When Jimena, a young single mother with a dark past and a violent ex she's desperate to forget, crosses paths with Alessio Fanucci, a dangerous mafia heir, her world is turned upside down. All she wanted was to get by working as a maid at the Fanucci mansion and to keep her distance from the three infamous Fanucci brothers as much as possible. Things take a turn when the oldest brother and heir, Alessio, breaks off his arranged engagement with his ex and urgently needs a new one. Alessio, cold, ruthless, dominant, and not someone anyone talks back to, sees the quiet Jimena as nothing more than his pawn. Meanwhile, she sees Alessio as nothing more than another monster she needs to escape. As they spend more time together, the lines between fake and reality begin to blur, and they discover they have more in common than they initially thought. Tensions rise when Jimena's ex returns, threatening her new comfortable life and the secrets she's been withholding. He is out for revenge and is determined to go to any length for it, even if that means forming an alliance with the Fanuccis' enemy, who happens to be the family of Alessio's ex. With a war, untold truths, and feelings at stake, will Jimena's newly formed bonds keep standing, or will everything around her crumble?
Mena
"There should be no talking to the Fanuccis, no looking at the Fanuccis, and unless necessary-no breathing near the Fanuccis."
With my hands perfectly behind my back, I paid attention to the strict head maid of the huge mansion.
"You are here to work!" The woman named Madam Catherina spoke clearly. My eyes wandered to the other newly recruited maids. A small group of ten. None of them looked younger than twenty-four, meaning I had to be the youngest.
The mansion belonged to one of the most feared men in the city, Domenico Fanucci. Although he tried covering his tracks behind a family vineyard and brewery, everyone knew him as one of the most ruthless and notorious mafia bosses.
His sons had quite the reputation in the city as well, and it was not a good one. There was the youngest brother, Dante, known for his playboy ways, the middle child, Gian, known for his lack of manners, and at last, the oldest, the heir-Alessio, known for his hideous temper, cold aura, and handsome looks.
The youngest and only daughter, Melody, was a six-year-old firecracker, nicknamed the princess of the house, and apparently, she was difficult to handle.
She seemed the complete opposite from my daughter of the same age.
I didn't take Madam Catherina's words lightly. There was a reason why she had told us all of this, and truthfully-I didn't want to find out.
"Every single thing that reaches your ear and wasn't supposed to, will stay within this mansion," she continued. "Don't forget the non-disclosure agreement you have all agreed to sign. Follow the rules."
"And what if we don't?" One woman beside me dared to ask.
A chuckle escaped from Madam's lips, followed by a heavy sigh. "Well then, I suppose we'd be sending you back to where you came from... in a body bag." she muttered.
"E-Excuse me, Madam?"
"Nothing!" Madam clapped her hands. "Now, back to your posts, everyone! I expect everything to be impeccable. Remember, perfection is the standard here!"
~
With a damp rag in my hand, I scrubbed the marble floors. Looking at the clock, I could not believe it had only been one hour. The time seemed to move in slow motion.
My back ached as I worked myself to the bone, but I didn't stop. Madam Catherina had eyes everywhere, and losing this job was the last thing I needed at the moment.
My focus was interrupted when a maid from the opposite end of the hallway began sweeping the floor toward me. It was a new face, one I had not seen with the recruits from earlier.
The blonde maid showed me a soft smile, and I hesitantly gave her one in return. Interacting with new people had never been my strong suit. I wasn't shy, not at all. I was just a strong believer that fewer faces meant less drama.
"Hey there," the maid lowered herself to the floor, breaking the silence. "I'm Liza."
"Jimena," I introduced myself, wringing the rag in my hand. "But you can call me Mena."
"So, how's your first day going?" Liza asked, her eyes full of curiosity.
"Ah, it's... it's alright," I replied, focusing my gaze back on the polished floor. I bet Madam Catherina also had ears everywhere. "Have you been working here for a long time?"
"Just a year," she said, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Feels like forever sometimes, though."
I rolled my eyes before taking a huff. "I can imagine."
"So what brings you here, Jimena?"
This was the part I didn't like regarding meeting new people. She had asked me a question, and she expected me to answer.
"I... I just needed a change," I finally responded, twisting the truth. I feared sharing the real reason might make Liza run off, or worse, tell others, which would escalate in people pitying me. "I'm from a small town in Texas. There's not really much to do."
The truth was much harsher. I had run from my abusive ex, carrying my daughter, Natalie, with nothing more than the clothes on our backs. After a month of working at a diner for silly pay, I was desperate for stability. I wanted my daughter to have a better life than I did. I needed her to have that.
Both my parents were deadbeats, but she had a mother that cared. One willing to do anything for her.
"A change is good!" Liza responded. "I'm from the countryside myself. It's quiet, peaceful, but too peaceful, you know? I also needed something different."
But was it really that bad to live peacefully? Working for the Fanuccis had not exactly been at the top of my list. If it wasn't for him, I would kill to get back to the country side.
Our conversation was cut short by the sound of approaching footsteps, followed by a gasp leaving Liza's mouth. Suddenly, her hand clutched mine.
"Get up and clear the path," she whispered hurriedly. "Come on!"
Scrambling to my feet, I could see that all the other maids did the same and moved against a wall.
As I joined them, my eyes shifted down the hall, and there they were.
The infamous Fanucci brothers.
Dante, Gian, and Alessio.
In an instant, I looked at Alessio who stood in the center and buzzed with authority. His looks were dangerously charming. His dark hair, almost black, was slicked back, and his piercing brown eyes focused straight ahead. He was handsome, eye candy actually, and anyone denying it would've been stupid.
"Keep your head down, Mena," Liza breathed into my ear, her voice barely above a whisper. "You do not want to give them the impression that you're interested."
I gasped softly, instantly bowing my head so low that I was practically staring at my worn-out shoes. Grabbing the attention of one of the brothers was not something I desired.
Nervously, I held my breath until the footsteps passed.
Still, I couldn't help but take a peak and looked to the left. Unfortunately, Dante Fanucci had chosen that exact moment to glance back, and our eyes met.
His brows arched upon noticing my gaze, and then he shot me a flirtatious wink. A wicked grin was plastered on his olive skin, and his hazel eyes seemed determined. They were still kind. A sharp contrast to the cold vibe of his two elder brothers.
Dante turned his heel, twisting back around, and my heart pounded like a drum in my chest. Lowering my gaze was not an option as he marched towards me with a goal.
His two brothers followed suit, and then they stood in front of me.
"You're new here, aren't you?" Dante asked, his tone carrying a hint of mischief.
"Y-Yes, Sir." I stuttered. We were probably around the same age, but I wouldn't dare speak informally to the son of Dom Fanucci.
"And your name?"
"Jimena." I managed, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.
Shamelessly, Dante scanned my body up and down before his eyes landed on my hands, still filthy from all the work I had done. I instinctively hid them behind my back, embarrassed by my appearance.
"You've been working hard today," Dante said. "You deserve a break. Come, have a drink in my room. We can get to know each other a bit better."
"N-No, thank you, Sir." I kindly rejected. "I should get back to work."
"I wasn't asking, Jimena." Although his tone had become a bit more demanding, his gaze was still polite and soft.
I bit my lip nervously, my stomach turning with anxiety as I had run out of words to say. I should've known, there was no saying no to a Fanucci. It just wasn't as easy as that.
Was this what Madam Catherina and Liza had been warning me about?
I opened my mouth, but before I could respond, Alessio stepped in, patting Dante's back.
His sharp eyes met mine as he spoke to his younger brother. "She doesn't want to, Dante. I'm afraid you've been rejected," Alessio told him, his tone expressing a hint of amusement.
I could not see it in his eyes, though. I doubted that man was capable of laughing.
A rush of relief washed over me at Alessio's gesture. He didn't do it for me. It was to prove a point to his younger brother, but it was still appreciated.
Dante shrugged, rotating his eyes as he made a nonchalant sound in the back of his throat.
Gian chuckled, shaking his head. "Rejected by a maid, I've seen it all now!" He commented, casually offending me as if it was an everyday thing to him.
"Yeah whatever, it's fine," Dante accepted with a careless wave of his hand. A challenging smile appeared on his lips. "Then I guess I'll see you around, Jimena."
With that being said, the three brothers walked away.
All it took was one second.
One second to make eye contact, and a few more seconds for them to find out my name.
What have I done?
Getting pregnant by her boss after a one-night stand and suddenly leaving her job as stripper was the last thing Serena had hoped for, and to make matters worse he is the heir to the mafia. Serena is calm while Christian is fearless and outspoken but somehow the two have to make it work. When Christian forces Serena to go through with a fake engagement she tries her hardest to fit in the family and the luxurious life the women live while Christian is fighting as hard as he can to keep his family safe, but everything takes a turn when the hidden truth about Serena and her birth parents comes out. Their idea was to play pretend until the baby was born and the rule was to not fall in love, but plans don't always go as expected. Will Christian be able to protect the mother of his unborn child? And will they end up catching feelings for one another?
He loved me for eight years, but in the end, he drove me out in person. In pain, I saw him and my sister love each other and treat me as a tool to cure my sister. He even killed our child! Hatred is burning like fire. I'm determined to take revenge. Two years later, I came back forcefully. I was no longer the woman who loved him in the dust. The man who had been cruel and indifferent to me before had become as gentle as water. He even knelt on the ground and begged for my forgiveness. "I'm sorry, in the future, I am willing to atone for my sins with the rest of my life." Just as I was about to continue my revenge, I slowly realized that I was not completely ignorant of what had happened in the past two years. Should my revenge plan continue?
Three years ago, the Moore family opposed Charles Moore's choice to marry his beloved woman and selected Scarlett Riley as his bride. Charles didn't love her. In fact, he hated her. Not long after they got married, Scarlett received an offer from her dream university and jumped on it. Three years later, Charles's beloved woman fell terribly ill. In order to fulfill her last wish, he called Scarlett back and presented her with a divorce agreement. Scarlett was deeply hurt by Charles's abrupt decision, but she chose to let him go and agreed to sign the divorce papers. However, Charles seemed to delay the process deliberately, leaving Scarlett confused and frustrated. Now, Scarlett was trapped between the consequences of Charles's indecision. Would she be able to break free from him? Would Charles eventually come to his senses and face his true feelings?
For the sake of their company, Atasha Rae was forced to marry the known heartless billionaire, Lorcan Amadeus. But it only took her a week as his wife because later on, he suddenly wants a divorce immediately. So as he wished, she signed the divorce paper even after admitting to herself that she was somehow starting to fall inlove with him. Heart badly wounded, she ran away from his life. Until she discovers that she's pregnant with his child and as a result, she ends up with no choice but to keep it a secret. Out of Lorcan's awareness, she's keeping a secret that would lead him to an overflowing regret. Because for a week of their fallen marriage beyond repair, she's carrying the billionaire's heir.
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true stature—the wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."