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In the ruthless underworld of Los Angeles, an ancient feud between the Moretti and Volkov mafia families has simmered for decades. After a fragile truce is established, Alessia Moretti, a headstrong university student, believes she can escape the criminal life that has defined her family. But when her reckless brother, Lucas, accumulates a five-million-dollar debt with the infamous Nikolai Volkov, everything changes. To settle the debt, Nikolai demands Alessia’s hand in marriage. Forced into a union with the enemy, Alessia finds herself trapped in a dangerous game of power, deception, and forbidden desire. Nikolai has harbored an obsession for her since childhood, and now that she is his, he refuses to let her go. As secrets unravel and long-buried betrayals come to light, Alessia must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she fight for the family that raised her, or will she surrender to the man who has vowed to claim her as his own?
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SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 31
Alessia Moretti The morning light streamed through the sheer curtains of the bridal suite, but there was nothing soft or romantic about it. It felt intrusive, like it was daring me to forget what today really was. My wedding day.I stood in front of the vanity, motionless as Stassie pinned the last delicate strand of my hair into place. Her fingers were steady, her reflection calm, but I knew her well enough to see the storm behind her eyes."You look like a goddess," she said softly, her voice a rare note of warmth in the cold quiet of the room.I met her gaze in the mirror and forced a smile. "A sacrificial one."She sighed. "You still have time to run.""And where would I go, Stass? There’s nowhere far enough from Nikolai Volkov. Or the consequences."Her eyes dropped to her hands, and the silence between us stretched. She didn’t argue. She knew me too well. Knew Luca was worth it. Knew I’d already made peace with my own destruction.I stared at my reflection, trying to reconcile
Last Updated : 2025-04-13SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 30
Alessia MorettiThe night air was heavy with warmth, laced with the distant sounds of a city that never truly slept. From the terrace of the penthouse, Los Angeles sprawled beneath me like a sea of molten stars—bright, endless, deceptive. I lay on the lounge chair, a thin silk robe draped over my legs, my hair cascading over my shoulder like a veil. The wind was gentle, caressing my skin, offering no comfort.Tomorrow, I would become Mrs. Volkov.My throat tightened at the thought. Not out of love. Not out of joy. But because I had no other choice.I tilted my head toward the sky, searching for something—clarity, maybe. A sign. Anything. But the stars didn’t care, and the moon remained silent.A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. A year. Just one year. That was the deal. One year bound to Nikolai Volkov. One year wearing his ring, sleeping in his bed, smiling for cameras, and pretending I wasn’t drowning inside.All for Luca.The thought of my little brother made my chest
Last Updated : 2025-04-12SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 29
Nikolai Volkov The meeting with the wedding planner had barely ended when I found myself pacing the hallway outside my office, jaw clenched and fingers twitching with anticipation. Alessia’s sarcasm still lingered in my mind like the remnants of an irritating perfume—sharp, invasive, and impossible to ignore. And yet, underneath all the aggravation, I could still see the glint in her eyes when she challenged me, the fire she tried so hard to conceal. It was a maddening dance we performed, this back-and-forth of cold barbs and reluctant magnetism. But there were more pressing matters than navigating the battlefield that was my relationship with my fiancée. Zayn leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his usual smirk absent from his face for once. He knew what today meant. This wasn’t about sending a message. It was about making a statement. “You sure you don’t want to send Roman or Sergei?” he asked, his voice calm but laced with caution. “You know they’d take care of it wit
Last Updated : 2025-04-11SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 28
The penthouse was unusually quiet for a morning that promised chaos. Two days. Two days before Alessia and I were bound by a contract neither of us asked for—but both agreed to. A necessary alliance. Strategic. Ruthless. Like me.And yet, nothing about this wedding felt predictable. Especially not her.I stood in the open space of the living room, watching the sun slant through the large windows. My black dress shirt was rolled at the sleeves, a cup of Turkish coffee in one hand. I needed the caffeine if I was going to survive this morning. The wedding planner was set to arrive any minute, and Alessia—true to form—was still in her room, likely choosing the most dramatic outfit she could find just to irritate me.Footsteps echoed lightly from the hallway. Speak of the devil.She entered, dressed in an oversized black button-down shirt that looked suspiciously like mine. Her hair was twisted up messily, and she wore no makeup. Still, she looked like chaos incarnate—controlled, curated c
Last Updated : 2025-04-09SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 27
The car ride was suffocating.The silence between Nikolai and me wasn't peaceful or empty—it buzzed with unspoken words, with tension so sharp it could slice the air in two. I sat rigidly against the leather seat of his sleek black SUV, arms folded tightly across my chest as the city lights blurred past the window. He didn’t say a word. Typical. Always the silent brooding type when he knew he was in the wrong.Not that he'd ever admit it.My phone buzzed. A message from Stassie: *"Zayn is too much. This man is dangerous in all the worst ways. Wish me luck."*I smirked and quickly replied: *"If he kisses you, bite him."* Then I tucked the phone back into my clutch and stared straight ahead. My body was still humming from the adrenaline, from the nightclub confrontation, from *him* stepping in again like some overbearing shadow looming over my life.He turned the wheel with practiced ease, eyes fixed on the road, jaw clenched. The tension radiating from him was palpable, matching mine n
Last Updated : 2025-04-08SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 26
The dress clung to my curves like a secret, black and glittering under the lights of the penthouse bedroom. Stassie let out a dramatic whistle from behind me, a drink in hand, as I adjusted the neckline in the mirror."You know Nikolai’s going to combust when he sees you," she said with a grin."Good," I muttered, smoothing the sides. "Let him stew. This is *my* night."She raised a brow. "You sure you don’t want to tone it down just a *little*?"I spun to face her, lips quirking with defiance. "I’m one week away from marrying a man I didn’t choose. If I’m going to have a bachelorette party, I’m going to do it right."She held up her hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. You look hot as hell, anyway. LA isn't ready for us tonight."We both laughed, the sound echoing off the high ceilings. There was something oddly comforting in her presence, in knowing that someone still existed who reminded me of who I was *before* Nikolai Volkov bulldozed into my life like a hurricane wrapped in ta
Last Updated : 2025-04-07SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 25
The air in the conference room was thick with tension, the kind that wrapped itself around your throat and didn’t let go. I sat at the head of the table, elbows resting on the dark wood, fingers steepled beneath my chin. Zayn lounged across from me with a deceptively casual posture, but even he wasn't immune to the shift in my mood. My most trusted men stood silently along the wall, posture rigid, eyes flicking between me and the silent screen where the security footage from the last few days played on a loop.No one dared speak first. That was smart.“I want to know,” I said finally, voice low but sharp, “how a fucking letter ended up on Alessia’s windshield under our watch.”One of the younger men, Emil, shifted uncomfortably. I didn’t look at him. I kept my eyes on the footage, pausing it at the moment the envelope appeared beneath the windshield wiper of her car.“You see this?” I pointed at the screen. “This right here is what failure looks like.”Zayn cleared his throat. “We’ve
Last Updated : 2025-04-06SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 24
The sun had barely crested the Los Angeles skyline when I laced up my sneakers and grabbed my water bottle, the silence of the penthouse broken only by the rhythmic slap of my footsteps against the marble floor. The weight of the previous days sat heavy on my chest, and running felt like the only way to outrun my thoughts. I needed the sting of cool morning air, the burn in my calves, the ache that came with pushing myself harder than my doubts could follow.Wearing a fitted black sports bra and high-waisted leggings, I tied my hair into a tight ponytail and headed toward the elevator. Of course, fate—or rather, Nikolai—had other plans.He was leaning against the kitchen counter, coffee in hand, dressed in a pair of tailored pants and nothing else. The way his gaze moved from my sneakers to the hem of my leggings told me he wasn’t admiring my dedication to fitness."That’s what you’re wearing?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement and the slightest hint of disapproval.I rolled my
Last Updated : 2025-04-05SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 23
The penthouse was quiet, save for the distant hum of the city below. I leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, watching as Stassie paced back and forth in front of me, her hands flailing dramatically."Alessia, I swear, if you don't at least *try* to enjoy yourself before this whole sham of a wedding, I might actually lose my mind," she huffed, stopping to glare at me.I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Stassie, do you hear yourself? You're asking me to celebrate the end of my freedom. An actual party for a wedding I don’t even want?"She groaned. "No, I'm asking you to have one fun night before you get shackled to a Bulgarian mobster for life. There *is* a difference."I snorted. "Not much of one."Stassie rolled her eyes. "Come on, Alessia. When’s the last time you let loose? Actually had fun? I’m talking dancing, drinking, making bad decisions—"I cut her off with a raised brow. "I make bad decisions daily. This wedding is a prime example."She scoffed. "Oh, ha-ha. I’m seriou
Last Updated : 2025-04-04
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CHAPTER 1
Alessia MorettiLos Angeles 5pmThe night air was thick with the scent of Los Angeles—gasoline, asphalt, and a hint of the ocean breeze that never quite reached our part of the city. My heels clicked against the cracked pavement as I made my way up the worn-out steps of our townhouse, exhaustion pressing heavily against my limbs. The weight of the day—a full schedule of classes, an endless group project, and a midterm looming over my head—made the sight of our familiar blue door almost comforting. Almost.A strange sense of unease curled in my gut as I reached for the handle. Something felt off. The porch light flickered ominously, and the house was eerily silent. Usually, my brother, Luca, would be sprawled on the couch, yelling at some basketball game on TV or complaining about his latest poker hand gone wrong.Tonight, there was nothing.A chill ran down my spine.I pushed open the door, and the scent hit me first—coppery, thick, unmistakable. Blood."Luca?" My voice wavered as I s...
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