vincenzo declared, turning away as if trying not just to distance himself physically but to escape the silent chaos she stirred inside him. “So, consider this matter closed.”But he froze the moment he felt Vittoria’s hands rest on his shoulders, soft, almost hesitant, as if, without a single word, she was silently pleading for him not to pull away.“Please, talk to me,” Vittoria whispered, pressing her forehead against his back, her hands gently caressing his shoulders, fi

Vittoria’s heart faltered, beating out of rhythm, as if losing control with every passing second.Her lungs refused air, her chest tightening in a growing suffocation, as if something invisible crushed her from within.A wave of raw, overwhelming panic consumed her, as if the world crumbled beneath her feet, leaving her with nothing to cling to.Desperate, she stumbled through the corridor, lurching as if the floor had turned treacherous under her feet.The world around her dissolved into blurred shapes, her vision narrowing and clouding, as if fear had blindfolded her eyes.The walls seemed to close in, swallowing the air. The stairs, so familiar, now stretched like an endless nightmare.She ran—or tried to—driven by a primal, irrational urgency stronger than the fear itself.When she finally reached the top of the staircase, her legs gave out.She gripped the banister, fingers digging in almost painfully.Her chest heaved in a frantic rhythm, and for a moment, she thought she might

Vittoria returned the look with equal disdain, not breaking eye contact for a second.Then, she settled onto the stool beside Antonella with natural elegance, holding a posture that signaled she wouldn’t be intimidated by anyone.“A Mandarinetto, please,” Vittoria requested, maintaining her composure as she met Antonella’s gaze. “Usurper? That seems a bit much. I prefer wife.” She flashed a faint smile, lacing her provocation with the subtlety of someone who knew exactly where to strike.“Bold and brazen,” Antonella murmured, bringing her glass to her lips with an almost bored elegance. “But you can drop the happy wife act.” She set the glass down on the counter with a soft clink. “We all know this marriage wasn’t your choice.”“True, it wasn’t a choice,” Vittoria cut in, her tone casual, glancing briefly at the bartender as he placed her drink before her. “But it’s a role I’ve fully embraced now.” She raised her glass with calm, as if she had nothing left to prove.“A role that doesn

Vittoria’s gaze betrayed the confusion sparked by Vincenzo’s words. Of all the surprises that day, none unsettled her as much as what she’d just heard.“Why didn’t you tell me about her?” Vittoria asked, sidestepping his question—not out of strategy, but because the doubt gnawed at her more than she cared to admit.“I met her today, Vittoria,” Vincenzo replied, his voice measured, each word chosen with care. “That’s when I learned about the deal between my father and hers, made in secret, like so many other dirty games in this life.”Vincenzo watched closely as Vittoria fidgeted with her fingers, trying to mask the pain still pulsing beneath her skin.Without a word, he reached out and took her hand firmly, allowing no resistance, guiding it to his lips.With an unsettling calm, he kissed each knuckle slowly, as if touching each bruised spot could somehow ease her pain.“Next time, bella, hit like this,” he instructed, his voice low and steady, raising his fist and demonstrating the m

Vittoria let out a soft laugh as she rested her head on his shoulder, as if the simple act offered a rare moment of respite.She closed her eyes and surrendered completely, feeling his hand glide slowly down her back, the caresses so gentle they felt like whispers of unspoken emotions, tracing her skin with an intimacy that spoke without words.“And now?” Vittoria murmured, her voice low and laced with uncertainty, her hand brushing his face, fingers softly tracing the contours of his beard as if seeking an answer in the warmth of his skin that he hadn’t yet voiced.“When you decide to hate me, remember you chose to stay,” Vincenzo replied, kissing her chin with a tenderness that clashed with the weight of his words.Vittoria tilted her head back slightly, her eyes locking onto his with a silent intensity, as if searching the depths of his gaze for all the truths still left unsaid.“Why did you choose to do things this way?” she asked, hesitant, her voice thick with an emotion she str