All Chapters of The Auctioned Bride: Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

The first time I saw a man die was in this room.The very first time I saw Valerio kill was in this room.Now, standing here again, the air felt heavy with that same memory… only this time, it wasn’t a stranger kneeling before him. It was Rico.“Stop it!” I screamed, grabbing Valerio’s arm, but he shoved Rico back with enough force to make him stumble into the wall.“Please, listen to me…please, just wait…” I tried to speak, but my voice broke as Valerio held out his hand to Marco. I froze when Marco passed him the gun. My heart jumped to my throat, my breath catching painfully.Rico was kneeling in the middle of the room now, his chest heaving, his lip bleeding, but his eyes…those soft brown eyes were on me. Not scared. Just...sad.The click of the gun being cocked echoed like thunder in the silence.And that’s when something in me snapped.“You left me!” I yelled.The words tore out before I could stop them. They cut through the air, sharp, desperate… and for the first time since he

Rico was nowhere to be found and honestly, I didn’t care.The house felt emptier than it had in a long time. The walls echoed every sound...the ticking of the clock, the faint rustle of the curtains, the whisper of my pacing footsteps as I moved back and forth, over and over again. I had been doing it for hours…pacing, waiting, hoping.I kept glancing toward the window, toward the gate outside, listening for the sound of an engine, the clatter of metal, something…anything that would tell me Valerio was back. But nothing came.Just silence.That cruel, heavy silence that eats at your heart until there’s nothing left but dread.I pressed my palms together and closed my eyes. I wasn’t someone who prayed often, but I did then. I begged God… begged whatever force was listening not to take him from me. Not like this. Not when I had finally realized how much I loved him.“Please,” I whispered into the empty room, my voice trembling. “Please don’t take him from me. Not now. Not when I haven

It was too quiet, too still... like time itself was afraid to disturb him.Valerio lay there, eyes half open, looking at me. The soft rhythm of the monitor beside marked proof that he was still here. Still alive.I stood frozen. For a long time, I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. The sight of him…fragile, bandaged at his arm and chest tore something inside me I didn't even know was left.'Valerio," I whispered, afraid that even saying his name too loud would hurt him.His eyes met mine, and something inside me broke. They weren't angry. Just tired.Achingly tired."You shouldn't be here," he murmured, his , hoarse, broken at the edges.I swallowed hard. "Don't say that."He tried to shift slightly, wincing. "You should rest, Althea. You've been crying."A weak smile tugged at my lips. "You almost died, and you're worried about me crying?"He exhaled slowly, avoiding my eyes. "I didn't mean to scare you.""Scare me?" My voice cracked. "You stopped breathing, Valerio! I thought..." I

Valerio was supposed to be discharged today, but the doctor had shaken his head after the morning rounds, saying there’d been a small spike in his blood pressure. Nothing alarming, just enough to keep him one more night. I tried to hide my disappointment, though a part of me didn’t mind….one more day meant one more quiet night with him still close, where I could watch over him without worrying he’d push himself too soon.When I entered his room, the faint sound of running water stopped. A moment later, he emerged from the bathroom, towel slung around his waist, another draped over his head as he rubbed his hair dry. The late afternoon light spilled through the blinds, painting golden stripes across his bare shoulders and chest.I froze for a heartbeat, just… looking at him. Alive. Moving. Whole.Then I forced myself to move closer, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Let me help with that,” I said, walking toward him. Before he could protest, I gently took the towel from his hand and s

“J—just...just a moment of weakness," I stammered, my vision blurring as he dragged me up the bed , pinning her against the plaster. Valerio's face twisted in a scowl, his jaw clenched tight. "Weakness is not a viable excuse, baby." His lips trailed down my arm, his hot breath sending shivers down my spine. "I'll make sure you understand what it means to betray me."The air seemed to thicken, as if the very fabric of reality was warped by the tension between usI trembled as Valerio's hand trailed lower, his fingers brushing over the sensitive skin of my inner thighs again.. Teasing. He pressed closer, his muscular body pinning me against the wall, his erection pressing insistently against my hip."Do you remember what I promised you?" Valerio's voice was a low rumble, his breath hot against my ear. "Do you remember what happens when you stray?"I nodded, her throat too tight to form words."Yes," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I remember."Valerio's fingers dipped between m