All Chapters of The Ruthless Mafia Fake Bride: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Matteo's POV I had been in my office reviewing surveillance footage when the gunshot rang out.My body reacted before my mind caught up, adrenaline flooding my system as I reached for my own weapon and bolted towards the source.Another attack. That was my first thought. Someone had breached the perimeter again, was trying to finish what they had started on the balcony.But when I reached the east balcony, following the swarm of guards who had converged on the location, I found it empty except for a single handgun lying on the ground. My handgun, I realised immediately, recognising it from my study. The same gun I kept in my desk drawer for easy access.Someone had taken it from my office and fired it here.The guards were already spreading out, searching for the shooter, checking sightlines and exit routes. But something didn't add up. If this was another assassination attempt, "Where was the assassin? Why fire once and then disappear?"Unless it wasn't an attack at all.Unless i

Matteo's POV I sat in the darkness of my car, parked three blocks away from the industrial site, and waited."Pull all teams back to secondary positions," I ordered through the radio. "Silent running." "Boss, they might not come back," Caleb's voice crackled through. "They've already eliminated their liability. They might just leave the body.""They'll come." I was certain of it. "They'll want to retrieve their sniper, get rid of any evidence that could link back to them. They'll come. We just have to wait."And wait we did.Hours passed. The night grew deeper, colder. I watched the monitors in my car, tracking the thermal signatures of my men positioned around the perimeter, watching the static image of Dave's body lying motionless on the ground.One hour became two. Two became four.Some of my men grew restless, shifting in their positions, questioning whether we were wasting time. But I remained still, patient. Hunting required patience. And I was hunting now.Six hours in, Cale

Isabella's POV The words hung in the air between us, sharp and accusatory. I watched Matteo's face, waiting for him to deny it, to get angry, to do something other than just stand there looking at me with that infuriatingly calm expression."You're right," he acknowledged quietly. "We are killers. I won't deny that. But we're not monsters, Isabella. There's a difference.""Is there?" I clutched my phone tighter. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks pretty much the same."He moved closer, his movements slow and non-threatening. "I understand you're scared. I understand this is all overwhelming. But I need you to trust me enough to let me help you through this.""Trust you." I repeated the words flatly. "You keep saying that like it's simple.""It is simple. Either you trust me or you don't.""Nothing about this is simple!" My voice rose despite my efforts to control it. "You're right. I'm sorry." He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "But Isabella, please. Let me take c

Isabella's POV Matteo's father. The don.He was older than I had expected—mid-sixties, perhaps, with grey hair that had once been as dark as Matteo's. Deep lines marked his face, evidence of decades spent making the kind of decisions that weighed on a person. I forced myself to breathe normally, to keep the smile on my face.He was tall, nearly as tall as Matteo, and his dark eyes were sharp as they took me in assessing and evaluating.I met that gaze directly, refusing to look away first."Father," Matteo greeted him. "This is Isabella.""Isabella." The don moved, closing the distance between us. "Finally, we meet properly."I stretched out my hand for a professional handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."But instead of taking my hand, he pulled me into a hug.I went rigid with shock, completely unprepared for the gesture. His arms were strong around me, paternal and warm in a way that made absolutely no sense given who he was and what he had done."No need for such forma

Isabella's POV I sat alone at the dining table, staring at my half-eaten dessert whilst trying to make sense of what had just happened. Matteo and his father had disappeared into the study with barely an explanation, leaving me to sit here like some ornamental piece of furniture.Five minutes passed. Then ten.My fingers drummed against the table, anxiety building with each passing moment. "What were they discussing that required such privacy? Was it about me? About the fake maid? About some new threat I didn't know about yet?"The not knowing was torture.Fifteen minutes in, I made a decision. I couldn't just sit here waiting. If they were going to leave me alone, I might as well make use of the time.I stood carefully, listening for footsteps or voices that might indicate someone was coming back. Nothing but silence greeted me.I moved through the dinning slowly, my eyes scanning for anything that might be useful. Documents left carelessly on a table, perhaps. A locked drawer I c