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Chapter 53
Last Updated:
2024-12-17 00:00:36
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Claim by the Don Chapter 54
Melanie’s POVAlice's words stayed with me all day. I’ve spent so much time believing that, Adriano had taken away my choice I had never stopped to wonder if I gave up too easily.Did I really have the option to make a different choice or could I give in to my new reality and be content with it?The thought of going back to the house didn't really fill me with dread like before when I was still new to his house.But apart from restricting my movement, he had treated me nicely. I ate well, slept in comfort, and got freaking chauffeured to work, even though I hadn't gotten used to the last part.Every time I demanded anything from, Adriano, it felt like I was making a deal with the devil, in exchange for my soul.It didn't help that he kept making me flustered when I was around him, causing me to act out of character.Nevertheless, I called, Phoebe and informed her of the plan to visit du
Last Updated : 2024-12-17Claim by the Don Chapter 55
Melanie’s POV“Are you ready for this?” I asked.“That’s an unnecessary question, little nurse,” Adriano said. “Are we doing this or not.”“I just need a few minutes to get in character,” she said.Adriano chuckled but remained silent while I tried to steady my breathing. It was Saturday evening and we were currently parked in the parking lot of my apartment complex. Phoebe had called me earlier in the day to ask if, Adriano had any allergies or something he didn’t eat.I didn’t have the answer to that question but I figured he ate anything, considering the kind of guy he was so I told her no.Now I wondered if I did the right thing. Maybe I should have asked him, but I avoided him all day until it was time to leave.“Do you have any allergies?” I asked.“Huh?”“Phoebe called earlier wanting to know if you had any allergies and I told her you didn’t,” I explained.Adria
Last Updated : 2024-12-18Claim by the Don Chapter 56
Melanie’s POVI should have known the last time, Adriano had the other nurses literally eating out of the palm of his hands how big of a charmer he was.Phoebe was completely enthralled by him, and there I was nervous about how she was going to receive him, especially with how blunt he was with her by the door.But it had the opposite effect on her. Phoebe appreciated his brutal honesty and seemed to think that he was good for me.I guess I should be happy with that, it means he’s holding up to his end of the bargain but I felt some way at the fact that Phoebe took an instant liking to him when I prepared to defend him tonight.Was it jealousy? Heck no. There’s no way I was jealous of Adriano. I mean it took a few weeks after I moved in for, Phoebe to warm up to me while she took to him instantly. Did that make me jealous? Absolutely not!Adriano also somehow knew the right thing to say to make, Phoebe blush.
Last Updated : 2024-12-18Claim by the Don Chapter 57
Melanie’s POVPhoebe went all out with dinner. She made a spread that was enough to feed a small army.“There’s no way we’ll be able to finish what you made,” I told her when I saw how much food she had made.There was roast beef, potatoes, and steamed broccoli with what I knew to be her homemade gravy. Just like Alice, Phoebe was a great cook, so I knew everything she made was certainly delicious.Adriano pulled out a seat for her at the seat of dining table and did the same for me and she gave me a knowing smile when his back was turned to us.I knew what the smile was for. He was rich and also a gentleman. Could he be any more perfect?“Everything looks so good, Phoebe,” Adriano said once he’d taken a seat across from me.“Thank you, Adriano,” she replied. “At least someone appreciates the dinner I made.”I sighed, now he was making me look bad. “You know how much I enjoy your cooking, I’
Last Updated : 2024-12-19Claim by the Don Chapter 58
Melanie’s POVIt was a struggle before we were able to leave, Phoebe’s place. There was a lot of hugging and she made me promise to visit her often.Orange, on the other hand, clung tightly to, Adriano until Phoebe had to physically pry the cat away from him. I was still hurt at how quickly he discarded me for, Adriano but that didn't stop me from filling his cat bowl with food, like I always did.The ride back to the house was quiet but it wasn't laced with any awkwardness. It had been a good night and I didn't want us to end it on an awkward note.I kind of zoned out during the ride up until her approached the house gate. With a slight nod to the guards at the gate, he drove inside the house. At some point, I had gotten used to seeing the guards and though they still looked imposing and scary, I no longer felt fear when I looked at them.He pulled up in front of the house, killed the engine and that was when the
Last Updated : 2024-12-19Claim by the Don Chapter 59
Adriano’s POVApart from the time I spent with my family, I couldn’t remember the last time I had a good time.Melanie might not realize if but she’s been shining her light on my dark soul slowly and I was getting addicted to it.The background check I had done on Melanie’s neighbor, Phoebe was clean so I wasn’t worried about her.I had been prepared to put on a show but it turns out I didn’t even need to. Phoebe was such a pleasant person and her love for, Melanie was quite obvious which was another reason why I easily relaxed around her.My girl sure knew how to pick good friends. Even the cat, whom Melanie glared at most of the time, wasn't so bad. I'm guessing her glare was because the little orange animal clung to me most of the night. I didn't even like cats but somehow, I picked up the animal without scrunching up my nose in disgust.So imagine how bummed I was when I got a call from, Nik informing
Last Updated : 2024-12-20Claim by the Don Chapter 60
Melanie’s POVI went through my usual night routine but this time, opted for normal pajamas with a buttoned shirt and long pants. I just settled in bed and was about plugging in my phone to charge when it began vibrating with an incoming call.It was Aria.There was only one reason why, Aria would call me this late at night and it had Alice written all over it.I accepted the call and put the phone to my ear.“Hello,” I said.“Girl!!!!!” she screeched so loudly that I had to move the phone from my ear for a while."Are you done yelling?" I asked.“Not quite but I think I can save the rest for another day,” Aria answered.“I’ll take that,” I said. “So to what do I owe this pleasure? I already have an idea but please humor me?”“I don’t know whether to be mad at you for keeping this a secret from me or be happy for you,” she replied. “Adriano met someone important to you!
Last Updated : 2024-12-20Claim by the Don Chapter 61
Melanie’s POVThere was no way, Alice could be the one banging on my door, which left me thinking there was an intruder in the house.But would an intruder knock and how on earth did they know that of all the rooms in this house, I was in this one.I was frozen in shock and fear stopped me from moving to the door.Then I heard, Adriano’s voice boom, “Melanie!” that had me scrambling off the bed so quickly and I opened the door so fast."It was you," I whispered but then I saw the look of urgency in his eyes. "What's wrong?"“I need your help,” he said.I stared at him open-mouthed. A quick glance at him from head to toe revealed he was unharmed so I let out a breath of relief. That didn’t stop me from noticing the fact he was wearing a freaking bulletproof vest.Which got me thinking that maybe he was hurt somewhere I couldn’t see.“Are you hurt?” I asked.“I’m not hurt, little nurse but this i
Last Updated : 2024-12-21
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Claim by the Don Chapter 147
Adriano’s POVSix months later…“Now that we’re done with the ceremony, can we go on a proper tour of New York like I was promised?” Danny asked.Roselyn hit him upside the head and said, “Don’t be insensitive. Today is your sister’s day.”“Ouch, Mom! That hurt,” he complained.“And you deserve it,” Melanie’s voice cut into the conversation.“There’s my favorite nurse!” Sam yelled.“Dad, tone it down,” she said.“Nonsense. I would shout it at the top of my lungs if I had to so you can know how proud I am of you,” he replied.She smiled at her father and went to hug him then she did the same with her mom and brother who all congratulated her before she stopped in front of me.“I always knew you were something else, little nurse,” I told her. “From the first day I set my eyes on you, I knew you were better than the rest of us.”“Stop it you’re going to make me cry,” she said.I opened my arms and she stepped into me for a hug.My girl was finally a registered nurse and today was her gra
Claim by the Don Chapter 146
Melanie’s POVThe ride back to the house was very quiet.Throughout the ride home, I couldn’t help but think that none of this would have happened if I just had a conversation with Adriano.He was the man I fell in love with and even though I left him, he didn’t hesitate before coming for me.I know he was very relieved in the heat of the moment but I couldn’t help but wonder what was going to happen once the adrenaline wore off and he could think a bit more clearly.One thing I knew was that I was going to spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to him.Adriano was more honorable than people knew. I never thought I would be one of those women who would be pleased because her man killed people for her but as it turned out, I was one of those women.He pulled up to the house, which seemed to have more security guards on duty than normal and I knew it was all because of me.A few hours away, we were celebrating Christmas in bliss but I just had to go and ruin everything for every
Claim by the Don Chapter 145
Adriano’s POVThe warehouse was a hive of chaos, but I didn’t hear the shouting or the echoing footsteps behind me. All I saw was Melanie. She sat bound to a chair, her face pale, and her lip split, a streak of blood trailing down her chin. Alex Pushkin had a gun pressed to her temple. My blood ran cold. I raised my weapon, keeping my voice steady. “Let her go.” Behind me, my men spread out, weapons aimed and ready. They waited for my signal, but I couldn’t give it—not yet. One wrong move, one miscalculation, and Melanie could die. Pushkin laughed, a guttural sound that grated on my nerves. “You think you scare me? I’ve killed better men than you.” His hand twitched, and I saw the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. Good. He was scared, even if he didn’t want to admit it. Fear made people sloppy. I needed to buy time, distract him long enough for my men to position themselves. “Erica,” I said, shifting my focus to the woman who stood off to the side, smug and self-satisfie
Claim by the Don Chapter 144
Melanie’s POVI woke up to the biting chill of a dark, unfamiliar room, my head pounding as if it had been split in two. My wrists ached from the tight ropes binding them, and my ankles felt just as constricted."You’re awake," Erica drawled, her tone laced with mock concern. She folded her arms and leaned against the rusted frame of the door, watching me like a predator eyeing its prey. "How are you feeling, darling?" I didn't respond. My throat was dry, and my words caught somewhere between anger and fear. God, how could I have been foolish enough to let, Erica manipulate me? I should have known that she was up to no good when Alice told me that Adriano left her at the altar.I guess now I was paying the price for my foolishness."Cat, got your tongue?" she asked, smirking. "Or maybe it’s the shock of realizing you’ve been so incredibly stupid." Her words stung more than I cared to admit. I should have known better. Adriano had always been honest with me in his own way, even w
Claim by the Don Chapter 143
Adriano’s POVSomething was off.I didn’t know what but the moment I ended the call with Nik and sat down to work, something in my head kept nagging at me.At first, I thought it was the unusual silence in the house but I figured that was because everyone was probably asleep.I had expected Melanie to come find and chastize me for taking too long but since she didn’t, that meant that the day finally got to her and she succumbed to sleep.My girl was a rockstar tonight, and like I expected, she had my entire family eating from the palm of her hands throughout the dinner. I was sure they saw exactly what I did from the moment I set my eyes on her.By now Nik should be mobilizing the guys to infiltrate the last warehouse. He got intel that Pushkin finally moved all the girls to one place and he just got the location. I trusted Nik could handle this without me, after all, he had just singlehandedly negotiated a new deal with the Irish.Tonight I was going to end it sleeping next to the wo
Claim by the Don Chapter 142
Melanie’s POVThe cool night air felt like needles against my skin as I hurried down the street, my duffel bag slung over my shoulder. My legs felt like lead, but I pushed forward, every step putting more distance between me and the house that was once my prison but later became my home. The streets were quiet, the kind of silence that normally would have scared me, but tonight I welcomed it. I avoided the well-lit areas, sticking to the shadows, hoping none of Adriano's guards would see me. My pulse raced with every second, and my breath was uneven.I had no idea where I was going, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was getting away and I was lucky enough to have been able to avoid the guards. I guess the weeks of walking the grounds and studying their routine paid off.Luckily, a cab finally came into view at the corner of the street, its headlights a beacon of hope. I flagged it down, my arm trembling as I waved. The driver, an older man with kind eyes, rolled down the window.
Claim by the Don Chapter 141
Melanie’s POVThe first image made my heart stop.It was of a young girl who was barely a teenager. She was sitting on a dingy mattress in what looked like a warehouse, her eyes hollow, her body too thin. Behind her, a shadowy figure loomed a man I didn't recognize but I could bet my life on it that it was her oppressor.My throat tightened as I flipped to the next photograph and the next. Each one was worse than the last. Girls, so young they could barely be called women, trapped in squalor, their faces etched with fear.I couldn't breathe.At first, I thought, no, and hoped that this was evidence Adriano had gathered to shut down a trafficking ring. It had to be. He couldn't possibly be involved in this. He could kill a man but there was no way he was responsible for harming innocent girls.But then I saw it, rather I saw him. And there was no mistaking the fact that he was the one because I recognized Nik beside him.They were both holding onto girls and leading them to God knows w
Claim by the Don Chapter 140
Melanie’s POVWe rode home in comfortable silence. I was too full and happy from the good food and great company to say anything further.Plus, I couldn’t take my hands off the bracelet. It was just too beautiful. I’ve never owned anything as expensive as this and I was so scared to ask him how much it cost.We already exchanged gifts in the morning so I wasn’t expecting anything more from him.In a not-so-surprising turn of events, Alice was still awake by the time we got home.“For a moment I thought you both were going to spend the night there,” Alice said when we got into the living room."It's really late, Alice, and I'm sure you've had a long day. You should be sleeping," Adriano said.“I couldn’t sleep when I knew how important today was to Melanie. I was too anxious to know how it went,” she replied.“Well, you can rest easy now because it went very well,” I told her.Her face lit up with a smile and she gave me a quick hug, making me laugh.“I told you, you had nothing to wor
Claim by the Don Chapter 139
Melanie’s POVThe soft glow of candlelight and the twinkle of garlands wrapped around the staircase banister made the dining room feel almost magical. The air was thick with the aromas of roasted meats, spiced wine, and fresh-baked rolls, making my stomach grumble in anticipation. Platters of steaming food filled every inch of space. Roast beef surrounded by caramelized vegetables, golden potatoes dusted with rosemary, bowls of vibrant salads, and an assortment of bread rolls that looked fresh out of the oven. When we heard no movement on the steps, Zoey gave a sharp clap of her hands and called out to the men, her voice cutting through the hum of conversation. “Dinner is ready! Boys, come join us!” she said.I heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs as Adriano and the rest of the men made their way over. Adriano entered first, his presence commanding as always, but his warm smile was reserved for me alone. My heart gave a tiny flutter, and I smoothed my dress nervously. As
