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Knotted paths

Name: Knotted paths
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

Delighttale

5.0

Adventure

12 Chapters

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Lorenzo DeLuca is a man feared by many and loved by none. As the ruthless heir to the DeLuca crime empire, he built his power on blood, control, and unwavering discipline. But when his dying grandfather issues an ultimatum-marry or lose everything-Lorenzo has no choice but to secure a bride. Elena Romano, his sharp-witted personal assistant, never imagined herself entangled in the dark world of the mafia. But when Lorenzo offers her a contract marriage-a year-long arrangement with no emotions, no intimacy, and a million-dollar payout-she reluctantly agrees. It's supposed to be a business deal. Nothing more. But from the moment Elena steps into his world, the lines between duty and desire blur. Lorenzo finds himself drawn to her in ways he never expected, and Elena discovers that beneath his cold exterior lies a man haunted by shadows. Their passion is undeniable, their chemistry dangerous. And when Lorenzo's enemies discover his growing attachment to her, Elena becomes the ultimate target. When she's kidnapped, Lorenzo unleashes a wrath no one has ever seen. He will burn the city to the ground to get her back-because the one thing he swore he would never have, the one thing he believed was his greatest weakness, is the only thing he can't live without. The contract was supposed to end after a year. But love was never part of the deal. Now, Lorenzo must choose: Let her go, or fight for the only woman who ever made him feel alive.

Chapter 1 An Ultimatum from the past

The DeLuca estate stood tall against the night sky, a symbol of power built on blood, wealth, and unwavering control. Inside its towering walls, Lorenzo DeLuca sat across from the man who had shaped his existence-his grandfather, Don Salvatore DeLuca.

The old man lay in his massive four-poster bed, his body weak with age but his gaze as sharp as ever. Even in the dim light, his presence commanded the room.

"You will marry," the Don said, his voice low but firm. "And you will do it before I die."

Lorenzo clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening around the glass of whiskey in his hand. He had expected this conversation, but that didn't make it any less infuriating.

"With all due respect, Nonno," Lorenzo said, his tone clipped, "I don't need a wife to run the DeLuca empire."

His grandfather scoffed. "A man without a family is a man without loyalty. Your enemies already see you as a ruthless bastard with no heart. A wife will change that."

Lorenzo smirked, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "I thought being heartless was a good thing in our world."

"It is. Until the people beneath you start to doubt your stability." The Don's gray eyes bore into him. "You need a wife, Lorenzo. A marriage will secure your position as my successor. Otherwise-" He coughed violently, his body trembling as the illness took its toll.

Lorenzo stiffened, watching the once-mighty Don struggle for breath.

"Otherwise what?" he asked coldly.

The Don straightened, his voice regaining its strength. "Otherwise, I'll pass this empire to someone else. Someone with a family. Someone who understands the value of legacy."

The words hit like a bullet. Lorenzo knew what his grandfather was implying. There were other men in the family-cousins, distant relatives, all of them unworthy of the empire Lorenzo had built with his own two hands.

"You would rather hand over your legacy to some distant relative than to me?" Lorenzo's voice was quiet but lethal.

His grandfather's eyes didn't waver. "A king needs a queen. Without one, you are just a man holding a throne that will crumble beneath you."

Lorenzo exhaled slowly, willing the tension in his chest to ease. He wasn't a man who gave in to emotions. He dealt in logic, power, and control. And if control meant finding a wife to secure his empire, then so be it.

"I'll do it," he finally said.

The Don smiled, satisfied. "Good. You have six months."

Lorenzo stood, adjusting the cuffs of his expensive suit. "I won't waste time with courtship. This will be a business transaction. No emotions, no complications."

His grandfather let out a weak chuckle. "You think you can control everything, boy. But marriage-real marriage-is unpredictable."

Lorenzo ignored the words as he walked out of the room.

He had six months to find a wife.

And in his world, everything had a price-including love.

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Knotted paths

Contents

Chapter 1 An Ultimatum from the past

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