All Chapters of A Mafia’s Trillionaire for Christmas : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

MY ANCHOR.~LAUREN POV~The sea breeze tangled through my hair as I brushed a few strands away from my face, trying to focus on anything but the chaos around me. My gaze drifted toward Alexandro, who stood talking to the captain with his typical air of authority. But my attention snapped back to Rosette and Patrick. She was leaning into him, her lips dangerously close to his, the two of them putting on a show as if they were in some private moment rather than on the deck of a yacht. A sick feeling churned in my stomach. How had today twisted so quickly from promising to unbearable? I should’ve stayed in my room, I thought bitterly. Alone and away from this soap opera. “You two,” Lilac said, her voice dripping with mock irritation, “get a room.” She rolled her eyes dramatically, though her smirk betrayed her amusement. It was obvious what they were doing. They were trying to get under my skin, and worse, it was working. I clenched my jaw, refusing to give them the satisfact

GIVING HIM A SHOW.~ALEXANDRO’S POV~As soon as the boat docked, Rosette tried to seize control, her voice cutting through the air like nails on a chalkboard. “We should all stick together while we explore the city,” she suggested, glancing around as if waiting for unanimous agreement. The others murmured in halfhearted approval, but I wasn’t about to let her dictate my plans. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” I said smoothly, drawing everyone’s attention. “Lauren and I already have plans.” Rosette froze, her lips parting slightly as if she couldn’t quite process my words. “What plans?” she demanded, her tone sharper than she intended. I smiled. “Dinner. Just the two of us.” For a moment, silence reigned. Fatimah raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, while Rosette’s cheeks flushed red. Patrick, however, was the most satisfying to watch. His frown deepened, his jaw tightening. The subtle clench of his fists at his sides didn’t escape my notice. Good. It was too easy

FLICK OF PAIN.~LAUREN’S POV~The night began with warm moments but soon turned into confusion and frustration. As we left the restaurant, Alexandro lightly placed his hand on my back.I could feel the heat of it through the thin fabric of my dress, and it was unnervingly distracting. When he leaned closer to whisper in my ear, his breath brushing against my skin, it sent shivers down my spine. “You’ll have to get used to my touch,” he murmured, his voice low and edged with amusement. “I can’t have you flinching every time I lay a hand on you.” “It’s cold,” I lied, hoping to cover up the growing embarrassment from how acutely aware I was of his presence. Alexandro only smirked, pulling off his blazer without a word and draping it over my shoulders. The unexpected gesture left me stunned, my protest caught in my throat. “You… you didn’t have to,” I finally managed, my fingers clutching the lapels of the blazer. He didn’t listen to me. Instead, he looked at the street, as if

A PUZZLE OF FEELINGS.~LAUREN’S POV~ The days at the resort passed in a blur, each one feeling more exhausting than the last. Alexandro made it his mission to drag me to every event and occasion requiring his presence, while all I wanted was to stay indoors and avoid everyone—especially him. After my last encounter with Rosette, her venomous words still stayed in my mind. I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that she might be right about some things. I was beginning to have expectations about this fake relationship, and I hated myself for it. The idea of Alexandro using me just to pass the time filled me with anger I couldn’t quite understand. And now, here I sat at yet another social gathering, glaring at the women surrounding Alexandro. “Get a grip, Lauren,” I muttered to myself, gripping the stem of my champagne glass tightly. “Remember, this isn’t real.” But no matter how much I told myself that, it felt like a lie. If I truly believed it, why couldn’t I look away from

CASTELLO LEGACY.~ALEXANDRO’S POV.~The ball I tossed across the room bounced back to me, and I caught it with ease. My mind, however, was far from whatever Mario was ranting about on the other end of the line. “Lex, are you even listening?” Mario asked, his tone laced with suspicion. “Yeah, yeah. Go on,” I replied distractedly, my attention still on the ball as I continued tossing it in rhythm. The merger had been a success. Despite the opposition, I, Alexandro "Lex" Castello, always got what I wanted. It wasn’t about negotiations; it was about leverage. They could either accept my offer or lose it all. No middle ground. “You’re ‘not’ listening,” Mario said, exhaling audibly into the phone. A grin tugged at the corners of my lips. Even without seeing him, I could picture the frustration etched on his face. Mario and I had been through everything together. He was my best friend, my brother in all but blood. Whenever I got too deep into something, he was always the one to pu