Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Mafia's Substitute Bride: Kabanata 121 - Kabanata 130

Valentina woke up feeling like someone had taken a hammer to her skull. Her throat was dry, her limbs heavy, and every sound in the room seemed too loud. Even the soft sound of the air conditioning felt like it was vibrating in her bones.She exhaled slowly, turning her head against the pillow, but the second she moved, discomfort washed over her—something was off. Her brows furrowed, and through the haze of her hangover, she realized…She wasn’t wearing what she left in.whatHer eyes fluttered open, so slowly and cautiously, adjusting to the brightly lit room. YaThe curtains were drawn, the air cool against her skin, and it took a second before broken memories of what happened last night began to flood in.Camilla’s housewarming. The drinking. The mess, and Lucas.Her breath caught in her throat, and immediately she turned her head and there he was.He was sitting at the edge of the bed, awake, one hand resting on his knee while the other held his phone. But he wasn’t looking at the

Lucas stopped in front of her, his eyes flicking to her lips. Before she could react, his thumb brushed her skin, wiping away a faint smudge of lipstick just above the corner of her mouth. "Where?" he asked, his voice calm. She hesitated for a beat, then exhaled. "To where I was yesterday. I didn’t get Camilla’s gifts for the party, and I thought I should." He nodded, which caught her off guard. No resistance? She thought he was going to refuse her going out again as she last night didn't end well. "Sure," he said, nodding as he gesturd towards the door with his head. "Olive will take you there."

 The sound of glass shattering made her freeze for half a second before she bolted up the stairs. Her heart pounded out of fear, and out of sheer relief. He was home. She had been calling his name and getting nothing, but now, at least, she knew he was here and she didn't have to wait hours until he got back from wherever he would've gone to.   She came in a stop in the hallway, just few rooms away from hers, and she wondered where exactly he was until she heard shuffles from her room and she sighed in relief.   But why was he in her room?   That thought barely had time to form before another, far worse one, hit her like a brick. 

 SHE DIDN’T PLAN TO FALL ASLEEP. One second she was staring at the front door, curled up on the stairs with her chin on her knees, and the next, her eyes were too heavy to hold open. Her phone was close to her, ok the table, incase he called. The house was quiet now that was nothing to do and the silence echoed deep I'm her head. She kept jolting awake every now and then, thinking she heard something—an engine maybe, or the door unlocking—but it was always nothing. Just wind, or the fridge kicking on, or the way loneliness starts sounding like footsteps when it’s late enough. It was almost 1 a.m. when the sound of tires on gravel finally came. She sh

Eight hours ago.Lucas hadn’t even bothered to check if the tires were fine from how fast and roughly he was driving when he pulled into the private partking lot. He turned off the ignition, climbed out, and slammed the door harder than necessary, the sound cracking through the evening.The neon lights from the club flickered against his car as he stalked toward the entrance. The bouncer at the door recognized him immediately and stepped aside without a word.Inside, the place smelled like money, and different kinds of colognes. Low music played in the background, nothing too loud yet as it was still early. Most of the crowd lounging around tables or gathered near the bar. The dance floor stretched out in the middle, empty for now, just waiting for the night to catch up. Of course, it didn’t take long before people started to notice his presence.The stares started the moment he walked in, and they hadn’t stopped. Some were subtle. Men glanced over their shoulders, and women nudged ea