Mirabella's povFor the first time in months, I finally make a decision to leave my research laboratory and head on out to my apartment just so I can have a peaceful and well rested weekend. I weave my keys through my fingers as I walk through the suspiciously quiet streets and the moment I come to a halt in front of my door, two men in black suddenly emerge from the shadows, taking their stance on both sides of me.I suck in a breath.Being taken hostage has become an all time normal in my life. It doesn't happen quite frequently but when it does happen, there's always one person behind it—my father.What father derives pleasure in kidnapping his own daughter?Mine.With a roll of my eyes, I put my hands behind me, waiting for the men to bind my wrists together and blindfold me as they'd always done. "This doesn't count as kidnapping if I'm willingly going with you," I snort a laugh as they lead me into the black SUV.Having a father like mine can pan out to be very detrimental to yo
Mirabella's povI observe every inch of myself through the mirror, detesting my appearance. This illusion—the make up, the dress, the jewelry, my eyes, it's all so disgusting. A lie. My sister and father have successfully made me into a clone but I'm not about to make this easy for them.They need me and it's obvious, so this? This might be their game but they'd have to play by my rules.I begin to wonder how long my father had this plan thought out as I take off my dress, cleaning off the heavy makeup on my face. There has to be something he's not telling me.Could it be the reason he made certain I never got introduced to the underworld? Because he didn't want people knowing he had two daughters who were nearly identical? Because he intended on using me when I became an adult?It had to be, considering how meticulous he was in making sure I remained hidden.But why me?"What is keeping you so long, Mirabella?" The door to my room swings open and I eye my father through the mirror.O
Matteo's povI was strongly against this arrangement but I see now how interesting it might become.They want to play? I'll give them a good game.Fucking bastards.The Marcelo's.I have a few words that would describe them perfectly.Lying.Cunning.Deceitful, pieces of shits.And I wonder how they've successfully fooled everyone and made it to the top.Unfortunately for them, I'll be Don soon and I'll make sure to bring their name to the ground.But unfortunately for me, becoming Don comes with a price.Two months ago, while I was away on business in Spain, I had received a call from my father asking me to return home for some emergency and I did return, only I could never have guessed the emergency to be a marriage arrangement between I and the daughter of that greedy bastard—Marcelo.After I'd returned from Spain, I went straight to my father's estate in Sicily where I was met by my mother and sister. But even after so many years, I was still unable to look them in the eye.I went
Mirabella's povWhen my mother would dress me up as a princess and tell me that all I had to do was want something and it'd automatically be mine, I didn't believe it to be true until today.This very day that has me nauseous; this day that I somehow loathe with everything in my gut happens to be my wish come true.It has always been my desire, a grand wedding of this manner, this wedding dress and a man whom I love and who adores me. But I got the wedding, I got the location, I got the dress but the man who's going to be waiting for me at the top of that altar is going to be my worst nightmare.And my mother? She's not even here to witness this. A part of me feels grateful that she doesn't get to see her daughter handed over to a maniac, but a part of me wishes that she's here to hug me and tell me that everything will be fine.Standing hand in hand with my father outside the grand door of the St. Peter's Basilica Rome, hearing the priest and the congregation sing the last line of th
Matteo’s Pov I only brought this escort in here to suck me off but my wife had to wander around and is now staring at me with those fake eyes of hers and I'm immediately interested in giving her a good show. I lean down and whisper into Helen's ear, "I guess you got lucky tonight, go bend over on that desk." And of course she giggles and does as she's told without question. I mean when you pay well and fuck good, they would always say yes to every command. Fucking whores. Fuck, I hate this. Why am I doing this again? Ah yes, to spite my beautiful wife. "Do you want to join us? Wife?" I ask her as I roll the condom down the length of my cock and of course my wife stays silent but I see how startled she is. Has she never seen a dick in her life? Or she probably hasn't seen two people making out. Fuck, if only she can take those contacts out and let me look into those eyes of hers; the real ones I mean. I push into Helen and she screams from how hard I'm slamming into her fro
Mirabella’s Pov The moment I was informed about this marriage and whom I'll be marrying, I knew there and then what and whom I'd be signing my life off to; The fucking devil. But the naive part of my heart thought that perhaps this devil will somehow show a great deal of restraint when dealing with me but that is very far from the truth and my reality. Just less than twenty four hours of being married to this maniac of a man, he has already attempted taking my life and cheated on me right under our roof. Fucked up, don't you think? And now he has brought me to my laboratory, affirming his interest in the land. My fucking land? There's no way in the world I'd sell off my land to that asshole. That's my thirty fucking million dollars and it's not even about the money. It's the fact that I've built my whole life here, it's my home. Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm rich. I'm so rich, sometimes I forget how rich I am and how much money I have scattered around different offshore acc
Matteo’s Pov I didn't think marriage could be this thrilling. Bella is like the devil born to me; she mirrors me in the weirdest, unexpected ways. She's the challenge I need, the war I love, and the hate I seek. It has not been longer than forty eight hours since we said our vows and she's made me aware in more ways than one how much she'd complete me. She's truly my better half. She gets to trigger the monster I keep chained, and the monster answers her call and swallows her whole each time. This is all I've waited for a really long time, and now, I have it. One slap and she's on the floor whimpering, crying with her eyes closed while she mumbles a few words, chanting them like a mantra and that tells me a lot about her. It tells me she has been through something, a certain kind of trauma that goes beyond physical abuse; she has danced with the devil one too many times. But who could it be? Who could have hurt my wife? It certainly isn't her father seeing how much of a good r
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
Mariana’s PovI sprint down the stairs, my breath ragged and uneven. Each step feels like a countdown, a drumbeat driving me toward the only place I know will give me answers. My fingers skim the banister for balance, but it does little to steady me. The house feels colder than usual, the air thicker, pressing against me like a warning. I push through it. My heart pounds louder with every step, drowning out the sound of my underfoot padding violently against the floor. When I reach the bottom, I pause, just for a second, leaning on the wall to catch my breath.I screech, my fist colliding against my chest. My lungs are burning, my chest constricting so much I can barely breathe. And I cannot tell if it’s the pain I feel inside or the physical pain, but I just know I’m so much pain.It’s eating away at me.My knees almost give out on me and I almost stumble, but I feel firm hands hold me up. I don’t need to look to know who it is. Alejandro.“Mariana. . .” he breathes.“You lied to
Mariana’s PovI’m standing in front of the large mirror in my bathroom, shirt and pants discarded, the only thing remaining on me the gauze used to wrap me up like I’m some fucking gift.I twist my torso from side to side, a groan, strained with pain tumbling out of my throat. And then I reach for the end of the gauze and tug, slowly unwrapping it from around my ribs.The doctors say it’s taking too long for me to fully recover because I was drugged up way too much, and the drugs are showing too much resistance to their treatment plan.But I’m showing great improvement, that I’m sure of.As I unwrap the gauze from around me, I whimper in pain and my hand falls on the counter edge, gripping tight. Just then, I feel another hand on me, soft. My eyes snap to the mirror and they widen.Fuck!“You’re still in pain, Mariana,” he says simply, his eyes refusing to meet mine. “You shouldn’t strain yourself.”“And you?” I ask the question before my mind can even register it.Only then did his e
Mariana’s PovOne month later. . .I drive my fist into the punching bag and the leather strains, the chains holding it rattling right after, but not as loud as my grunt. The rattle of the chain reminds me of the torture I endured as Radimr’s captive and a grunt erupts in my throat again, this time filled with rage.My fist drives into the punching bag again, and again, and again. I can’t stop myself. There’s too much anger and repressed rage inside of me. But the doctors say I still need some time to recover.As if one month of unconsciousness and another month of being unable to use my limbs isn’t enough.“You’ll hurt yourself if you keep going too hard. . .”And then there’s the nagging Alejandro, who thinks himself my caretaker. He’s just always rambling my ears off about how I should take it easy.For an aggressive man like him, he sure knows how to exude calmness.Huffing out a breath, I shoot him a glare and turn on my heels as I slip off my boxing gloves.Truth is, I haven’t e
Alejandro’s PovOne month later.And a few days more.The soft scrape of the sponge against her skin feels louder in the silence of the room. I squeeze it over the bowl, watching the water drip, clear and warm, before I run it along her arm. Her skin feels cold, so much colder than it should, and it makes something sharp twist in my chest. Thirty-four days. That’s how long it’s been since she closed her eyes and never opened them again. That’s how long it has been since her body went into shock. That’s how long it’s been since the doctors blabbered about the drugs in her system, the ones her husband tortured her with, the ones capable of rendering a human being to nothing.It’s laughable how it’s the same torture drugs her mother produces that was used to torture her.So, here we are, thirty four days later.Thirty-four days of waiting, hoping, praying, cursing the heavens and everything in between. I keep my hands steady, moving the sponge gently over her wrist. She’s lost weight
Alejandro’s PovHours has passed, and yet, I hear nothing. We hear nothing from the doctors.Her mother and father, Don Matteo and his wife are seated by my side, both of them maintaining silence, and yet, their pain is radiating evidently.Mirabella Denaro has her hands in her hair, her eyes red at the rims, her skin trembling. She feels more guilt than pain. And I know because I’ve come to find out that it was her idea to push forward with Mariana’s and Radimr’s wedding.A mission.One that has taken both her children from her.There’s no coming back from this.And then there’s Don Matteo. He’s enraged, angry, unable to console his wife because all of this has strained their relationship so much it’ll take a miracle for him to forgive his wife. And then there’s me. I have no explanation.A door clicks open, I jump to my feet, watching as two men in scrubs approach. They bow slightly to Don Matteo before one of them starts speaking.The words coming out of the doctor’s mouth blur in
Alejandro’s PovThe space still echo with the sound of her sobs and whimpers. It’s so loud and so taunting. I hold her closer, hug her tighter, hold myself back from falling apart as well.She fights to get out of my embrace, but I hold her tighter. I don’t want to leave her alone.Her sobs louden, tearing through the silence, echoing over and over and over. It’s deafening, relentless, like they’re reverberating inside my chest, shaking the fragile hold I have on myself. And I can’t tell if she’s crying from the physical pain, or because she’s relieved, or because she hates me, yet I hold her tighter, my arms like steel bands around her trembling frame, and bury my face in her hair. I look back to see if her parents are still standing behind us. They’re not. They’ve given us the much needed privacy.“Please,” I whisper, though I don’t even know what I’m asking for. For her to stop crying? For her to keep holding on? For the pain clawing at us both to somehow end? She squirms in m
Alejandro’s PovHow did it come to this?A time when there’s a distance between us. A distance of pain, of disbelief, of self torture and self loathe.Five months. Five fucking months. And in that time, our choices put us in the depths of suffering and pain. I have suffered, suffered at the verge of death. But now that I see her, my Mariana, my green, now that I see her stagger into the living room, her arms wrapped around her protectively, I realize my suffering holds no water compared to hers.The air feels like it’s been sucked from the room as I watch her. I almost convince myself that she’s not the one, that it cannot be her.But it’s her—Mariana. In the flesh.Fuck. . .What the fuck did Radimr do to my woman?She’s thinner, almost skeletal, her skin pale, her face gaunt, but it’s her. . .The same mismatched eyes that used to dance with fire now stare at me, wide and unblinking, like she’s seeing a ghost. Her lips part as if to speak, but no sound comes out, just a tremor of bre
Mariana’s Pov Doors slam open and I am carried inside. Frantic hands roam, tearing my clothes apart, wincing, cursing. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m simply breathing hard and fast, inhaling and exhaling erratic breaths through my mouth.“Pulse!” A voice screams, the tone commanding. “Fifty two! Fuck!” I hear another voice, frustrated, enraged. “Fuck they’ll have our heads if something happens to her.”The commanding voice booms again. “Stop fucking whining and check her blood preesure!”Something wraps around my arm and squeezes painfully hard. I wince, shifting. Then it’s no longer squeezing. I hear a grumble. “She’s holding up but this doesn’t look good! We need to drip her up and pray to God that nothing happens to her!”I feel it. A needle piercing through me. I can only manage a small cry. My mouth opens, throat dry, but I manage to whisper, “Alejandro. . .” It’s barely a sound, more a breath, but it escapes me again. “Alejandro. . .”“What?” The commanding voice snaps, s
Mariana’s PovThe world comes back to me in fragments. There is a throbbing pain in my side, the distant hum of the air conditioner, another throbbing pain in my head, and the weight of something warm pressing against me. My ribs scream in protest as I try to shift, but I freeze when I feel it.A slick, wet trail glides along my neck, slow, cautious. A shiver of disgust shoots down my spine as realization dawns. His tongue.“Get off me,” I rasp. My voice is weak but the venom laced with it is unmistakable. He doesn’t stop. The weight on the bed shifts as his hand brushes against my arm. His mouth moves closer to my ear. My stomach churns. And then adrenaline kicks in. I twist, pain slicing through my torso like a hot blade. My ribs feel like they’re on fire, and I can barely breathe, but I use what strength I have to push at his chest.“Stop!” I manage, gritting my teeth as I shove him with everything left in me.He chuckles, low and mocking, like he’s enjoying this. “Relax, Mariana