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25. Having Fun
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 26. Rescuer
"Take him outside," he commands coldly, his eyes on the man his guards just pushed to the guard like nothing.This has sobered me up but now I feel nausea rolling in my stomach and filling my mouth with this awful taste. When his guards carry him away, his head lolling to the side, Igor finally looks at me.I was dreading this moment and now I know why. I seem to see blame in his eyes, which is completely unacceptable because all I was trying to do was have fun. That man had no right to put his hands on me, the same way Igor has no right to blame me for this."We're leaving," he says before turning on his heel.I stand with my back against the wall. A few feet away from me, the couple who were kissing have stopped and are now looking at me. I glance at them before pushing myself against the wall and walking lazily toward...I don't even know where I'm going.When I step back into the main area, I see Franco. He walks toward me with wide eyes and puts his hands together. "I'm so sorry.
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 27. Invitation to Dinner
I thought I wouldn't have to see Igor for the rest of the night but it seems I was proved wrong. He just never disappoints. He comes into the room fully dressed, which makes me wonder if he has a separate hotel room and simply did that to torture me. I wouldn't put it past him. I don't sit up in bed when I see him. "If you're up for it, we can have dinner together," he begins, which takes me off-guard completely. "I believe there is much we can discuss before we return to New York." "I don't think there's anything we can talk about," I say, not missing a beat. "And I'm not up for to but thank you for asking." Igor narrows his eyes at me and then adds, "I only asked to be courteous. If anything, this is further evidence that you're the one making things more complicated than they have to be. Be downstairs in thirty minutes or you'll be carried there. And in case you were wondering, no, not by me." I grit my teeth as I watch him walk out. I don't think there is anyone in the world
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 28. Taunting
We're back in New York and I have to say that I'm beyond relieved. Too much happened in LA and frankly, I can't say that I made any good memories there. Being harassed in the club by some stranger and then having to deal with Igor ruined everything for me, and since that was all that happened, I think it's safe to say that the trip was terrible. Igor has me dropped off at the apartment before he goes to work. He doesn't mention my job so I assume I don't have to go in today. I wouldn't have either, not with the jet lag that's killing me. What I need is sleep. Hubert greets me at the door. He sends me up to the room with a hot bowl of soup and I'm beyond grateful. He is the best person in this place and I'm glad I have him on my side. I sleep for a few hours and wake up just in time for dinner, but what I don't expect is the penthouse being this full with people. Hubert is standing by the stairs and immediately climbs the few steps to meet me. I ask, "What's going on?" "It's Leo's
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 29. Kindness
I wish I could find it in me to get out of bed and go to work like I did last time. He didn't give any order for me to go there today. Frankly, I'm starting to think that he gave up on the idea as soon as Boris whisked me away that day. He only took me to LA because he knew Boris wouldn't be there. What I want is to maintain what I started, which is proving to him that he doesn't have all that control over me. Today, however, I'm just not up for it. I don't want to do anything apart from lying in bed and thinking about life. The good news is that Leo has moved out. It seems Igor was serious about him getting out. According to Hubert, this happens at least once a year so he doesn't believe it's anything permanent, but to me it comes as a shocker because I know why he left. Did Igor really kick him out because of what he said to me? It was a tasteless joke but I don't think it warranted such a drastic reaction. Either way, I won't be seeing much of him and it's a relief. Being aroun
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 30. Decent Conversation
I’m still in the same tragic mood when we get back to the apartment. I’ve gotten a hold of my emotions but this isn’t something that I’m easily going to get over. I start to go up the room but I hear Igor say, “Clara, a minute please.”I pause and then turn my head and see him standing by his office’s door. His expression is unreadable so I don’t know what he wants from me. I have no choice but to obey and he steps aside to let me enter. He then closes the door and moves around me to get behind his desk. I get a whiff of tobacco and his musky perfume. He sits down, his icy eyes still on my face, and says, “I’m aware of what happened at the café.”I wonder who told him but I’m not concerned. I had no control over what happened. I can’t decide who I come across. Igor arches a brow. “You’re not going to say anything?”“What can I say?” I ask dryly. “Do you want me to confirm it? I did see her at the coffee shop. What about it?”I’m genuinely confused. I don’t know what he wants from
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 31. Different
We’re on the way to the mountains and I can barely believe that I’ve tagged along. There are times when I seriously doubt my decision. It’s clear that they’ve been doing this for a long time as a family and I feel like I have no place here. It’s hard for me to join in on their conversations and most of the time, I don’t want to. However, every time I look out the window and take in the scenery, I realize I’m glad I’ve come. We’ve only ever been to a trip like this once, and I was much younger at the time. Dad just never had time and my mother didn’t like such trips. I remember her complaining the whole time and I guess he decided it wasn’t worth the trouble. I never forgot it, though, and now I’m reminded of that trip. Although it’ll be painfully awkward with the Makárovs, I’ll endure it. There’s no driver today; it’s just the four of us. Igor is on the wheel, Ivan is on the passenger’s seat, and Anastasia is seated beside me. She hasn’t said a word to me since we got in the car a
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 32. Too Close
As promised, I’m ready in thirty minutes. There’s an animated chatter coming from downstairs so I know that the guests have arrived. I take a deep breath before going downstairs and entering the kitchen, where everyone is standing and talking. Igor is the first to catch my eye. I watch him appraise me before making his way to my side. There are butterflies in my stomach, for some reason. Perhaps it’s a fight or flight reaction to watching him walk toward me. “I want to introduce you to them,” he tells me before taking my hand and taking me to the kitchen. He drops it as soon as we reach the group, so I don’t have to do it, but I see Anastasia’s eyes on us before he does, and when she looks at my face, I can’t help but feel embarrassed. “This is Clara,” Igor introduces. “My fiancée.”The guests consist of an elderly couple and a younger man who is the spitting image of the older one. I assume that they’re a family and that the young man is their son. The woman steps forward and pl
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 33. Night Visitor
I’m shocked to see him standing there. “Mason?”“I couldn’t sleep,” he tells me. “I thought I’d come here to check on you and see if you were up for a talk.”I have a terrible feeling about this. I don’t think it would be right to let him into my room this late at night. When he catches my facial expression, he says, “I’m sorry. That was stupid of me. I shouldn’t have come.” He pauses and then adds, “There are just times when I get so sick of not having anyone to talk to. You’re the first person who’s talked to me with genuine interest in a long time.”“Oh,” I say before lowering my eyes. “I should go,” he tells me. “I’m sorry for disturbing you. Good night, Clara.”“You could come in for a few minutes,” I say as he turns his back to me. I regret the words as soon as they leave my lips but there’s no taking them back. “I’d really appreciate that,” he says before walking past me. I close the door and turn around to face him. I haven’t closed the blinds yet—I was planning on sleeping
Last Updated : 2024-10-29
Latest chapter
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride Epilogue
I watch the waves crash into the shore while the ocean breeze rustles my hair. I take a deep breath, drawing the salty air into my lungs and holding it in hopes that it’ll become a part of me. There’s nothing as therapeutic as this. The sun is deliciously warm today. Most days, it’s burning hot, but today, it’s just perfect. I’m lounging in the hammock in the porch of our beach house. I do this every morning as soon as I wake up because it helps me dispel my troubled thoughts. Whenever I think about all those traumatic events of the last couple of months, I feel like I’ll never truly move on from them, but when I come out here, my hope is renewed. Things will get better at some point. As long as I’m seeking help and am surrounded by my loved ones, I’ll be perfectly fine. I close my eyes, take another deep breath, and then reopen them when I hear someone approaching. I turn my head to look at the door and see Igor leaning against the door with a cup of tea in his hand. It’s for me
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 106. Interlude V
IgorGetting home is my only priority at the moment, and as soon as I step through the elevator, I feel relieved. The first person I see is Anastasia. She rushes toward me with tear stained cheeks. “Igor. For the love of God. Don’t do anything stupid.”“Where is she?” I demand. “Where’s Clara?”“You can’t kill Leo,” she says, following me all the way up the stairs. “Remember the promise your father made you make. You’re supposed to stick together no matter what. You’re supposed to forgive each other.”I ignore her and start opening doors while calling her name desperately. I have to see her. Fuck, I have to hold her. I have to make sure she’s okay before I go looking for that traitorous fucker. “Igor!” Anastasia exclaims, trying to get my attention. A door on the other end of the corridor opens, and she peers out. I race toward her, and when she sees me, she rushes toward me. I drop my bag and gather her in my arms. “Clara,” I say her name. Like a prayer. “My love.”She’s sobbing.
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 105. Sacrifice
There were more endless hours of waiting. At this point, I've started losing hope. I've already cried and screamed, and now there's nothing left of me to pour out into the world.I’m missing Alex and Dimitri like crazy. I fear I’ll never see them again. I’m starting to actually acknowledge the fact that I’ve been beyond stupid for not having told anyone in the family about my suspicions. Yes, Boris knows, but has news of my disappearance gotten out yet?What’s even going on out there? What’s being said?It’s impossible to know what Leo made up. He could’ve said that he never saw me, and then I’d be screwed. I didn’t encounter anyone when I reached the penthouse; it was just him. I’m hungry and thirsty. My back is killing me, and the pain behind my eyes hasn’t subsided yet. I close my eyes for a few minutes each time, but I open them when I feel myself falling asleep. I don’t want to be caught off guard. I want to see whatever it is that he’ll do to me. The door opens, and I sit upr
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 104. Interlude IV
IgorI grip my phone tightly in my fist. “What do you mean she’s gone? Gone where?”“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Ivan replies, flustered. “Ivan,” I say through my teeth. “You’re not making any sense here. You’re telling me that the driver dropped her off in the garage, and she went up. But nobody saw her in the apartment. And it’s like she’s vanished into thin air?”“Yes, that’s about it.”I sag against the couch, then decide that there’s no way I can sit when this is happening. I run my fingers through my hair, feeling more frustrated than ever. “Is it possible that she stepped out for a bit without telling anyone?”This is reminding me of when she first went missing all those years ago. I was so lost, and hopeful, too. I kept imagining her walking through the door, saying that she just went shopping or something. I had no idea that she’d already found out about everything and left me, feeling betrayed. This is reminding me of that day, that’s for sure, but this time,
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 103. Taken
To my immense surprise, a smile curves Leo’s lips instead of the opposite. He’s supposed to be terrified that I know his secret, but instead, he’s smiling at me. “Have you lost your mind?” he asks in the most unconvincing voice that I’ve ever heard in all my life. “Is that it?”“You won’t fool me,” I announce. “I know it’s you. You’re behind every single bad thing that’s happened to this family for some time now. You’re not a friend, Leo. You’re a foe. You’re an enemy. You’re the one who ordered someone to hit Igor’s car, and then, you shot Luke in hopes to clean your tracks. And then, when Igor survived the crash, you paid that shooter. And just when we were going to look into, he shows up dead in his apartment. How’s all of this supposed to be a coincidence?”There’s that smile again. Honestly, it scares me. I know what he’s capable of. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be afraid. “Those are some really filthy accusations, Clara. I’ve sacrificed a lot for this family. I’ve risked
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 102. Unanticipated Confrontation
I exit Boris’ building with my heart in my throat. The situation is getting out of control. If Leo truly is behind all of this, then I have my work cut out for me. I’m supposed to be working with him (and Ivan, of course) to find out who is behind all of this. Now, I’ll have to work against him. The five security guards are all around me, forming a half-moon shape. Technically, I’m protected from anyone who might want to attack me, but I don’t feel safe. How can I, when I’m living in the same house as the person who wants to destroy Igor? It’s him who’s behind all of this, and the faster I come to terms with this, the more sense everything makes. We’re just stepping outside when a car screeches to a halt in front of the building. Before I can even register what’s happening, they’re pushing me back, trying to shield me from what’s happening. They draw their weapons, and I realize that my head is spinning, and things are happening in slow motion right before my eyes. “Take her bac
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 101. No More Doubts
“I wouldn’t recommend seeing him,” Ivan tells me. “He’s bad news, and we all know what his intentions with you are. He’ll probably ask you to marry him.”“He’d receive no for an answer,” I state firmly. “He says he might have some information for us. Wouldn’t it be wise to hear him out?”“‘Might’ isn’t a good enough word. He ‘might’ve have nothing valuable to tell us.”“But what if he does?” I ask. “I know he would never hurt me.”“You’re the Head now,” he says with a sigh. “You’re free to make whatever decision you please. For us, that’s sacred, and we don’t take it for granted. Not going is only my advice, but if you wish to go, you’re free to do so.”I sit back, and put my fork down. I think deeply of what he’s saying. Should I go? Would Boris be helpful? I think he will, so I say, “I think I’ll go.”“I’ll arrange a car and a group of security to accompany you, then,” he concedes. “In the meantime, I’m going to start looking into—”We hear the elevator, and soon enough, Leo joins u
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 100. Suspicious Conversation
I wake up in the middle of the night, sweating, and with Luke’s voice echoing in my ears. This is the first time I’ve dreamt of him since that thing happened. I keep hearing the gunshot, too, and it echoes in my mind. I wipe my eyes, and then sit up. My mouth is parched, so I have to get some water. I don’t have any in the room. I should probably bring a bottle with me from the kitchen so that I don’t have to go downstairs again. I open the door as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake anyone up. Before I head downstairs, I check on the boys first. They’re just next door, so it’s easier for me to keep an eye on them. They’re both sleeping peacefully, so I close the door carefully and then creep downstairs. I step into the kitchen and open the fridge. After finding a glass, I pour water in it, and tip my head back as I down all of it. I immediately feel better; more refreshed and awake. The noise in my head is a lot less, and I feel I can sleep again if I tried. It’s only two in
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 99. Function
The boys love Hubert. Then again, if I have to be completely honest, I don’t know who wouldn’t. He’s the most caring person in the world. I’ve told him that I don’t want the boys to know about Igor’s ‘death’ just yet. He isn’t dead, so to tell them something and then have to admit to them that it had all been a lie would be too much. They’re only five years old. This is a matter that would have even adults spiraling. Hubert doesn’t know the truth yet, though. I really feel bad. I can tell that he’s having a hard time coping, but he’s too much of a professional to ever let it show. After dinner, the boys were filled with restless energy, and they were curious about this new place that we would call home. Hubert showed them around, and told them everything he felt they needed to know about the place. It was just the four of us, along with the cook and the maid, both whom I hadn’t seen yet. That was last night. This morning, it’s honestly pretty much the same; the only difference is
