The driver felt deeply guilty, blaming himself for failing my father's expectations.I kept reassuring him. This wasn’t his fault—it was my lack of caution.The guy who had helped me didn’t interrupt our conversation, but I definitely wouldn’t forget my savior.“Thank you for saving me, Spider-Man,” I said, extending my hand. He was wearing a polo shirt with a Spider-Man logo.“No problem. Just drop me off at the next corner. My mom will worry if I’m home too late.” He rubbed his messy curls and smiled.I couldn’t help but smile too. He was a laid-back guy. I took out my phone, added his WhatsApp, and promised I’d get him an identical skateboard.He waved goodbye as he got off the car.My parents found out about what happened with the thugs, especially my mom, who was nearly in tears.I had to swear to God I’d never go out alone again and would always bring bodyguards. Only then did she relax.The next morning, I went with my mother to the jewelry shop for my custom pieces that would
Marco's POVIt had been months since I last saw Harper, and I assumed she would still be afraid of me, especially after our last unpleasant encounter. But when I saw her today, and she met my gaze with such calmness, I realized she was more mature than I’d imagined.Of course, she still disliked me—I could feel it.She was like a wild, untamed horse, rebellious, stubborn, beautiful, full of life. From the moment I first laid eyes on her, I wanted to conquer her.During these past months, I went through hellish experiences. Every day was the same: shooting, smoking cigars, and having s.ex. Yet, d.amn it, the sound of gunfire, the smell of cigars, and the moans of women all reminded me of her. Time after time, I would imagine that the woman beneath me was her. I’d ravish her, I told myself, I’d conquer her completely.Each night, a carefully chosen woman would be delivered to me. My men had gradually learned my preferences, and the women they selected looked more and more like Harper. T
Since the engagement, Marco and Angelo have disappeared again. But I don’t really care anymore. Mom's busy planning the wedding, and I spend my days reading at home.Reading has become my new hobby—it helps me calm down. I even sent a new skateboard to the guy who saved me that one night, through our housekeeper. We haven't contacted each other since.Days passed by, just like that.Tonight, the maid made my favorite barbecue. Even though I was trying to diet, the smell was just too tempting, and I ended up eating more than I planned.My stomach felt a little bloated, so I changed into some loose clothes and decided to take a walk around the garden. I wanted to check out the fresh green plants, and honestly, it made me feel really good.I’d never really taken a close look at the flowers planted in the garden. Now that I had some free time, I started examining their textures and colors carefully. By the time the bloated feeling had finally gone away, the moon was already high in the sk
I hadn’t closed the window, and the gentle breeze was a good way to get rid of the bloody smell in the room. I turned the bedside lamp down to the lowest setting, moved the clothes rack to the window, and lit two scented candles from the bathroom.The clothes hanging on the rack could prevent my shadow from being seen on the curtain—something Elena had taught me.I checked on him. Though he had cuts on his arms and back, the worst injury was the one on his abdomen. Blood kept seeping out, soaking his shirt in that area.I climbed on a chair to grab the first-aid kit from my dad's study, then found some scissors in my room. The next step was to cut his clothes open.He was half-unconscious by now, the blood and his pale face giving him a strangely fragile beauty. A mix of strength and vulnerability showed on his face.I cut along the edge of the bloodstains, opening up his shirt. His defined abs and V-line came into view.The hem of his white shirt was a mess after I cut it open, but i
He nodded. “I can’t see the wound on my abdomen. Harper, you’re the only one who can help me.”“What if I screw it up?”My mind was totally blank. My hands holding the forceps were ice-cold, trembling. I just couldn’t do it.I shook my head painfully. “I can’t... I’m really scared...”He grabbed my hand, hard enough that it hurt. The gentleness and vulnerability from just now seemed like an illusion—he’d turned back into the domineering tyrant.He shoved the knife into my hand, forcing me to look at him. “Harper, if you don’t take out the bullet, I’ll die tonight. I’m giving my life into your hands. If you don’t want to do it, kill me now—otherwise, I’ll bring trouble to you.”I forgot how to breathe, forgot the fear, just staring at him, stunned. This guy...“You’re forcing me!”“Yes, I am! You don’t have a choice—either save me or kill me!”That snapped my rational mind back in place. Somehow, I was completely calm now, despite feeling like even the slightest misstep could make me f
“You’re awake?” I asked as I saw Marco putting the bloodstained blanket in the bathroom.“Are the people outside gone?” I was still worried about them.“They’ve already left,” he replied, though he still looked pretty pale. I made some room for him. “Do you want to rest some more?”He refused, but after just two steps, he had to lean on the wall. I got off the bed, grabbed him, and pushed him back down onto it.“You went out to deal with them, didn’t you?” I noticed his wound looked like it had torn a bit, and I couldn’t help but feel a little angry. Did he not understand how dangerous that was?Marco’s POVEven when she’s angry, she’s cute.When I kissed her, I thought she’d push me away, but she was so scared she was trembling—yet she didn’t move away. I was scared of overwhelming her, so I kept it light, but surprisingly, she fell asleep.Thinking of how she held back her tears while using the forceps, I felt sorry for her. She’d never been exposed to such a bloody scene, and I dra
I couldn’t really refuse this wedding—after all, I was already caught up in this kind of life and had accepted the benefits it brought me.Finally, the wedding day arrived. Before dawn, I was woken up from sleep and brought to a spacious dressing room. I hadn’t seen my groom yet—he’d be waiting for me at the altar.I was wearing a blush silk robe. After freshening up, I put on a face mask to make sure my skin was in perfect condition. A photographer was there the entire time, recording everything I did on my wedding day. Mom said it would be a beautiful memory to look back on.Then, it was time for the long makeup session. The makeup artist started with my eyes, using champagne and gold shades to accentuate them, outlining my eye shape with black eyeliner, making them pop. She lengthened and curled my lashes, finishing with a touch of silver glitter under my eyes for some extra sparkle.A peachy-pink blush added a shy glow to my cheeks. My hair was styled up with glittering accessorie
I bit my lip so hard it started bleeding, trying to hold on to a bit of sanity."Angelo, do you really have to do this?" I asked.Angelo's hair, which was neatly slicked back earlier, now had a few strands falling out. His usual gentle eyes were now filled with a madness I didn’t recognize.“From now on, there will be no Moretti family, only the Conti family! The mafia can only have one king!” He said, leaning closer to me. His scent overwhelmed me, and it made me feel sick. All I could think of was hoping that my parents would be able to escape safely.I didn’t want my wedding to be the most painful day of my life.But he seemed to have misunderstood my silence. "Don’t worry, as long as you cooperate, you’ll still be my wife. I'll make sure you're treated just like my mother. You'll always be the queen of the mafia king."I had no interest in his twisted monologue; I was desperately scanning the chaos, searching for my family. But all I could see were panicked guests running in all d