Aurora Marco, age 21.A blonde with emerald eyes trained from age 4 to be the wife of a dangerous and reckless Mafia Italy has ever known. Staring into her deadpan eyes in the mirror and wondering what her future will be like with her future husband. Will she be happy or ever live for herself for once? Will this contact marriage ever lead to love along the line or just as sad as other mafia marriages? She can only find out after the wedding ceremony ..... Matteo Rocco, a notorious Mafia Lord and sexy bad boy in Italy.Known for his ruthlessness in business dealings, getting whatever he wants whenever he wants it. Engaged from birth to the daughter of a former Mafia boss to merge his fallen empire with the high Lord Rocco to form a bigger Empire. Will Matteo's black and unloving heart be willing to open to his new bride? Will he ever show a side of him other than the Ruthlessness?
The room in which I stood stared emptily back at me. This is where I spent most of my 21 years of life. The huge mirror which was attached to the vanity my mother had given to me before she passed away stood at the very corner of the room. Sweet mother, I really wished she was here with me at this moment, only she would understand the pain that I was feeling.
All my life I have been raised by the notion, "A woman's place is behind her husband". I was raised to obey the wordings of a man, which of course only made me dislike them and disobey them in any way I could.
But this marriage........ I couldn't do that, my father would rip out my tongue if I ever said a word about it.
My mother never birthed a male child,2 girls down and still no male child till she died years ago shortly after my junior sister, Lucia was born. The only way to keep our already fallen empire alive was by a marriage merger with the ROCCOs. One which I never wanted.
From age 4 I was forced to learn everything I needed to know to be a mafia's wife. From knowing his favorite color to his favorite food, the first time he shot a gun and even killed his first enemy. It sounds untrue but it was true. I was groomed as the perfect wife without any flaws, not even a speck of flaws!
"AURORA, YOU NEED TO GET DOWN HERE"
The voice of my aunt Lia brought me back to my reality as I took one last glance at my room because I knew this would be the last time I'd ever get to see it. It was my safe place.
"I'll be down in a minute" I screamed back at her closing the doors and opening the adjoining door that led to my baby sister's room. She was the only person who I ever truly loved aside from my mom and I'll miss her a whole lot. I don't want to leave her here alone but I don't have a choice. I'm only agreeing to this marriage just so she can live a free life away from the Mafia life and be a happy girl, unlike the life I had to live growing up.
"Lucia, are you done" I asked and walked in without Lucia in sight. That's weird, she was definitely in her room dressing up moments ago. I walked into her dressing room, looking through the bathroom and the little studio room that was behind her dressing room yet couldn't find her. I walk down the stairs as I start to panic wondering what may have happened to her or caused her disappearance.
Reached down the stairs to where Aunt Lia was standing with her twin daughters, Isabella and Francesca.
"Has anyone seen Lucia, she's nowhere in her room or studio?"
Aunt Lia stares back at me as tho I am crazy, her daughters mutter inaudible replies and I sigh. Walking past them I head to the study where my mom left us countless books which I and my sister loved to read so much that we would lose track of time whilst in there.
I hear a sob come in and I knew at once it could only be Lucia who would come here and bawl her eyes out cause I'll be leaving. I walked in the direction of the sound till I found her crouched down by the bookshelf all by herself and wiping off tears that streamed down her face.
"Lucia....." I whispered as I brought my down to the same position as she. She looks up and doesn't say a word but that's fine because I know, and she knows. WE BOTH KNOW. And I can't help it because I have to go.
I raise her and wrap my arms around her holding back the tears that threaten to leave my eyes, I can't cry,not when she's here and also bawling out her eyes. We break our hug after she's stopped her tears and she looks up at me with big moist eyes.
"Will we ever see when you leave?" she asked as she sniffled and stared at me.
"Yes baby girl, I will always be your big sister and we will always see no matter what. Don't worry sorella, I'll talk to my fiancƩ when all is stable so you can move in with us okay?" I kissed her forehead and looked into her eyes which stared back at me with eyes gleaming with hope with the words I said.
(Sorrella: Sister in Italian)
"Now let's go and join the others downstairs so we won't miss out on the evening's fun. I heard the Rocco's own a library bigger than this with amazing collections of books which you would love"
"Yes yes yes" she squealed as she rushed out of the room with so much excitement that she almost tripped at the end of the stairs, but thanks to the quick response of the guard who was standing by the stairs who caught her right on time.
She looked back at me and laughed it off, her laughter and smile were so contagious that I couldn't help but laugh back at her alongside my cousins who joined in the laughter just because they found the situation funny. "Kids will always be kids," I thought to myself.
I join them and we walk down to the limousine which was parked outside waiting to talk to us the Rocco's CASTLE. Yes a literal castle, the house was huge and looked like a castle from the outside. I have only seen it in the picture that my dad showed to me when I was age 8, telling me I'd be a princess who would be living in Rocco's castle.
Talking about pictures, I don't know what my soon-to-be husband looks like. I was never allowed to see him or even get a glimpse of him. You might ask me why I didn't look I'm up on the internet or social media. I don't own a phone or have ever been allowed to own one. If ever needed to look up anything on the internet I used the iPad in the library which of course my aunt kept a tab of my browsing history restricting my access to many things happening outside my home and of course.......what my fiancƩ looked like. I just hope he's handsome as I heard Aunt Lia say he is.....
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
Marrying her best friend was a dream come true for Kelly, but everything truly has a limitation. Pierce is Kellyās first love, but as his best friend, she knew well there was always another woman deep in his heart. Lexi Gilbert. The woman Pierce could never forget even if he had already been arranged to marry Kelly. *** Kelly finally realized their happy marriage of the last three years was just a beautiful dream when Pierce asked for a divorce just because Lexi returned. She could only be his best friend even if she was carrying his baby. *** Since their friendship had become a cage, Kelly chose to set him free, as well as the miserable herself. But why then, it was Pierce who became the one who refused to move on? To make matters worse, her devil stepbrother also domineeringly stepped in at the same time, asking her to be his. *** Her Prince Charming vs. Her Devil Stepbrother? How could Kelly save her heart in this battle of love and hate?
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry himā¦"
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. Whatās worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldnāt thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesnāt seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that heās different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
Maria took her sisterās place and was engaged to Anthony, a disabled man who had lost his status as the family heir. At first, they were just a nominal couple. However, things changed when things about Maria were gradually exposed. It turned out she was a professional hacker, a mysterious composer, and the sole successor to an international jade sculpting master⦠The more that was revealed about her, the less Anthony could rest easy. A famous singer, an award-winning actor, an heir of a rich familyāso many excellent men were chasing after his fiancee, Maria. What should Anthony do?