All Chapters of SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Dahlia’s POVWhen it was close to six, I started getting ready. I stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the steam fill the room before I stepped under the water. The warmth ran down my body, washing over my shoulders and back like soft hands trying to calm me. I closed my eyes and let the water soak my hair, but no matter how hard I tried, my mind wouldn’t stop racing. Tonight was important. Tonight I would be walking into Luca’s world, and there would be people watching me, judging me, expecting me to be perfect. My stomach twisted with nerves, tight and restless, like butterflies fighting inside me.But then I remembered Mrs. Cruz’s voice. The way she had looked at me with sharp eyes and told me I could do this. That I wasn’t as weak as I thought. I held onto that thought, repeating it to myself as the water ran down my face. I can do this. I can.After the shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped back into the bedroom. Mrs. Cruz was already there, stand

Dahlia’s POVThe hum of voices dipped lower the second Luca stepped into the room. It wasn’t silence, but it was close enough to feel strange, like someone had turned down the volume of the world just for him. Heads turned, conversations slowed, and I could feel the shift in the air. Some people whispered behind their glasses of wine, others simply stared openly, their gazes following us like shadows that refused to let go.I wasn’t sure if they were staring at him, or at me. Maybe at both of us together.“Remember,” Luca’s voice brushed against my ear, his breath warm enough to send goosebumps crawling down my skin. “Stand tall.”I swallowed and nodded, my throat tight, but I lifted my chin just the way Mrs. Cruz had taught me. Shoulders back, eyes steady, no fidgeting. You are Mrs. Romano. Never forget it.People came closer in waves. The first few greeted Luca with handsha

Dahlia’s POVMy dress shifted softly as we moved, brushing against his suit with a faint swishing sound that only I seemed to hear. His chest was close, almost touching mine, and I could feel the heat radiating from him even through the layers of fabric. His fingers curled around mine, not too tight but secure, as if making a silent promise not to let me fall.“You’re not bad at this,” I whispered, my voice shaky from nerves and the quick pace of my heart.He tilted his head slightly, one eyebrow lifting. “And you’re not as hopeless as you think.”The way he said it caught me off guard. It wasn’t mocking, not cold—it had the smallest edge of amusement. I blinked up at him, and before I could stop it, a nervous laugh slipped out of me. It was small, breathless, but real. For a second, the fear of stumbling, the heavy stares of the crowd, the whispers buzzing at the edges of the room—all of it faded.He didn’t smile back, not fully, but his gaze softened. His eyes stayed on me, locked i

Dahlia’s POVThe words made me blink, my lips parting slightly. I had expected anger, or maybe indifference, but not that. My chest loosened just a little, though the fear still clung tightly.I stared at him, unsure of what to say. My hands shook in my lap, so I pressed them down against my thighs, hoping he wouldn’t notice. But his gaze flicked back to me, and for a moment, it softened, just a fraction, before hardening again as his phone buzzed with a reply.He read it quickly, his expression sharp as a blade, then slipped the phone back into his pocket. He looked at me again, and this time his eyes were darker, heavier. “From now on,” he said slowly, his voice carrying a weight that made my skin prickle, “if you ever hear something like that, you tell me immediately. Do you understand?”I nodded quickly, my voice too shaky to speak.“Good,” he said, leaning back again, his gaze returning to the window.I sat in silence, my heart pounding, staring down at my ring finger where his n

Luca’s POVThe car slowed and then came to a full stop. My driver didn’t say anything, he didn’t have to. I already knew we had reached the place. I opened the door and stepped out, the night air hitting my face. The sky was dark, heavy clouds hiding the stars, like even they didn’t want to see what was about to happen. The ground was damp, gravel crunching under my shoes as I walked forward.Dante was already there when I stepped out of the car, waiting in the shadows like a wolf watching the dark. A few of my men stood with him, spread out, their shapes blending so well with the night that if I didn’t know where to look, I wouldn’t have seen them. Still, the faint glint of steel in their hands gave them away. Guns ready. Eyes sharp. Waiting only for my command.Dante gave me a short nod, the kind that didn’t need words. Everything was ready. His movements were always calm, always steady, but his eyes—those sharp eyes—watched me closely, like he was always reading me, always waiting