ログインThe car ride back to the estate was agonizing. Viola sat rigidly against the passenger door, twisting her mother’s card between her fingers. She was terrified. If her mother saw that mountain of designer bags, she would assume Viola had begged him to buy them for her and punish her severely. But beyond just the fear of her mother, the sheer weight of what those dresses meant terrified her even more. She couldn't allow it. "I can't accept these," Viola whispered, breaking the heavy silence in the car. She looked at his sharp profile, her voice trembling but deeply desperate. "Please. I don't want it." Sebastian didn't even look at her. His eyes remained fixed on his phone, completely cold and unaffected by her rejection. When the SUV pulled up to the grand steps of the estate, Viola felt physically sick. Mateo opened her door. Before she could step out, Sebastian finally looked up. He gave a sharp, subtle nod to one of the guards standing near the trunk. The guard pulled out a sing
The heavy velvet curtain settled silently, sealing them inside the tiny space.The fitting room was meant for one person. With Sebastian standing inside, his broad shoulders completely swallowed the remaining air. The sharp scent of dark tobacco and expensive cologne instantly overpowered the faint, sterile smell of the boutique.Viola backed up until her bare shoulder blades hit the cold glass of the large mirror. She clutched the heavy white fabric tightly to her chest, her knuckles turning bone-white. Her heart was hammering so violently she thought it might break through her ribs."What..." she breathed, her voice trembling as she looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes. "What are you doing here?"Sebastian didn't answer. He took a slow, deliberate step forward.Panic flared in Viola’s chest. She pressed herself harder against the mirror, trying to melt into the glass. She was half-naked, her back completely exposed, trapped in a space so small she could feel the dark heat radi
Viola frowned in confusion. Dresses? She was supposed to pick out one cheap engagement dress. What was going on? Before she could ask, the attendants gently guided her into the massive, mirrored fitting room. When they handed her the first dress, Viola’s stomach dropped. It wasn't a engagement dress. It was a deep, blood-red silk gown with a plunging neckline. She had never worn anything like it in her life. She carefully slipped it on. Unlike Vanessa’s tall, lean model frame, Viola was shorter and much softer. She had a naturally curvy figure and a soft, slightly chubby tummy that she usually hid under oversized sweaters. But this dress hid nothing. It clung to her curves, highlighting the swell of her hips and the fullness of her chest. She felt completely exposed. But she didn't have a choice. "Ma'am, please step out," the attendant urged softly. Trembling, Viola walked out of the fitting room and stood on the small pedestal. Sebastian took a slow sip of his whiskey. The momen
Viola flinched, turning to see her mother walking into the living room. She looked immaculate in a tailored dress, her sharp eyes glaring at Viola with deep disgust."Your engagement is in a few days," her mother snapped, crossing her arms. "You look like you are going to a funeral. You never miss a single opportunity to embarrass me, do you?"Viola kept her eyes on the floor, swallowing the bitter knot in her throat.Her mother reached into her designer purse and pulled out a black credit card, practically throwing it onto the small coffee table. "Take the driver. Go to the boutique in the city and buy your engagement dress. And don't pick anything too expensive. I don't want to see a massive charge on this card."Viola looked up, a small, desperate spark of hope flickering in her chest. "Can... can you come with me?" she asked quietly. Every other girl had their mother with them to pick out their dress.Her mother let out a harsh, dismissive scoff. "I have much better things to do t
Viola sat on the edge of the plush mattress, staring blankly at the beige patterned wallpaper of her new bedroom.She wasn't in her drafty, tiny room at the end of the hall anymore. Three days ago, her mother had abruptly moved her into one of the main guest suites in the east wing. It had a large bed, expensive furniture, and a private bathroom. But it wasn't an act of kindness. Giovanni’s personal guards had arrived at the estate under the official excuse of protecting the bride, and her mother refused to let the Italians see the shabby conditions her daughter usually lived in.But Viola knew the truth. Giovanni didn't trust her. He knew she didn't want this marriage, and these men were really here to make sure she didn't run away. Now, the heavy presence of the Italian guards filled the corridors. Everywhere Viola went, their eyes followed her, tracking her movements with creepy, lingering stares that made her skin crawl.She pulled her oversized cardigan tighter around her shoulde
The heavy bass from the underground club below vibrated through the floorboards of the private office, but Sebastian barely felt it.He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, a glass of dark amber liquid in his hand, watching the city rain streak across the glass. The room was dead quiet, save for the muffled thumping of the music downstairs.He hadn't stepped foot in the estate in fourteen days.He spent the last two weeks buried in the city's shadows, bleeding his focus into shipments, territorial disputes, and cold, calculated violence. In his world, losing focus meant losing your life. Attachments were liabilities. Distractions were a death sentence.And Viola was becoming a massive distraction.The heavy oak door behind him clicked open. Mateo stepped into the dim office, his footsteps entirely silent on the expensive rug. He didn't speak immediately. He just walked over to the heavy mahogany desk and placed a sleek, black phone near the edge."The secure line," Mateo said quietly
Giovanni.A sickening jolt of terror hit Viola’s chest. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her face harder into Sebastian’s bare chest, her grip on his shirt turning entirely frantic."Please," she whispered weakly, her body trembling against his. "Don't let him—"She couldn't even finish the s
Viola looked up. A tall, handsome man in his early thirties was standing in her path. He wore a tailored navy suit, and his deep green eyes studied her with a calculating curiosity that instantly made her skin crawl."I—I'm..." Viola stuttered, her mind entirely blank as a fresh wave of
The fever had settled deep into her bones long before the sun went down. Viola sat shivering on the edge of her mattress, her entire body burning with a dry, suffocating heat from the freezing rain the day before. Her head throbbed with a dull, heavy ache, and every breath she drew felt like swall
Viola stared at the cheap, revealing fabric on the bed. A suffocating pressure crushed her chest. She couldn't breathe. The walls of her tiny bedroom felt like they were shrinking, trapping her inside a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. She needed to get out. Viola didn't bother changing her







