When she returned to the room, she found him sitting on the bed, holding a pair of handcuffs. His eyes met hers, and the air between them crackled with unspoken tension. “You’ve been a bad girl,” Leonardo said, his voice low and commanding, “so it’s only right you get your fair punishment.” Arya was forced to get married to Leonardo, a powerful mafia boss with an unbroken reputation. He’s cold, hard, ruthless, and merciless. She's kind, tender-hearted, beautiful, and caring. Given Leonardo’s reputation, Arya doesn't want to fall in love, but soon, she learns that even the coldest hearts have a soft spot, and Leonardo’s might be her. And although she doesn't like to admit it, hers might be him. It doesn’t end there as villains try to separate their union. Will the reluctant mafia bride ever be ready to risk it all for love? Or will it be a loveless marriage after all?
View MoreArya knew she should have left it alone, just like Leonardo had warned her, but she couldn’t shake the guilt. Sitting back and doing nothing wasn’t an option. Too many lives were at stake. Lima arrived, her face pale with worry. "I came as soon as I saw your call. Believe me, Arya, I had no idea about this war." Arya raised an eyebrow. "Your mother is the madame. How could you not know she’s pulling girls from the convent?" “I don’t live at the mansion anymore. I’m kept out of their business. Honestly, I have no clue how they operate. You have to believe me.” Arya wasn’t convinced. “But where did you think those girls came from? The ones vanishing without a trace?” Lima’s expression shifted. “Arya, I’m trying to be better, okay? You saw something in me no one else did. But I was told those women used to be part of the Sisterhood, before they committed crimes and ran away. My mother’s just tracking them down to make them pay.” Arya’s voice turned sharp. “And what about th
PRESENT DAY Isabel’s voice trembled as she finished recounting the harrowing story. “That night was just the beginning. Adriana didn’t join the convent. Instead, she ran… and fell into the arms of La Hermandad de la Estrella. It was her actions that started the conflict between both groups, and her choices led to the bloodshed that has followed ever since. But Adriana’s story didn’t stop there; it spiraled into something far more gruesome and disturbing than you can possibly imagine. Yet, I’ll leave it at that for now.” Arya sat in stunned silence, grappling with the weight of Isabel’s revelation. Her mother, the woman she had idolized and revered, had become the catalyst for the war that now loomed over them like a dark cloud, threatening to consume everything she held dear. Leonardo, ever composed, broke the heavy silence that hung in the air. “And now we find ourselves caught in the crossfire of this decades-old battle—no, centuries-old, actually. The question is, Isabel, w
By this time, Isabel and Dolores were both in their thirties and twenties respectively. They share a history that go back to their childhood and teenage years. Dolores’ mother, Lily, was the madame at La Hermandad de La Estrella at the time. They used to be close but now all that remained between them was trauma and hate. She fought back the tears and walked closer. Their voices were low, but Isabel could hear fragments of the conversation. Adriana spoke with a passion Isabel hadn’t seen in her before. "You don’t understand," Adriana whispered fiercely. "I can’t stay here. This place is a prison. I don’t want to be a nun, I want... I want something more." Dolores stepped closer, her voice like a serpent’s hiss. "And you shall have more. You have power within you, Adriana, power the convent has tried to suppress. You belong with us. when La Hermandad de la Estrella will give you the freedom you crave. We will give you purpose. But if I may ask, what exactly is your reason? The
Isabel’s heart plummeted. Had Claire been eavesdropping the whole time? A wave of disbelief and fear rushed through her veins. If Claire had overheard, they’d be left with only two options: silence her or run before she exposed them. “It’s not what you think,” Isabel said, standing quickly, trying to sound calm. Claire raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Because I saw you being quite affectionate with the orphan. Isn't that against the rules?” Isabel’s pulse slowed with a small sigh of relief. Claire hadn’t heard the conversation; she only saw the embrace. “It is, but only between fellow nuns. Not the children. I’ve raised Adriana from when she was just a baby. Sometimes the motherly instincts take over.” Claire rolled her eyes, clearly uninterested. “Right. Well, you’re lucky this time. I swear, if the Mayor funded the police properly, we wouldn’t have to rely on nuns to do our job.” She gave a dismissive wave. “Have a good day.” As the door shut behind Claire, Isabel turned to see A
By the fourth week since the priest’s disappearance, Isabel’s unease deepened as the police swarmed the church, questioning the nuns and those close to him. Now, it was Adriana’s turn to face the scrutiny, and Isabel held her breath, recalling their earlier conversation. “We need a story,” Isabel had insisted. Adriana looked pale and exhausted. “What do I tell the cops?” “Tell them you helped me put the youngsters to bed, then assisted with the manure disposal before freshening up in my bathroom and heading to bed,” Isabel suggested, trying to sound confident. Given Adriana's illness, her questioning would likely be brief, but Isabel wanted her prepared for anything. “Fine,” Adriana replied, resting her head in her hands. Watching her suffer for defending herself tore at Isabel’s heart. It was tragic that it had come to this; murder was a grave matter, especially the murder of a priest. “Good. I’ll be right here during the questioning. Remember, don’t show any emot
“It’s been days, and we still haven’t heard from the priest,” Mother Superior said, her voice tight with frustration. “He might’ve gone somewhere quiet,” Chris, the priest’s assistant, suggested, though the uncertainty in his tone was unmistakable. “Where could be quieter than here? Have you checked the graveyard again?” Mother Superior asked, her eyes narrowing as she peered over her glasses. “Yes, Mother. Same result,” Chris responded, though his voice lacked conviction. “I don’t understand. How could he just vanish without a word?” Mother Superior pressed, pacing slightly. “I wish I knew, Mother. The last time I saw him, he was in an unusually excitable mood. He could hardly wait for me to leave the cathedral, eager to be alone,” Chris said, a shadow of confusion crossing his face. Isabel clenched her fists under her habit. That’s because he was preparing to violate a teenager. The words burned in her throat, but she swallowed them back, suffocating under the weight o
Isabel had to get rid of the body, ASAP! Isabel stared at the lifeless body for a moment, her mind racing. She could burn it in the furnace, scatter the ashes in the woods—or bury it. One thing was certain: she wouldn’t burden Adriana with the details. “Come, my child, let's get you cleaned up," she said softly, taking Adriana's hand and leading her away from the scene. Isabel was grateful she had the only key to the cathedral's back door. No one would discover the body before she returned. Time was on her side—for now. She guided Adriana into her private bathroom, one she shared with the Mother Superior. “Hurry, take off that nightdress and shower,” she instructed, her voice steady, despite the weight of the situation. Adriana, silent and pale, nodded obediently. As the young woman stepped under the icy water, Isabel picked up the blood-soaked garment, carefully placing it into a disposable bag. She glanced at Adriana—her hands trembling under the cold stream. The water w
They all sat in the empty cabin where the nuns had just finished praying, the atmosphere still thick with the scent of incense and a lingering sense of reverence. Isabel, standing at the center, glanced at each of them with a heavy heart before clearing her throat. "Like I said earlier, Don," she began, "we need your help. Our fight with La Hermandad de la Estrella has roots that stretch back for decades. But the real issue here isn't just old rivalries—it’s something much more personal for your family, Leonardo. Your wife’s mother played a vital role in this conflict. In fact..." she paused, choosing her words carefully, "she might have been the one who set everything in motion." Arya frowned, feeling a knot form in her stomach. "Adriana? But you always spoke of her as brave and good. How could she be the one to start a war?" Isabel sighed, the weight of decades pressing on her shoulders. "I know it’s hard to believe, and it doesn’t erase the good that she did. But people
Arya couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The scene in front of her felt surreal—too much to process. She barely registered the ringing of her phone and glanced down to see Lima's name flashing on the screen. Without hesitation, she declined the call and turned her focus back to the unexpected visitors in front of her. "How did you find us?" Leonardo's voice cut through the thick tension. "Did you follow?" Isabel, standing tall with a handful of nuns by her side, offered a calm smile. "Of course not, Don Marcello. We know this place better than anyone. We’ve been here long before you arrived." Arya’s eyes narrowed. "That doesn’t explain how you tracked us down so quickly." Isabel’s expression softened, almost maternal. "Arya, you know more than most. You’ve seen the truth beneath the surface. I promise, we’re not here to fight. But we have something urgent to discuss." Bianca, ever practical, cut in, her voice sharp with suspicion. "How did you even get past the terrorist
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