Alright, my dear readers, let’s talk. Writing this book has drained my emotions 😭, fueled my caffeine addiction ☕, and stolen a good chunk of my sanity 🤯. So, the least you could do is sprinkle some votes, drop a few comments, and toss some shiny gems my way, right? 💎👀 Think of it as keeping your author well-fed—your support keeps me going, stops me from throwing in unnecessary heartbreak (okay, maybe not 💀), and ensures I don’t leave you hanging on a brutal cliffhanger just for fun 😏. So, smash those buttons, and let’s keep this wild ride going! 🚀💖 Xoxo, Roxy
EdwinaA couple of months have passed since that fateful night at the club, the night where I almost lost my life. Since then, things have only grown more intense. Raffaele has tightened security around the compound, limiting my interactions with the outside world. My movements are now dictated by a team of guards, and any protests I might have are swiftly dismissed.I don't argue with him, at least not openly. Deep down, though, I hate the suffocating restrictions. I understand why he’s doing it—his need to protect me outweighs everything—but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Raffaele has always been a man of control, but now, his demeanour is colder and more calculated. I see it in his eyes, feel it in the way he watches me. He’s a man afraid of losing the one thing he can’t afford to—me.The only solace I’ve found is that Alexxis and Krys are still allowed into the compound. Despite being outsiders to the mafia, Raffaele understands that I need them to maintain my sanity. Telling
EdwinaThe moment the words leave Giovanni's lips, my entire body tenses further. I lower myself onto the edge of the bed, my fingers clutching the fabric of my dress as if grounding myself. He remains standing by the door, stiff, his eyes flickering with hesitation, unwilling to step any further into the Capo’s room.“Okay,” I murmur, my voice trailing off. My forehead creases in worry, betraying my emotions before I can mask them.Giovanni remains silent for a moment, his piercing gaze locked onto mine, before he finally speaks. “It turns out your sister wants to see you.”The words feel like a slap to the face.“What do you mean she wants to see me?” My voice wavers slightly at the end, betraying my uncertainty.Giovanni exhales sharply, his patience thinning. “Exactly what I just said, Edwina.”I blink, trying to process it. My heart hammers against my ribcage. “And why are you telling me this?” I ask, puzzled as to why Raffaele had not been the one to break this news to me.He til
RaffaeleRaffaele The moment Edwina leaves the gym, the air in the room thickens with tension. Angelo steps forward, his expression grim, and hands me his iPad. The screen displays a series of grainy images—one of my men attempting to steal from my warehouse here in America."Explain," I growl, my voice low and dangerous. My blood simmers with rage as I glance at Angelo, whose face remains emotionless, his jaw tight."We caught one of our men last night trying to smuggle out a stash of cocaine," Angelo states flatly. "He was acting under orders from someone we don’t know yet." My grip tightens around the iPad, my knuckles turning white. "Where is he?" I bark, my patience already worn thin."Waiting for you in the chamber," Alessandro answers from beside me.I inhale sharply, suppressing the fury boiling beneath my skin. My father always taught me that fear is the foundation of respect. My men seem to have forgotten who holds power here—who runs this empire."Do we know if he was wo
EdwinaThe voice is excited and familiar. My stomach clenches as I turn, locking eyes with Geneva. She rushes to hug me, but I hesitate. Sensing my stiffness, she pulls back. "I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to startle you."I study her. No blonde hair. No blue contacts. Just her. But she’s not the same. The sister I knew is gone. And then I notice the suited men stationed around the restaurant, earpieces attached. My pulse spikes."No need to worry, Ed," Geneva soothes. "They won’t hurt you.""It’s Edwina to you," I snap. The flicker of pain in her eyes does nothing to soften me."I just wanted to talk," she says quietly."Then talk."“How about we order food first?” she says lightly, her voice attempting to ease, but I can still hear the nervous edge beneath it. I shrug in response, giving her a silent agreement as the waitress approaches to take our orders.I settle on a plate of fries, a well-grilled chicken breast, and a side of salad. Since I’m not drinking tonight, I go for a glass of a
EdwinaImmediately after Raffaele leaves the room, I hurl a glass at the door with all the strength I have left. Shattering fills the silence, but it is nothing compared to the wreckage inside me. A scream rips from my chest, raw and unrestrained, as my body crumples under the weight of my grief. My sobs come violently, tearing through me, leaving no space to breathe. I press my trembling hands against my face as if trying to hold myself together, but it is useless. I am already in pieces.I do not know how long I stay in this position, curled up on the floor, drowning in heartbreak. Time becomes meaningless when pain this deep settles in. Hours, maybe, or just endless minutes of agony. My body shakes with the force of my tears, my throat raw from crying. Eventually, I push myself up, exhaustion making my movements sluggish. My eyes burn, and my head pounds, but I make my way to the bed, collapsing beneath the covers without bothering to change out of my clothes.His scent lingers on t
EdwinaThe next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache, my body feeling like it had been run over by a truck. Krys is sound asleep beside me, her weight pressing into the mattress, pinning me in place."Krys," I groan, shifting slightly, trying to free myself."Shut up," she murmurs, not even bothering to open her eyes.I sigh, rubbing my throbbing temples. "Fuck, my head hurts."Krys doesn’t respond. Instead, she burrows deeper into the covers, cocooning herself as if my suffering is none of her concern. I swear she could sleep through an apocalypse. Knowing that prying her out of bed would be a lost cause, I force myself up, dragging my aching body toward the kitchen in search of water and whatever the hell might help my headache.The penthouse is eerily quiet, the kind of silence that makes loneliness settle deep in my bones. I try not to think about Raffaele, but his absence gnaws at me. I half-expected him to storm in last night after Krys told him I wasn’t coming back. Yet,
EdwinaTaming the BeastOne and a half weeks have passed, and I have drowned myself in work, barely allowing my mind the space to dwell on how Raffaele and I left things. I have returned to the office, slipping back into old routines, much to Alexxis’s relief. She was glad to see me and even more understanding after I explained everything that happened.As promised, Raffaele has kept his men at a distance, allowing me to carry on as if nothing had changed. Krys continues to check in, making sure I am okay, while Gen and I slowly mend our strained sisterly bond. These past few days, we have grown closer, though she still refuses to meet her abuela, insisting she needs more time before reconnecting with the rest of the family. I have chosen to respect her decision, spending time with her whenever I can.Alessandro has called frequently throughout the week, each time asking when I will return. He claims the house is unraveling, that things have grown tense, that Raffaele has completely lo
EdwinaAlessandro and I walk toward the manor, my steps slow and uncertain as I try to steady my breath. With each step, my pulse thrums wildly against my ribs, my panic threatening to take over. The moment we step inside, an eerie chill clings to my skin, the air heavy with something unspoken.The house no longer feels the same. It’s cold—lifeless. Shattered glass glistens in the dim light, the floor littered with the remains of something once whole.“What happened here?” I whisper, my voice barely audible, as if speaking too loudly would disturb whatever ghosts haunt these halls.“Raffaele happened.” Alessandro exhales, closing his eyes as a deep sadness etches into his features. There’s frustration too, but mostly sorrow.Silence suffocates the space around us. Not a soul in sight. Alessandro turns to me, his voice softer now. “He’s in his office, princess. Would you like me to go with you?”I shake my head. “No.”I have to do this alone. I have to face the man who holds my heart in
💔📖 Author’s Note 📖💔And just like that… We’ve REACHED THE END 😭🔥 I can’t believe it’s over! This book has been a wild rollercoaster 🎢—love, heartbreak, betrayal, revenge, and so many twists and turns! I have poured my heart and soul into every chapter, and seeing you all laugh, cry, scream, and fall in love with these characters has been magical ✨💖.But let’s get one thing straight... Raffaele’s story is FAR from over. 😏💀 If you thought this book was intense, trust me, the next one is going to be even darker, deadlier, and more dangerous. Revenge is coming, and Raffaele Marcello? He is NOT the kind of man to let his enemies get away with stealing everything from him. Prepare yourselves. 🥀🔥💎 Before we talk about the next book, I just want to say… THANK YOU. 💎To every one of you who picked up this book, read just one chapter (and then couldn’t stop 😉), stayed up way too late 📖⏳, fell in love 💘, cried your eyes out 😭, threw your phone across the room 📱💥, and left me
RaffaeleSomething is bothering my Tesoro. I know her well enough to understand that she’s too stubborn to talk about it until she’s ready, but I can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Ever since we landed in Italy, she’s been acting strangely, and the thought that she doesn’t want me to find out why gnaws at me.I’ve been trained to read emotions, to see through deception. And Edwina—my Edwina—has been lying to me for weeks. She may think she’s hiding it well, but I see right through her. I’ve tried to stay calm, to act as though it doesn’t bother me, but deep inside, I’m furious. I love her, but lying is where I draw the line.Closing the door to our bedroom, I make my way to my office, determined to drown myself in work. I call for Gio, needing to clear my mind and, more importantly, to get some answers.A sharp knock sounds at the door, interrupting my focus as I sift through an overwhelming number of emails. Running a frustrated hand through my hair, I grunt, “Come i
EdwinaTonight is the night. I will have my driver on standby, waiting to take you to the airport. And make sure to keep Raffaele away from this, or someone will die tonight, Bellissima. Make sure to do as you are told to avoid someone's blood being on your hands.xx Yours truly.The moment my eyes scan the message on my screen, my blood runs cold. Tonight is the night I will leave Raffaele—to protect him, to protect his men.I inhale sharply, trying to regulate my breathing, willing my pounding heart to steady itself. I can't afford to panic, not now, not with Raffaele just a few steps away in the shower, oblivious to the storm brewing right outside our door."Hey, are you okay?" Raffaele’s deep voice pulls me out of my frantic thoughts, and I lift my gaze to see him standing before me, already dressed, his fingers skillfully buttoning his dress shirt.I force a smile, locking my phone and tossing it onto the bed, as though discarding my fear along with it. "Yeah," I lie, my voice tig
EdwinaI remain frozen on the spot, my eyes locking onto Raffaele’s darkened gaze as he winces, clutching his shirt, which is rapidly soaking with blood.“Cosa è successo?” Eleanora’s voice slices through the tension, her face contorting into a deep frown as she hurries towards her son. Raffaele leans heavily against the counter, Giovanni to his left, Rodriguez to his right, all three men radiating unease. ( What happened?)“I’m fine, madre,” Raffaele grunts, though his voice is tight with pain. Eleanora places a gentle kiss on his forehead, but his sharp green eyes never leave mine. ( Mother)“Thank God you are here. The man is as stubborn as they come, princessa, and only you will be able to help him clean up since he refuses to let anyone else near him,” Alessandro’s voice sounds beside me, pulling my gaze away from Raffaele.I nod, unable to speak, my throat tightening with an emotion I can’t quite place. Slowly, hesitantly, I step forward, my movements cautious as I take Raffaele’
EdwinaImmediately I head out of Raffaele's office, I make my way across the house, holding my new phone box in my hand. I shake my head in amusement, chuckling at how Raffaele loves to spend money on me without hesitation. My laughter is short-lived when I realize Vincenzo is standing right across from me, arms crossed, an amused smirk playing on his lips."Should I be worried that you are laughing by yourself?" he asks, his tone laced with curiosity and amusement."Maybe," I reply, a smirk tugging at my lips.Vincenzo chuckles, shaking his head as he steps around me, heading towards wherever he is going."Where are you going?" I ask, curiosity getting the best of me."Just headed out to sort some business," he says, his voice casual, but his pace quickens as if he doesn’t want to linger on the topic. Before I can press further, he disappears down the hall.Sighing, I turn on my heel and go to Raffaele’s room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I stare at the sleek box in my hands, but m
RaffaeleThe moment the question leaves my lips, I see the way Edwina’s body stiffens, her eyes flashing with a flicker of panic before she quickly mouths her expression. I try not to read too much into it, reminding myself that I’ve already made her feel like I don’t trust her—when in reality, the opposite is true. I trust her with my life. The last thing I want is to create more distance between us, to push her away even further.“Come here,” I tell her softly, my gaze locked onto hers. She hesitates for a moment before taking a step forward, but it’s not close enough. “Closer, Tesoro,” I murmur, my voice dipping an octave lower, filled with quiet demand.She obeys, stepping into my space, and I waste no time pulling her into my lap, her legs straddling me. The moment her sweet lilac scent fills my senses, I feel a tension within me loosen. Burying my face into the curve of her neck, I tighten my hold on her, the steady rhythm of her heartbeat soothing the fire within me.“You smell
EdwinaWe sit in silence, the air between us thick with unspoken words and simmering tension. My body tightens with frustration at Raffaele’s insinuation—however subtle—that I might not be telling him the truth."Why do I feel like you think I’m lying to you?" I ask, my voice sharp, and defensive. I can’t stop myself. His doubt wounds me in ways I can't explain.His brows furrow, his confusion evident. "I don’t, Tesoro. Where is this even coming from?"I let out a bitter laugh, taking a step away from him, needing distance. "Yes, you do. Ever since I went to the mall with your sisters, you’ve been acting like I’m hiding something from you!" My voice rises, my restraint finally snapping.Raffaele clenches his fists at his sides, his expression darkening. "Are you hiding something from me, Tesoro?" His voice is eerily calm, but there’s something lethal in the way he says it, venom curling around each word.The question cuts deep. It confirms my worst fear—that he truly does not trust me.
EdwinaI stand in front of our bedroom mirror, admiring the way the red gown hugs my body, accentuating my hourglass figure. My hair is straightened, a new look for me since it’s usually curly and bouncing off my shoulders. My fingers toy with the delicate necklace resting on my collarbone just as the bedroom door opens, revealing a dressed-up Raffaele.Our eyes connect through the mirror as he strides toward me, his gaze dark and intense. His strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me back against his firm chest. I take in his appearance—jet-black suit tailored to perfection, crisp white shirt, no tie. He looks devastatingly handsome, and my heart flutters at the sight.“You look beautiful, Tesoro,” he murmurs, his voice laced with admiration.I blush under his heated gaze. “Thank you.”With a swift motion, he turns me in his arms, causing me to squeal in surprise. The scent of his cologne—woodsy and intoxicating—fills my senses, making my knees weak. I notice how he’s shaved his us
EdwinaThe morning air is cool against my skin as I stir awake, instinctively reaching out to the other side of the bed. My fingers meet nothing but cold sheets. Raffaele is gone. Not just recently, but long enough for the warmth of his body to have completely faded. A sigh escapes me as I stare up at the ceiling, my mind already tangled in the weight of the day ahead.How am I supposed to pull this off—leaving with Mariano’s men without anyone in this house realizing?I sit up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and notice one of Raffaele’s shirts crumpled at the edge of the bed. Without thinking, I grab it and slip it over my head, inhaling the lingering scent of him. It grounds me, even as guilt churns deep in my stomach. I shouldn’t be indulging in this, in him. Not when I know what’s coming.The shrill ring of my phone jolts me from my thoughts. I roll over, snatching it off the nightstand, and barely have time to brace myself before Krys’s voice explodes through the speaker.