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Thirty Nine
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2025-01-29 23:00:00The meeting went well, and I have to say, with everything that’s been going on in my life—how it feels like I’ve been stuck in most of the things I’ve been trying to achieve—this small win is something I definitely needed. She saw my work and said she loved it. She even suggested I display a few pieces at the museum and promised to get me invites to every art and photography show she hears of. I was over the moon when she told me that.
Bella and I are headed out to check the apartment she was excited about. Meanwhile, I’m still thinking about how I turned down Maria’s request. I told her a lie—I said my camera equipment had a technical issue and that I’d need to wait a while for repairs. The thing is, if she had called me a week ago, or even a couple of days ago, I might have considered it because, let’s be honest, I do need the money. But after what happened between Alessandro and me last night, there’s no way
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The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty
I walk to the restaurant entrance, and I have to admit, it is fancy, alright. The moment an attendant at the door offers to take my coat and gives me a ticket for it, I know without a doubt that this place is upscale. Definitely a good sign that I might not hate this date. When I asked Michael for an idea of what kind of date it would be so I would know what to wear, he said I should dress fancy, and honestly, it feels good to dress up every once in a while for something like this. I’m dressed in a black bandage dress that accentuates my curves perfectly, paired with golden strappy heels that match my purse and jewelry. Bella helped with my makeup because she’s pretty good at it. I didn’t want to go all out and give an impression I don’t intend to give.“I’m here for a reservation made by Mr. Cisse,” I tell the attendant, who nods and gestures for me to follow a woman dressed in a black skirt suit. The inside of the restaurant is even more impressive than it looked from the outside. W
Last Updated : 2025-01-30The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty One
"Renee!” Michael’s voice booms through the kitchen, snapping me back to reality. I jump and start taking slow, steady steps backward.I look at him, trying to hide the shock on my face. He lets out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head.“What did you do?” I ask, my throat dry and my voice barely above a whisper.“Can you believe these racist assholes?”“What?” I ask, confused by his words.“They intentionally delayed your meal because—get this—you’re a different shade from them, and they don’t serve people who look like you. Racist bastards.”The words hang in the air, and a chill runs down my spine. For a moment, I can’t even process how I feel. Racist? I hadn’t even considered that, but now the tension in the kitchen feels even more suffocating.Being treated differently because of the color of my skin wasn’t something I experienced much growing up. In fact, people often thought I was prettier or placed me on a pedestal because of it. When I moved here, the experience was different,
Last Updated : 2025-02-01The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Two
He has his trademark toothpick perched between his lips, and for the life of me, I don’t know why anyone would think walking around with a toothpick in their mouth is cool or even gangster. It’s just weird. His demeanor is calm, but the slight crease on his forehead is a clear indication of how dangerous he can be. I hate to admit it, but the sight of Mateo being here brings a wave of relief. As much as I despise the situation, I’d choose someone like Mateo over a stranger who pretended to be a good guy by taking me on a date. I don’t know Mateo well, but the fact that he works for Alessandro makes him the closest thing I have to protection right now.Michael’s grip on my wrist loosens as he turns, his eyes narrowing at Mateo.“Mind your own business,” he snaps, trying to sound confident, but the slight waver in his voice betrays his unease.Mateo smirks, casually flipping the toothpick between his fingers.&ldquo
Last Updated : 2025-02-01The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Three
I’m sitting on the floor of our new apartment, sorting through clothes and sipping wine. Bella is sprawled out on the bed, her legs hanging off the side as she types furiously on her phone. The apartment is mostly bare, apart from two beds in each of our rooms and a few things Bella brought from home. We moved in a couple of days ago, and even though the movers did most of the heavy lifting, I hated how they arranged my clothes. So here I am, trying to fix it while Bella keeps me company. We decided to move into the apartment despite Dell's role in helping us get it. We love it and didn’t want to start searching for a new one.“Okay, I know the restaurant staff being racist was a bit of a stretch,” I start, folding another shirt, “but Michael’s reaction was completely uncalled for. And now that I know he knew my father? I just don’t get it. Is that why he approached me in the first place? Because he knew who I was?” The events o
Last Updated : 2025-02-01The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Four
I take a deep breath and step out of the car, my heart hammering in my chest. Mateo is waiting on the pavement, and he walks me to the building. When I sent that text earlier, first, I had drunk a little more wine than I normally do, and second, Bella was breathing down my neck, urging me to do it. I thought it was a good idea at first—get some answers, find out what Michael knows about my father—but now, standing in front of this apartment, I’m not so sure.It’s not some dark, abandoned building like I imagined. It’s an apartment, probably another one of Alessandro’s. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised by how many places he owns. Even though the place looks like a normal apartment, it doesn’t feel right. The air is thick with tension, every nerve in my body screaming at me to turn around and leave. My hands are cold, despite the warm evening air, and I can feel the weight of my decision pressing down on me.Mateo nod
Last Updated : 2025-02-02The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Five
I stop just outside, panting, trying to calm down, but the nausea from what I just witnessed is overwhelming. My stomach churns violently, and before I can stop it, I double over, vomiting onto the grass. My body convulses as the bile rises, the acidic taste burning my throat, and tears sting my eyes as I wipe my mouth with a trembling hand.I hear footsteps approaching and sniff, glancing up to see Alessandro. His expression is unreadable. He doesn’t say anything at first, just watches me with those cold, calculating eyes. The blood on his hands catches my attention, and another wave of sickness crashes over me.“Renee,” he says firmly, though not unkindly. His voice startles me all the same. I jump, taking a step back, fighting to control the tears welling in my eyes.He doesn’t comment on my reaction. Instead, he gestures to an outdoor sink nearby and walks over, turning on the tap. The sound of running water fills the silence as he be
Last Updated : 2025-02-02The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Six
The kiss is just a soft brush of the lips, and for a moment, nothing happens. He doesn’t move, doesn’t even breathe. He’s just standing there, his eyes fixed on me, wide and dark. I think I’ve made a mistake—that any second now, he’ll pull away and leave me humiliated. So I decide to step back, but then I gasp as his hand moves to my waist, his fingers pressing into my skin, pulling me closer.His lips meet mine—slow at first, almost testing—but soon the restraint gives way. He deepens the kiss, and I feel myself being swept up in it, drowning in the heat of the moment. He pins me against the wall as his grip tightens, his other hand tangling in my hair as his mouth claims mine with an urgency I didn’t expect. A soft moan escapes me as his tongue brushes against mine, my fingers curling into his shirt, pulling him closer.For a brief moment, I feel alive. Every nerve in my body is alight with his touch, his lips on
Last Updated : 2025-02-02The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Seven
I take a deep breath and quietly turn the lock on the door, bracing myself for whatever state Michael is in after Alessandro’s "interrogation." I know this is a stupid idea, but I can’t afford to back down now. I don’t have that luxury.When I finally turn around, I see him still tied to the chair, his head slumped. He looks battered and bruised, his face swollen. Even so, there’s still defiance in his eyes. There’s definitely some fight left in him, and when he looks up and sees me, a smirk curls on his cracked lips.“You…” he says, surprised. “Don’t you think it’s a bad idea for you to come in here alone?” His voice is rough but laced with sarcasm.I scoff, trying to mask my disgust at the sight of his injuries and the anxiety gnawing at me.“You’re tied up. You can’t do anything,” I say, trying to hide the fact that him being tied up doesn’t feel as s
Last Updated : 2025-02-03
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The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty Four
My heart is racing, and I can't stop the tears streaming down my face as my hands grip the steering wheel. Sweat breaks out across my palms as I fight to keep my hold steady. Each breath feels shallow, barely filling my lungs. I don’t know where I am, but all I know is that I need to get as far away from here as possible and find help. My heart aches at the thought that I finally found my father, and now, I might lose him again. The road is secluded, bordered by thick bushes on both sides. I glance at the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see shadows from the past chasing me down the empty road.But it’s not just my imagination. There’s a car in the distance, following me. At first, I want to believe it’s just a random driver, but my situation doesn’t exactly allow me that privilege. And then, the moment I take a left turn, they follow. I know I’m being tailed. I mean, there’s no way they would just let me leave like that. I thought
The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty Three
When Michael told me to get ready because I’d be meeting someone for dinner, I never imagined it would be my father. This can’t be real—not after all this time. I just stare at him, unable to move, let alone blink. I’m frozen, struggling to believe my eyes. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him in person—not since before he went missing. The last time I saw him, I was young, maybe in junior high school or even younger. Since then, our only contact has been through video calls. But now, here he is in the flesh. He looks older and more tired, with a heaviness in his eyes I don’t remember. Yet even after all these years, I know without a doubt I’d recognize him anywhere.It takes a moment for it to sink in: he’s actually here with me. The man I’ve been searching for since I arrived in this country is standing right in front of me. Before I can stop myself, I push my seat back, rushing to him, throwing my arms around him. I bury my face in his chest, breathing in the familiar scent that b
The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty Two
I was moved to a new room, just as Michael said I would be. Now, I’m sitting on the edge of the bed, my hands gripping the sheets as I take in my surroundings. It’s warmer here, and less suffocating than the cold, damp cell I was trapped in before. There’s an actual bed with a blanket, a much larger window that lets in a sliver of light, and even a bathroom. It’s a world away from the darkness I was stuck in, but I know better than to take comfort in any of this. It’s just another cage, dressed up to look less cruel.The door swings open, and Michael steps in, not giving me a moment to absorb the new space. His eyes sweep over the room before landing on me.“I see you’ve settled in,” he says, his voice carrying a casual indifference. “Do you like it better here?”I don’t answer, just stare at him, because it doesn’t matter what I say. I never thought I would hold so much resentment for someone as I do for him. He takes a step closer, pulling a phone from his pocket, and I look up at h
The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty One
I open my eyes. It’s another day in this dungeon. I don’t even know what day it is anymore. Every second drags on, blurring into the next, making it impossible to tell if it’s been days or weeks. Time means nothing here, just like I don’t. I’m still trapped, still their prisoner, even after they sent that video of me—bloodied and bruised—to Alessandro. I thought, hoped, that he might do something, that I was worth saving. But the bruises have started to heal, and though I don’t know exactly how many days have passed, I’ve woken up to that light beaming through the little window enough times to know it’s probably time to give up on him saving me. Because now…I know he won’t. That voice message they played for me, his cold voice dismissing their threats, plays in my head like a bad dream. He doesn’t care about me—not enough to negotiate, not enough to even consider it. Sleep has become my only escape, where I can see her—my mom. But every time I wake up and remember she’s gone, and I mi
The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty
I’m seated on the floor, cradling my knees as my whole body trembles with regret and exhaustion. I am in pain from the rough way the kidnapper threw me back in here. I was so close—so close to escaping, to being free of this nightmare. But it wasn’t enough. My wrists throb from where the ropes dug into my skin earlier, and my heart pounds as the panic refuses to fade. The tears just keep falling, blurring my vision, and I press my face into my knees.Now that the only means I had thought of for escaping is no longer an option, I don’t know if I will ever leave this place. Maybe I should wait for a while, then ask to go to the washrooms again, and try to escape successfully this time. I know they will probably be extra careful with me, but maybe it’s worth a try because, if I’m being honest, depending solely on Alessandro to get me out of here isn’t something I can count on. What if he really doesn’t care? What if this is how it
The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Nine
I wake up on the cold, hard floor of a tiny room, confused as I blink my eyes open. I remember being dragged into this room last night by the kidnappers. The darkness has lifted, replaced by a faint light filtering through the small window high above me. I can tell it’s morning, not only from the soft light of the sun but also from the distant sound of birds chirping. I’ve had sleepless nights before, but this is one that will stick with me forever because I barely got any sleep.I don’t know where I am, and panic sets in as the events of last night flood back. I remember being dragged from the van, my heart racing as I struggled against their grip. I remember how Michael tricked me into this trap. I know they’re holding me because they want Alessandro to release Michael, and somehow they think this will work. I try to get up, but realize my hands are tied.I struggle against the ropes binding my wrists, but they dig into my skin, a harsh remind
The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Eight
As I unlock the door, the banging stops abruptly. Alessandro’s eyes immediately narrow.“What the hell was that? What were you doing in there with him?” he asks, his voice low and menacing. I would say I was scared, but right now, I’m just over him. Luca is standing behind him, looking more focused than angry. His eyes move between me and Michael, who’s still tied up, a smirk on his lips.“Renée!” Alessandro blurts out, and I scoff, brushing past him as if his question barely registers.“I needed to talk to him,” I reply, keeping my tone calm but firm. “And you’re not going to kill him… not until I say so.” He creases his brow in confusion as his expression darkens. He steps closer, towering over me.Luca walks over to where Michael is, still bound to the chair, seemingly unfazed.“What the hell did you tell her?” Luca asks Michael, who only shrugs, th
The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Seven
I take a deep breath and quietly turn the lock on the door, bracing myself for whatever state Michael is in after Alessandro’s "interrogation." I know this is a stupid idea, but I can’t afford to back down now. I don’t have that luxury.When I finally turn around, I see him still tied to the chair, his head slumped. He looks battered and bruised, his face swollen. Even so, there’s still defiance in his eyes. There’s definitely some fight left in him, and when he looks up and sees me, a smirk curls on his cracked lips.“You…” he says, surprised. “Don’t you think it’s a bad idea for you to come in here alone?” His voice is rough but laced with sarcasm.I scoff, trying to mask my disgust at the sight of his injuries and the anxiety gnawing at me.“You’re tied up. You can’t do anything,” I say, trying to hide the fact that him being tied up doesn’t feel as s
The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Six
The kiss is just a soft brush of the lips, and for a moment, nothing happens. He doesn’t move, doesn’t even breathe. He’s just standing there, his eyes fixed on me, wide and dark. I think I’ve made a mistake—that any second now, he’ll pull away and leave me humiliated. So I decide to step back, but then I gasp as his hand moves to my waist, his fingers pressing into my skin, pulling me closer.His lips meet mine—slow at first, almost testing—but soon the restraint gives way. He deepens the kiss, and I feel myself being swept up in it, drowning in the heat of the moment. He pins me against the wall as his grip tightens, his other hand tangling in my hair as his mouth claims mine with an urgency I didn’t expect. A soft moan escapes me as his tongue brushes against mine, my fingers curling into his shirt, pulling him closer.For a brief moment, I feel alive. Every nerve in my body is alight with his touch, his lips on
