All Chapters of The Don Stripped My Rights, so I Walked Away: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

I hung up immediately.The screen went black. Kaelin’s smug face and that glaring red lip mark on Soren’s cheek disappeared into the darkness.I let out a long breath. All I felt was exhausted. For five years, every fight with Soren started the exact same way."Quit that ridiculous designer job, Maeve. Stay at the estate. Be my wife."He always gave me orders in that unquestionable tone.If I turned down his invitations because I had to finish my sketches, the punishment would arrive right on schedule.He’d wait until I was driven mad with jealousy, crying and bowing my head, completely submitting to his control. Only then would Soren give me that gentle smile. In the past, I would feel guilty for neglecting him. I would compromise. I would give in.But now, looking at the "Fifth Anniversary" reminder on my phone, my mind was crystal clear.I was never giving up my career.And I definitely wasn't going to spend the rest of my life as a canary tied to the throne of his mafia empire.I

Chapter 2

In the middle of the night, I received a few photos.The lighting was dim and intimate. Soren’s bare, muscular chest was exposed, and Kaelin was curled up against him like a lazy cat.Her shoulders and collarbone were covered in glaring red marks, a testament to how wild they had been.It came from an unknown number, but I knew it was her. Once, Kaelin was my most trusted friend.Five years ago, when Soren and I first got together, his mafia background put me under a lot of stress.It was Kaelin who offered, "Maeve, the underworld is too dangerous, and there are too many temptations around him. I’ll keep an eye on him for you."I actually believed her.I gave her the privilege of entering our lives.Under the guise of "looking out for me," she slowly embedded herself into Soren’s inner circle.But maybe she had her eyes on the Don's wife's seat all along, deciding to throw our friendship away from the start. The next evening, I did my makeup and drove to a private estate.It was Mada

Chapter 3

The morning after the banquet, my apartment doorbell rang.It was Kaelin.She had dropped the delicate act and the pitiful damsel routine she used around Soren.In four-inch heels, she strutted into my living room like she already owned the place. "Maeve, stop playing dead." Kaelin tossed her designer bag onto the sofa, dropping all pretenses.She looked down at me. "Let me tell you the truth. All those 'transfer of rights' games? I was the one who suggested them to Soren."I stayed silent for a second. "So?""At first, I just wanted to test the waters to see if he would actually pick me if I stood by his side," she said, her tone dripping with pride. "Looks like I succeeded. You aren't irreplaceable." She pulled out her phone and shoved a chat log in my face.It was her and Soren.Kaelin: "When you guys get engaged, are you going to take away my right to kiss you?"Soren: "If she refuses to submit, you won't just keep the kisses. The seat of the Don's wife is yours."Kaelin put her

Chapter 4

Late the night before the engagement party, my phone lit up.It was a text from Soren."Are you done throwing a fit? The engagement party is tomorrow.""As long as you show up on time tomorrow and apologize to me in front of everyone, I’ll end this punishment immediately.""Don't test my patience, Maeve."Even through the screen, I could feel his suffocating arrogance.He still firmly believed that all my rebellion was just a ploy for his attention.I stared at the screen for a second before sending a very short reply."Got it. I’ll be there."The second it sent, I called my wedding planner."The name on the big screen tomorrow—I need you to change it," I said, my voice completely flat.The planner froze. "Miss Maeve, the banquet is tomorrow night. What do you want to change it to?""Change my name to Kaelin.""But... if Mr. Soren finds out...""Tell him you have my authorization. If anything happens, it’s on me." (Soren’s POV)The next evening, the extravagant banquet hall was brilli

Chapter 5

With that, Maeve turned around without hesitation and strode toward the exit."Maeve!"Soren’s panicked roar echoed behind her.He lunged forward, instinctively reaching for her wrist.But he only caught the edge of her trench coat. The fabric slipped right through his fingers.Maeve didn't look back. Kaelin was still buzzing with excitement. "Soren, the guests are watching, we can still continue our ceremony—""I said get out!"Crash.In a blind rage, Soren kicked over the ten-foot champagne tower.Countless crystal glasses shattered across the floor, splashing alcohol all over Kaelin’s pristine white dress.Soren stared dead at the lone diamond ring on the table, his eyes bloodshot."The engagement is off. Everyone get the hell out!" Soren practically tore the doors of his downtown penthouse off the hinges."Maeve!"He screamed her name, not even taking off his shoes as he sprinted into the master bedroom.No answer. Just dead silence.He ripped open the walk-in closet.The right s

Chapter 6

(Maeve’s POV)After walking out of that ridiculous engagement party, I changed all my contact information overnight.I took a long leave of absence.For the past five years, I had been trapped in a cage woven by Soren’s power. I was constantly terrified of fighting with him and what punishment would follow.Now, I just wanted to go somewhere where no one knew me to clear my head. To stop Soren from using the mafia’s intelligence network to track me, I bought tickets to several different destinations as smokescreens.Ultimately, I boarded a flight to Tanzania.I spent a whole month there.Every day, wearing a simple cotton t-shirt and cargo pants, I sat in an off-road vehicle chasing the Great Migration across the Serengeti.Watching millions of wildebeests and zebras stampede across the vast plains, watching the blood-red sun sink slowly below the horizon, I felt a sense of freedom and vastness I had never known.In the face of nature’s raw, untamed wilderness, the power of a mafia bo

Chapter 7

Soren didn't give up after that meeting.Or rather, a man so used to controlling everything simply couldn't accept the reality of being discarded. A few days later, on a gloomy afternoon, Soren dragged Kaelin into my studio.Kaelin clearly didn't want to be there. She was being held down by two men in black suits. Her hair was a mess, and her cheek was swollen—she had clearly been "taught a lesson" before arriving. When I walked in, Soren shot to his feet. He walked over to Kaelin, kicked her in the knee, and barked, "Tell her! Tell Maeve exactly what happened that night!"Kaelin flinched in pain. She looked up at me with eyes full of humiliation and pure venom.She bit her lip, massive tears rolling down her face."I... I lied to you. That photo... I sneaked over and took it after Soren passed out drunk. Nothing happened between us that night. I was also the one who suggested changing the decor at the Long Island house. I told him if we did that, you would definitely get jealous..."

Chapter 8

The raw, untamed nature of the African savanna gave me unprecedented inspiration.Back in New York, I threw myself entirely into my work, pouring all that inspiration into my new designs.It was my first independent menswear line. I tossed aside the stiff, cold aesthetics that catered to the mafia’s taste. Instead, I used flowing cuts, earth tones, and asymmetrical edges—symbolizing a soul breaking free from its chains. The moment the collection dropped, it caused a massive stir in the fashion world.But just as I was preparing for mass production and negotiating with top department stores, my business partner ran in with a complicated look on her face. She told me that the entire menswear line—every copyright and sample—had been bought out for an astronomical price that we couldn't refuse.The buyer’s only condition was to meet me in person. Looking at the ridiculous number of zeros on the contract, I didn't feel much joy.In New York, the number of people with that kind of money an

Chapter 9

After leaving Soren’s dark empire, it took a long time for me to slowly find my true self again.For five years, Soren’s extreme need for control and his "punishment games" had subtly reshaped my personality.He had trained me to walk on eggshells, to blame myself first during any conflict, and to believe that his anger was always my fault for not being submissive enough. I realized I still held onto a lot of people-pleasing habits.For instance, on the weekend my brand officially launched on Fifth Avenue, my business partner excitedly invited me to dinner to celebrate.When she gave me the right to pick the restaurant, my automatic response was, "Whatever you want to arrange, I’m fine with anything." She paused, then firmly pushed the menu back to me."Maeve, we are celebrating your brand opening on Fifth Avenue. You are the star today!" She looked at me seriously. "You have to pick what you like best. Stop constantly worrying about what other people want, and start enjoying the rig

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