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9: Silk and Diamond Chain
Last Updated:
2024-12-22 06:32:09
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How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 10: The Burden of the Name
POV: BeatriceThe ache in my neck was a harsh reminder of how the morning had begun. Heat radiated against my cheek, and with dawning horror, I realized it wasn’t just the sofa cushioning me—it was Ryuu. His bare chest pressed against me, firm and unyielding, as memories of the night crashed over me. I’d fallen asleep on him.I shot upright, embarrassment searing my skin as I rubbed my eyes and tried to make sense of my surroundings. My sudden movement startled him, a gruff, half-conscious groan escaping his lips, but it was the laughter across the room that made me freeze.“Good morning,” Nitta drawled, his tone dripping with amusement.My head snapped toward the source of the voice, only to find Gojou and his sons standing there like spectators at some absurd comedy show. Gojou, as calm and collected as ever, sipped his coffee from an armchair, while Fukui stood lazily scrolling through his phone. Nitta, of course, looked smugger than anyone had a right to be.“It’s nice to see you
Last Updated : 2024-12-23How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 11: The Bonds I Didn't Choose
POV: BeatriceThe stems of my bouquet bent beneath my grip, each step down the aisle tightening my hold until the fragile blooms threatened to break. The sight before me was every bit as pristine as the planners had intended: white chairs perfectly aligned, delicate flowers swaying in the ocean breeze, and a makeshift altar framed by the endless horizon. Yet, for all its beauty, the scene felt hollow, each detail mocking me with its cheerful façade. My eyes locked on my father, stationed near the altar beside my aunt. His presence felt like an intrusion. I’d refused his offer to walk me down the aisle—one small victory in a war I was otherwise losing. He didn’t deserve the honor of giving me away, not after dragging me into this arrangement. The music swelled, and all at once, dozens of faces turned toward me. Strangers, most of them, their gazes curious, expectant. I ignored them, keeping my focus fixed ahead. My cousins, seated in the front row, stood out among the crowd. Their
Last Updated : 2024-12-25How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 12: The Weight of the Morunaga Name
POV: Beatrice I woke to the suffocating realization of my new identity: Mrs. Ryuu Morunaga. The word—wife—clung to my mind like poison, bitter and unrelenting. I jerked upright, pulling myself free from the arms that had held me through the night. When had I sought their refuge? The thought made my stomach turn. Weakness. That’s what it had to be—a momentary lapse, born of exhaustion. The blanket slipped off my shoulders, landing across Ryuu’s sleeping form. He didn’t stir. His chest rose and fell with a calmness that mocked my inner chaos. The loose pajama pants he wore did little to obscure the sharp, disciplined lines of his physique. Many women would have envied me, trapped in marriage to a man who embodied power and control so effortlessly. But attraction, if that’s what this was, felt more like a betrayal. Ryuu was a man to be feared. His presence was a reminder of everything I despised about this life—its ruthless, unyielding grip. His body, honed by years of relen
Last Updated : 2025-01-03How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 13: Night of Silent Storms
POV: Beatrice“I lived with my aunt for the past four years,” I began, my voice dragging as though each word weighed more than the last. If Ryuu wanted to know about me, I’d give him only what was necessary—enough to satisfy his curiosity but nothing more. “I worked at her restaurant while finishing high school. Afterward, I stayed on full-time for two years. I considered going back to school, helping expand the family business. It’s more than just a front for us; it’s my aunt’s livelihood.”I let my gaze drift, focusing on the horizon where the ocean seemed to swallow the sky. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Ryuu, not while a knot tightened in my stomach, threatening to steal my composure. My voice wavered slightly as I added, “I suppose I won’t have that luxury anymore.”The weight of my own words crushed down on me, the reality of my abandoned future unfurling like a shadow creeping over my chest. If I were alone, I might have cried. But pride wouldn’t allow me to show that kin
Last Updated : 2025-01-04How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 14: Luxury, Power, and Coldness
POV: Beatrice After that first fight, I avoided Ryuu as much as I could, and he seemed content to let me. He buried himself in work, either glued to his laptop or pacing the living room, barking orders into his phone like I wasn’t even there. Our interactions dwindled to clipped exchanges, enough for him to announce that we’d be heading to Los Angeles. Where in Los Angeles? He didn’t say, and I didn’t ask. I imagined their home would be the epitome of luxury, a gilded cage dripping with opulence and suffocating grandeur—nothing like the small, warm house I had shared with my aunt. “Are you ready?” Ryuu’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and unexpected. I glanced up to find him leaning against the doorframe, his hands shoved into his pockets, his gaze steady. Ignoring him, I zipped up the last of my bags, nodding curtly as I grabbed the handle. Without waiting for me to ask, he slung one of my bags over his shoulder. Then, to my surprise, he reached for my hand. Startl
Last Updated : 2025-01-05How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 15: Hostile Territory
POV: Beatrice The broad stone steps stretched toward the imposing front doors of the mansion, bordered by sharp, manicured hedges and symmetrical bursts of flowering shrubs. Behind me, the expansive lawn seemed to unfurl endlessly, a lush but stifling reminder of the life I’d just been thrust into. “What do you think of your new home?” Gojou’s voice broke through my thoughts as his heavy hand landed on my shoulder. I stiffened, fighting the urge to pull away, and offered him nothing more than a tight, hollow smile. Satisfied or indifferent—probably the latter—he disappeared inside without another word. I lingered at the steps, my feet rooted to the ground as hesitation gripped me. I wasn’t sure why I didn’t follow him. I knew there was no escape, no way to avoid what lay ahead. Still, I stood there, the weight of inevitability pressing down like a stone. “Are you going in or not?” Ryuu’s sharp voice startled me. He stood a few steps away, his expression impatient, as though my
Last Updated : 2025-01-10How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 16: The New Queen
POV: Beatrice After the tense encounter with Ryuu’s mother, I retreated to the bedroom—his bedroom—with a plate of hastily grabbed food. The moment I closed the door, the oppressive weight of the day pressed down on me, suffocating in its intensity. As my eyes scanned the room, something caught my attention: a stack of neatly labeled boxes, each marked with my name. My stomach clenched as I approached them. These were my belongings from Palermo. Someone—likely my aunt or cousins—had packed them. It felt like a parting gesture, pragmatic and cold. A way to send me off with what was mine while avoiding the mess of goodbyes. The silence of my phone amplified the sting. Not a single missed call, no messages from the family I’d always thought would be there for me. As I stared at those boxes, a hollow realization set in. I was no longer Beatrice Carbone. To them, I was already someone else: a Morunaga. Unpacking felt like an act of defiance, as though holding onto these pieces of my
Last Updated : 2025-01-10How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 17: Surrender or Resistance?
POV: Beatrice It would be a mistake. I knew it, felt it deep in my bones. And yet, the thought of kissing Ryuu again burned in my mind, vivid and relentless, like a fire I couldn’t extinguish. He stepped away, the distance between us growing with each deliberate stride. His dark eyes, so often unreadable, reflected something sharper now—irritation, maybe, or frustration. But whatever it was, it cut through the tense silence. “I won’t be staying here tonight,” he said, his voice like the edge of a blade. I blinked, caught off guard, my mouth parting as if to respond, though no words came. Heat rose to my face, an unwelcome flush of shame chasing away the dangerous spark of desire that had flickered moments before. He paused briefly at the doorway, as though reconsidering, then left without another glance. The emptiness of the room settled over me like a suffocating fog. The faint scent of his cologne lingered, an unwelcome reminder of his presence, and of the fact that I’d le
Last Updated : 2025-01-11
Latest chapter
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 52: Possessiveness in a Whiskey Glass
POV: BeatriceI hesitated before answering, pressing the device to my ear. "Didn’t think you’d respond so fast."A pause. His silence was thick, suffocating."You’re drunk."How the hell could he tell? I had barely spoken. I blinked, trying to remember how many drinks I’d had. My mind blurred around the number."Where are you?" His voice sharpened, all warmth stripped away.I frowned, glancing at Caleb, who was still watching me with interest. "Where are we again?""The Alchemist," Caleb answered, smirking. "You really can’t hold your liquor, huh?""Did you hear that?" I asked, ignoring Caleb entirely. "Ryuu?"Silence. Then, a sharp, clipped response."Who are you with?""Sophia and some of her friends."The line went dead.I stared at the screen, dumbfounded."Everything okay?" Caleb asked, resting a casual hand on my shoulder. I shrugged him off, irritation flaring hot in my veins.What a bastard. He called just to hang up? It was the first time I had heard his voice in two weeks, a
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 51: The Wrong Message, The Right Person
POV: BeatriceIt gnawed at me, an ache I couldn’t ignore. My family had let me go too easily. The realization cut deep, deeper than I wanted to admit. They had fought when I was married off, but now? Nothing. I had been ripped from them, and in the void they left behind, all that remained were my father’s lies and betrayals.I swallowed hard, fingers twitching over my phone. Where was Dario? Had the Morunagas done something to him? Had he returned to Italy without telling me? Why wasn’t he answering my calls?I could dial Ryuu, demand answers—but what would I even say? If he had hurt Dario, he wouldn’t admit it. And if he hadn’t, would I even believe him?Maybe I should reach out to my other cousins. But if Ryuu was involved, and they found out, I’d be the one who set everything ablaze. A war would break out, and I would be trapped in the center of it. No matter how distant I felt from them, my loyalties were now bound to Ryuu. If a battle ignited between our families, I wouldn’t have
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 50: A House Without Her
POV: RyuuI had been restless since leaving Vincenzo’s estate. The drive back felt like a slow suffocation, each mile stretching the unbearable silence pressing against my skull. The second we pulled into the garage, I tossed the keys aside and sank into the passenger seat, my knuckles aching from how tightly I had gripped the wheel. I couldn’t bring myself to go inside. Not yet.Leaving Beatrice there had been the right decision. That’s what I told myself, over and over. But the gnawing unease in my gut told a different story.I had woken early that morning, ready to force the conversation we kept avoiding. I wouldn’t allow this distance to stretch any further. I wouldn’t let her slip through my fingers. But instead of finding her in bed, still curled in sleep, I found empty sheets.She was gone.The panic had been instant, raw. A vice around my ribs. Every worst-case scenario slammed into me at once. The house wasn’t impenetrable—someone had already gotten to her once. If they had c
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 49: If You Let Go, Do You Lose Me?
POV: BeatriceHis hold tightened for a moment before he pulled back just enough to scan my face, his eyes running over every inch of me like he needed to memorize my existence, to confirm I was real. There was no mistaking the raw emotion in his expression—a mix of fury, fear, and something darker, something unspoken."Come home," he said, his voice both a command and a plea.I shook my head, my resolve solidifying even as my body ached from his warmth. "I can’t. I won’t."His brows furrowed, his grip tightening just slightly. "Why not?""That house..." I swallowed hard, my throat tight. "It suffocates me. I shouldn’t be afraid to exist just because it doesn’t fit your idea of safety.""It’s for your protection!" he snapped, his desperation cutting through the anger.I met his gaze head-on, forcing him to see the truth in my eyes. "This isn’t about protection, Ryuu. It’s about control. And I can’t live like that. The more you try to trap me, the harder I’ll fight to escape."His nostr
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 48: Not Even Distance Can Save Me
POV: Beatrice"Shit…" I muttered, pressing my face into the pillow, trying—failing—to smother the rising panic. "What have I done? How could I forget how powerful Ryuu is?"Sophia’s firm grip on my shoulder pulled me back. Her fingers squeezed lightly, grounding me until I finally lifted my eyes, the heat of my tears still burning my cheeks. Her gaze was steady, an anchor in the middle of my storm."Beatrice, look at me," she said, her voice softer now but no less certain. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you. My uncle won’t let it. We’re here for you. I’m here for you." She squeezed my hand, her warmth seeping into my skin, offering a comfort I hadn’t expected. "If you need to talk, I’m ready to listen. About that night… or whatever is going on between you and Ryuu. This stays between us."The tears kept falling, uncontrollable. I never imagined I’d have someone like Sophia, someone willing to fight for me. Before my marriage, support was scarce, limited to my aunt… and my cousins.
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 47: A Door Left Open
POV: BeatriceThe mansion was silent, but the weight of its presence pressed down on me, suffocating. Every breath felt stolen, every step a betrayal. I moved through the corridors with the precision of someone who knew the cost of getting caught. The cold marble beneath my feet sent a chill up my spine, grounding me in the reality of what I was doing. I was running. Escaping. Finally breaking free from the cage that had held me captive for too long.Each shadow felt like a threat, each flicker of movement a warning. My pulse hammered in my ears as I reached the grand entrance, fingers trembling against the cool brass of the door handle. The night air hit me like a slap, crisp and unforgiving, but I welcomed it. It was the first real breath I had taken in months.I didn’t have time to hesitate. The estate was crawling with guards, men who answered to Ryuu, men who wouldn’t hesitate to drag me back inside. My only advantage was that they never expected me to run. Not like this.Then, f
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 46: A Fragile Escape
POV: Beatrice Sophia didn’t bother with pleasantries."You look awful," she said, her gaze steady, sharp. "Problems with Ryuu?"I exhaled slowly, sinking into my seat at the small café. My fingers curled around the warmth of the teacup, grounding myself. Outside, the city hummed with life, indifferent to the storm brewing inside me."I hate that he’s always the first topic," I muttered, voice tight.It was inevitable. Every conversation circled back to Ryuu, to the Morunaga name that clung to me like chains. Even when I tried to escape, he was there, lurking in the shadows of my thoughts."Alright." Sophia leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, studying me. "So, what do you want to talk about?"I forced a smile, but even I could feel how brittle it was."How are your classes?" I asked, reaching for anything that wasn’t my life.Sophia’s expression darkened instantly, her fingers tightening around her coffee cup."Don’t get me started," she groaned. "I spent days on an essay, a
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 45: The Breaking Point
POV: BeatriceIt all made sense now. Every twisted, broken piece of the puzzle fell into place. My mother had taken her own life because of his betrayal. And me? I had been cast into the very family that had destroyed her, all to soothe the wounded pride of a man who deserved nothing but ruin."You… you’re disgusting," I spat, tears burning my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.He didn’t try to defend himself. He simply lowered his head in disgrace."I am many things," he admitted bitterly.My hands trembled with unspent rage, my nails digging into my palms. I looked at him then, and all I could feel was contempt."A father isn’t one of them. And neither is a husband."He stepped toward me, but the warning in my eyes kept him frozen in place. He wouldn’t dare.The shrill buzz of a phone sliced through the suffocating silence. He glanced at the device, relief flashing across his face as he reached for his jacket."I have to go," he muttered, not daring to meet my eyes.I nodded, unm
How to Escape from a Ruthless Mobster 44: A House of Betrayals
POV: BeatriceI woke to a weight pressing against my chest, familiar and suffocating. Next to me, Ryuu worked in silence, the dim glow of his screen flickering across his face. No words were exchanged. I couldn’t even look at him properly when I stepped out of the shower, dressed, and left the room with the sole purpose of avoiding him.The irony wasn’t lost on me. He had spent our entire marriage keeping me at a distance, and now, I was the one retreating. A cruel reversal, but necessary. Until I knew the truth—until I confirmed whether Ryuu had a hand in the lies surrounding my mother—I couldn’t stand being near him.The photographs I had found haunted me. My mother had not died in a hospital after my birth, as I had been told. No, she had died here, in the Morunaga estate. The weight of that revelation made my stomach churn. I needed answers. And I knew exactly where to get them.Downstairs, I found Fukui in the kitchen, his usual composed demeanor at odds with the storm inside me.
