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64: Tested by Family
Last Updated:
2025-02-22 00:40:55
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How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 65: Tea, Scars, and Family Tensions
POV BeatriceI bit my lip before continuing. "I’ve been staying with a friend for the past few weeks. I needed space.""A friend?" She frowned. "And that’s safe?""Sophia lives with her uncle. His house is outside the city, heavily secured. Without a doubt, safer than the Morunaga estate. He’s wealthier than Ryuu and can afford all the protection I need. Ryuu trusts him.""And do you trust Ryuu’s judgment?" Her question was laced with the same doubt I’d heard before.I straightened in my chair, my voice steady. "I trust my own judgment." I didn’t need Ryuu to hold my hand through every decision. I had done just fine on my own before my father and Gojou intervened. "But I know Ryuu worries about my safety. He wouldn’t let me stay there if he thought Espósito couldn’t protect me."She nodded, though I could tell the questions weren’t over."Has my father contacted you?" I asked after a brief silence."No. Not since he left to finalize the restaurant contracts with Gojou." Loretta’s lips
Last Updated : 2025-02-23How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 66: Shades of Truth and Tenderness
POV Beatrice"Aunt?" I called as I wandered through the house. I found her in the living room, Lex sprawled across the couch with his head resting in her lap while she read a book. The sight made me smile."Lex, enjoying Mom’s lap?" I teased, barely holding back a laugh.His eyes snapped open, and he scowled at me. "Shut up, Bea. Don’t be childish.""You two, don’t start," Aunt Loretta warned, though her voice carried that familiar motherly patience. She closed her book, setting it aside. "What is it, Beatrice?"Before she could catch him, Lex stuck his tongue out at me like a five-year-old. Sometimes, I forgot he was only two years younger than me, but moments like this made it painfully obvious."What are we doing for dinner?" I asked sweetly, ignoring his immaturity.Lex let out a loud laugh. "Jesus, do you ever stop eating?""Do you ever stop talking?" I shot back, unable to keep the smirk from my face."We haven't even had lunch yet!" Lex mocked, chuckling, only to be silenced by
Last Updated : 2025-02-23How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 67: Divorce or Devotion?
POV BeatriceRyuu's expression shifted, his eyes widening slightly as if a realization had just struck him."I didn't realize how much the attack affected you," he murmured, almost as if speaking to himself.I shrugged, unsure of what else to say. Words felt small compared to the weight of everything I was feeling.Then, he reached out, taking my hand with a gentleness that contrasted with the gravity of our conversation. He turned my palm in his, his fingers tracing the faint lines as if trying to memorize them. His touch was firm but steady, and the way his gaze locked onto mine made me swallow hard. My mouth was dry, my heart pounding against my ribs."It’s not foolish to want to trust people. It’s not foolish to want to trust me," he said, a rare vulnerability threading through his voice.I looked away, exhaling sharply."Maybe not foolish, but definitely naive. I expected too much from you.""No, you weren’t naive." His voice grew firmer, and he tightened his grip on my hand, gro
Last Updated : 2025-02-24How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 68: The Edge of Confession
POV RyuuI watched her settle into bed, that effortless grace of hers always leaving me unmoored. I wasn’t ready to sleep. Not yet. My body ached with exhaustion, my eyes burned, but my mind wouldn’t shut down. I wanted… more. The warmth of her skin, the quiet concern always lingering in her gaze. The silence between us was unbearable, suffocating. She was right next to me, yet she felt miles away. And I had no one to blame but myself. I had been replaying our conversations, analyzing every glance, every shift in her voice. Beatrice cared. That much was obvious. She wanted me to be part of her life, to be accepted by her family. But was this thing between us even a relationship? I had been with countless women before, yet none of them had ever made me stop and think. I never cared about their emotions, never felt the need to. But with Beatrice… she stirred something in me I hadn’t even known was there. It was a strange kind of pride, uncomfortable and raw, like an ember catching
Last Updated : 2025-02-24How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 69: At the Edge of Uncertainty
Beatrice's POVI exhaled sharply, my gaze lingering on Bion before I turned toward the door. I needed sleep—without it, tomorrow would be hell. But just as I took a step forward, his voice stopped me."I met Mateo when I was twenty-two. He was nineteen. We..." Bion hesitated, his head dipping as if the weight of his words was too much to bear. My pulse kicked up. "We started dating a year later."Everything clicked into place. Mateo’s hatred for our family—it wasn’t rivalry. It was heartbreak. A wound festering beneath years of silence. For someone like Bion, bound by tradition and power, admitting this couldn’t have been easy. How many people knew? Not many. And the fact that he was telling me now—that meant something."We were together for two years," he continued, voice low. "Then I ended it.""And you two… don’t talk anymore?" I asked carefully, afraid of touching an open wound."I’d be shocked if we ever spoke again." His jaw tensed, eyes locked on the floor. End of discussion. P
Last Updated : 2025-02-25How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 70: In the Shadow of Regret
I regretted it the moment I saw the shock flicker across his face, but it was too late. The words had already escaped, raw with anger and exhaustion.He went still, his features hardening. And then, I saw it—the quiet resolve in his eyes. Anton wasn’t a child anymore, not the scared boy who had watched his father abuse his aunt. At seventeen, he had already decided he was the family’s protector. And if he thought Ryuu had hurt me, nothing would stop him."Ryuu never hurt me!" I tried, but Anton wasn’t listening. He had already turned, striding away, and I knew exactly where he was going. "Damn it! Anton, stop!" I shouted, racing after him, panic flooding my veins. My cousin was an idiot. A stubborn, reckless idiot.He was moving too fast, and I knew that if words wouldn’t stop him, I had no choice but to act. Without thinking, I threw myself at him, locking my arms around his neck. The impact sent us both staggering into the hallway wall."What the hell are you doing?" Anton growled,
Last Updated : 2025-02-26How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 71: A Choice Yet to Be Made
Beatrice's POVI had been avoiding Ryuu since my visit to Esposito. I didn’t know what to say, how to face him without the weight of my secret crushing me. Telling him about the possible pregnancy? Not a chance. Not until I was sure… not while I still prayed the test had been wrong.But avoiding Ryuu was nearly impossible, especially when he was waiting for me. Seated among my cousins in Aunt Loretta’s living room, drink in hand, he watched in silence, detached from their conversation. He seemed to prefer it that way, which worked in my favor—except that his focus was entirely on me.I curled up in an armchair across the room, scrolling through my messages with Sophia. I hadn’t told her about the pregnancy yet, and wouldn’t until I talked to Ryuu first. This wasn’t something you shared over the
Last Updated : 2025-02-27How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 72: A Crown Forged in Fire
Ryuu's POVAs I stepped into Loretta’s room, my footsteps felt unnervingly loud in the silence. The soft glow from the lamps cast shifting shadows across the walls lined with old photographs. My gaze landed on Beatrice, curled up beside her aunt, fast asleep. She was still fully dressed, as if exhaustion had pulled her under before she could make it back to our room."She fell asleep not long ago. I didn’t have the heart to wake her," Loretta said quietly, watching me closely. "I assume you’re here to take her back. Come in."I hesitated before moving further inside. I wasn’t the type to step into other people’s spaces uninvited, just as I never let anyone into mine. The discomfort settled deep in my chest, but with Loretta, it was more than that. She watched me too carefully, waiting for something—wai
Last Updated : 2025-02-28
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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
