Becoming Mrs De Luca Novels & Stories

"Now leave, and don't bother coming back until you have the actual authority to do so by becoming Mrs. Luciano Mancini." Laura’s jaw clenched at the quiet humiliation, but she couldn't find a comeback. Turning on her heel, she finally left. The moment the front doors closed behind Laura, Rosa slumped down onto the sofa. She leaned her head back against the cushion and closed her eyes, waiting for the room to stop tilting. After a few moments, she reached out, grabbed her phone from the coffee table, and pulled up Luca’s name in her contacts.

It felt like the heart of an empire where every decision carried the weight of life and death. Aldo led her through endless corridors until they stopped before two enormous walnut doors. He turned to face her. “Before you enter…” She looked at him. “…understand that once you speak to Mr. De Luca, your life may never return to what it was.” Elena gave a faint, humorless smile. “My life ended years ago.” Aldo studied her for a moment. Then he opened the doors. “Mr. De Luca will see you now.” The office was nothing like Elena had imagined.

I woke up to voices in my room and three women I didn’t know standing next to my bed like they’d been waiting for me to open my eyes. “Good morning, Mrs. Alighieri,” the one in front said with a curtsy. She was older, sharp suit, clipboard in her hands. “I’m Ms. De Luca. The Don has ordered a wardrobe prepared for you.” I was still tangled in Dante’s robe from yesterday and it swallowed me whole. “I didn’t order a wardrobe.”

I look at Giulia, who seems as frozen and speechless as she does now. "Heavens, I never imagined such a proposal, of course I accept, my love!" I see her jumping into the lap of her now husband and kissing him passionately. "Now let's go for our ride, Mrs. De Luca, I want to take you to new heights today," Mattia whispers in my ear. I turn in his arms and surrender to the kiss we begin. “I love being called Mrs. De Luca!” We don't linger there any longer; we are called to start the ride and are enchanted by everything seen from above. We watch the beautiful sunrise, the orange sky gaining blue tones, and the sun rising on the horizon.

Agreeing with me, she waited for me to go inside before she drove off. Heading inside, I quickly changed out of my clothes into pajamas. I got on bed and immediately pulled out my laptop and looked up Lucian DeLuca. I had completely forgotten all about him after I went to college. The online page opened, showing only a few articles about him. It turns out he’s equally a powerful mafia leader as the head of Casa Deluca. But unlike Adrian, he doesn’t attend many functions or galas. There isn’t much about him online, which I would think is strange, but I know how things worked in the mafia. There isn’t a record of what they do.

Marco picked me up on discharge day. The car took a route I didn't know. Marco said it was Mr. Morello's arrangement. I pushed open the estate's front door. Luca was sprawled in a leather armchair in the center of the hall. His new wife sat at the far end of the sofa. Elena De Luca. I'd seen her name on the wedding invitation. She was focused entirely on polishing the ring on her finger, her own family's crest, and didn't spare me a single glance. My arrival registered zero.

In the few weeks I served them, I endured everything. The Delucas are spanish couple. Mrs. Deluca was kind enough to help me. I was put in their house, dressed, fed. I offered her my service and loyalty to return the favor. But as the days progressed, I noticed Mr. Deluca's weird stares and touches whenever his wife isn't around.

Whatever Nicholas was hiding, I’d find out eventually. As I descended the stairs, a younger maid intercepted me, her face pale with worry. “Mrs. De Luca,” she began hesitantly, “the stylists are waiting in your room. Mr. De Luca asked for them to prepare you for tonight.” I rolled my eyes, frustration boiling over. “Tell them to leave. I’m not going anywhere with him.” The maid’s eyes widened, and she clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture. “Please, ma’am, if you don’t get ready, Mr. De Luca will fire the entire staff. He’s done it before, he doesn’t make empty threats.”