All Chapters of The Donna's Frozen Card: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

"Your card's been declined, Mrs. Messina. Do you have another way to pay?"The server's cold words sealed that card's fate.That Amex Black Card was the birthday gift Christian had pressed into my palm this morning before he left. He'd stroked my face so gently, told me it was my special day and the entire extravagant bill was on him. For a second there, I actually felt something—like maybe I'd actually found a husband who knew the meaning of respect and thoughtfulness.And now? He's vanished into thin air. I've called him dozens of times in a row. All I get is endless, dead ringing.This underground club runs on iron rules. It sits right at the crossroads of every major mafia family in the city. If that card doesn't go through, I'm walking straight into a world of trouble.The manager's fake, deferential smile evaporated in an instant. What took its place was pure, undisguised impatience."Mrs. Messina, do you have another form of payment?"His arms crossed over his chest, looking do

Chapter 2

To make sure I was completely trapped, Christian rose from his seat and swept his gaze slowly across the room."Tonight, anyone who dares to step up and settle Iliana's tab makes themselves my enemy—and an enemy of the entire Messina family."In Manhattan's underworld, everyone knows Christian controls half the district's smuggling and casino operations. Nobody dares to cross a Don with that much firepower.A few table bosses and suppliers nearby—the ones who'd quietly profited from mining deals I'd greenlit—had started to rise, half-ready to bail me out. But the second they caught the bloody edge in Christian's threat, their faces went pale and they sank right back into their seats, terrified that even a second's hesitation would put them in Christian's crosshairs."You see that? Don Messina is dead serious this time.""All this over a little assistant? He's really going for the jugular against his own Donna.""Wife, schmife. These rich bastards treat marriage like grabbing a box of i

Chapter 3

Time's running out, Iliana. The club's still waiting on you to settle up and close for the night.Giselle sauntered up to me with that arrogant sway in her hips, her lips curled in open mockery."You can't pay, can you? And you know the rule here—no money means you get dragged to the back-room interrogation chamber. Just like what you did to me last month when you froze my card."She lit a Black Devil cigarette and blew a thick cloud of smoke right in my face.That was it. I snapped. My hand flew up and cracked across her cheek.SLAP!The cigarette hit the floor and burst into sparks.Christian's face went dark. His eyes turned savage in an instant.The two enforcers behind him didn't need a word. They grabbed my shoulders and slammed me onto the floor."Iliana! Stay the fuck down!"Christian rushed over, pulling Giselle up with this sickening tenderness, then turned to glare at me."So you can dish it out with your arrogance, but you can't take it when it comes back at you?!"My fists

Chapter 4

The middleman shot a glance at Christian, then handed me his phone.I took it and dialed immediately, telling whoever picked up to bring the money within thirty minutes.The next half hour passed in dead silence.The clock ticked down. Ten minutes left.Giselle couldn't sit still anymore. She shot up from her chair."I can't believe I actually bought that bullshit. What kind of broke losers does she even know who could scrape together that kind of cash?""Manager—get your men over here. Nobody's stupid enough to cross Christian and show up for her. Stop wasting everyone's time."The manager motioned, and four enforcers started closing in on me.I held up a hand."Wait. There's still ten minutes on the clock.""Ten minutes from now, someone will be here to pay."Giselle let out a sharp laugh."Fuck your ten minutes. You know what? Fine. If someone actually shows up with the money in ten minutes, I'll bite down on that raw steak myself and crawl out on all fours like a dog."I looked at

Chapter 5

Christian and Giselle shot up from their high-back chairs, their faces a mask of shock."Francesca? What the hell are you doing in a place like this?"Christian's eyes went dark, his hands clenching into fists."This can't be real! She's the one who runs the entire underground financial chain!"Giselle shrieked, rubbing her eyes like she was seeing things."How could Iliana—some gutter rat who clawed her way up from nothing—ever pull a string to get you here?!"Francesca didn't even acknowledge them. She walked straight to me, dipped her head, and spoke with absolute deference."Miss. Moretti, Mr. Moretti sent me ahead with the cash to clean up the trash. He's on his way with his men. He'll be here shortly."Then she turned, took in the wine stains on my gown and the broken glass at my feet, and her face went cold as steel.Her eyes swept slowly across the room—across every capo and new-money upstart who'd been running their mouths moments ago."Who. Ruined. Miss. Moretti's dress."The

Chapter 6

The mob bosses who'd been watching the show perked up again, arms crossed, circling in for a better view.In this world—where only violence and profit mattered—nothing got their blood pumping like a bloody spectacle."No idea how that woman got Francesca on her side, but a bet's a bet. This is gonna be good.""Heh, Giselle was running her mouth so hard earlier. Let's see how she talks her way out of this one."Giselle gritted her teeth, but the smugness crept right back onto her face."So what if I don't pay up? What are you gonna do about it? You think dragging Francesca in here is enough to bury me? Wake up—this is Messina turf. Christian calls the shots here."Christian ran his hand through Giselle's hair with that sickening tenderness, looking down at me like I was beneath him."Iliana, maybe one Francesca made you forget your place. But nobody here touches Giselle except me. You're just embarrassing yourself at this point."Francesca's brow furrowed. She shot a look at the tactica

Chapter 7

Christian and Giselle froze for a second, then burst into shrill, mocking laughter.Giselle spat out a mouthful of blood and sneered."Iliana, how long are you going to keep this act up? You pulled that stunt to buy time earlier, and now you're doing it again? You think Francesca can take down the Messina family for you?"She wiped her mouth, smug as ever."You know why Francesca doesn't dare to claim this street as her own? Because our family keeps her in check!"Our family. Like she was actually part of it.After the divorce papers were signed, Christian looked at me with nothing but cold contempt."Iliana, for old times' sake, I'll give you one last shred of dignity." He tugged at his tie. "Since the bill's settled, get on your knees right now and apologize to Giselle. We'll call it a night."I looked at him and almost laughed.She hadn't even honored her own bet—and he wanted me to kneel?I glanced at my watch."Christian, you might want to call your men right now. Ask them if your

Chapter 8

Several guards rushed forward and pinned Giselle down.Giselle was crying, begging for mercy, her face soaked in blood."Christian, let me go! You're the one who said you wanted to get back at her for me...""Shut up! You seduced me!"Christian was raging."HAHAHAHA!" Giselle let out a desperate, hollow laugh. "You're good at passing the blame, aren't you? Christian, you think crushing me under your boot is going to make Victoria forgive you? Dream on."Giselle was right. Even if Christian beat her to death, I was never letting the Messina family off the hook.But Christian still hadn't figured that out.He turned to me, his voice dripping with pathetic pleading."Victoria, you're just angry, right? You love me—you wouldn't have hidden your identity and stayed with me for three years if you didn't. Just calm down, I'll get rid of this bitch right now, and we can start over..."He spun around and barked at the guards."Do it! Beat her! Beat her until she bites that meat and crawls!"The

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