All Chapters of The Mafia's Substitute Bride: Chapter 151 - Chapter 160

Lucas found her leaning against the marble balustrade on the upper balcony, half her body turned toward the city skyline in the distance. The lights below looked like they'd been poured from a bucket and scattered across the hills, gold and restless. She turned at the sound of his footsteps, her mouth lifting in a faint smile. "There you are," she said, brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear. "How did it go?." "Had to take a call," he replied, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Ready to go?" Valentina nodded and pushed herself upright, straightening the strap of her purse. As they started walking down the hallway together, her

"Gimme a sec" She collected and brought the takeout bags in and shut the door with her elbow. The warm scent hit her instantly—grilled salmon, something garlicky, a faint trail of fresh ginger and lemon. She padded barefoot across the living room to the dining table and began unpacking each container, laying them out one by one. Grilled salmon on a bed of quinoa and roasted vegetables. Sushi rolls, neat and glossy. Seafood paella with brown rice. Even dessert. It looked too fancy for a casual night in, but then again, she wasn't expecting Lucas to eat 'unhealthy' food because it was called takeouts. She tilted her head slightly, checking the receipt tucked under the last box—pay on delivery. She turned back toward the stairs and jogged up halfway before calling out, “Lucas?&rdq

FEW DAYS LATERThe light had already changed once or twice by the time Lucas stepped through the door. It was late morning, closer to noon, and the scent of whatever Valentina had made earlier still lingered faintly in the house. He walked in without much sound, keys in one hand, coat draped over his forearm, the other hand holding his phone with a few unread messages lighting the screen. His face held that familiar unreadable look he wore when his mind was too full.Sha was in the kitchen, barefoot, dressed down in a soft top and leggings, slicing an apple she probably wasn’t hungry for. She didn’t say anything when she heard the door and just glanced over when he walked past the archway, waited a beat, and then went back to her task.Lucas set his things down on the side table near the stairs. There was the soft thump of leather, and the click of glass as he poured himself some water from the dispenser, and walked into the kitchen. He leaned against the island across from her.“Ther

The hospital’s corridors were quieter in the morning than they had been the day before. Not that it mattered. Valentina didn’t come for atmosphere. She showed up because she’d said she would, because the appointment had been set, and because she couldn’t shake the pressure of needing to be present—especially now that the treatments had actually started. She didn't want to miss anything.The nurse at the reception gave her a short nod of recognition. “You were here yesterday, right?” It was a different nurse this time.She returned the nod. “Yeah.”“She responded a little better to the meds last night,” the nurse added casually, as she led the way down the corridor. “Few reflex came back briefly. That’s something.”Valentina hummed and followed closely behind, with her arms loosely folded, eyes ahead. The nurse kept talking, something about the new chart, the adjustments the doctor made, and she listened even though she got bored halfway and most of it blurred once it got to her ears.

Morning brought no clarity.Alecia stirred restlessly under the weight of unanswered thoughts, her phone lying beside her like it had the night before, with the screen dim and untouched. She reached for it again, checking for missed calls or texts—nothing. She’d called Matteo three times the previous day, messaged once, even tried reaching out to one of his people, the boys that he walked around with, but no one had seen or heard from him. That was unlike him.He wasn't loyal because he was paid to be. He was loyal because he chose to be. And even on his worst days, even when he was pissed or busy or dragging his feet about something she wanted done, he never left her hanging without a word, he was obsessed with he that much, which was strange because he had admitted million times that has feels nothing for her.She tried again, pressing his name in her call list, holding the phone close as it rang. Once. Twice. Five times. Still nothing. The line didn’t cut or bounce her to voicemail