In a city run by a crime organization, Isabella "Izzy" Moretti is a smart law student torn between wanting a normal life and being drawn to a dangerous lifestyle she tries to escape. But when she accidentally gets involved with the infamous DeLuca family, led by the ruthless Santino DeLuca, Izzy's life changes completely.With all its bloodshed, power struggles, and treacheries, she has to find her way through an era of crime and love where even affection can be as perilous as treachery.
The gala was just like other events: a fancy gathering in a decorated room, filled with beautiful dresses, tailored suits, and the scent of quality wine. Izzy Moretti wished she could escape every minute of it.
She could see her brother Giovanni, far across the room, engrossed in an animated discussion with several of the family's associates. She could guess already what the topic was going to be: more business, more threats, and more deals sealed with a handshake. Her family existed in a constant realm of power, betrayal, and an unspoken understanding that if you didn't play the game, you were dead.
Promising herself that she would never be like them was the one vow Izzy kept. But there she stood, surprisingly at such a place as no one else ever anticipated in a black gown of value surpassing the annual salaries of most people, playing the role she had never wanted to play.
One of the men in the group stood with his back to the far wall scanning the crowd and when she looked up, fixing their gaze at once, his own recognition hit her like an electric shock.
Santino DeLuca.
The heir to the DeLuca crime family. A name she had heard spoken in both fear and respect. He was a shadow in her life for as long as she could remember-always there, never too far from the chaos her family was involved in. Still, she'd never seen him face to face.
Izzy quickly turned back to her glass, pretending not to notice the way his eyes seemed glued to hers. But there was something hypnotic in Santino, something perilous that made her feel simultaneously safe and insecure around him.
A soft voice pulled her from her thoughts.
"Izzy," came the low murmur from her side. Turning, she found Sofia Romano, Santino's enforcer, and a childhood friend of his. Sofia was everything Izzy wasn't: cold, calculating, and completely loyal to the DeLuca family.
"You're staring at him," Sofia said, her keen gaze not leaving Santino for a second. "Be careful, or you might give a wrong impression."
"I wasn't staring," Izzy lied, forcing a smile. "Just... noticing."
Sofia raised an eyebrow. "Awareness of his presence or awareness of his gaze on you?"
Before Izzy could answer, a familiar voice called out her name.
"Izzy!" Giovanni burst out of the crowd, his presence impossible to ignore. He was tall and had their father's dark eyes, as well as the same defined jawline. But where their father had wielded sheer brute force, Giovanni had mastered the art of domination by cleverness. A very dangerous combination.
She forced a smile. "Giovanni. Enjoying the party?"
"As much as I ever do," he said dryly, glancing toward Santino. "What are you doing over here with Sofia? Stay away from him."
Izzy frowned. "From Santino? Why?"
"Don't play dumb. The DeLucas are our enemies, Izzy. Even looking at him is a problem." Giovanni lowered his voice to a growl. "He's been trying to encroach on our territory. We need to steer clear of him and his family."
"I'm not a kid, Giovanni," Izzy shot back, her voice angry. "I can choose who to talk to."
"Not in this world," Giovanni snapped, his eyes ice. "In this world, your choices are taken from you."
Izzy gritted her teeth, wanting to shout back. Being called a kid was the last thing she wanted, especially when it involved stuff she knew all too well. But before she could say anything, the room changed somehow. A faint shift, a species of tension that simply couldn't be ignored.
And then, Santino DeLuca was standing right before them.
"Izzy," he said smoothly, his voice a velvet whisper sending a shiver down her spine. He wasn't looking at Giovanni. His eyes were all for her.
It's been a while. She took a deep breath to stay calm.
"Has it?" she asked, her tone calm while inside her chest raced.
Santino smiled slightly, then the glint of amusement appeared in his eyes. "You don't remember when we last met?"
Izzy tried to remember, but the only hazy memories she had of the DeLucas were just that, vague and distant - whispers of deals, threats, power struggles. Her family had always kept her away from those dealings. But Luca, the infamous heir, was a different story.
She said, "I don't think we've met before," even though she knew she was lying. She remembered his name from a tense, fearful night many years ago.
But it's not like she was about to tell him that.
"Funny," Santino said, his smile deepening, "I remember you."
Giovanni tensed beside her, his body suddenly brimming with hostility. "What do you want, DeLuca?"
Santino's gaze shifted to Giovanni, and his face grew more frigid. "A conversation only. Nothing more. Nothing less."
Izzy's stomach churned. She knew Santino's type; he didn't do anything without an agenda and her brother was not the type to entertain any such conversation.
"We don't have time for your games, DeLuca," Giovanni said sharply. "You are not wanted here."
Unperturbed, Santino raised his hand. "I am not here for your business, Giovanni. I am here for hers."
Izzy's chest tightened. "For me?" she said, in a voice which was barely above a whisper.
His gaze never left her. "Yes, I want to speak with you, Izzy. Alone."
The statement hung in the air, pregnant with meaning. Giovanni tightened his jaw, but before he could retort, Izzy turned to him and spoke in a steady yet emphatic tone.
"I'll be fine, Giovanni. You don't have to worry."
Giovanni warned her, "You don't know what you are getting into," his eyes showing his worry. She looked at him in a way that made him quiet; she was no longer a child.
"I'm not going anywhere with you," she said to Santino, her voice harsh but tinged with interest. "Not like this."
Luca's expression softened ever so slightly. "Fine. I'll wait until you're ready. But just know, Izzy, it's not if you're coming it's when."
As Luca turned to go, he left a single business card, folded into the drapes of her dress, a reminder that the DeLucas weren't simply an aspect of her world; they were already part of her destiny.
"It won't fit," I whispered, my breath hitching as he leaned closer, his lips grazing my ear. His voice was dark, commanding, and impossibly seductive. "You have no idea what your body is capable of. Relax and let me teach you." Alessia never believed in fairy tales. Life had taught her that happy endings were a cruel illusion. Struggling to care for her sick mother, she's spent years working dead-end jobs, her sharp tongue and stubborn nature ensuring she never stayed anywhere for long. Now, she's a bartender in a shady Sicilian bar, juggling rowdy customers and a boss who thinks a raise is only for women willing to strip. Then he walked in. Luca Romano is a man of few words but commands a room with his presence. The whispers about him are conflicting-billionaire, recluse, criminal mastermind. Women throw themselves at his feet, but his cold, detached demeanor makes one thing clear: he doesn't care about anyone. Yet when Alessia crosses his path, everything changes. What begins as a business arrangement-a desperate woman agreeing to play the role of his date for one night-quickly spirals into something much darker. Luca's possessiveness knows no bounds, and Alessia finds herself drawn into a world of power, danger, and unrelenting desire. But Luca has secrets as deep as his scars, and his love is anything but gentle. He's a man consumed by vengeance, his methods ruthless, his emotions raw. Alessia thought she could handle his intensity, but the closer she gets, the more she realizes there's no escaping him. He doesn't just want her. He owns her. And as their twisted romance unfolds, Alessia must decide-can she endure the man who terrifies her and captivates her in equal measure? Or will his darkness consume them both.
Isabella is the powerless omega who was rejected by her destined mate, Alpha Damon, in front of the whole pack because he felt that she was not good for him. Alpha Damon chooses Nadia over Isabella not knowing that the moon goddess made the right choice for him. What happens now? Will the moon goddess choose another mate for her? What about the Alpha? Will he come back to her or go ahead to marry the one he has chosen?
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?
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
Becky endured three years of marriage to the cold-hearted Rory. In all that time, she naively reasoned that one day, he'd gradually come to like her. But the second he forced her to kneel down and humiliate herself, she knew she had been wrong about him. This man had no feelings for her at all. So why should she still love him? When Rory gave her the choice between kneeling down and divorcing, she didn't miss a beat and chose the latter. After all, why should she waste her youth on this scumbag? Wouldn't it be nicer for her to just have fun every day with her billion-dollar family fortune?