/1/105887/coverbig.jpg?v=786b06bbad278b98d1a8a2ce80de6ea0)
I was still bleeding into the mesh underwear the hospital gave me when the photos hit the internet: my husband, the Don, forcing his tongue down his mistress's throat. Three days ago, that very mistress had shoved me off a yacht. I lost the baby. I lost my uterus. I was left completely barren. Yet, when my husband finally called, it wasn't to ask if I was alive. "The press is eating us alive," Dante barked through the phone. "Send a gift basket to Sofia. Fix this mess." To make matters worse, his grandmother stood at the foot of my bed, holding the hand of the daughter they had stolen from me at birth. "Mommy looks like a ghost," my daughter said, her voice devoid of love. That was the moment the last ember of affection died. I realized I wasn't a wife to them; I was just a broken vessel. So, when they sneered that I was useless, I didn't cry. I pulled a black USB drive from under my pillow and threw it on the bed. "Divorce papers," I said calmly. "And the complete security blueprints of the Moretti Fortress. Every blind spot. Every tunnel I designed." "Sign the papers and let me go, or I sell this drive to your enemies for one dollar." I left the country with nothing but the clothes on my back, vanishing into a freezing attic in Paris. I thought I was finally free. But three weeks later, Dante kicked down my door, looking at my poverty with horror. "Come home," he begged, tossing a box of diamonds onto my drafting table. "We can be a family." I looked at the man who had destroyed me and opened the window. "You're looking for the girl who loved you," I whispered, throwing the diamonds into the trash alley below. "But you killed her."
Contents
Chapter 1
I was still bleeding into the mesh underwear the hospital gave me when the photos hit the internet: my husband, the Don, forcing his tongue down his mistress's throat.
Three days ago, that very mistress had shoved me off a yacht.
I lost the baby. I lost my uterus. I was left completely barren.
Yet, when my husband finally called, it wasn't to ask if I was alive.
"The press is eating us alive," Dante barked through the phone. "Send a gift basket to Sofia. Fix this mess."
To make matters worse, his grandmother stood at the foot of my bed, holding the hand of the daughter they had stolen from me at birth.
"Mommy looks like a ghost," my daughter said, her voice devoid of love.
That was the moment the last ember of affection died. I realized I wasn't a wife to them; I was just a broken vessel.
So, when they sneered that I was useless, I didn't cry.
I pulled a black USB drive from under my pillow and threw it on the bed.
"Divorce papers," I said calmly. "And the complete security blueprints of the Moretti Fortress. Every blind spot. Every tunnel I designed."
"Sign the papers and let me go, or I sell this drive to your enemies for one dollar."
I left the country with nothing but the clothes on my back, vanishing into a freezing attic in Paris.
I thought I was finally free.
But three weeks later, Dante kicked down my door, looking at my poverty with horror.
"Come home," he begged, tossing a box of diamonds onto my drafting table. "We can be a family."
I looked at the man who had destroyed me and opened the window.
"You're looking for the girl who loved you," I whispered, throwing the diamonds into the trash alley below.
"But you killed her."
Chapter 1
Elena POV
I was still bleeding into the mesh underwear the hospital had given me when the tabloid photos hit the internet: my husband, forcing his tongue down his mistress's throat.
The caption screamed in bold font: "The Don and his Muse."
I perched precariously on the edge of the massive four-poster bed in the Moretti estate's guest wing, the light of my phone screen cutting through the room's oppressive darkness.
My abdomen throbbed-a relentless, hot pulse where they had cut me open only three days ago to remove the remains of my unborn child and my uterus.
I was empty. A hollowed-out husk, left to rot on the porch.
Downstairs, the distinct crash of shattering porcelain echoed.
Nonna Rosa was awake. And she was furious.
Not because her grandson's mistress had shoved me off a yacht into the freezing Atlantic on New Year's Eve. Not because the heir to the Moretti throne had been washed away in a tide of blood and brine.
She was furious because Dante had been sloppy enough to get caught kissing Sofia Rossi while his wife was in surgery.
The door to my room didn't just open; it flew inward.
Marco, the Consigliere-a man who had watched me grow up and then watched me wither-stood in the frame. He looked at the floor, unable to meet my eyes.
"You are summoned to the Inner Sanctum, Elena."
I didn't move. The fresh stitches in my belly pulled tight, a searing reminder of the price I had paid for this moment.
"Tell Nonna Rosa that if she wants to speak to me, she can drag her old legs up these stairs."
Marco's head snapped up. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. In the Moretti family, you did not summon the Matriarch. You crawled to her.
"I said, tell her to come to me. Or I press send on the email."
He didn't ask what email. He saw the dead look in my eyes and turned around.
Ten minutes later, the hallway filled with the ominous click-clack of sensible heels and the heavy thud of a cane. Nonna Rosa swept into the room, a vision in black lace and ancient malice.
And she brought Mia.
My heart-or the stone that had replaced it-gave a single, agonizing thump. Mia wore a velvet dress that cost more than my father made in a lifetime. She looked at me with the same cold, assessing stare as her great-grandmother.
"Look at her, Mia," Nonna Rosa hissed, pointing her cane at me like a weapon. "Look at the weak thing your father married. A civilian. A broken vessel."
Mia looked at me.
"Mommy looks tired," she said, her voice devoid of affection. "Sofia says she looks like a ghost."
The mention of the woman who tried to kill me, falling so easily from my own daughter's lips, should have broken me. But I was already shattered.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand. It was Dante.
I picked it up, putting it on speaker.
"Elena." His voice was a deep baritone, rough with whiskey and arrogance. "I need you to handle Nonna. The press is eating us alive. Send a basket to Sofia's penthouse. Something expensive. Chocolate. And tell the security team to double the guard there."
I looked at Nonna Rosa. Her face was a mask of disgust, not at him, but at the inconvenience of it all.
"Is that all, Dante?" I asked.
"Don't use that tone with me. You fell. You were clumsy. Now fix the mess."
The line went dead.
Nonna Rosa stepped forward. "You heard him. You are the Don's wife. Your job is to eat shit and smile so the world thinks it's chocolate."
I stood up.
The pain was blinding, white-hot needles stabbing my core, but I forced myself upright.
"No."
Nonna Rosa's eyes widened. She stepped into my personal space, the scent of lavender and rot surrounding her. She raised her hand and brought it down across my face.
The slap echoed in the silence. My head snapped to the side. I tasted copper.
But I didn't cry. I didn't cower.
My hand shot out, snatching her wrist.
Her skin felt papery and thin under my grip. I squeezed, watching her shock curdle into outrage.
"If you ever touch me again," I said, my voice barely a whisper, "I will burn this house to the ground."
I released her and reached under my pillow, pulling out a manila envelope and a black USB drive.
I threw them on the bed.
"Divorce papers," I said. "And the complete security blueprints of the Moretti Fortress. Every blind spot. Every sensor code. Every tunnel."
Nonna Rosa looked at the drive, then at me. Her face paled.
"I designed this place, Nonna. I built your cage. And if you don't sign those papers and give me safe passage out of Italy tonight, I will sell this drive to the Russo family for one dollar."
She stared at me, calculating. She looked at my flat stomach. She knew what the doctors had done. She knew I could never give Dante another heir.
I was depreciated stock. Useless.
"You are barren," she spat the word like a curse. "You are of no use to the bloodline."
"Then let me go."
She snatched the papers. "Marco will process this. You will leave with nothing. No money. No jewelry. No clothes. You leave as the beggar you were when we found you."
"Fine," I said.
"And you never see Mia again."
I looked at my daughter. She was playing with the fringe of the curtain, ignoring us completely. She didn't know me. She had been stolen from my arms ten minutes after birth and raised by wolves.
"She is already yours," I said, the words tearing my throat apart. "Keep her."
Nonna Rosa sneered. "Get out of my sight."
View More Comments on App
Other books by rabb
More/1/104515/coverbig.jpg?v=12ce53e75361778a3218e6b93b0c659c)
Runaway Mistress: The Mafia Boss Begs On His Knees
MafiaThe heavy steel door of the industrial meat locker slammed shut, sealing me in at four degrees below zero. Ten minutes ago, I was the woman Dante Moretti promised to burn the world for. Now, I was the rat accused of poisoning his heir. Dante didn’t just lock me in. He looked at me with eyes devoid of warmth and said, "Evidence says otherwise." He chose the lie of his arranged wife, Sofia, over my truth. For months, I endured the price of loving the Underboss. I watched him marry Sofia in a grand ceremony to secure a family alliance. I let him force me onto a table to drain my blood to save her life when she was injured. I took twenty lashes from his family’s enforcers, all while he stood by and watched, claiming it was necessary to "protect" me. He told me to wait. He told me the marriage was a sham. But when I finally escaped and he came chasing after me, revealing that Sofia was a fraud and he wanted me back, I didn't feel relief. I felt nothing. Even after he threw his body over mine to save me from a collapsing building, taking a jagged shard of timber through his chest, I couldn't forgive him. In the hospital, his mother handed me his journal. It was filled with entries about his undying love for me, written on the very same days he allowed me to be tortured. "Tell him the debt is paid," I told his mother as I handed the book back. "He saved my life. I saved his child. We are even." I turned my back on the ICU and walked out into the rain. Dante Moretti might have been willing to die for me, but he never knew how to live for me.
/1/104519/coverbig.jpg?v=546324815e96a7b801a935eacd6589e0)
The Mafia King's Unwanted Wife Shines
MafiaMy husband ordered me to turn around and face the altar. He unbuckled his heavy leather belt, his eyes cold and devoid of mercy. "You need to learn respect," Dante spat. He whipped me in the family chapel until my back was a bloody mess. All because his mistress, Sofia, had framed me for breaking his grandfather's urn. He didn't ask for the truth. He didn't hesitate. He just wanted to punish the wife he considered a burden. As the belt tore into my skin, I didn't scream. I just counted the memories dying. He didn't know I was the one who dove into the frozen lake to save him in high school. He didn't know I was the one who took a knife for him during the ambush. He believed Sofia's lies that she was his savior. I had loved him for ten years. I had bled for him. And in return, he scarred me permanently for a crime I didn't commit. That night, I didn't tend to my wounds. I packed my bags, signed the divorce papers, and swore on the Code of Omertà to never love him again. Three years later, Dante found my old diary hidden under the floorboards. He read the truth about who really saved him, and realized he had tortured his guardian angel. He found me in Paris, fell to his knees in a crowded hotel lobby, and begged for forgiveness with tears in his eyes. I looked at the man who broke me and smiled. "Lie down and die, Dante," I said softly. "Because I have a life to live."
/1/103892/coverbig.jpg?v=4f92c2fad1ee9b6ef6d94b7aceaa9dba)
His Apathy, Her Freedom's Dawn
ModernI thought my arranged marriage to the ruthless tycoon Axel Flynn was a love story when he risked his life to save mine. But when his fragile childhood friend, Alicia, arrived, I saw the truth. He would panic if she got a paper cut, but he didn't bat an eye when I jumped out of planes. With his blessing, she stole my company, my life' s work. At my own birthday party, he announced her as the new director. When I screamed the truth, he had me drugged. He threw me into a dark isolation room in the basement for three days, with no food or water, because Alicia claimed I was "unstable." He dragged me out, weak and broken, and demanded I get on my knees to apologize to the woman who had destroyed me. I finally understood. His "love" was never love. It was apathy. He simply didn't care if I lived or died. So, after he believed her final, vicious lie and left me for dead, I took the divorce papers he'd carelessly signed and walked away. This time, for good.
/0/99116/coverbig.jpg?v=298faa513c0803f70fe768fd7dcd8e03)
Divorce Following Pregnancy
ModernIn the third year of their marriage, Liam became infatuated with his new secretary, Lindsay Price. She was open and bold. Her personal motto was "Fortune favors the bold." In bed, she knew countless different positions, and outside of it, she accompanied Liam in various thrilling activities. While he went out with Lindsay, he maintained the facade of a devoted husband by fabricating where he had been to Lillian Walsh. "I'm not coming home tonight. I was drunk, so I'm sleeping at the office." Lindsay chuckled beside him. She said with a hint of teasing provocation, "When are you going to divorce that boring old woman?" The call ended abruptly. Unbeknownst to them, Lillian was sitting in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department and staring at the pregnancy report at her fingertips. She had been pregnant for six weeks. After she left the hospital, she called her brother, Ricky Walsh, who was a lawyer. "Ricky, I need you to make a divorce agreement for me." Ricky paused briefly and then asked, "Are you sure about this?" Lillian replied calmly, "Yes. I'm pregnant. I plan to keep the baby myself."
/0/96217/coverbig.jpg?v=aa8d0c8e6658a6947cd9673361a73f73)
Breaking Free to Stardom
RomanceAs Dylan Andrews' kept companion, Elaine Willis was the epitome of perfection. To be readily available for her benefactor, she took on work for only three months each year, filming low-budget movies and maintaining a lukewarm career. Fully aware that Dylan saw her merely as a stand-in for his true love, she accepted it calmly, even deliberately mimicking the style of his beloved. Everyone mocked her as a fragile vine, unable to survive without a man, destined to be chained to Dylan's side forever. Yet, behind his back, she got two male escorts.
/0/94003/coverbig.jpg?v=cd8f5e068e26bb7f3acc719c91c4833d)
After Amnesia, I Became Forever Out of His Reach
RomanceAfter a week in a coma caused by a car accident, Grace Miller's boyfriend, Leonard Stone, suddenly regained his memory. He remembered the girl he longed for but could never have. So, the first thing Leonard did upon waking was to break up with Grace. "Anything that happened during my memory loss wasn't really my choice. From today, let's go our separate ways. Our relationship doesn't hold anymore." Grace didn't try to hold him back. Coincidentally, the new drug research in the lab had just succeeded, and Grace volunteered to participate in the trial. "Once you take this pill, these memories will be permanently erased. Grace, are you sure about your decision?"
You'll also like
/0/85678/coverbig.jpg?v=6a207a63cd0a42212d96a5e751493e4f)
Brilliance Unmasked: The Cold-Blooded Tycoon Wants His Vengeful Queen
Renard JendrockArabella, a state-trained prodigy, won freedom after seven brutal years. Back home, she found her aunt basking in her late parents' mansion while her twin sister scrounged for scraps. Fury ignited her genius. She gutted the aunt's business overnight and enrolled in her sister's school, crushing the bullies. When cynics sneered at her "plain background," a prestigious family claimed her and the national lab hailed her. Reporters swarmed, influencers swooned, and jealous rivals watched their fortunes crumble. Even Asher-the rumored ruthless magnate-softened, murmuring, "Fixed your mess-now be mine."
/0/95375/coverbig.jpg?v=37e4193c8b14e453853b3ee2adc5baee)
My Husband's Affair, My Anniversary Gift
Sharada"You'll be my wife on paper only. You'll have everything-except my heart. You'll never be Marina." For five years, Lily lived as David's secret wife-his poised secretary by day, his invisible stand-in by night. Every cold touch reminded her she was just a replacement. Every whispered "Marina" cut deeper than the last. Then his ex returned. And without hesitation, David cast Lily aside like she meant nothing. So she did what she should have done years ago. She signed the divorce papers. She walked away. But now, David couldn't escape her absence. Her silence burned him in ways Marina never could. And suddenly, the man who swore he'd never love her was determined to get her back. By any means necessary. Even if it meant breaking her all over again. She paid the price for loving him once. Now, he'd pay for losing her forever.
/0/98979/coverbig.jpg?v=a1ce0a1331abff954b01d4dd881f2719)
Mafia Queen to First Lady: A Reborn Pact with the President
Evelyn SparksLeland, the world's most eligible bachelor and powerful President, was rumored to be in love-with Valerie, the nation's favorite punchline. Once rejected by his nephew and scorned for her looks, Valerie faced public outrage for "leeching" off Leland's status and entering government circles. Elite society mocked, rivals sneered. But the tables turned: the mafia king was spotted carrying her bags, scientists begged for her help, and Valerie saved the nation. As chaos erupted, Leland posted on the presidential account. "My wife wants to dump me-how do I win her back? Urgent advice needed!"
/0/79054/coverbig.jpg?v=248fd387f8a7ef06a95d551925555a22)
HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION(An Erotic Billionaire Romance)
VivieneTrigger/Content Warning: This story contains mature themes and explicit content intended for adult audiences(18+). Reader discretion is advised. It includes elements such as BDSM dynamics, explicit sexual content, toxic family relationships, occasional violence and strong language. This is not a fluffy romance. It is intense, raw and messy, and explores the darker side of desire. ***** "Take off your dress, Meadow." "Why?" "Because your ex is watching," he said, leaning back into his seat. "And I want him to see what he lost." ••••*••••*••••* Meadow Russell was supposed to get married to the love of her life in Vegas. Instead, she walked in on her twin sister riding her fiance. One drink at the bar turned to ten. One drunken mistake turned into reality. And one stranger's offer turned into a contract that she signed with shaking hands and a diamond ring. Alaric Ashford is the devil in a tailored Tom Ford suit. Billionaire CEO, brutal, possessive. A man born into an empire of blood and steel. He also suffers from a neurological condition-he can't feel. Not objects, not pain, not even human touch. Until Meadow touches him, and he feels everything. And now he owns her. On paper and in his bed. She wants him to ruin her. Take what no one else could have. He wants control, obedience... revenge. But what starts as a transaction slowly turns into something Meadow never saw coming. Obsession, secrets that were never meant to surface, and a pain from the past that threatens to break everything. Alaric doesn't share what's his. Not his company. Not his wife. And definitely not his vengeance.
/0/97057/coverbig.jpg?v=2d27dd8693a7f5862bd6c3800fc73a6a)
Beg For My Love, Cold-Hearted CEO
Rowan WestSince she was ten, Noreen had been by Caiden's side, watching him rise from a young boy into a respected CEO. After two years of marriage, though, his visits home grew rare. Gossip among the wealthy said he despised her. Even his beloved mocked her hopes, and his circle treated her with scorn. People forgot about her decade of loyalty. She clung to memories and became a figure of ridicule, worn out from trying. They thought he'd won his freedom, but he dropped to his knees and begged, "Noreen, you're the only one I love." Leaving behind the divorce papers, she walked away.
/0/78458/coverbig.jpg?v=eeae7fcbdf452e964c10ce9006d36655)
The CEO's Amazing Ex-wife Is Back!
H. Dally"Please believe me. I didn't do anything!" Thalassa Thompson cried helplessly. "Take her away." Kris Miller, her husband, said coldly. He didn't care as she was humiliated for the whole world to see. What would you if the love of your life and the woman you considered your best friend betrayed you in the worse way possible? For Thalassa, the answer was only one; she's going to come back stronger and better and bring everyone who made her suffer to their knees. Let the games begin! ***** "I hate you." Kris gritted out, glaring into her eyes. Thalassa laughed. "Mr Miller, if you hate me so much, then why is your dick so hard?"
© 2018-now CHANGDU (HK) TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
6/F MANULIFE PLACE 348 KWUN TONG ROAD KL
Referrals
TOP
APP STORE
GOOGLE PLAY