LOGINMilaI saw him and froze.He was here. Luca.The moment I saw the title Il Cativo on the sky I realized he already had his move.He went through my high security team and …The look in his eyes terrified me to the core.Then, one single move of his fingers and things exploded.Screams and cries echoed in the place, while a huge smoke cloud rose to the sky.“Two cars exploded," someone shouted.“Look! There’s another explosion on the upper floor,” I heard another one shout.That was my room. Everything I had brought with me...Every memory...Everything burned with it.People started crowding on the exit gate of the front yard.“Levi!” I shouted, holding Angelo’s hand into mine tightly.Levi was nowhere to be seen. I started walking toward the exit. It seemed he went to save his mother.Just as I tried to walk forward, another explosion shook the ground, panic swallowed the garden.People screamed more loudly, chairs overturned, and guests ran in every direction like if it was the d
LucaThe corners of my lips twisted when the spy I put in Marceau's villa informed me that Mila and Levi had decided on the engagement party date."If you want, sir… we could…" he stammered."No!" I cut him off and hung up.I knew exactly what he was about to suggest. Killing Levi.That would be easy. If I wanted to do that, I would have done it the moment I met him.But no…She was thinking that hiring security guards from the dark web would protect her. Let her think that.I swallowed the contents of my glass and said to my brothers in a casual tone, "You are about to get an engagement invitation."They exchanged glances. They didn't need to ask what I was saying, they already understood.Marco coughed, then said, "Should we stop it?"I placed my glass on the table and simply said, "No need."I could see the curiosity on their faces.Ricardo cleared his throat as he got on his feet and filled my glass. "You know we can force her to come home.""Why?" I asked calmly.He sniffed, "Bro
My hand trembled violently and a few drops of water spilled from my glass and splashed onto my lap as my heart skipped a beat.I stared at the message then read it again and again.Luca.It was him.I didn’t need to see his name on the caller ID to know it was him.For a long moment, I could only sit there in silence, my eyes fixed on the glowing screen.I shewed down my lips and thought, ‘How did he know about the engagement?’‘The announcement hadn't even been made publicly yet.’A cold sensation crawled down my spine. He was closer than I thought. Much closer. Dangerously closer.The fear I had been trying to suppress for days suddenly surged to the surface like a thunder in my chest.I let out a trembling sigh. That silence...God, that silence had been terrifying.I had almost convinced myself that maybe he was busy. Maybe he was distracted. Maybe he had finally accepted that I was not worth his time and attention and…Who was I fooling?This was Luca. Il Don. Cattivo.Luca Hayde
“This dress design will hide your belly and rediance your skin.” Levi’s mother handed me the tenth dress design.I stared at the sketch without speaking. Ten designs. Ten versions of me I was supposed to become. Mila Marceau. The future wife.A woman with no connection to the blood-soaked world she came from. The irony almost made me laugh.On the long marble table, fabrics, sketches, and silhouettes were spread like silent proof that I no longer had control over anything—not even how I would look when the world decided I belonged to Levi Marceau.Even when I said I was tired for shopping, Levi's mother brought a designer.I forced a small nod. That was what I had been doing all morning. Nodding and smiling when necessary.Because I couldn’t risk leaving the villa yet.The dresses were too stunning. Ivory silk. Champagne satin. Pale blush lace. Soft colors that whispered wealth, control, perfection. Everything screamed Mrs. Marceau.Everything felt like a cage disguised as elegance.‘
My smile widened as Angelo jumped off the sofa and ran toward him.“Uncle Levi!” he exclaimed. Levi caught him effortlessly.Something in my chest softened at the sight.Levi truly cared about Angelo. He cared about all the people he loved.Levi was everything Luca was not. And that was one of the reasons I had chosen him.“Uncle Levi,” Angelo said after Levi set him back on the floor, “can I show you the techniques Uncle Luca taught me in the car racing video game?”Levi looked at me. His smile was still there, but it seemed weaker this time.“Sure, buddy,” he said, sitting beside Angelo.After watching them for a moment, I cleared my throat.“Umm... I have an important call. I'll be back.”“Take your time, hun,” Levi said with a smile. “We'll be here playing.”I smiled back and turned away, but an ugly feeling settled in my chest.Every time Levi looked at me with that open, trusting smile, guilt crept in.I pushed the feeling aside, locked myself inside my room, and opened my lapto
MilaI had checked the front gate twelve times in the last hour.Every time a car passed outside Levi's villa, my heart stopped for a second.Waiting for Luca was becoming worse than facing him.“Sorry, ma’am,” came a male voice from the other end of the phone. “Our company doesn’t have free guards at the moment.”This was the same hundredth reply from a hundred security companies. “I’ll pay you four times more than the other clients would,” I said, my voice sounding more desperate than I intended.He paused a little… a breathed, but just for a short moment, as he said, “Ma’am. No one will dare to take your offer even if you offered a hundred times more.”Before I could say anything else…Tooot.The other end of the call had already ended.I looked at the screen as I realized it wasn’t useful for searching for another security company. Every legal security company in the country was compromised.Some politely declined. Some suddenly unavailable, while others told me they already hav
I could sense her anxiety in bringing this matter up. Maybe it was purely selfish of me. And it was—indeed. But I had to know.We were sitting on the bed in the bedroom. I held her hands to assure her. They were so cold, freezing. And as she looked up at me with an unfocused gaze, I knew she wasn’t
LucaThe moment I saw her standing there—in the middle of the room I always ran to whenever I felt sick of this filthy world—my heart skipped a beat.All I could think about was that she now knew the truth. That I was nothing but a pathetic stalker who had been obsessed with her for ages.The mere
Mila“Put me down! You asshole!” I kicked and resisted, trying to break free from the tight grip on my waist.“Sorry, Mila. I can't go against Il Don’s orders.”“Go to hell, you and your Don!” I shouted.“Watch your mouth, young lady, or your head will be split from your body in a blink!” he warned
MilaNow I was sitting alone in this cozy, welcoming cottage. I started to feel regret about shooting Lorenzo. It wasn’t that he didn’t deserve it—he absolutely did—but it would cost the Haydens so much.Once we arrived here, Luca called his brothers. They told him the situation was tense, and he h







