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23: Traces of Blood and Silence
Last Updated:
2025-01-15 22:50:57
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How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 24: The Poison of Politeness
POV: BeatriceWhen the woman finally approached our table, I smoothed my expression into a mask of indifference, carefully concealing my curiosity. It was obvious Fukui knew her, and judging by the tension radiating off him, their history was far from simple. Watching him squirm provided a spark of amusement, but I couldn’t let my guard down. Strangers who mingled with the Morunaga family rarely came without hidden motives, and this Sophia was no exception. “Fukui,” she greeted, her tight smile failing to reach her sharp, calculating eyes. Her gaze flicked to me, assessing and unrelenting, as though she were dissecting my very presence at the table. “Sophia,” Fukui replied curtly, his jaw tightening, hands vanishing from view as though he were bracing for something unpleasant. Sophia’s posture screamed confidence, from the subtle arch of her brow to the way she cocked her hip with the ease of someone accustomed to being the center of attention. Her eyes dropped to the wedding ba
Last Updated : 2025-01-16How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 25: A Dangerous Waltz
POV: RyuuMy eyes stayed locked on Beatrice as she moved through the room, her presence commanding attention in a way that felt almost defiant. She carried herself with a confidence that was equal parts captivating and infuriating, her chin held high, her gaze steady, and her lips curved into a smile that hinted at secrets only she knew. Watching her maneuver through a room full of Morunagas—each more venomous than the last—was like watching someone walk a tightrope over a pit of snakes. And she made it look effortless. I told myself it was annoyance that kept my attention on her. But even as I fed myself that lie, I couldn’t deny the strange pull she had on me. She was supposed to be an inconvenience, a burden, yet here she was, standing out in a sea of my polished, posturing relatives. Then I saw it—the sapphire brooch pinned to her dress. It caught the light, flashing like a taunt, and my chest tightened. The brooch had belonged to my mother, an heirloom Beatrice had worn on our
Last Updated : 2025-01-17How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 26: The Sapphire Reminder
POV: BeatriceLying in bed with my phone in hand, I scrolled through the evening news highlights, doing my best to ignore Ryuu’s stormy presence across the room. He hadn’t slept here once since we got married, so why now? Why tonight? All I wanted was to shut out the world, turn off the lights, and get some much-needed rest. Instead, he moved through the room like a thundercloud, muttering under his breath and slamming drawers with enough force to rattle the dresser. The party had been a draining spectacle. We’d left early, but even so, the endless social pleasantries and fake smiles from his oversized, power-hungry family had left me exhausted. Now, Ryuu’s relentless racket was transforming my exhaustion into a pounding headache. “Ryuu,” I called, my voice soft but laced with irritation. I didn’t look up from my phone, but I could feel his gaze flick toward me. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught his perpetually annoyed expression—his default, it seemed. “Are you planning to ke
Last Updated : 2025-01-18How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 27: A Question Too Far
POV: BeatriceBy morning, there was no sign Ryuu had come back after his abrupt departure the night before. I tried to push it aside, convince myself it didn’t matter—but it did. The feeling gnawed at me, the weight of being left out, of being deliberately kept in the dark. It was clear now—he had secrets, and he wasn’t even trying to hide it. I knew better than to expect honesty from a man like Ryuu. In his world, knowledge was power, and he wielded it with precision. If he wasn’t willing to share, fine. But that didn’t mean I had to sit around and do nothing. If Ryuu wouldn’t talk, I’d find someone who would. “Fukui,” I called the moment I spotted him in the living room after breakfast. He was hunched over his laptop, fingers moving with an almost mechanical rhythm, his expression locked in that perpetual state of brooding focus. “I need to ask you something.” Without looking up, he sighed. “Is this going to take long?” His impatience was obvious, and I should’ve been annoye
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Pov: RyuuI got home late that night—so late that I didn’t expect to find Beatrice still awake. She sat on the bed, bathed in the soft glow of the bedside lamp, a book propped against her bent knees. Her dark hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders, and the thin camisole clinging to her body did nothing to stop my eyes from trailing down the length of her legs. I forced my gaze away, muttering a curse under my breath as I headed straight for the bathroom. I needed a long, scalding shower to wash off the stench of another wasted day chasing ghosts. The hours spent gathering intel on Vincenzo Espósito had only left me with more questions and a deeper frustration gnawing at the edges of my patience. His release was inevitable, but what it meant for me—for all of us—was still uncertain. And uncertainty was something I couldn’t afford. Steam billowed around me as the water pounded against my back, but it did little to ease the tension tightening my muscles. When I stepped out, rubb
Last Updated : 2025-01-20How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 29: Pawn or Queen?
POV: Beatrice“What exactly is my role here?” The question slipped out before I could stop it, the weight in my chest pressing down like a stone. Fukui’s usual smirk faltered, his gaze flicking to his father as if searching for direction. Seeing him caught off guard brought me a fleeting, bitter satisfaction. “Your role?” Gojou echoed, his sharp eyes settling on me with unsettling precision. I held his gaze, refusing to shrink under the scrutiny. His thumb and forefinger rested against his chin, and I could almost hear the wheels turning in his mind. Every instinct screamed at me to tread carefully, but I pressed on. “Yes, my role. I was told I’m here to be the perfect wife, to uphold the Morunaga legacy,” I continued, my voice steady despite the anger simmering beneath it. “But what exactly am I supposed to do? Just sit here day after day, waiting for someone to tell me what my life should be?” I could feel their amusement, their unspoken taunts hanging heavy in the air. They
Last Updated : 2025-01-23How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 30: When Walls Begin to Crack
POV: RyuuI wasn’t expecting Fukui’s call that night. If he was reaching out, something was off. His only job was to keep Beatrice safe, and he wouldn’t be bothering me unless something wasn’t sitting right with him. "What happened?" I asked, keeping my voice steady despite the weight pressing down on my chest. I had just left a meeting with two of the other families, another wasted night chasing whispers and dead ends about the threats closing in on us. My patience was wearing thin, and now, standing in the lobby of our hotel—the polished front for our operations—I scanned the room with sharp eyes, searching for anything that might feel out of place. "Relax, Ryuu," Fukui’s voice came through the line, tight but not entirely reassuring. That single word only made my frown deepen. "Beatrice is fine, but… I’m worried about her. More than usual." His tone carried an exhaustion that settled like a stone in my gut. "Why?" I asked, my mind immediately jumping to our last encounter
Last Updated : 2025-01-24How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 31: When Shadows Knock
POV: BeatriceA worn copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray wasn’t something I ever imagined finding among Ryuu’s belongings. Yet, there it was, the creased spine and dog-eared pages betraying how many times it had been read. As I picked it up to place it among my own books, a few photographs slipped free, drifting silently to the floor like ghosts of a past I didn’t know existed. Two photos. Both folded, creased with time. The first one sent a jolt through me—my mother. I had never seen this picture before. She looked younger, more vibrant, yet eerily similar to the last image I had of her, taken not long before she died. The other woman in the photograph was unfamiliar. Dark curls framed her pale face, her delicate features sharp yet elegant. There was something in the curve of her mouth, the intensity of her almond-shaped eyes, that reminded me of Ryuu. His mother, perhaps? My fingers trembled as I shoved the photos back into the book, pressing it onto the dresser with more force
Last Updated : 2025-01-25
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How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 98: The End and the Beginning
Ryuu’s POV"We have a rare opportunity," I said, my voice edged with steel. "The power I inherited from Esposito gives us an advantage, but it also raises expectations. From now on, we can’t allow anything—or anyone—to threaten the foundation I’m building. That means betrayal will be met with a punishment that is swift and unquestionable."Sofia’s expression hardened. "Daiki’s family," she said, her voice clipped. "They’ll serve as the example?"I nodded."Exactly. They will be a reminder of what happens when you cross the Don. When we eliminate a threat, we don’t leave loose ends. Loyalty in our world isn’t optional."Mateo’s smirk deepened in satisfaction. Nitta and Sofia both gave small nods, unde
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 97: The Price of Betrayal
Ryuu’s POVThe heavy scent of metal and dampness filled my lungs the second I stepped into the basement. The cold was almost tangible, seeping from the concrete walls like a ghost of everything that had happened here. Ahead of me, Daiki knelt on the ground, wrists bound behind his back, his expression flickering between fear and defiance.The man who had once treated me like something disposable. The father of the bastard who had used my wife’s blood as his weapon.Mateo, Sofia, and Nitta stood around him, guns drawn, aimed straight at his chest. A circle of steel and hostility, a reflection of the atmosphere pressing down on the room. He saw me—his nephew—standing before him, but not the boy he had once manipulated. That version of me had died long ago."Y
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 96: The Darkness We Share
Beatrice’s POVA heavy silence settled between us, thick enough to take form. I watched Ryuu, waiting for a response he seemed hesitant to give. Then, finally, he exhaled deeply, his voice low but steady."I'm here. With you. I promise."The words hung between us, weighted and certain. His gaze met mine, carrying the full gravity of that vow. And before I could think better of it, I leaned in, pressing my lips to his. It was soft, hesitant—charged with something raw and unspoken. I wanted to lose myself in him, but this wasn’t the time. There were too many cracks between us, too many wounds—both seen and unseen—that needed healing first.His hands slid to my face, holding me with a tenderness I barely recognized. He kissed me b
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 95: A Fragile Confession
Beatrice’s POVRyuu’s gaze stayed locked on the group as he tightened his grip around me, turning me toward the other side of the bar. His arm around my waist pulled me away before I could see Sophia’s next move. The possessive hold, the tension crackling in the air, told me everything I needed to know.I didn’t have to look to know what was coming next."What was that?" I murmured, frowning as he guided me through the dimly lit space, straight toward a cluster of men who greeted him with quiet reverence."What was what?" he replied without looking at me, his jaw set."Mr. Morunaga?" I echoed, the words barely above a whisper, dripping with exasperation.
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 94: Stubborn to the End
Beatrice’s POVDays had passed before we finally parked in front of the church. Neither of us moved to get out. Outside, a sea of black-clad mourners gathered, their hushed voices blending into the weight of grief hanging in the air. I hadn’t expected so many people to show up. Even less, I hadn’t expected Ryuu to be here, not in his condition."You shouldn't be here," I murmured, my fingers tightening around his as we sat in the silent shelter of the black limousine.I had begged him to stay in bed this morning. Pleaded. But nothing I said mattered. Ryuu was determined to be here, and nothing short of death would have stopped him."Don’t you think it’s my duty to attend my grandfather Vincenzo’s funeral?" His voice was sharp, eyes fixed on the crowd filter
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 93: What He Left Behind
Beatrice’s POV"And Ryuu?" I pressed, my gaze flicking back to my husband’s unconscious body. "I can't leave him.""His cousins have already arranged everything. Trusted people, outside your grandfather’s empire." Sophia stepped closer, her voice laced with urgency. "Please, Beatrice."I gave in. I agreed to go with her, but every step I took away from that hospital felt wrong. Like I was making a mistake. Like I was leaving something vital behind.By the time I stepped into the Espósito estate, the echoes of what I’d left behind still rattled inside my head.I didn’t eat. I didn’t shower. I didn’t change my clothes.
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 92: A Truth I Never Wanted
Beatrice’s POVRyuu had fallen asleep again, and I took the opportunity to find something—anything—to keep myself awake. The moment I stepped into the hallway, I caught sight of Mateo, his lips curling in disdain as he shook his head. "You let your mother suffer for years, and now you punish me for setting her free? What Ryuu did was mercy. You should be grateful." His voice dripped with mockery. "Why are we even discussing this right now? This isn't the time. I'm here for them, not you." The cold fury in Mateo’s words echoed through the empty corridor. Whatever Ryuu had done to create this rift between Bion and him… it had cut deep. "Do you always eavesdrop?" A sharp, youthful voice snapped from behind me. I exhaled, pressing a hand to my chest as I turned slowly. Nitta stood there, watching me with a smirk that was both amused and knowing. "I wasn’t…" The words trailed off, my ears still tuned to the remnants of the conversation between Mateo and Bion. "Oh, save it," he
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 91: Stronger Together, Or Broken Apart
Beatrice’s POVHe looked better. A little more color in his skin, a little less fragile. But I knew, just as surely as I loved him, that appearances could be deceiving. He was still bound to this hospital bed, still far from the man I knew. His recovery would be slow, grueling. And he knew it too.I traced my fingers along his jaw, feeling the rough scrape of his unshaven beard against my skin. He exhaled softly at my touch, his features softening in a way I rarely saw. A vulnerable Ryuu. Exposed."Are you hurt?" His voice was deep, laced with concern, as he gently pushed strands of hair away from my face. I shook my head, my eyes locked on his, as if keeping him in focus was the only thing anchoring me to reality. He studied me a second longer, his gaze catching on the clean clothes I wore—so different from the last time he
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 90: The Battle Isn’t Over
Beatrice’s POVThe moment Giorgio took his last breath, it was as if a spell had finally broken. I turned slowly, my body heavy with exhaustion, my hands still stained with blood as my gaze found Ryuu.He was pale, his skin damp with sweat and pain. His face was contorted, his eyes shut tight as if keeping them closed would somehow lessen the agony. I leaned over him again, pressing my hands firmly against the open wound on his abdomen, but it was useless. It felt like trying to hold his life together with nothing but my bare hands. The blood kept coming, relentless, spilling between my fingers no matter how hard I pressed.Then, the basement door burst open, slamming against the concrete wall.I whirled around, lifting the gun instinctively. I didn’t know who was coming, but I wo
