Mirabella’s Pov Tears uncontrollably roll down my cheeks as I observe myself in the huge mirror, and I ask myself what wrong I've done to deserve this level of punishment the universe has chosen to deal me. This is my life; misery. One month since I've been married to this monster, and every day, I'm one step closer to death. A death I know will be delivered to me by my husband. Matteo. In one month, I've been buried alive and made to stay underneath the earth five hours each day for three days. I've been stripped and flogged with a leather flogger until I passed out. I've been locked up in a dark room with no food for so many days until I was close to losing my sanity. I've been pushed into the pool and left to drown by Matteo after he found out I couldn't swim. This has been my life with Matteo for a long one month. He doesn't talk to me but whenever he does, there's always punishment accompanying each word. Punishments that seem too extreme and well thought out as though h
Matteo’s Pov There's power in self reflection, to take a moment and look at how far you've come, how you have transformed into a better or a ridiculously worst version of yourself. To give yourself credit for conquering all your demons and waking from that nightmare. As I stand by this window and try my best to self reflect, the only question that plagues my mind is, where has my head been in the past month? I watch my wife as she trembles from the cold, I look at her and see how much damage I've done to her both physically, emotionally, and mentally. I ask myself how much of a monster I truly am to have done this to an innocent woman. The same woman I saw her pictures and felt the need to be close to; the same one I wanted to become my wife and I have an opportunity to have her as my wife but look what I've done to her. What differentiates me now from the people I detest the most? The people who derive pleasure in hurting others? The people who hurt me. The people who hu
Mirabella’s Pov A fist drives into my gut and knocks me out. I choke and cough, my hand clutching tightly onto the part of me that seems completely ruptured. I fall face down and sob, there's not a part of me that is whole; at least not anymore and my father made certain of it. "Enough with your whining!" Father's voice thunders as he forces me on my knees. "Tell me exactly what it is you saw that day," he orders and I shake my head 'no'. "I don't remember anything." I lie; but I do it to protect myself. "Maybe she's telling the truth. we've broken her in unimaginable ways, yet, she still stands by her word," my father's minion whispers to him but I pay very close attention and I hear him. "Have we? There's still one thing that is yet to be done to her." Father sneers and the man's eyes widen. "She's a kid! She'll not survive it. Isn't she just ten years old?" "I don't care if she dies. Ready the chair, no questions asked." Father orders as he stands by the side with Annabella
Mirabella’s Pov "Tell me something about you; something I don't already know." Matteo questions in a soft voice as he wraps the cuff of the sphygmomanometer around my upper arm. I blink a few times from the unexpectedness of his question. He raises an eyebrow nudging me to answer as he continues taking my blood pressure and I scoff. "Bold of you to think you know even a thing about me." "You have no idea, Annabella. . ." His voice is laced with mischief. I narrow my eyes at him. Something in my gut telling me that Matteo knows something about me; something that might jeopardize me. My identity perhaps. "So, what's your story, you know with the consistent nightmares." Matteo calls back my attention and I bite down on my bottom lip. "I don't know, Matteo, you tell me. After all you're the one who has dedicated your time to making sure you traumatize me with your horrific punishments," I answer in one breath making sure my sarcasm doesn't go unnoticed. "So? I'm responsible
Matteo’s Pov "Get over here! Come here and prove to me that you're worthy of this empire!" Grandfather commands and I fall on my knees. I'm shaking my head vigorously, tears running down my face uncontrollably as I sob. "Please pa don't make me do this," I plead. I am now at Grandfather's feet, at his fucking mercy and I grasp both his ankles as I continue to beg him. My father being held down by a few men in a corner, my mother hugging my five year old sister in another corner. My life flashing before my own eyes. I can't bring myself to do what grandfather is asking of me. Never. The butt of a gun slams against my forehead over and over again until my blood is spewing uncontrollably but I do not quit begging. With each slam to my forehead, my plea becomes louder. "Matteo, fratellino; it's okay, I understand. Go ahead and do it," my eldest sister says in between her sobs and I shake my head 'no'. Her voice keeps taunting me and I can no longer take it. "Stai zitto per l'amor d
Mirabella’s Pov I'm home alone, I might as well put a call across to my associate and handle my own business. Exactly three days ago, about two hours after my very thoughtful husband violated me with his eyes and walked out of the room, I decided to go to the kitchen and help myself with something to calm my nerves. While I made my way down the hall, my ears picked up on some inaudible chatter and being a curious personality that I am, I decided to listen in. The closer I got to where the sound was coming from, the clearer I could hear what was being talked about. Matteo and his father seemed to have been in a heated argument about me? "Father, I already told you many times before that I do not trust her father. This marriage is just an illusion; he's playing a game with us and we don't even know it." Well, I didn't think I'd ever say this but my husband is a smart man. "She's your wife regardless," Matteo's father had voiced. "Only on paper!" Matteo snapped and silence ensued
Matteo’s Pov The last seventy two hours has been the most excruciatingly painful hours to say the least. After my takeover was announced, I had to travel to all the warehouses owned by the Denaro's. After that was done, I had to meet up with very prominent men and business partners and those fuckers couldn't keep their mouths shut about my wife. Lately, it seems to be her face and name everywhere. I've made every attempt to avoid her as much as I can which seemed to be working until she flashed me with her tits. Fuck. That fucking bitch. First, she lies and now she's invading my thoughts in the most unholy ways. I was supposed to return a day before but made a decision to visit my underground fighting ring. I had to go get myself involved in an extremely physical activity in hopes that it helps me forget my wife whom I'm not supposed to be thinking of. But the thoughts of her still remain. Jesus Fucking Christ. Now back in Sicily, I decide to go home fingers crossed t
Mirabella's PovFor a moment there, I was beginning to think that Matteo felt any sort of attraction towards me but all of it; that night was a lie.I wonder why I allowed myself get carried away.Exactly one week since he walked into my room and touched me in ways that lit a certain kind of fire in my soul, Matteo has put in extra effort in making certain we don't cross path.Such an asshole.He instructed that my personal guard makes certain I remain on my own side of the mansion at all times. Went as far as instructing my maid to make sure every meal of the day is served to me in my room.All this effort and rules just so he's unable to see my face.First, he leaves me high and dry, and now he's making sure to rub his rejection of me all over my face.I hate my fucking self.Today has been exceptionally quiet and peaceful around the estate. Peace and quiet that gets me thinking about the possibility of Matteo not being present.I smile at the thought of it. Finally, I can move arou
Alejandro’s PovThis anxiety—I’ve never felt anything like it before. My nerves are all over the place, my skin trembling. I kiss Mariana again for the millionth time in a handful of hours.She smiles at me. The smile is distant, almost like it doesn’t reach her eyes. I smile back and pull her closer, holding her as tight as I can, fearful that this might be the last chance I get at holding her this close to me.And no, this has nothing to do with her winning the fight or dying in that cage because as long as I breathe, Mariana will walk out of that cage alive and well.But I’m afraid of the responsibilities that come with the position she’ll occupy. I’m afraid that she might forget our love and become intoxicated with power.All of this might just happen in a few hours.“The way you’re holding me, Alejandro, one might think I’m about to die from a terminal disease.”She says.Is she trying to make a joke? Does this seem like a joke to her?I open my mouth to speak but a knock on the
Mariana’s Pov“I will fight in her place. . .”The world around me goes completely silent the moment Alejandro blurts those words. When I planned to use him as my human shield in chaotic times like this, I didn’t expect to fall for him so ridiculously hard that I’m unable to imagine him getting hurt for my sake.Love is a strange and terrifying thing. I never imagined feeling it this deeply, this intensely. Not for Alejandro. Not for a man who was supposed to be my shield, my weapon. And now, the very thought of him stepping into that cage for me… it’s unbearable.The second reason?It’s pride. It’s survival. These men already think I’m weak. They see me as nothing but a woman—Radimr’s wife and mother of his son. If Alejandro steps into that cage in my stead, I will be proving them right, I will become that which they think I am.Weak.Unworthy.And then, everything I’ve clawed my way toward will crumble before my eyes. I can’t let that happen. I won’t let that happen. So, no. Aleja
Mariana’s PovOne word.Fuckers.No, let’s make it two words.Misogynistic fuckers.They’ve kept me in here for hours, scrutinizing me, digging into my soul in their fruitless attempt at finding the truth of what truly happened to my husband.Alejandro too is seated here as a high ranking made man and a member of this family. Surprisingly, my father, mother and brother are here too. Not inside the parliament room, but they’re right outside the door, waiting for when the chaos escalates so they can stand in for me.It warms my heart.“Let’s go through it again,” one of the elders says, “what did you say happen to your husband? Tell us that story again, in detail.”“I. . .” I open my mouth to speak but Alejandro’s thick, aggravated voice resounds, cutting me short. “I believe she has told that story more times than we all can count.”“Yes, we know that,” another elder says, his russian accent thick. “But we need to hear it again.”“Why?” Alejandro asks, “why are you poking a woman wh
Alejandro’s PovDon’t sleep tonight.I’ve thought about those words in every way possible, imagined every possible scenario that’ll make Mariana ask me to stay awake tonight, and yet, I’ve found none.Or maybe I haven’t thought about it as deeply as I should.I wanted to hold her, to ask her more, but the presence of her husband made that impossible. And now, hours have ticked by, and I’m still unable to get my answers.Wait—is tonight the night? Is her plan unfolding tonight?Truth is, I don’t even know what her plan is, but I strongly suspect it has everything to do with ending Radimr. So, if she’s asked me to stay awake tonight, it might mean she needs me close.I pull open my room’s door and step out into the hallway. The manor is too quiet. Everyone is asleep, and those who aren’t are standing guard outside of the house.My stomach twists with a warning that chaos is brewing tonight, but I push it aside and start walking. I make a turn towards the stairs and start moving up the s
Mariana’s PovTime flies when happiness fills your days.It’s been two months since I gave birth to my Angel. Two months since my heart swelled with love so pure and overwhelming, I thought I might drown in it.I love my son.I love him for coming into my life and unraveling a part of me I never knew existed. For being my light in the darkness.But most of all, I love him for arriving exactly when I needed him—as though sent by the universe itself to give me a way out.Because today, after weeks of persuasion, my husband has finally done what I’ve been waiting for. He has presented my son to the elders of his family, naming him as his successor should anything happen to him.It’s tradition, a ritual of power. To the outside world, it’s a declaration of legacy. To me, it’s the final piece of the puzzle.I know Angel is too young to be entangled in this messy, bloody business, but I had to secure his place in this world before setting my plans into motion.Plans that have been months in
Alejandro’s PovThis is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. For the first time, it feels like I have a complete family—no, I know I have a complete family.In the last three months, the universe has granted me a gift I never expected: uninterrupted time with the woman I love and the child she carries. Our son. Every morning, I wake up beside her, wrapped in the warmth of her presence. I feel my son’s first kick as the sun rises, and his tiny, eager movements as the night falls. I’ve stayed awake with them, laughed with them, cried with them, fallen sick with them, and loved them. I’ve been a father and a lover in every way that matters.Why? Because Radimr’s travels somehow stretched from days into weeks, and weeks into months.“Something else has come up, and I’ll need to stay another week. . .” That’s been his excuse for three months.On the phone, Mariana plays the part of the concerned wife. She sighs and murmurs her disappointment, as though his absence truly pains her. But
Mariana’s PovWhen my eyes open, I’m met with the most beautiful sight I’ve seen in days. Alejandro, sleeping peacefully, his lashes fluttering, arms still wrapped around me.Wow!How did we fall asleep?I lean in and smack a kiss on his lips, causing him to stir a bit, groaning, his arms tightening firmer around me. I kiss him again, this time longer.It doesn’t take seconds before his mouth parts, his lips fusing with mine. I moan just as a groan vibrates throughout his body.His eyes flutter open, just a tiny slit, the lazy gaze holding mine. It’s like realization dawns on him and he retrieves his lips from mine in a swift motion. “Mariana. . .” He whispers groggily.“Make love to me,” I declare.His brows pull into a furrow, lips formed into a pout. “I. . .” He starts and I cut him off.“Please,” I hush, my lips ghosting over his.His resolve falters. And he’s staring at me with adoration as well as restraint.Then there’s the feral desire burning in his eyes. In mine too. The ris
Mariana’s PovTime seems to slow down when things aren’t really going your way.Maybe I pushed too hard, too far the other night. Far enough that Alejandro has been completely ignoring me for days now. Far enough that Radimr has become ware of me, always staring at me with suspicious eyes. Far enough that the maids in this house seem to avoid me as often as they can.To simply put, I’ve been living an isolated life for the past seven days.Just me, and my heavy fucking stomach. It’s dreadful just as much as it is comforting.I’m pulled out of the daze when a towering figure stands in front of me and wraps his hand around me. “Don’t look so sad, I’m just going to be away for just a few weeks, my love,” Radimr whispers as he hugs me. I thin my lips into a smile. “I’ll miss you.”His smile is radiant when he replies, “I’ll miss you too. Please don’t over work yourself. . .or get to upset while I’m gone. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my son.” Stupid fucker.I scoff. “I’m a big g
Mariana’s Pov“Look at that,” Alejandro says, his voice low, the smirk on his lips sharp enough to cut. “How easy it is to lure you out here and break your heart into a million pieces.”The words land like a blow. He doesn’t even try to soften them. And I know exactly what he means. When he came into my room, kneeling by my bed, whispering the words I had been desperate to hear for months, he knew. He knew I was awake, knew I’d hear every word and cling to the hope they offered.It wasn’t an accident. He said them to draw me here. To break me just as much as I’ve broken him.Petty bastard.But it’s not the cruelty of his intention that stings the most—it’s how he chose to do it. By humiliating me in front of someone else. Bringing her into a room that should have been our sanctuary, our safe haven.My lips tremble as I force out the question. “What is that supposed to mean?”Alejandro steps forward, his movements slow and deliberate, his smirk twisting with mockery. “What are you doin