Nolan Russo thought he had his life figured out. As the son of a powerful mafia boss, his future was all planned: step into his father’s shoes and take over the family empire. But those plans are thrown into chaos when his father demands he marry Anastasia Ivanov, the bold and unpredictable daughter of another powerful family. The marriage is meant to unite their families and save the Russo business from falling apart, but neither Nolan nor Anastasia is happy about it. Anastasia has no interest in being anyone’s wife. She’s used to living on her own terms and refuses to be controlled. To her, this marriage feels like a trap. But despite their clashes and fiery arguments, there are few moments of undeniable tension between them—something neither can ignore, no matter how hard they try. Just as they start to find their footing in this uneasy alliance, their world is shaken by betrayal. Someone close to Nolan breaks their trust, setting off a series of dangerous events. To protect Anastasia, Nolan hires Ivan, a quiet yet mysterious bodyguard who seems to understand her better than anyone else. But the closer Anastasia gets to Ivan, the more tangled things become. Secrets start to surface—secrets that could destroy everything they’ve worked for. As the lines between loyalty, love, and revenge blur, Nolan and Anastasia are forced to confront the choices they’ve made. Can they survive the lies and betrayals that threaten to tear them apart, or will the weight of their choices crush them both?
もっと見るANASTASIA’S POVI woke to a deep, steady breathing rhythm next to me. I snuggled closer, wanting more of the warmth.My eyes fluttered open, and for a second, I thought I was alone on the bed. Then I felt the weight of an arm across my waist and turned to find Ivan lying beside me, his face relaxed in sleep. We weren’t tangled together, but his hold on me was gentle.Then the memories from last night came flooding in. The ice cream, laughter, and the way he made me feel. The ache in my chest had eased just a little. But that was last night.This morning was different.This morning, I had to pretend none of that mattered.I carefully slid out of his arms and tiptoed out of bed like a thief, making my way to the bathroom. The hot water stung at first, but I welcomed the burn. It was grounding.After drying off and slipping into a fresh robe, I stepped back into the room and found the bed empty.Good.That meant we didn’t have to talk about anything. No awkward glances and forced convers
ANASTASIA’S POVThe rim of my glass felt warm against my fingers as I swirled the last bit of my drink, watching the amber liquid catch the dim lights of the bar. Ivan was sitting across me with his arms folded, his sharp eyes watching me like I was a teenager sneaking alcohol.I sighed, setting the glass down. “Could you not watch me like I’m a child?”His lips twitched. “Just trying to see if you’re drunk yet.”“I’ve only had one drink,” I said, arching a brow. “And you know damn well it takes more than that.”He chuckled, deep and amused. “True.”I rolled my eyes and picked up the glass to finish the last drop. “Alright, babysitter. It’s getting late. Let’s head home.”He stood as I did. “Sure thing.”We made our way out of the bar and the air was cooler. I took in a deep breath. Felt like I needed the fresh air.Ivan moved to open the back door for me like he always did—but tonight, I made my way to the front and slid into the passenger seat instead.He moved to the driver's seat
NOLAN’S POVAnna’s body was still pressed against mine as she took warm and shaky breaths. I didn’t want to let go—not yet. But the truth pressed heavily on my chest.“I have to leave again, Princess,” I said quietly.At first, she didn’t say anything. She just went still. Then, she slowly peeled herself out of my arms and turned to face me.The look in her eyes wasn’t confusion or disappointment. It was cold and controlled.Anger.“You're leaving?” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper, but came out sharp.I nodded, already hating myself. “Yeah. I have to.” I said avoiding her gaze.She let out a short, humorless laugh and stepped back, water cascading off her body. “Then why the hell did you come back at all?!”“Because I—”“No.” She raised a hand, eyes flashing. “I actually don’t want to hear it.”I exhaled, running a hand through my wet hair. “This isn’t easy for me either, Princess.”“And yet, here we are!” she said, letting out a cold laugh. “First, you didn't tell me w
ANASTASIA’S POVA knock on the door pulled me from my daze. It creaked open and my secretary peeked her head in.“Ma’am, the team from the furniture manufacturing house called. It seems like the workers are slacking again. You might need to visit.”I let out a dramatic sigh, dragging my palm down my face. “God, I hate this cover-up business crap.”She gave a polite smile, clearly used to my grumbling. "Sorry, ma'am."Ivan let out a low chuckle from where he was leaning against the opposite wall, arms folded and looking effortlessly intimidating.I narrowed my eyes at him. “You think this is funny?”“You can just be very...expressive," he said, barely suppressing his smile.“I swear, sometimes I wonder why my parents don’t just hire someone else to run this branch of things. Let me focus on the real business. Guns, threats, money laundering—my happy place.”“You’re dealing with the workers today. I’m not lifting a finger.” I said, pointing a finger at him.He nodded, straight-faced. “J
ANASTASIA’S POVIvan froze as he continued to stare at me.My phone continued to buzz in his hand, but he didn’t pay any attention to it.Neither did I.My breath caught somewhere in my chest. Not because I was embarrassed, but because the look in his eyes wasn’t one I’d ever seen before. Not on him.He blinked hard, looked away, then turned swiftly on his heel. “Sorry—I didn’t mean to—” His voice trailed off as he stepped out and shut the door behind him.I stood there for another second, my heart beating faster than it should.What the hell just happened?I grabbed my robe on the bed and wrapped it tightly around myself, cinching the tie a bit too aggressively. The way he looked at me, was imprinted in my brain.I walked down the hallway barefoot, my steps muffled against the hardwood floor. Ivan was in the living room, his back turned to me.“I’m ready for that glass of wine now,” I said casually as I stepped in.He was mid-motion, lifting his shirt over his head. The soft fabric
ANASTASIA’S POV“Anna, listen, how about we deal with this when I get back?” Nolan said from the other end of the call.I stared at the screen for a moment before ending the call. Nolan’s voice still echoed in my head as I lowered the phone and handed it over to Ivan, who was standing next to me with his arms crossed.I turned my eyes back to Clara.I shook my head, my gaze fixed on her trembling form. She was tied to a steel chair in the middle of the cold room. Her face was streaked with tears, a bruise forming on her cheek from the slap earlier. A strip of duct tape hung loosely from the corner of her mouth where she’d tried to scream.I walked forward slowly, my heels echoing with each step.“Funny,” I said, stopping in front of her. “You thought we’d never find you. After Leo died, everything would just disappear, right? You could melt into the background, blend into another city, another face?”I watched as she shook her head and tried to talk, but it only came out muffled.“B
NOLAN’S POV“What the fuck?”The words left my mouth before I even realized I’d said them. The moment Anna mentioned Clara’s name, a pit formed in my stomach.“Anna,” I said quickly. “What are you doing?”“What does it sound like, husband?”“Princess, I said I was going to take care of it,” I said sternly.“You were taking too long.”I could hear Clara whimpering on the other end of the line. “Have anything to say for yourself, Clara?” Anna asked. Before she could respond, a slap echoed through the call.“Anna!” I called out sharply. “Don’t do anything stupid.”“Oh, we’re just gonna have some fun,” Anna replied.“Anna, listen, how about we deal with this when I get back?”There was silence on her end of the call, and then, without a single word, she ended the call.“Shit!” I tossed the phone on the table.From the corner of the room, Dimitri looked up from where he’d been packing ammunition into a black duffle bag. “What the hell was that?”I ran a hand through my hair, pacing. “She
ANASTASIA’S POVThe scent of gunpowder hung heavy in the warehouse air. Rows of armed mercenaries were arranged neatly, waiting for final inspection before being shipped.“These ones are new,” the supervisor beside me said, gesturing toward three men at the far end. “Fresh out of the northern base. Quiet but efficient. No complaints so far.”I studied them in silence for a moment, then gave a small nod. “Good. Make sure they’re briefed again on engagement protocols. No freelancing.”“Understood.”“What are those crates over there?” I asked as I scrunched up my brows.“Erm… they—”“Erm erm erm, I don’t fucking pay you to tell me erm,” I said sharply. “What the hell are they?”“They are the new goods delivered, ma'am."“And they are sitting out there?” I asked as I turned to him, looking dumbfounded. “You need special instructions to get them stored?”"No, ma'am, the workers have just been busy sorting the shipments we have going out.”“Do I look like I give a shit?”Before he could res
NOLAN’S POV“Let’s go, Nolan. We don’t have all day,” Dimitri yelled from where he was loading the chopper with our other men. I let out a sharp breath as I ran a hand through my hair. “Give me a second. I need to send a text.”I quickly pulled out my phone and typed out a message to Anna.Nolan: Camila and I need to leave tonight. Plans changed. I have to be there.As soon as I hit send, Dimitri called out again. “Nolan, let’s go!”“I’m waiting for Anastasia to reply,” I muttered, staring at my phone screen. The message had been delivered, but there was no response. Not even the little dots to indicate she was typing.Dimitri walked up to me. “What the hell are you doing? We need to leave now.”“I’m waiting to get a reply from Anna.”“You seriously think we have time to wait around for that?” he said with a scoff.I ignored him and continued staring at the phone waiting for a reply. Minutes ticked by, and there was still nothing.Dimitri looked down at his wristwatch. “That’s it, yo
NOLAN’s POV “You’re marrying her, and that’s final!” my father declared, rising from his chair with an air of authority that filled the room. I stood slowly, taking deliberate steps toward the door. “You don’t get to decide how I live my life. I’ll do whatever the hell I want!” I shot back, pausing at the door frame to meet his gaze before walking away.As I headed to my car, my mind raced with the weight of his words. Marry a girl I didn’t even know in two months? Who the hell did he think he was, dictating how screwed up my life should be?On my way out, I caught sight of my mother standing by the doorway. The worry etched across her face was unmistakable, but I managed a faint smile before stepping out into the evening air.Growing up, I had always been the most gentle of my siblings. Ruthless, yet gentle. I’d poured my focus into the family business, knowing my father would one day hand it over to me. The mafia world was twisted and chaotic, but it perfectly fits my type of chao...
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