Home / Mafia / THE DON'S SECRET OBSESSION (His Bride, Her Prison) / Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

All Chapters of THE DON'S SECRET OBSESSION (His Bride, Her Prison): Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

146 Chapters

71

Chapter 71Dermos’s POVShe didn’t move. That was the first thing I noticed. Ariella had stopped retreating.For the first time since I stepped into the room, she wasn’t putting distance between us. She just stood there with her back no longer pressed to the shelves and her arms no longer crossed defensively.But she wasn’t relaxed either. Not even close.Her breathing had slowed, but I could still see the rise and fall of her chest, like she was forcing herself to stay steady, like she was holding something back.My gaze dropped briefly to her lips, then back to her eyes.She was still uncertain, still guarded, but no longer pushing me away.That alone shifted something in the air.“You’re thinking too much,” I said quietly, and her brows pulled together slightly.“I have enough reasons to,” she replied.Her voice wasn’t as sharp as before, that edge, or anger had dulled greatly.What remained was something different, something I didn't know if it was worse. Honesty.I tilted my hea

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Chapter 72Dermos’s POVAnd for a moment, everything else did too.Her breath, her hesitation. The tension that had been building between us since the moment she walked into that room…It all collapsed into that single point.Her lips were soft, almost nearly not there, like she wasn’t fully sure she was doing it, like she was still deciding even as it happened.And yet… she didn’t pull away, and neither did I.My hand tightened slightly against her jaw, steadying her, grounding her, or maybe, grounding myself.This wasn’t planned, this wasn’t controlled, this was a mistake I saw coming and chose not to stop.Her fingers finally pressed against my chest, not pushing nor resisting me, but literally holding on to me.That small, uncertain contact did more than anything else.It deepened the moment, made it real, made it impossible to ignore.The kiss didn’t last long, it couldn’t, cause the second it became something more than a soft touch, she pulled back.She stepped back as she had j

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Chapter 73Ariel’s POVLuciana didn’t flinch, not when I stepped closer, not when my voice cut sharper than I intended.Not even when the tension between us thickened enough to choke on.She just stood there… watching me, with that smug look on her face.That calmness behind her features irritated me more than anything else.Or what? She had asked, like I wasn’t a threat, like I was just another woman trying to fight for her man.My fingers curled slightly at my sides as I held her gaze.“You heard me,” I said, quieter this time and much firmer. “Stay away from him.”Luciana tilted her head slightly with her lips curving into something that wasn’t quite a smile.“And if I don’t?” She asked softly, and there it was again.That tone, that not so defensive, nor aggressive tone.It was rather provoking, as if she were testing my limits, to see how far I was willing to go.I took another step closer, till there was barely any space between us.“Then I stop being patient,” I replied firmly.

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Chapter 74Ariel’s POVWhat annoyed me the most? The fact that the freak was still fucking smiling.Even after everything I said, even after the warning, even after I made it clear that this wasn’t just a conversation anymore.It was the drawing of a line, and she was never to cross it.She still smirked back, like it was nothing, like it was a joke.Like I was a joke.Her words still echoed in my head as I gave her one last look. I had said everything I needed to say, I had laid down the boundary, I didn't need to push any longer.I just had to wait for her to cross it, then I'd show her what I can do.So I turned away from her. I didn’t trust myself to stay there any longer, not without doing something reckless, not without proving her right.So I walked away. I walked away as fast as I could as my chest rose and fell unevenly. I didn’t look back, I didn’t wait to see if she was still watching me.But I knew she was; that was the problem, she was always fucking watching, always cal

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Chapter 75Dermos’ POVWho could that person be? That was the single question that sat in my head the moment the words left my mouth.Sending someone else sounded simple when said aloud, but this was in no way simple.Cause the truth was… There wasn’t a single name in my head that I trusted enough.I leaned back slightly in my chair with my eyes still on the photos of the masked gathering spread across the table.A room full of strangers hiding behind masks. A room where one wrong move could easily spell your doom.Snooping around too much could easily lead to being spotted; we were well known among even the biggest of the biggest.“Alright,” Carlos said after a moment, breaking through the silence. “Let’s be practical about this.”Mateo folded his arms over his chest. “We need someone who can blend,” he added. “Not just walk in, but disappear in the crowd.”I nodded slowly. “Someone with no identity behind the mask,” I said. “At least on the surface.”Carlos scoffed lightly. “Those d

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Chapter 76Ariel’s POVThe next morning came way too quickly.Everything felt dull, like I shouldn't even get out of bed.I took a deep breath, getting up and moving through my routine without thinking much.I got dressed, stepped out, and walked down the hallway like I had somewhere to be.Even though I didn’t, I reached the staircase and started on my way down.That’s when I heard voices.Voices that I quickly made out to be Dermos and Carlos.I slowed down slightly, listening to what they had to say.“…the ball is our best shot,” Carlos was saying. “We don’t get opportunities like this twice,” he continued.“I know,” Dermos replied.I knew I shouldn't have listened, but something about the tone of their voices made it hard not to.“…we need someone clean,” Carlos added. “Someone Valerio won’t recognize.”“Finding that someone is the problem,” Dermos said.I reached the bottom step, still moving slowly, pretending I wasn’t listening even though no one could hear me.“You already hav

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Chapter 77Ariel’s POVNo.No.No.Of all people, no. It cannot be her. My fingers curled slightly at my sides as that voice filled the room.It was the same familiar slurred tone that had no place in our conversation now.Why her? Why does it always have to be her?A quiet frustration stirred in my chest before I could stop it, tightening with every step she took closer.No. I can’t—“No,” I reacted as the word slipped out before I could hold it back.A soft, amused laugh followed immediately, and I didn’t have to look to know it was aimed my way.“Relax, Ariella,” Luciana said smoothly as she stepped further into the room. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”I finally looked up to face her well, my expression tightened despite the stress in me.“Of all people…” I muttered under my breath.And her smile widened slightly as she must have heard it, and probably enjoyed it.Then, to my surprise, she didn’t say anything again in my direction. She didn’t mock, but instead, she shifted he

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Chapter 78Ariel’s POVThe tension didn’t leave the room, not even after Dermos made his decision.Not even after everything was… settled. If anything, it only changed its looks.It grew thicker, more dangerous. Why? Cause now… it was real.Dermos stood at the end of the room with his posture rigid and his expression back to that controlled, unreadable state I was beginning to recognize too well.Carlos remained off to the side, quieter now, watching everything play out.And Luciana? She stood across from me.Calm and composed, like this was nothing, like I was nothing.My jaw tightened slightly.“This isn’t a game,” Dermos began with his voice cutting cleanly through the silence.We both looked at him.“This ball,” he continued, “is one of the most important gatherings Valerio hosts every year.”His tone shifted slightly. “It’s not just a party. It’s a meeting ground. Deals are made there, alliances are formed here, and information moves here.”I listened carefully despite the pressu

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Chapter 79Ariel’s POVThe door clicked shut behind me as I stepped out, and just like that, there was no going back.I returned to the living room and paused at the entrance for half a second with my fingers tightening slightly at my sides, before lifting my gaze and spotting them immediately.Dermos stood near the exit, his large arms folded over his chest, his posture as straight as ever. While Carlos leaned against the wall beside him, Luciana didn’t look at me at first.She was adjusting her gloves, looking all relaxed and unbothered, like this was just another routine outing.My jaw tightened slightly.“You’re late,” Dermos’ voice cut through my thoughts.I frowned slightly. “I’m not.”“You are,” Luciana cut in without looking at me.I turned my head towards her. “We didn’t set a time.”She finally glanced up with a single brow arching faintly. “And yet, I’m still ready before you.”I held her gaze, then looked away first, not because I couldn’t respond, but because I refused t

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Chapter 80Ariel’s POVI stopped, thinking over my choice again.As much as I hated it, she always had a point, even way back when we were kids.She looked back slightly when I didn't make a move. “Or are you scared?” She teased.That did it.I walked past her, straight into the narrower path.“I’ll lead the way,” I muttered.The path tightened quickly as the branches grew lower and the ground beneath us went uneven.I adjusted my steps instinctively, scanning the surroundings, listening to whatever my ears could catch.And behind me, Luciana had grown quieter now.“You slowed down,” she said after a moment, when I actually relaxed a bit.“I adjusted.”“To what?”I didn’t answer immediately.Then, “Listen,” I whispered.She paused, waiting to hear what I was on about. Luciana’s gaze sharpened as she looked around.“There,” I said quietly, and a second passed without anything, then another.And for the first time since this started, she didn’t argue or try to correct me.She just stepp

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