All Chapters of Seven Minutes in Hell: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

Luca strolled over and draped an arm around my shoulders, playing the part of the doting fiancé perfectly. It wasn't until he leaned in that I saw it—the smear of lipstick on his collar and the fresh hickey blooming on Fiona’s neck.I slumped back onto the barstool, my soul feeling like it had been hollowed out. I dug my nails into my palms so hard they bled, trying to keep the tears from spilling over.His friends started badgering him in Sicilian, fishing for the dirty details. Luca, perhaps feeling a flicker of guilt, glanced at me before sitting down and pulling me into his lap."Hey, what are you nervous for? She doesn't understand a word of Sicilian. If we were speaking English, then you’d have a reason to sweat!""She’ll never wrap her head around the dialect. Right, boys? Hahaha!""You guys are mean, picking on poor Angelina just because she's a Yank."Hearing his friends' reassurance, Luca finally relaxed. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my lips. "Don't mind them, Angelina.

Chapter 2

I stared at him, my heart turning to stone. Not a single person in this room had a shred of decency.I had completely underestimated Luca. In the three years I’d known him, he’d played the role of the steady, reliable heir perfectly. He always told me he loathed betrayal. Turns out, he was just a hell of a liar.I looked up, my eyes raw as I met his gaze. Seeing the sudden coldness in my expression, he faltered."Angelina? You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."He reached out to touch my forehead. He smelled like Fiona’s perfume. I flinched away."Luca, I think we need to postpone the wedding."The color drained from his face. He grabbed my arm. "Angelina, what are you talking about? What’s wrong?"I pried his hand off me, my voice trembling. "Nothing’s wrong. Don't worry.""I’m just worried that getting married so young will tie you down. We’re both young. Maybe you should play around a bit longer before we settle down."Luca let out a relieved laugh. He pulled me into a hug, b

Chapter 3

Luca couldn't get away fast enough. Watching his retreating back, my heart felt like it was being squeezed by a cold hand.I followed him stealthily, hiding behind a shipping container. I watched as Luca and Fiona crashed into each other’s arms.Fiona pulled out a skimpy swimsuit, but Luca told her he wanted to "put it on her" himself. They laughed like teenagers, their hands all over each other, before things got graphic.Fiona was breathless, complaining that the container was too rough against her skin.Luca just nipped her ear. "There’s a first time for everything, babe. Doesn't the adrenaline make it better?""You’re terrible!""Hahaha! That idiot has no clue we’re doing this right behind her back while she ‘guards’ the boat for us.""You’re so bad! If Angelina’s father ever found out, he’d have your head on a platter.""Psh. You wouldn't let him. You’d miss this too much."I stood behind the cold steel of the container, my nails drawing blood from my palms. Tears finally broke th

Chapter 4

Luca never came for me. He didn't even check to see if I made it out.By the time a passing fisherman found me clinging to that plank, I was nearly frozen solid. Luca and his friends had long since left the docks. Not a single check-in call.It wasn't until late that night that he bothered to call.The second I answered, he started complaining. "Angelina, where the hell are you?"I was lying in a hospital bed, shivering under three blankets. I let out a hollow laugh. "I should be asking you that, shouldn't I?""I told you to wait by the boat! Then I come back and you’re gone? People are gonna start thinking you’re out messing around behind my back."The rage flared up in my chest, hot enough to melt the ice in my veins. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you accusing me of cheating on you?"Luca let out a heavy sigh. "Look, I waited for you. When you didn't show, I went looking for you. I was so worried I tripped and messed up my leg. My phone broke, too."He tripped looking for me? W

Chapter 5

The words hit Luca like a physical blow. His eyes widened in sheer terror as he stared at the old driver’s license in Marco’s hand. The name of that tiny Sicilian village printed on the card was like a bomb going off in his head."That... that’s impossible," Luca stammered, a frantic, shaky laugh escaping his lips.Fiona looked even more shaken, her eyes glued to the document. "It’s not April Fool’s Day. Stop messing with us.""A joke? Oh, it's very real," Marco said, his grin widening. "How about I give you a little taste of home?"As Marco began speaking in a fluent, melodic Sicilian dialect, the color drained from Luca’s face until he looked like a ghost. His mouth hung open, but not a single sound came out."Believe me now?" Marco chuckled. "I didn't even know we were neighbors until I saw the return address on a package you sent her. Angelina wanted to keep it a surprise. I guess you guys don't speak the dialect when you’re calling home, huh?"That last sentence was the final nail

Chapter 6

"You played me for a fool, Luca. You really did.""You put on this big show of being a devoted fiancé while you and your friends laughed at me behind my back. You thought I was some clueless American girl you could toy with.""I told you before: whoever tries to make a joke out of me becomes the punchline."Luca’s grip on Marco’s collar loosened. He stared at me, his eyes darting around the room in a blind panic."It’s not what it looks like, Angelina. Please, just calm down and let me explain. It’s too loud in here—"He reached for my hand, but I slapped it away with enough force to make his skin sting."Don't touch me. You're filthy."The words cut through him like a serrated blade. I watched him crumble, his ego shattering in front of everyone who mattered.Seeing him fall apart, Fiona tried to play the hero. "Angelina, you’re out of line! It was just a joke! Was it really worth ruining our lives over this?""A joke?" I turned my icy gaze on her. "You treated me like an idiot, you h

Chapter 7

I grabbed my suitcase and walked out, never once looking back. Luca chased after me, desperate."Give me a chance! Just one more chance, please!"How many chances had I already given him? Men like him never truly repent; they just regret getting caught."Go back to Fiona," I said, wrenching my hand from his grip. "She’s waiting for you inside.""Angelina, don't go! I won't let you go unless I’m dead or you’re married to someone else!"I ignored his pathetic screams. At the airport, my father’s private jet was already fueled up and waiting."Angelina, over here!"I looked up to see my stepbrother, Damian. He pulled me into a warm, protective hug. "Is everything handled back there?""Yeah. It’s done.""Good. Let’s go. I’ll show you the sunset in Miami. Our penthouse has the best view in the city."Later, we stood on the roof of the hotel, watching the sky turn into a palette of fire and gold. Damian reached out and took my hand.I felt a flash of awkwardness and gently pulled away. "Dami

Chapter 8

He was waiting for me in the lobby. As Damian and I stepped off the elevator, laughing together, Luca blocked our path. Fiona was with him. I couldn't believe they were still attached at the hip."Angelina, is this why you dumped me? For this guy?"I marched up to him and slapped him so hard his head snapped back. "Do you really want me to tell everyone in this lobby exactly why we broke up?""Oh, so just because I had a little fun with Fiona before the wedding, you’re gonna throw it all away?"I was speechless. My dignity was a "little fun" to him. I regretted every second of those three years. If I hadn't understood Sicilian, I’d still be his pawn.Fiona started screaming, lunging at Damian, trying to frame him. "Damian, are you even a man? Hitting a woman!"She pointed at me, shrieking for the benefit of the tourists. "Look at her! She abandoned her husband! She’s a gold-digger sleeping with her own brother!"I looked at her like she was a total moron. This was Miami. Nobody underst

Chapter 9

That was the breaking point. Luca couldn't take his rage out on me, so he turned it all on Damian."It’s your fault! If you hadn't seduced her, she would have forgiven me!"He swung a fist at Damian. But before I could even blink, Damian caught his arm and landed a brutal punch to Luca’s jaw."Stealing her? Angelina isn't an object, you pathetic loser. She makes her own choices.""If I really wanted to take her from you, you would have lost three years ago. The only reason I stayed back was because I didn't want to hurt her. I watched her with you because I thought you’d make her happy.""You aren't even in my league."Luca crumpled, nursing his jaw, eyes filled with fear. Fiona, thinking she could hide behind being a woman, swung her heavy designer bag at us.I didn't hesitate. I kicked her right in the knee, and together with Damian, we shoved her—and her bag—right into a nearby trash can."Take the hint," I spat. "Touch us again, and I’ll break your legs."Fiona suddenly clutched he

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP