Chapter 11 — The King Without a Throne

MikeShe's sleeping.In my bed.And everything in me rejects this image.I watch her for another moment, slow breathing, the sheets pulled up just enough to guess the curve of her hip. She won this round. Through provocation, calculated coldness, that way of disarming me without a word.I could wake her. Make her leave. Take her back like you reclaim your territory.But no.Not tonight.I won't give her the victory of my anger.I turn away, cross the room in silence. The floorboard creaks slightly under my step.On the table, I tear a piece of paper from a notepad and write dryly:— You want my bed? Keep it.I prefer to sleep elsewhere: M.I leave the note in her place, within reach when she wakes, then leave without a sound.In the hallway, the mansion breathes emptiness and distance. Rosa, half-asleep in the corridor, startles when she sees me.— Mr. Mike? You're leaving at this hour?— Yes. And I don't want anyone on the main floor until morning. Let her sleep, let her dream, let h

Zuletzt aktualisiert : 2026-03-11

Chapter 12 — The Ashes of the Throne

TaraThe night wind slaps me as I leave The Iron Bar.I still feel their stares on my back—a mix of fear, admiration, and judgment. No matter. I've marked my territory.I am no longer a wife to be tolerated.I am a threat they will have to respect.The car waits for me at the entrance. The driver lowers his eyes, silent, as I get in.Chicago flashes by behind the window, sparkling and violent, a monster of glass and fire.I know Mike will join me.He can't stand being challenged publicly. And tonight, I did it in front of all his men.I barely touch the cold handle of the mansion door when I hear the roar of an engine in the distance.I smile.He's already here.I go upstairs, remove my earrings, take off my shoes, then let myself fall onto the edge of the bed.I won a battle.But the war is just beginning.The door slams downstairs.His steps climb. Slow. Heavy. Inexorable.Each step he takes tightens something in my chest—not fear, no. A tension, raw, electric.He enters.Dark gaze,

Zuletzt aktualisiert : 2026-03-11

Chapter 13 — The Court of Queens

TaraThe rain has fallen silent, but the night, for its part, hasn't finished speaking.I dress slowly, a slit black dress, heels as sharp as a threat.Every gesture is a silent response to his absence.He wanted to leave. Let him leave.As for me, I'm going to reign.On the vanity, the wedding ring still gleams.I spin it between my fingers, then dial a number on the red phone he keeps for business.The families' little black book.The names that govern Chicago from the shadows.The voices answer, polite, hesitant.I don't speak long.A few words are enough:"Tonight, at my place, your queen. No men, no guards."In thirty minutes, black cars glide past the manor.The hall lights up with a new radiance, a blend of opulence and danger.Eight heiresses, eight faces of a single empire.They are young, beautiful, and each carries in their eyes the trace of power either bequeathed to them or stolen.---— Valentina Moretti: The She-Wolf of Little ItalyDaughter of the Moretti clan's godfat

Zuletzt aktualisiert : 2026-03-19

Chapter 14 — Poison and Betrayal

TaraThe party is at its peak around me. Laughter rings out, false and too shrill. Champagne flutes empty and refill in a gilded ballet. I smile, I circulate, I reign. But something suddenly weighs heavy in the air. A dissonance.My gaze lands on Bianca. The Girl with Diamonds. She's bent over her phone, her usually so radiant smile has faded. Her fingers tap rapidly. She types a name. Her thumb hesitates a second before sending the message. Then that smile returns, but it's a grimace of triumph, cruel and quick, which she immediately erases.She stands up, a little too fast."The bathroom, darling?" Sofia calls out to her with a broad wave of her arm."I know the way, thanks," Bianca replies in a voice she tries to make neutral, but in which I perceive a hint of nervousness.She doesn't head for the bathroom. She takes the east wing corridor. The one leading to the guest rooms. To our room.Ice instantly forms in my veins. The champagne turns to vinegar in my stomach. I stare at her

Zuletzt aktualisiert : 2026-03-19

Chapter 15 — The Night of Blades

Tara The silence in the blue room is more deafening than any scream. A heavy perfume of betrayal, blood, and fear hangs there, as tangible as the fog over the docks. Mike is still rooted near the window, pale as a ghost, his borrowed elegance in tatters. Valentina and Nyah release me, but remain in a guarding position, ready to intervene again. Their gazes, usually so inscrutable, are troubled. They see the crack. I have fallen from my pedestal and revealed myself as a wild beast. But a useful beast. One that is feared. "Get out," I order in a voice I don't recognize, hoarse, ravaged by screaming. "Tara…" Valentina begins. "GET OUT!" I repeat, and this time, it's the roar of a wild animal. They obey. They retreat toward the door, Nyah casting one last sidelong glance at Mike, a mixture of pity and contempt. The door closes, leaving

Zuletzt aktualisiert : 2026-03-19

Alle Kapitel von THE MAFIA'S FATAL ATTRACTION BOOK 2: A PRINCESS'S CHALLENGES: Kapitel 11 – Kapitel 15

Chapter 11 — The King Without a Throne

Chapter 12 — The Ashes of the Throne

Chapter 13 — The Court of Queens

Chapter 14 — Poison and Betrayal

Chapter 15 — The Night of Blades