All Chapters of Dumped by My Ex, I Married the Mafia Boss: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Nora’s povThe Castellano estate was not a home; it was a stone fortress tucked into the private hills overlooking the river, surrounded by high iron gates and security cameras humming quietly in the mist.Inside, the grand mansion smelled of old mahogany, beeswax, and a faint, metallic tang that reminded me of copper coins.An older waiter carrying a tray of polished crystal met me near the grand staircase, his eyes scanning my damp clothes with scrutiny."Mr. Castellano is looking for a qualified private tutor for his nephew, Master Leo," the waiter said softly, leaning in close while keeping his voice strictly professional. "He is not looking for a companion. If you have any absurd ideas about climbing into the Don's bed, throw them out now. He has long been fed up with women trying to manipulate him by getting pregnant, they’ll switch his birth control pills for vitamins or puncture holes in his condoms just to secure a title. Keep your focus on your work."A cold prickle ran down

Nora’s povLife inside the Castellano mansion settled into a quiet, structured routine over the next two weeks.Every morning at nine, Leo and I would meet in the music room. Instead of forcing rigid lessons or drill exercises, I sat beside him on the long mahogany bench, letting him take the lead. I played gentle, rolling chords while teaching him simple songs, singing low and soft about bright rivers and distant stars.Instead of asking him to speak or tell me stories, I used music as our bridge. When I played a questioning phrase on the high keys, he would smile and press a low note to answer me. He wasn't talking yet, but his silence no longer felt like a wall, it felt like a quiet room where we were slowly building trust.When he hit a clean harmony or remembered a rhythm, a tiny dimple would show on his left cheek, and he would let out that breathy, silent laugh that warmed my entire heart.One warm morning, as the sunlight streamed through the tall windows and washed over the b

Nora’s povThe morning after Leo spoke his first words, the atmosphere in the mansion felt fundamentally altered. The lingering heavy silence that had hung over the halls for months seemed to lift.When I walked into the study to thank Luca for keeping to his promise, he was sitting behind his mahogany desk, signing off on a series of security manifests.Without looking up from his papers, he reached into his desk drawer and placed a long, black velvet box on the polished wood between us."What is this?" I asked softly, taking a step toward the desk."Open it," Luca said, his deep voice smooth and unhurried.I lifted the lid. Inside, resting against white silk, sat a vintage jewelry set, a heavy, intricate necklace of dark sapphires framed by crushed diamonds, along with a matching pair of drop earrings. The stones caught the morning sun, gleaming with an undeniable, immense value."Luca..." I stammered, staring at the jewels in shock. "This is far too much. The medical team you hired

Nora's POVThe following evening, I was working my second part-time gig, assisting with ambient piano arrangements at a private gallery opening downtown. I was exhausted, my hands aching from the keys, but the sting of Sebastian's threats weighed heavier than my physical fatigue.As I stepped into the dimly lit side foyer to pack my sheet music, the heavy brass doors clicked open.Sebastian walked in, accompanied by Cassandra. He had been tracking my schedules, using his network to follow my movements."Still ignoring my calls, Nora?" Sebastian asked, walking up to the grand piano with an arrogant, unhurried stride. He gestured casually to the glass of champagne in his hand. "I gave you twenty-four hours to think about my offer. Your mother's chart is on my desk. One word from me to the hospital board, and her private suite gets canceled."Cassandra sneered, looking down at my simple black dress and scuffed flats. "Look at her, Sebastian. She's practically begging on her knees already

Nora’s pov"Mr. Castellano! Please, excuse my fiancée's clumsiness," Sebastian stammered, his voice laced with sickening, obsequious flatteries. "It was an absolute accident. Truly! As for this woman—" He cast a cold, detached glance at me, his eyes entirely devoid of warmth or recognition. "I don't know who she is, sir. She must have slipped past security or worked her way in through the catering staff. Please, don't let a common nobody ruin your evening."He claimed he didn't know me.After three years of my life given to him, after all his desperate threats in the dark just hours ago, he stood under the crystal chandeliers and publicly denied my existence to curry favor with the man holding the city's power.A few guests gasped. Cassandra’s smirk widened, believing she had won.Luca didn't move. He didn't even look down at the stain on my dress. Slowly, deliberately, he shifted his weight, pulling me closer against his side until his broad shoulder shielded me from the stares of th