All Chapters of One Year with the Mafia Boss: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Jaydon The swarm of reporters at the entrance felt like a pack of starving wolves. They blocked the way, shoving microphones toward my face, their voices overlapping in a chaotic mess of questions about my "modest" wedding."What changes now that you're off the market, Mr. Grey?" "Why no dignitaries? Why the secrecy?"I answered them in low, clipped tones. I tried to push past, but the questions kept coming, stickier and more invasive. I excused myself before I lost my cool. This was the tax for being the sole heir to a multimillion-dollar empire and a self-made billionaire. People didn't just want my success. They wanted to consume my privacy. Everything had to look perfect. Wealth, sophistication, and a flawless marriage. It was all part of the brand.I knew the business deals would start pouring in now. A married man was a stable man. Even so, some idiot had the nerve to ask why I was back at work on my second day of marriage to Isayanna. The truth? I still work Sundays. I alway

JaydonIsayanna’s eyes go wide, her pupils blooming like dark ink. I sit there, leaning back, watching her react to the words I shouldn’t have said.I have no clue why they slipped out. It wasn't in the contract. But we have to sell this nightmare of a marriage, don’t we? If we don't buy the lie, my mother certainly won't. I can almost feel her presence through the wood of the door, her ear pressed thin, listening for the rustle of sheets or the low hum of intimacy. My mother isn’t just sharp. She’s predatory. When she told Isayanna to strip me down, it wasn't a joke. It was a test. She’s looking for the cracks in the foundation. She’s waiting for the mask to slip."Forget about it," I say. I wave her off, my voice rougher than I intended. She takes a deep, ragged gulp of air and looks away. I push myself off the couch, and a dull, stabbing ache shoots through my lower back. Sleeping on that leather was a mistake. My body is screaming at me. I should have just taken the damn bed.Th

Isayanna The sheets feel too cold. I shift, my skin dragging against the silk, searching for a pocket of warmth that isn't there. My hand heavy and sluggish, I rub my eyes and stare at the ceiling. The morning light is thin, filtering through the heavy drapes of a room that still feels like a hotel.Grandma. I have to see Grandma before I meet Anna for shopping.The mental checklist should be enough to get me moving, but I just lay there. I reach out, my palm flat against the mattress on the other side of the bed. It’s smooth. No lingering body heat. No indentation from a head on the pillow.Jaydon is gone.I sit up, the fabric of my nightgown catching on my hips. I scan the room, looking for any sign of him. A discarded tie. A watch on the nightstand. Nothing. Did he even come back? I remember waking up at some point, my head fuzzy, stumbling to the bathroom in the dark. I don't remember him being in the bed then, either. He told me he’d be back in a few minutes. Just a quick erran

IsayannaThe way Jaydon had looked at me left a bitter, hollow ache in my chest. For a split second, I had actually thought we were getting somewhere. I thought the walls were coming down. But the mention of Hera had turned him into ice. That name felt like a weight pressing on my lungs, a ghost I couldn't see but could definitely feel.I didn't want to be there when he stepped out of that bathroom. I couldn't handle another one of his soul-stripping glares. I slipped out of the room, my arms wrapped tight around my middle. I wandered through the estate, my feet taking me from the manicured front lawn to the silence of the backyard. It was all so beautiful and so empty. How did I end up here? I used to believe marriage was sacred. I believed in soulmates and forever. Now, I was a line item in a contract, a fake wife in a hollow house.My grandmother was safe and healthy now. That was the trade. But standing by the edge of the turquoise pool, watching the sun dance on the water, I won

Isayanna Jaydon’s fingers laced through mine, his palm warm against my skin. He flashed me a smile that looked perfect—the kind of effortless, charming grin that belonged on a billboard. I couldn't tell if he was trying to settle my racing pulse or if he was just that good at playing the role. I forced a breath into my lungs, but my stomach stayed tied in knots. The act had officially begun.We walked toward the massive front door. In the center of the yard, a waterfall cascaded over dark stone, the water glowing under amber lights. It was hypnotic and beautiful, a sharp contrast to the cold dread crawling up my spine.As we reached the entrance, my hands started to tremble. I balled them into fists, praying he wouldn't feel the vibration. He didn't seem to notice. He moved with a heavy, unhurried confidence that I desperately wanted to steal. My head was spinning. He’d told me we were sharing a bed tonight to sell the lie. 'One bed.' How was I supposed to hide my sleeping disorder w