All Chapters of From Bride to Mafia Crown: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

"Elena, this is our 19th wedding. I promise: this time will be the last."Giovanni Rossi's voice on the phone was as gentle as ever."Put on your gown and wait for me at the church. I'll go pick up your mother's veil, and then I'll come."I stood quietly on the cold stone steps outside the church, just as I had on the previous 18 occasions.Thirty minutes passed. Giovanni did not show.Then the church bells rang, and Lina Davinci's video call popped up."Hah… hah…"Crude panting and the sound of barking burst from the phone.On the screen was my mother's veil, the one she had sewn by hand, the only thing she left me after she died. It was now pinned beneath a rutting toy poodle.Sticky, obscene sounds. Filthy paw prints. The violent tearing of fabric.All of it drowned in Lina's shrill, unrestrained laughter."Bella! Tear it apart! This piece of trash suits you perfectly!"The camera tilted.Giovanni's bare back filled the frame as he buried his face in Lina's neck."Don'

"You're saving me?"I actually laughed, my voice trembling from the pain."You're about to twist my hand off!"Instead of letting go, he pressed harder, snarling in fury."What? Should I let you walk out wearing that fake ring and get beaten to death in the street by the Bellinis?"You did this on purpose, didn't you?"Deliberately wearing a counterfeit and running into us…just to make people misunderstand, to sabotage our cooperation with the Bellini family!"Behind him, the consigliere and underboss suddenly looked enlightened and furious."Shit! This traitor is a mole sent from Northern Italy!""We gave up three entire weapons depots just to make the family originally assigned to receive the Donna step aside!""All so the Donna would be pleased. So she'd put in a good word with Don Bellini and spare our family!""If the Donna sees someone impersonating her with fake jewelry, we're all finished!"Lina raised her hand, about to toss the ring into the trash.My vision went

Mamma: that single word froze the entire hall.Every guest turned at once.The mafiosi who had been watching coldly just moments ago now wore expressions of pure shock.Lina had to clutch Giovanni's arm to keep from collapsing.I struggled to lift my head and saw my son, who was always so composed, in tears."Sweetheart…"Instinctively, I tried to wipe them away with the back of my uninjured hand."Your hand!"He caught my mangled one instead. His voice cracked."Who did this?"His other small hand moved on instinct, resting against the custom pistol at his waist.Before the last word left his mouth, the air in the banquet hall turned deadly still.Rafael stepped forward.That face, beautiful as a carved god, held no emotion at all.The crowd parted instantly.He stopped beside our son, his voice deep and calm."Antonio, step back."Antonio obeyed at once, retreating several steps. His gaze swept over Lina and Giovanni: cold and lethal.Bang!Rafael kicked the massiv

Giovanni wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and forced himself to speak."Don Bellini, please allow me to explain. This is all a misunderstanding."There was a trace of bitterness in his voice, carefully concealed."As Elena's former fiancé, I was only concerned about how she's been living these past few years. I never expected things to spiral like this."Of all moments, this was the one time he should never have mentioned that former engagement in front of Rafael.Rafael wiped the blood splattered on his hand from the punch he had thrown and smiled."Is that so?" he said calmly. "Go on."I could hear the sharp crack of knuckles as his fist slowly tightened.However, Giovanni seemed encouraged by that smile. He straightened his back, emboldened."You must have heard how deeply Elena once loved me," he said. "I thought her return after seven years meant she'd lost her way. I only meant to advise her. If she'd listened, none of this misunderstanding would have happene

He stood in the doorway, so worn down he was barely recognizable.For a split second, I did not even realize who he was.However, I steadied myself quickly."How dare you come here?" I asked, my hand quietly sliding toward the phone on the bedside table.He let out a bitter laugh."I must be out of my mind…" His voice was hoarse. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. I just…I just…"He trailed off, his gaze tangled with regret and desperation.Impatient, I asked, "Just what?"He lifted his head, suddenly deadly serious."I love you, Elena. Even after you married someone else, I still love you."The little power I had left could've protected me long enough to escape to another country. But I couldn't accept it. I had to come find you."He took a step forward, hope burning in his eyes."Come with me. Let's start over.""Stop right there."My voice cut through him like a blade. Disgust filled my eyes."Start over? Who do you think you are?"You left me standing alone in that