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34. Heated
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2023-10-25 23:45:42Related chapters
The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 35. Interference
We start exploring the mountain and things seem to be going alright.Mason has decided to leave me alone, which is a great relief because I’m honestly getting sick and tired of him. The words he uttered are still with me, sticking to my brain like glue. Just when I thought Igor might not…oh, what am I saying? Of course he’s just as bad as I’ve always thought he is. I’m just allowing myself to be fooled by his words. I’m an idiot. But there’s a voice in the back of my mind asking me if I’m even sure that Mason is telling the truth. Why would he lie, though? Why would he make all of this up? Why run the risk of my telling Igor about all this?I have so many questions. I won’t confront him about them, though. I’m convinced that the best thing I can do is let this be; I’ll just act like I never heard a thing and try to enjoy the hike. The weather is lovely and I’m glad to be outside. It makes me feel free. Mason, however, has other plans in mind. I’m mostly by myself, so I’m not bein
Last Updated : 2023-10-26The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 36. The Storm
Mason and his parents arrive and leave in under thirty minutes. They’ve gathered their things and now, they’re gone. I have to say it’s a relief that they’re gone—I can barely believe that the whole thing happened. It has the quality of a bad dream, one I’m glad to be awake from. I haven’t seen Igor yet. He’s in his room and hasn’t come down at all. There’s a strange feeling in the air and I don’t know how to describe it or even get around it. It’s suffocating. Ivan prepares us a snack since we all agree that we aren’t that hungry. As we eat, we hear thunder rumbling in the distance. The grayness in the sky was a clear indicator but I honestly thought that it was Igor’s terrible mood that made the air so…stifling. I wouldn’t say that Ivan and Anastasia are too concerned about his pointed absence but they’re definitely ill at ease. In my opinion, things could’ve been much worse with Mason. When we disperse, I go up to my room. I open one of the little windows on the side, letting
Last Updated : 2023-10-27The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 37. Motel
Nobody says a word until we’re far away from the house. I’m in a permanent state of disbelief. I can’t believe that happened—not at all. It feels like a nightmare I haven’t woken up from. Those people tried to kill us. They destroyed the whole house doing so. I didn’t think of it before but now I’m wondering if this has anything at all to do with my family. Could it be that this is yet another attempt at setting me free? If so, then they’ve done a poor job of it and if Igor finds out it was them, I don’t think he will let it slide. For the first time ever, I’m hoping this didn’t have anything to do with them. Rain is pouring all around us, making it hard for us to see. I don’t even know how Ivan is driving—it must be a miracle that we didn’t crash into a tree. Anastasia has her shirt up and she’s inspecting a wound on her abdomen. It doesn’t look deep but the weight of it crusted with dried and dark blood makes me queasy. She’s hisses when she tries to flex her muscles there and t
Last Updated : 2023-10-28The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 38. Closer
I'm being shaken and when I look up, I see the face of one of those masked fallen men in the kitchen. I part my lips to scream but he places his strong hand on my face, muffling the sound. I stare at the dark and lifeless eyes for the longest time, feeling my heart beat fast with fear and dread. I try to scream louder for help but no sound comes out now. It feels like my voice has been ripped from my throat by him. Something warm and wet drips onto my face. There's a hole on his forehead now and it's oozing blood. It's dripping right into my face, pouring down on me like rain with every second that passes. I become more frantic and start using my hands to push him away from me and defend myself.He tilts his head to the side and then says my name. "Clara."I keep pushing him away until I'm thrown into reality, where I'm actually pushing Igor away. He's staring at me with wide eyes and he's holding my arms. "Clara," he says, "are you alright?"I sit up slowly and glance around the r
Last Updated : 2023-10-30The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 39. Back to Normal
I can hardly believe that we're back, safe and sound. I was so terrified that we would be ambushed in some way. I couldn't stop looking around, heart in my throat. I wasn't the only one who was vigilant; all of them were. They kept looking around and around nonstop until we reached the city center. Even then, I didn't feel safe. Anything could happen. But now we're here and the weekend feels like a nightmare I've finally woken up from. Hubert is happy to see us but he notices that something is amiss. It's only natural; we're all wearing clothes from nearest shop Anastasia could find and we didn't bring any luggage with us. It was all left behind. Who would have thought to pack anything while we were under attack?"Hubert," Igor says as he walks past him. "Run Miss Clara a warm bath, will you?"With that, he disappears upstairs, and both Anastasia and Ivan follow him. Hubert has a little surprised smile on his face as he says, "I'll assume that the weekend went somewhat well.""You
Last Updated : 2023-10-30The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 40. A Dance
“Everyone,” he says as soon as we near the group. “I’d like to introduce my fiancée, Clara Morelli.”I get the looks again, which makes me feel uncomfortable and take back what I said earlier about not being ogled. It makes me resent him a little for putting me on the spot like this. “A pleasure to meet you,” a man says. I don’t know if I should stare at him and acknowledge what he said or simply ignore it. I choose to ignore and shrug it off as something casual that doesn’t need to be reciprocated. “Hubert,” Igor says to him behind me, “thank you for bringing her. You can enjoy your night now. At ease.”“Thank you, Mr. Makárov.”Igor glances at me. As if on cue, I feel my face tingling. He leans closer to me and says, “Thank you for coming.”“I don’t recall you giving me a choice.”“You always have a choice,” he answers. “Besides, I said this was a dinner I didn’t want you to miss. I didn’t say you were obligated to come.”I grit my teeth. What’s he trying to do here exactly? I sa
Last Updated : 2023-10-30The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 41. Stolen Kiss
We're finally back home and I've gotten out of my evening dress and into something more comfortable. I feel tired and sleepy, and so I'll probably sleep right away. My plan is turned upside down when I hear a knock at the door. It's not light enough to be Hubert's and my guess is that it's Igor. What he wants from me is a mystery. "Come in," I say while sitting up simultaneously. Igor walks into my room, still wearing the tuxedo. The only thing that has changed about his appearance is his hair, which is now disheveled. "I was wondering if you wanted to come up with me to the rooftop," he suggests. "The rooftop? What for?""To have a talk," he says casually like it's something we've always done and I'm just not remembering. "It's too early to sleep.""Not for me," I counter. He presses his lips together before saying, "I insist."I contemplate arguing with him and insisting that I would much rather stay here but I'm curious about what he wants to say to me. There must be somethin
Last Updated : 2023-10-31The Ruthless Mafia’s Contracted Bride 42. Leo’s Return
As I lie in bed early in the morning, I realize that I have only two ways of confronting this. It’s either I do my best to keep my distance from him and in that way he’ll know just how much I was affected by his kiss (I’m beyond pissed) or I go downstairs for breakfast and act like nothing happened. Like I’m not bothered at all. The second alternative is the better one, that I know, but can I pull it off? Can I sit on a table with him and act like the kiss never happened? I don’t have that much long to decide. In twenty minutes, we’re all expected downstairs for breakfast and although I suspect that he’s not going to ask Hubert to call for me, I could still show up. That way, he’ll know that his kiss meant nothing to me and that I l wasn’t affected by it at all. He stole my first kiss. I can’t believe it. I’ll have to swallow all this rage down and face this if I want to command respect. Hiding up here is a terrible idea. I don’t want him to be smug because he managed to do some
Last Updated : 2023-10-31
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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
