LOGINShare
The threat
Last Updated:
2025-01-16 21:12:15
Related chapters
THE MAFIA CHEF The gang meeting
My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst. I felt so terrified of what might be inside. Sir Bruno’s warning echoed in my head, and I braced myself for the worst. Slowly, I lifted the lid on the box.Inside, I didn't find the horror I had imagined but something completely unexpected. Inside the box was a stunning green dress lay folded neatly. Alongside it were designer heels, a matching purse, and sparkling accessories. I froze, relief washing over me, but it was quickly followed by confusion. Who would send me something like this? I searched the box for a clue, my fingers brushed against a small card tucked beneath the tissue paper. I felt tensed as I opened it and read the message in bold, elegant handwriting:“Join me for dinner tonight."—G. N. Bellarico”My heart skipped a beat. Gerrard sent this? Why? I tried to make sense of it. Before I could dwell on it further, my phone buzzed in my apron pocket. It was him.“Did you get the package?” Gerrard’s voice was
Last Updated : 2025-01-21THE MAFIA CHEF The cost of trust
The dinner had ended abruptly. The guards surrounded me at Gerrard’s command. My heart raced as memories of that night in his private residence came flooding back, the night he had summoned the guards on me. Back then, I had barely escaped being discovered. This time, I wasn’t sure I would be so fortunate. I braced myself for the worst, certain they had come to arrest me. But to my surprise, they positioned themselves on either side of me; I could not read their expressions.“Miss Lily,” one of them said, “we need to escort you to your room immediately. There’s been a security breach.”A security breach? My mind raced as I struggled to make sense of the situation. As they guided me out of the dining hall, I glanced over my shoulder at Gerrard, hoping for an explanation, but his focus was elsewhere. He was in a deep conversation with Gilmore, Antonio, and several other men. His demeanor seemed colder than I had ever seen it.Back in my room, I paced nervously, replaying the evening’s e
Last Updated : 2025-01-27THE MAFIA CHEF Breaking down the walls
Gerrard had changed. He buried himself in work, barely speaking to me. I knew he was busy, especially with the plan to attack the Santorini Syndicate, but I also knew Bruno and his men weren’t going to let that happen without a fight. If Gerrard got hurt, it would be my fault. I had to warn him. That night, I waited for him, but he didn’t come home. By morning, I couldn’t take it anymore, I needed to talk to him. I walked down the hallway and pushed open his bedroom door without thinking. The sight hit me like a slap on the face. Gerrard was lying against the headboard, shirtless. But my heart stopped when I saw a nearly naked woman draped across his bed. My stomach twisted, but I stood my ground. For a second, my mind blanked. My stomach twisted. Then she looked at me and smirked. "Uh… can I help you?" Her voice was thick with amusement, like she already knew how much this was killing me. Gerrard didn’t say anything. Didn’t move. Just sat there, watching. I swallowed hard.
Last Updated : 2025-02-03THE MAFIA CHEF Love or Survival?
I lay on the bed, as I rested my head on Gerrard’s chest. His fingers moved slowly, tracing circles on my arm. The warmth of his skin, the steady rhythm of his breathing, it so was comforting. I felt... Safe. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could let my guard down.Then my phone rang. Again.The third time now.I ignored it.It was Thaddeus, I knew why he was calling. But for once, I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t want to be pulled back into that dark world. Right here, in this moment, I wasn’t Lily, the girl forced to play spy. I was just… me. A woman lying in the arms of a man who made her feel something other than fear.Gerrard chuckled, tilting his head to look at me. “Someone really wants to talk to you,” he teased.I forced a smile. If only he knew.“Is it that guy who sent you flowers last time? Your boyfriend?”I scoffed. “Hell no, he’s not my boyfriend.”Gerrard smirked. “Good for me, if that spot is open, I’d like to apply.”I laughed, shaking my head. “You
Last Updated : 2025-02-08THE MAFIA CHEF The kiss of betrayer
I walked into the casino with my head held high. The air smelled of smoke and expensive whiskey, the soft clink of glasses and murmured conversations filling the space. Money and power flowed through the room like an invisible force.I made my way toward the back, the same place I had been the other night. But tonight, something felt different. Security was tighter. More guards stood around, their sharp eyes watching everything. Whatever was happening tomorrow night, it was big.Then I saw Antonio.I approached him with a calm smile. “Hey, Antonio. Is Gerrard here?”His eyes narrowed. “What are you doing here? Gerrard doesn’t want to see you right now. He’s busy.”“I just need a moment.” I lowered my voice, adding a touch of urgency. “Please, just tell him I’m here. It’s important.”Antonio hesitated, considering. I held his gaze, hoping to sway him.After a long pause, he sighed. “Wait here.”As he disappeared into Gerrard’s office, my pulse quickened. Around me, men moved with quiet
Last Updated : 2025-02-09THE MAFIA CHEF The cost of love and lies
As soon as I got back to my hotel room, I pulled out my phone. The screen lit up with multiple missed calls from Thaddeus. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Then I tapped the call button and held the phone to my ear. He picked up instantly. "Tell me you have something for me.""Listen carefully," I said, still trying to steady my voice. "The location of the drop off is..." I hesitated, my throat tightening. "The Bellarico family’s tombstone." My voice dropped to a whisper. "I’ll send you the exact coordinates.""Good. Very good, Annabelle." Thaddeus said, his tone dripping with satisfaction. "Thaddeus, you better keep your word. My father and I… we walk free after this. You know once this is done, Gerrard will know I was your informant. My cover will be blown.""Don’t worry about that, we have you covered." He replied simply.That should have reassured me, but something about his tone made me feel uneasy.I hesitated before asking the question that had been eating at me.
Last Updated : 2025-02-13THE MAFIA CHEF The beginning of war
The shock of the news of Gerrard’s possible demise left me frozen, I couldn’t move, couldn’t think, I just sat there, numb. It was Gilmore’s persistent calls that finally pulled me out of my daze.He must be here.I checked out of the hotel and met him outside where he had been waiting. I climbed into the car, and without a word, he drove off as if trying to outrun the inevitable.“What you said on the phone… Gerrard… is he…” I couldn’t complete it, I broke down in tears.“Hey, hey…” Gilmore reached over, squeezing my arm reassuringly. “We don’t know for sure. So, calm down.”I shook my head, I knew. If Gerrard hadn’t come back by now, he wasn’t coming back at all.I buried my face in my hands, sobbing softly as Gilmore drove us to Gerrard’s safe house, the place where I had first met him. I looked at house, the whole memory came back, I hated Gerrard then, he was so rude and arrogant, but over time, I saw the truth. He was a man who had been through hell, who had lost his way.And no
Last Updated : 2025-02-15THE MAFIA CHEF Fighting back
I rushed into the room, my heart was racing as I grabbed my phone, I dialed Thaddeus.His line was off.I tried again. And again. Nothing.I felt a cold dread all over me. This couldn’t be happening. Just when I thought I was finally safe, Thaddeus had to go and get himself caught. If they had him, how long before he spilled everything?“Damn it!” I held the phone so hard my fingers hurt.Then there was a knock on the door. I jumped in fear.I forced down my fear, and opened the door.Gilmore stood there, calm as ever, holding a food tray.“You should eat something, Miss Lily,” he said.Eat? I felt like I was going to throw up. But I forced a smile. I had to act normal.“Thank you, Gilmore,” I said. My voice sounded steadier than I felt. “I should have helped with the food. Sorry.”He gave a small nod, placed the tray on the table, and left.The second the door clicked shut, I let out a shaky breath.I needed to think fast.I needed to escapeI couldn’t stay. If they figured out my pa
Last Updated : 2025-02-17
Latest chapter
THE MAFIA CHEF Truce
Victor kept staring at me, his face hard to read."You have to let me talk to him," I begged. "If you don’t, he’ll just get hurt again."Victor hesitated, his jaw tight. He knew I was right.With a deep breath, he finally nodded. "Go."I didn’t wait. I ran straight to the warehouse under the casino, where Gerrard’s men were getting ready for war.-----The air inside was heavy with tension, filled with the smell of sweat and gunpowder. At the center of it all stood Gerrard, fastening a gun holster around his waist, his face serious.I stepped forward. "Gerrard, don’t do this."He didn’t stop what he was doing. "Magnus won’t stop unless I finish this.""Then capture him. Make him talk. But don’t kill him," I said firmly.Gerrard looked at me, frustration in his eyes. "And what if letting him live makes him come back stronger? What if he takes more from me?""Then let’s make sure he has no reason to come back."He clenched his jaw, thinking.Then, finally, he sighed. "Fine. I’ll take hi
THE MAFIA CHEF Stirring up the storm
For the first time in a long while, things were calm. Peaceful. Gerrard and I had finally found our rhythm, lost in the fire of our romance, bound by an undeniable spark.I had never felt so loved before. Gerrard was everything I had ever wanted, passionate, intense, and utterly devoted. He knew how to love me, how to unravel me, how to make me crave him more. Every touch, every whispered promise left me yearning for more.But no matter how much I tried to surrender to the moment, a sense of unease coiled inside me like a serpent lying in wait. Magnus was still out there, lurking in the shadows, and the weight of my secret pressed heavier on my chest with each passing day.Still, I told myself to enjoy the moment while it lasted.The Calm Before the StormThat morning, fully recovered, Gerrard was preparing to return to work. I stood in the bedroom doorway, arms crossed, watching him button up his crisp white shirt. His movements were steady, efficient, like a man who was used to bein
THE MAFIA CHEF You are mine
I paced the bedroom, my heart was pounding. Gerrard’s words kept playing in my head. "I’m going to destroy them all, Lily. No more comebacks. No more threats. This ends with me." I couldn’t let that happen. My hands shook as I scrolled through my contacts. I hesitated for a second. Then I pressed the call button. The phone rang twice before a familiar, warm voice answered. “Lily, dear? Is everything alright?” I swallowed hard. “Mama Rosie, I need your help. It’s about Gerrard.” --- That evening, Gerrard walked into the room. His sharp eyes landed on me. Before he could speak, I took a deep breath. “Someone wants to talk to you.” I held out my phone. His eyebrows pulled together in confusion, but when he saw the name on the screen, something in his face softened. “Mama Rosie,” he said. “My pumpkin,” she greeted, her voice warm. “How have you been?” “Can’t complain,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “How’s vacation?” She chuckled. “It’s going well, but why have
THE MAFIA CHEF Love and fear
The heat between us was impossible to ignore, I pulled closer to Gerrard as our lips moved together. His hands ran over my skin, sending warmth through my body. I melted into him, lost in the way he made me feel, until my hand accidentally touched his injured shoulder.He sucked in a sharp breath, as his body tensing under me.I froze. “Gerrard,” I whispered, guilt washing over me. “Did I hurt you?”He let out a slow breath and shook his head. “It’s fine.”But I knew it wasn’t. He was pretending to be okay, but I could see the truth.I swallowed hard. “I should go. You need to rest.”Before I could move, his fingers wrapped around my wrist, firm but gentle.“Stay,” he said quietly, his eyes locked on mine. “Sleep here tonight.”I hesitated for only a second. I couldn’t bring myself to walk away from him again.I nodded and slipped back under the covers, curling into him. My head rested on his chest, the steady beat of his heart calming me. He wrapped an arm around me, holding me close
THE MAFIA CHEF You're still here
Victor fired a fast shot, hitting the man who had shot at Gerrard. The other attackers jumped into their car and sped away, still shooting as they escaped. Victor and his men fired back, bullets flying in every direction. The loud gunshots made my ears ring, but I couldn’t focus on anything except Gerrard.He was on the ground, bleeding, his face was pale and lifeless. My heart pounded with fear. He looked really bad.Victor cursed and quickly knelt beside him. He ripped his shirt into strips and pressed them against the wound to stop the bleeding. Gerrard groaned in pain, his breathing weak.“Stay with me, man,” Victor said, his voice tight with worry.One of the men ran to the car and threw the door open. “We have to leave now!”Victor nodded and, with another man’s help, lifted Gerrard off the ground and they carried him to the car. My chest felt tight as I watched helplessly as they laid him on the backseat.“Drive!” Victor shouted.The tires screeched as we sped off into the nigh
THE MAFIA CHEF The ambush
"No. Why would I?" I fought to keep my voice steady. Gerrard’s dark eyes studied me carefully, his expression was unreadable. "I know you saw..." His words trailed off. He exhaled sharply, looking away. "You shouldn’t have seen that."I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Gerrard, I’d like to go home… Please." My voice barely rose above a whisper.He was silent for a long moment, then finally nodded. "Okay. I’ll call one of the drivers to take you home."-----Back at the house, I went straight to my room, I shut the door behind me without a word to anyone. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the memory. The gunshot. The blood. The way Gerrard had pulled the trigger so effortlessly, like it was nothing.I had thought Bruno was cruel. But Gerrard? This side of him was something else entirely.Bruno had once warned me: Don’t be fooled, Lily. He’s just as cruel, maybe even more.He had always been like this, but I had allowed my feelings to cloud my judgment. He was the leade
THE MAFIA CHEF Fear of the darkness
I stopped at a department store on my way back and bought some food. I wanted everything to look normal. If anyone asked, I had just gone shopping. That was all. But when the taxi dropped me off at the gate, I felt something was wrong. The security guards stood up straight when they saw me. One of them spoke into his walkie-talkie, then nodded for me to go inside. Inside, the feeling was worse. The staff stared at me like I was a lost child who had just come home. My stomach felt tight under their eyes. Then I saw Gilmore. He let out a breath, like a babysitter who had found a missing kid. And then, Gerrard. He walked toward me fast, his footsteps loud. His face was full of anger. Before I could move, he grabbed my arms—too hard. "Where did you go?" he asked, his voice sharp. I flinched. His fingers pressed into my skin. "I... I just—" His eyes looked into mine. I saw something in them, but I didn’t know what it was. "You disappeared, Lily. Do you know how dangerous that was
THE MAFIA CHEF Fighting back
I rushed into the room, my heart was racing as I grabbed my phone, I dialed Thaddeus.His line was off.I tried again. And again. Nothing.I felt a cold dread all over me. This couldn’t be happening. Just when I thought I was finally safe, Thaddeus had to go and get himself caught. If they had him, how long before he spilled everything?“Damn it!” I held the phone so hard my fingers hurt.Then there was a knock on the door. I jumped in fear.I forced down my fear, and opened the door.Gilmore stood there, calm as ever, holding a food tray.“You should eat something, Miss Lily,” he said.Eat? I felt like I was going to throw up. But I forced a smile. I had to act normal.“Thank you, Gilmore,” I said. My voice sounded steadier than I felt. “I should have helped with the food. Sorry.”He gave a small nod, placed the tray on the table, and left.The second the door clicked shut, I let out a shaky breath.I needed to think fast.I needed to escapeI couldn’t stay. If they figured out my pa
THE MAFIA CHEF The beginning of war
The shock of the news of Gerrard’s possible demise left me frozen, I couldn’t move, couldn’t think, I just sat there, numb. It was Gilmore’s persistent calls that finally pulled me out of my daze.He must be here.I checked out of the hotel and met him outside where he had been waiting. I climbed into the car, and without a word, he drove off as if trying to outrun the inevitable.“What you said on the phone… Gerrard… is he…” I couldn’t complete it, I broke down in tears.“Hey, hey…” Gilmore reached over, squeezing my arm reassuringly. “We don’t know for sure. So, calm down.”I shook my head, I knew. If Gerrard hadn’t come back by now, he wasn’t coming back at all.I buried my face in my hands, sobbing softly as Gilmore drove us to Gerrard’s safe house, the place where I had first met him. I looked at house, the whole memory came back, I hated Gerrard then, he was so rude and arrogant, but over time, I saw the truth. He was a man who had been through hell, who had lost his way.And no
