Chapter: chapter 11LorenzoThe room was quiet. My men sat around the long table, their faces tense as we discussed numbers. Money was flowing like it should—clean enough to stay hidden, dirty enough to remind us who we were. The laundering operation through the casinos and the fake construction firm was solid, and everyone knew the consequences if it ever got sloppy.“We need to move more through Miami,” I said, eyes on Marco. “The heat’s less there.”He nodded quickly, scribbling something in a notebook. My eyes scanned the rest of them. None of them dared to look bored or tired. They knew better.Then Riccardo opened his mouth, and I already regretted inviting him to this table.“I heard you’re marrying the maid,” he said casually, pretending to be joking. “There are untouched daughters from respectable families—girls who could strengthen our alliance with the Gambino family. You don’t need to tie yourself to a servant girl.”The room went dead silent.I leaned back in my chair, fingers drumming again
Last Updated: 2025-04-19
Chapter: Chapter 10ArynI stayed completely still, hardly daring to breathe. My hands were sweaty as I pressed them to my thighs inside the tight, dark space of the wardrobe. I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed — Lorenzo, my supposed fiancé, fucking another woman right there in his office like he didn’t have a care in the world. And I’d been hiding just a few feet away, forced to hear everything. Every moan. Every disgusting groan. Every slap of skin on skin.I was going to throw up.When it ended, I heard the woman giggling, her voice annoyingly soft and sweet. “I missed you,” she said, curling into him. “You never call me anymore. You promised you would.”There was a pause. Then Lorenzo's voice came, sharp and cold like ice water down my spine. “I don’t like clingy women.”That shut her up. I could imagine the stunned look on her face — hell, I didn’t need to imagine. I’d seen how his words could slice people open without him lifting a damn finger.Then I heard him pull on his pants and speak
Last Updated: 2025-04-17
Chapter: Chapter 9Aryn If there was one thing that mocked me more than my reflection in the damn mirror, it was the wedding dress hanging like a ghost in the corner of the room. The same dress that a maid had practically shoved into my hands earlier, chirping something about a fitting appointment. Ivory. Silk. Lace that probably cost more than I’d made in my entire life. I wanted to burn it. Burn the whole damn thing. Set the lace on fire and watch it melt into nothing but ash and smoke. But that would’ve been reckless. That would’ve been bold. That would’ve been me—the real me. And right now, Aryn the rebellious, sharp-mouthed, street-smart girl had to play dead. Or at least play meek. So, no. I didn’t burn it. Instead, I stood in front of it like it was a tombstone, my arms crossed, thinking about how I’d gotten to this point. How the fuck had I ended up being his fiancée? Lorenzo De Luca. Mafia heir. Control freak. Ice king in a tailored suit. For the past two days, I’d been scrubbing his
Last Updated: 2025-04-16
Chapter: chapter 8 Aryn Lorenzo stood, blue eyes locked on Brandon like he was a stain on his shoe. “Leave,” he said. One word. No shouting. No rage. Just deadly calm. Brandon scrambled to his feet, rubbing his shoulder and glaring between us. “This isn’t over.” Lorenzo tilted his head, a slow smile spreading across his face. But it wasn’t warm—it was the kind of smile you see just before someone gets shot. “Then I suggest you enjoy the time you’ve got left.” Brandon’s face paled. He opened his mouth like he was about to say something else—but thought better of it. He turned and stalked down the hallway like a dog with its tail between its legs. Lorenzo waited until he was out of sight before turning to me. I dropped my eyes immediately, my body still pressed to the wall, arms wrapped around myself like I was scared. Because that’s what he expected, right? The scared, delicate girl. I let my voice shake. “T-Thank you.” He didn’t say anything for a long moment. I could feel his eyes on me,
Last Updated: 2025-04-14
Chapter: Chapter 7ArynI crouched down just below the edge of the doorway, my back pressed against the wall as I leaned closer, straining to hear. Their voices were low, but Brandon had always been the type to talk too loud when he thought he was saying something clever.“…fit enough for you?” Brandon’s voice oozed with arrogance. “You sure all the debts are cleared? I mean, I know my girlfriend wasn’t worth much, but she should do fine in bed.”I stopped breathing.My blood turned to ice.What?He chuckled, that same smug sound I used to think was charming. “She’s untouched too. No other man’s had her yet. That’s what makes her valuable, isn’t it? Fucking pure.” My stomach twisted.He was talking about me. I wanted to run in there and scream. I wanted to claw his face off. But I stayed frozen.He kept going, his tone turning even cruder. “She always acted like she was above it, like she was too good to fuck. But you know what they say—those are the ones who end up the freakiest in bed.”I felt l
Last Updated: 2025-04-11
Chapter: Chapter 6 Aryn I heard footsteps. Panic slammed into me. I dropped the phone onto the receiver, heart pounding as I whispered, “Don't call this number again.” Then I hung up, just as the door creaked open. Shit. I barely had time to drop the phone back onto the receiver before the door swung open. My heart pounded as I turned, forcing my expression into one of startled innocence. The same woman who had dressed me the night before stepped into the room, her sharp gaze sweeping over me. “Get up,” she said briskly. “You’re going to work.” I blinked. “W-Work?” She didn’t bother explaining. Just crossed her arms and gave me a look that said she had no time for questions. I wanted to tell her to go to hell. I wanted to demand why the fuck I was expected to work when I wasn’t here by choice. But I bit my tongue and widened my eyes instead, letting confusion show on my face. That was what they wanted, right? A meek, obedient girl? The woman sighed impatiently. “You need to earn
Last Updated: 2025-03-27
Chapter: Chapter FourteenNerissa I spent the rest of the morning trying to act like I wasn’t spiraling. How could everything change so fast? One day I was a simple assistant with a semi-peaceful routine, and now I was being told to shadow a man like Asher Grayson to every meeting and every event like some executive groupie. And worse—I had no way out of it. The contract I’d signed blindly on my first day, desperate for work, had just become a leash around my neck. At exactly three o’clock, Asher stepped out of his office. I was already on my feet before he even called my name. “Let’s go,” he said, not waiting to see if I followed. I did, of course. Because what else could I do? He didn’t speak much in the car, just typed away on his phone. I sat beside him, stiff as a board, fidgeting with my skirt and wondering if he could sense how badly I wanted to be anywhere else. The boutique was in a quiet corner of the city—discreet, classy, expensive. Everything about it screamed Asher Grayson. I stepped insi
Last Updated: 2025-04-14
Chapter: Chapter 7Nerissa The next morning, I arrived at the office feeling a sense of calm. The previous evening's drama with Jace and his girlfriend was behind me, and I was ready to tackle the day's tasks. Balancing work and caring for Luke had become my routine, and I was growing more comfortable with it.As I stepped into the building, I exchanged greetings with Leah and Dan, who were chatting near the entrance. Their friendly smiles were a welcome start to the day."Morning, Nerissa," Leah called out."Good morning! How's everything?" I replied.Dan chuckled. "Same old, same old. Ready for another thrilling day in the world of IT."We shared a laugh before I made my way to Asher's office. My plan was to organize his workspace before he arrived, a routine I had maintained during his absence. I knocked lightly on the door, and hearing no response, I pushed it open.To my surprise, Asher was seated at his desk, reviewing some documents. He looked up, his piercing blue eyes meeting mine."Nerissa,"
Last Updated: 2025-04-09
Chapter: Chapter twelveNerissaIt had been a few weeks since the first awkward elevator encounter, and I was starting to get used to seeing my neighbor with a new girlfriend every week. Honestly, it wasn’t my business, and I kept reminding myself of that. Still, I made sure Luke didn’t come in contact with him. The last thing I needed was Luke picking up any habits from someone who clearly didn’t care about anyone else’s comfort.The loud music blasting through the thin apartment walls didn’t help either. Sometimes it started early in the morning; other times, it kept going well into the night. I’d started using earplugs just to get some sleep.At work, things were surprisingly better. Asher hadn’t been coming to the office lately, which was a huge relief. I didn’t have to constantly worry about accidentally saying or doing something that might give away my secret. I could actually breathe.I’d also made a few friends. Dan, from the IT department, was a sweetheart with a quick wit, and Leah from accounting
Last Updated: 2025-04-03
Chapter: Chapter Eleven NerissaI walked back toward the office, my heels clicking against the polished floors, but my mind was miles away. Why did Dan bring up Silver? Had he seen her? Had she asked about me?I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. It didn’t matter. She didn’t matter.What mattered right now was getting through the day without losing my sanity. By the time I reached Asher’s office, I had regained my composure. I knocked twice, waiting for permission to enter. “Come in.” His voice was clipped, impatient. I pushed open the door and stepped inside, immediately noticing the tension in the air. Asher sat behind his desk, his fingers tapping against the dark wood, his jaw set tight. “You took your time,” he remarked, not bothering to look up from the papers in front of him. I bit back a retort. Professional. Indifferent. Play the part.“I was in the middle of something,” I replied smoothly, walking over to stand beside his desk. He finally looked up, and for a brief moment, somet
Last Updated: 2025-03-25
Chapter: Chapter TenNerissa I pushed Asher off me cleaning my mouth furiously even though the feeling of his lips still lingered. "How dare you kiss me without my permission?" He gave me a smug smile and sat on his chair, "Because you are mine now, Nerissa. The moment you became my secretary you became my possession." How in the name of everything normal did I end up with this cocky rich man? "Think about the money, think about the money" I chanted to myself. I took a deep breath and flashed my professional smile. "With all due respect, Mr Blackwood..." "Please call me Asher." "With all due respect, Mr Blackwood, please don't touch me without my permission or you would be sued by assault." I didn't wait for him to talk before I walked out of the room. I walked towards the ladies room still seething from what had just happened..The nerve of that infuriating annoying...... I forced a polite smile as I passed a few colleagues in the hallway. The weight of expectations clung to me like an ill-fitt
Last Updated: 2025-03-21
Chapter: Chapter nine NerissaI walked into the office the next morning. The usual chatter filled the air, but today felt different. There was an uneasy feeling hanging over the room, and I couldn’t shake the sense that something was wrong. Just as I sat down, my boss called me into his office. My stomach twisted with nerves; the last time he did this, it was for a performance review, and I’d only just managed to pass.“Nerissa,” he said, his voice serious. “I need to talk to you about a transfer.” My heart sank. I knew what that meant. I’d heard the rumors, but I was hoping they wouldn’t be true. “You’re being moved to the top floor. Black Industries has merged with us, and they want you working directly under Mr. Blackwood.”I nodded, even as I clenched my fists. Damn Blackwood. I had only just started my life here and he was already set out to ruin it. Coupled with the fact that I was hiding his baby.I went to the bathroom to clear my head, hoping to shake off the anxiety. As I leaned over the sink, tw
Last Updated: 2024-11-09
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