The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride

The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride

last updateLast Updated : 2023-12-31
By:  Bee DiazCompleted
Language: English
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"I'd always find you, Clara," he says, love and hatred burning brightly in his eyes. "There's nowhere you could hide from me. I'd find you anywhere, even in Hell." *** Clara Morelli is the youngest daughter of Nicólo Morelli, one of the most powerful men in the New York mafia. All her life she's been told that she would be auctioned to a strong and rich Italian family, and she believed it to be the highest privilege. She is hated by her mother and older brothers as she is her father's favourite, and so she never got along with them. On the day of her auction, her mother gives her a cryptic message that instills fear in her, but it is too late to turn back. Igor Makárov is one of the richest men in the Russian mafia, and when he shows up at the auction, his presence is unexpected. When he sees the gorgeous Clara on stage, he bids the highest price for her, starting a war between the Russians and Italians. Upon buying her, he makes her sign a bridal agreement where she vows to marry him and swear fealty to him and his family. Their relationship is rocky and explosive at best. She hates him and could never love him as he is cruel and vicious, but that all changes one fateful day. However, things go astray when she uncovers a horrible secret, one that forces her to leave everything behind and carry a secret of her own with her. Igor is not the man she thinks he is. He is much, much worse.

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Chapter 1

1. The Auction

Clara

My heart is in my throat as I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

My fingers move to the pearls around my neck subconsciously. I rub the pearls with the tips of my fingers, deep in thought. This nervousness of mine doesn’t make sense because I’ve been looking forward to this day for as long as I can remember. Ever since I was a little girl, to be exact.

Father always told me that it was the greatest honor and a privilege to be auctioned into a good family, despite how it sounds. He always said that an auction was different from a sale in a sense that only valuable things are auctioned. I’m the thing of value here and not the other way around. All the families in New York will gather and bid for me. Only the family who wishes to pay the highest amount of money will end up having me.

And it isn’t ‘buying’, not in that sense. I’ll have to be married to someone influential in the family and essentially be a part of them. It’ll also promote associations between my family and theirs, so it’s a win-win situation.

Yet despite all this, I’m still nervous. I mean, this is the day when life as I know it comes to an abrupt end. I won’t be living at home anymore, with my parents and brothers. I’ll have to live with a family I hardly know and then be married to someone I also don’t know well.

That isn’t entirely true. We are well acquainted with all the seven families. I’ve known some of them since I was a child. The issue is that I have no idea who will bid the highest and where I’ll be accepted. It also isn’t easy to predict who in the family I might be married to. There are many relatives in their families that they could marry me off to, both old and young. The decision isn’t mine. It’s theirs.

I guess that’s the part about all of this that bothers me. Not having a choice isn’t a easy pill to swallow. When I was at school, all the girls were allowed to have boyfriends and ultimately, the decision about what to do with their lives was theirs. I couldn’t have a boyfriend because I have to be a virgin. That’s one of the requirements. And I also can’t choose who I marry.

But that’s the life I was born into and there isn’t much that I can do about it. I can only hope that I’ll be married into one of the ‘good’ families, like the Gianecchini family, or even the Marchettis. They’ve always been kind to me and they don’t have that violent history that is present in all our families. They’re the relatively nice ones.

My father enters the small room that’s been reserved just for me. I’m all ready for the event. All I’m waiting for is to be called. The event has already started and since it goes according to last names, I’m last.

“How’s my princess doing?” he asks as he closes the door behind him.

I offer him a smile. “I’m alright.”

“That doesn’t sound encouraging,” he says as he sits beside me.

“I’m a little nervous,” I admit.

“Perfectly normal,” he answers. “The Di Maggio girl fainted before she got on stage. Humiliated her family, of course, but she’s been sold off to the Gianecchinis. An honor indeed.”

My heart sinks a little at that. If they bought one, they won’t buy another. “Do you know if the Marchettis already had their pick?”

“Yes, they took Viola. She looked lovely tonight. I would have taken her for Marco but I was sorely outbid.”

“I see,” I say, my tongue getting heavier in my mouth.

“Don’t worry, Clara, there’ll be a good offer for you. I believe that. I might have heard something about that, actually. There’s a family that wants you. They have a son around your age who’ll need to be married by the end of the year.”

I feel only a little relieved at that. “Who?”

“Can’t ruin the surprise,” he says, pinching my cheek before pushing himself off the table. “Besides, anything could happen out there. There’ll go crazy when they see how beautiful you look.”

I smile after him. He leaves me alone once again and I have to confess that I’m even more nervous about this. Who’s the family? All of them have sons around my age. It’s hard to tell who it could be. I drain the glass of water in front of me and then go back to staring at my own reflection.

I’ve done my hair and makeup alone. It’s never been a problem for me. I was taught this as a young girl. Looking presentable and pretty is essential in our world. Tonight, I’m expected to look better than ever and I’ve done my part. I’m proud of how I look, with my auburn hair in a glamorous updo and the dress that is only a few shades darker than my hair.

My red hair never fails to remind me of all the times I was bullied because of it, simply because I’m the only redhead in my family. Everyone else is dark-haired and blue-eyed whereas I’m different. Even my eyes are hazel and not blue.

I’m just…different from all of them.

My father mentioned that one of his grandparents was a redhead. I can’t remember from which side. This explains my hair. Everyone from my mother’s side of the family is dark-haired, so it definitely didn’t come from her.

Speaking of which, I haven’t seen her yet. I know she’s here because I saw her get ready for the event before I left home. She didn’t wish me luck. She didn’t even look at me as I said goodbye to her. It’s how it’s always been between us. She’s always been cold to me, ever since I was a little girl. She has always preferred my brothers over me. To her, I’ve always been invisible.

I try not to feel sad about this because I don’t want to ruin my makeup by crying. The event is usually an hour long and so I know that my time is near. It’s been forty minutes. I’m the last one. There were only five of us this time around.

I’ll be fetched by one of the event managers when the time comes, so I don’t have to worry about being late. I just have to focus on being pretty.

I hear the door behind me click open once again. I turn around thinking that it’s the manager. My smile falls when I make eye contact with my mother.

She closes the door behind her softly, not taking her eyes off my face. She’s dressed in a light green gown that really brings out the ocean in her eyes. Her hair is as black as a raven’s wings. She moves closer to me with her gloved hands clasped together. I stand instinctively and place two kisses on her cheek.

“Mother,” I begin, “thank you for coming.”

“How couldn’t I come?” she asks softly, tilting her head as she looks at me. I feel the walls I’ve built around my heart begin to crack a little. She’s looking at me with a soft gaze. For the first time ever, I feel like she’s looking at me with love.

She extends her hands and I take them. She squeezes my hands. I feel comforted. She studies my face and says, “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” I say, meaning it.

“I see you did the best you could,” she states before nodding. “That’s good. I’ve taught you well, at least. That way you won’t embarrass any of us.”

And just like that, the walls build themselves again. I stare at her face and in her eyes, I see my own hatred reflected back at me. I shouldn’t have believed so easily. I should have kept my guard up.

“Why wouldn’t I be happy when today is the day I finally get rid of you?” she asks sweetly. Her expression doesn’t change. “I’ve been waiting for this day for as long as I can remember. You don’t know just how long.”

I shake my head and drop her hands. “How can you say that to me?”

“It’s the truth,” she simply replies.

My eyes fill with tears. I refuse to let them spill. “I never understood this hatred you have toward me. I’m your fucking daughter, not a stranger you picked up from the street. And even so, the way you’ve always treated me is disgusting. I wouldn’t treat a stranger the way you’ve treated me. I don’t think anyone with a heart would.”

“Perhaps some day you’ll understand what it’s like to look at a daughter and see nothing of you in her,” she says venomously. “You are his daughter through and through. We have never had anything in common.”

“Maybe that’s because you pushed me away whereas he pulled me in.”

She shrugs. “Maybe.”

I groan and walk past her. I’ll wait for the manager out on the hallway. I need to be the best version of myself today. I can’t look sad.

“This is where your life begins, Clara,” she says. I stop in my tracks and look at her over my shoulder. “Everything will become clearer to you after this. Bear this in mind: there are no secrets that time doesn’t reveal.”

I furrow my brows. “I don’t understand.”

The door behind me opens and the manager walks in. She smiles at us both before saying, “It’s time to go, Miss Morelli.”

I follow her out the door, heart racing. I look back at my mother as the manager closes the door. A small smile covers her lips and it’s the last thing I see before the door closes.

What did she mean by that?

What secrets?

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Comments

user avatar
Sandra Wombomede
I love this book though I am not happy at all the wasted years they cld have enjoyed as a family, most of the women in this novels are usually very slow in thinking, mostly making mistakes they regret later
2024-12-17 22:38:46
0
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Kim Johnson
Great read!! Thank you so much! I'm working my way through all of your books and I've loved every one so far!
2024-09-14 07:34:25
1
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Cara
Love it just can’t wait for an update
2024-01-05 11:10:26
1
user avatar
Viola Cordell
loving it so far. I just hope it's not one of those books left behind with no finishing
2023-09-27 01:44:30
2
107 Chapters
1. The Auction
Clara My heart is in my throat as I stare at my reflection in the mirror.My fingers move to the pearls around my neck subconsciously. I rub the pearls with the tips of my fingers, deep in thought. This nervousness of mine doesn’t make sense because I’ve been looking forward to this day for as long as I can remember. Ever since I was a little girl, to be exact. Father always told me that it was the greatest honor and a privilege to be auctioned into a good family, despite how it sounds. He always said that an auction was different from a sale in a sense that only valuable things are auctioned. I’m the thing of value here and not the other way around. All the families in New York will gather and bid for me. Only the family who wishes to pay the highest amount of money will end up having me. And it isn’t ‘buying’, not in that sense. I’ll have to be married to someone influential in the family and essentially be a part of them. It’ll also promote associations between my family and the
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-03
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2. The Highest Bidder
Clara My heart is still racing wildly as I follow the manager through the hall. I’m still thinking about what my mother said about secrets being revealed. I have a feeling she didn’t say that just to mess with me. Why would she? No, she had to be referring to something. What that is, I have no idea. “When you’re on stage, make sure to smile and look pleasant,” the manager says to me. “Try to wave if you can. Statistics show that the friendliest girls always get the highest offers.”I nod but then remember that she’s staring right ahead. She isn’t looking at me. I want to tell her that I don’t care about any of that but then I will myself to calm down. There’s no use in sabotaging myself because of something my mother said. It’s not the worst thing she’s ever said to me and it won’t be the last. It doesn’t matter, anyway. “After the bidding, kindly take the stairs on your right and join your new family,” she informs me. “You won’t be coming back here.” This settles heavily in my
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-07
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3. Signed in Blood
Clara I’m nestled between the two men who practically shoved me into this car and I’m still in disbelief. Tonight was supposed to be a successful night for all of us. Usually, auction night ends with a glamorous party where all the families celebrate together. It’s a beautiful event and I’ve been looking forward to it for years. I couldn’t wait to be one of the beautiful women who would join their new families and live happily ever after. Somehow, I doubt there will be a celebration this time around. Things were going remarkably well for me before that…I don’t have enough insulting words in my vocabulary for him. That piece of filth ruined everything for me. Being the highest bidder gives him rights over me. He’s not one of us, so he doesn’t understand that I’m not some woman he bought at an auction. I’m supposed to be a connection between two influential families. My children would carry two surnames. What becomes of me now?I’ve never been this terrified before in my life. I’m
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-07
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4. The Morning After
I can’t move. I can’t think. It’s safe to say that I can hardly breathe. I don’t think I’ll ever truly recover from what happened in that office. I’ll always remember it as the worst thing that ever happened to me. Being held down by those two men while that bastard dragged a knife across my thumb will haunt me even when the cut heals and scars. The helplessness I felt last night is something I’ll carry with me for the foreseeable future. After marking the contract with my blood, I was dragged out of the room and shoved in this small but elegant bedroom. I couldn’t even make it up to the bed. I had no strength in my body then and I still have none. I’ve been sitting on the carpet with my back against the bed since last night, too afraid to feel tired or sleepy. I was forced to sign a marital agreement with him, which means that at some point, I’m going to have to marry that creep. Nobody can save me from this fate, not unless they start a full-blown war. Even then, I might not be
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-20
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5. The First Dinner
I don't quite know where to put my eyes. They're on my lap, where I'm hoping they'll remain for the rest of the night because I don't want everyone seated around the table to look at my face. I'm sure my cheeks are red because I can feel how hot they are, and shame is probably written all over my face.I’ve been tied to the chair. The bastard actually did it. When I refused to come down to dinner, he sent those cronies to grab me and tie me to the damned chair. I didn’t resist because the situation was embarrassing enough as it was. They were already tying me to the chair; what else was I supposed to do?I’ve been tied down but my hands are free. I’m supposed to be eating the food that’s in front of me but I’m trying to prove a point but I won’t. Anyway, I’m not hungry. How can I eat when all these terrible things are happening to me?There are four people seated around the table including Igor. I’m not the only woman here—there’s one seated across from me that they keep calling An
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-25
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6. Phone Call
I couldn’t sleep at night, once again. I wonder how long my body will take to completely give up on me. How can anyone sleep with this kind of anxiety, though? A den of wolves is where I am. I’m right at the center of it, surrounded by all of them. They keep snapping at me and growling, and I don’t know when they’ll ever lunge at me to rip me to pieces. It’s exactly the way I’m feeling now. They’ve shown me their teeth and nails, but when do they attack?I twist and turn in bed. After last night, I don’t know where I stand with them. I couldn’t control my anger and maybe that wasn’t the right thing to do, especially when tensions are so high. The way he looked at me gives me shivers even now, hours after the whole thing passed.I tell myself that there’s no turning back now, and that my father would be proud of me. That keeps me going. It diminishes the feeling of an impending doom hovering above my head, threatening to split it open. Just as I’m about to close my eyes, a knock at
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-25
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7. Challenge
Igor sticks to his word. No food or water is delivered to my room. I drink water from the sink in the bathroom when I'm thirsty, which is degrading but at least it's water. I start feeling the hunger pangs a little too early for my liking but I'm determined to ignore it. If he wants to starve me out, he can do it. I'm curious to see where he's going to go with this. I won't give him the pleasure of watching me beg, though, so he'll be disappointed. Although I have no experience in the matter of starving, I don't think it can be that bad. So far, it's entirely manageable. I'm sure that I'll manage for a few more days. It's more than enough time for my father to get me out of here, so all I have to do is push through. Since I have nothing to do and I don't see the point in packing the new clothes he got for me, I decide to sleep the day away. It's relatively easy because I'm tired from not sleeping for two nights. My sleep is heavy, too. I don't recall what I dreamt about while I wa
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-25
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8. A New Strategy
I haven’t left this room in four days. I’ve never been this bored in all my life, and it isn’t the kind of boredom I felt when I was a teenager; it’s paired in with despair and hopelessness. I wake up hoping that my father will walk through those doors and rescue me but no such thing has happened so far. I’m still here, surrounded by these wolves. Igor hasn’t come to see me. The only person from their household that I have been seeing frequent is Hubert, who brings me soups and light meals occasionally, as the doctor recommended. I can tell he feels sorry for me. He always speaks to me in a warm tone and I have no complaints about him. I have to say that it’s good to have someone come around and check on me. He has no bad intentions. He isn’t like the Makàrovs. My disappointment is bitter in my mouth. I can’t conceal it, not even from myself. I expected my father to be here a long time ago but it’s been a whole week since I last saw him and he promised me he’d come for me. I don
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-27
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9. Apology
After dinner, dessert is served. It’s light, so I can easily finish it. It’s a tart and sweet passion fruit mousse, which is one of my favorites. Igor is the only one who doesn’t have dessert. Instead, he sits at the end of the table sucking on the end of a cigar with a glass filled halfway with whiskey in front of him. I only glance at him because I want to gauge the mood. After Leo made that comment in Russian, things became more awkward at the table. I don’t speak Russian, so I have no clue what he said. Waiting for everyone to rise from the table is the painful part. Although nothing much is said, nobody makes a move to stand, which means I’m stuck here for a few more minutes. “The Italian princess doesn’t think she’s too much for us anymore,” Leo says, surprising me. He puts emphasis on the word Italian. “What happened? Your plan didn’t work out for you?”I don’t answer him. I stare at my empty glass bowl and try to keep my expression light and neutral. If he wants to amuse
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-27
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10. Great Shock
The morning is a slow one, which I’m actually thankful for. I’m dressed in one of the sleeping gowns I found in the shopping bags, which have been packed into the closet by Hubert and another maid. They washed it all and I watched them arrange the closet accordingly and couldn’t help but feel depressed. There was a permanent feeling to the act that was unshakable. Seeing the clothes in the shopping bags made this whole affair seem temporary. Watching them pack everything away made me feel like I’d never leave this damned place. It’s all I want yet things are taking longer than expected. I wish I could talk to my father and ask him why he didn’t come yet but I won’t ask Igor for the phone and anyway, he didn’t come yet because he forgot about me. He certainly didn’t forget. Things are probably more complicated than they seem. Until then, I’ll try to stay calm and I appreciate mornings like this. Firstly, I wasn’t called down for breakfast, which is a big relief because I genuinely
last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-30
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