All Chapters of The mafia king’s substitute husband: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

WHAT SALVATORE SEESSALVATORE’S POVI find out about the ledgers from Nico, who mentions it almost in passing, the way he mentions most things he considers caught my attention without wanting to make a show of flagging it directly.“Elian’s been spending afternoons at the Rossi house,” Nico says, setting a folder down on the desk between us, unrelated business I still need to review. “Untangling his father’s mess for Matteo. Apparently the debts were only half real. Some elaborate scheme to keep certain men obligated to Corrado personally rather than to the family as a whole.”“He worked that out himself?”“In an hour, according to Matteo. It took him three days to get nowhere on his own.” Assument crosses Nico’s face. “You married a man who could have run half the operations I oversee, if anyone had ever bothered giving him the chance.”I sit with that a long moment after Nico leaves, turning it over slowly. I think of every report I read on Elian before the wedding, dry, clinical, f

PLANNINGELIAN’S POVNews travels fast in this house.Neither of us has officially announced anything, but the ring on my finger seems to have done the job for us. By the time I get downstairs for breakfast the next morning, Rosa has already put a small vase of flowers beside my plate. Half the kitchen staff have suddenly found reasons to walk through the dining room.They’re all looking at the ring.I try not to laugh.“You’ll want it small,” Salvatore says over his coffee. He’s watching me turn the ring around my finger. “You said that yesterday. I’m holding you to it, no matter what everyone else in this house has decided to plan.”“Rosa’s already planning, isn’t she?”“Rosa has spoken to three florists.”I look at him.He gives me a look over the rim of his cup. “I’ve told her to wait until we actually decide what we want. She doesn’t seem particularly interested in listening.”I laugh.I’ve learned to use it when I don’t know what else to say.Sometimes that still catches me off

After the wedding.ELIAN’S POVWe didn’t go anywhere fancy the next morning. There is no flight, no airport, no honeymoon somewhere across the world.Instead, Salvatore drives us to a small house he owns along the coast.I’d never heard of the place before.“It’s been mine for years,” he says, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting over mine on the console. “I bought it before everything got complicated. Whenever the city became too much, I’d come here.”He glances at me.“I never brought anyone here.”“Why me?”“Because I want you to be the only one who knows this side of me.”I smile and squeeze his hand.The house is nothing like the estate. It’s small, quiet. There are no high walls or massive gates. Just a simple house sitting close to the water, with the windows open to the sea breeze.The moment I walk inside, I realize how much I needed this.No people watching us. No phones ringing every few minutes. No one waiting around for Salvatore to give an order.I look aro

HOME AGAINELIAN’S POVWe got back to the estate on Sunday.Walking through the front doors feels strange and way different.This time, I’m coming back because I want to be here. No one dragged me in, and I’m not being treated like a debt that has finally been collected.The staff greet us as we walk in. There’s a warmth to it now that wasn’t there before.Rosa is the worst of them.She spots me, lets out a small cry, and hurries over so fast she nearly knocks over a vase on her way.Then she’s hugging me.“You’re tanned.” She pulls back and looks at me over. “And you smell like the sea.”I laugh. “Is that a complaint?”“No. I approve.”“High praise,” Salvatore says from behind me.Rosa gives him a look. “I wasn’t talking to you.”He actually smiles.Things settle quickly after that.My days have a routine now. Training in the low stone building in the mornings. Afternoons are usually split between here and the Rossi townhouse, where Matteo and I are still working through the mess ou

SMALL VICTORIES ELIAN’S POVNico doesn’t announce anything. None of us expect him to.Still, things start changing around the house.He takes his coffee in the kitchen now instead of having someone bring it to his study. Rosa has started humming while she works, something I don’t remember her ever doing before.“They’re being ridiculous about it,” Salvatore says one morning.I look up from my breakfast and follow his gaze.Nico is carrying Rosa’s tray upstairs himself. One of the younger staff reaches for it, but Nico shakes his head and keeps going.“Neither of them will just say it.”“Give them time,” I say. “Not everyone falls in love as quickly as we did.”Salvatore gives me an offended look.“We didn’t fall in love quickly.”I raise an eyebrow.“We spent months getting there,” he says. “I was insufferable, and you were unbelievably patient.”“That’s what I said.”He laughs and pulls me closer.I still like seeing him like this. Relaxed. Happy. Not constantly watching the room or