Too Late to Love Me A Dark Emotional Mafia Romance Evelyn Laurent gave up everything for love. Her dreams. Her body. Her voice. For seven years, she was the perfect wife - silent, loyal, invisible. Until the man she married invited his first love into their home... and asked for an open marriage. Now Evelyn is rebuilding from the ashes - alone, heartbroken, and starting over with nothing. Then she meets Rafael De'Luca. Quiet. Powerful. Dangerous. He offers her support... but there's something in his eyes that says he sees more than she's ready to share. He touches her like no man ever has. He makes her feel again - desired, safe, alive. But Rafael has secrets too. And one of them... could destroy everything. How do you love the man who holds the key to your past?
Evelyn's POV
---
Blood was not supposed to be part of this story. Not today. Not like this.
I sat on the cold bathroom floor, my knees pulled tightly to my chest, my arms shaking. The white tiles beneath me were stained red. The pain in my lower stomach came in waves, sharp and cruel. I didn't scream. I didn't cry. I just sat there, rocking slowly like a child trying to calm herself.
I was losing my baby.
Our baby.
A tiny life that had barely begun, now slipping away without a sound. No heartbeat. No chance.
I didn't know what to do. I should've gone to the hospital. I should've called an ambulance. But I didn't want strangers. I wanted him.
I reached for my phone on the counter, my hand smearing blood across the screen as I unlocked it with shaking fingers.
Damian.
His name was still saved as My Love.
I hit call.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then finally-
"Yeah?" His voice was calm. Distant. Like I had interrupted something.
I pressed the phone to my ear, my lip trembling. "I... I lost it," I whispered. A long silence.
I waited.
And then, he sighed.
"Evelyn... I'm with Lillian right now. She needs me."
I froze.
He didn't ask if I was okay. Didn't ask where I was. If I needed help. Nothing.
"She needs you?" I asked softly, my voice barely holding together. "I'm your wife. I'm losing our baby."
"She's going through something. I'll check in later, okay?"
Then I heard it-Lillian's voice, light and sweet in the background.
"Who are you talking to, Damian?"
And his answer, sharp and final.
"No one."
Then the line went dead.
I didn't even realize I had dropped the phone until I heard it hit the floor. The crack echoed through the bathroom like a gunshot.
I stared at the screen, now broken, lying face-down beside my blood-soaked knees. No one.
That's what I was to him.
No one.
The call ended.
The screen went dark. No one.
I don't know how long I sat there, staring at the broken phone. Maybe minutes. Maybe hours. Everything moved in slow motion.
The blood between my legs had cooled. My thighs were sticky. The ache in my stomach had faded into a deep, dull emptiness.
I was cold. So cold.
I looked down at the towels I had tried to wedge beneath me. Useless. They were soaked through. Red everywhere. The floor. My hands. The hem of my nightdress. My baby was gone, and all I had left was a mess I had to clean myself.
There was no one coming.
No arms to carry me. No soft words to soothe me. No voice saying, "You're not alone."
I reached for the edge of the counter and pulled myself up. My legs shook, but I didn't let myself fall. I couldn't afford to fall.
Damian wasn't coming.
I took off the stained nightdress. Moved like a ghost under the harsh white lights. My hands trembled as I wiped the floor. I scrubbed and scrubbed, tears blurring my vision until all I saw was red. Red on tile. Red on skin. Red in the sink.
I threw the towels into the basket. Ran a bath. Sat in the steaming water with my arms wrapped around my knees, my forehead resting on them.
I didn't cry.
Tears would've made it real.
I stayed in that tub until the water went cold. Until my skin puckered and my fingers turned pale and wrinkled.
I got out, dried myself, changed into fresh clothes. Slower than I ever had in my life. Then I opened the linen closet. Pulled out clean towels. Bleached the floor.
I wiped every trace of it away. Every drop. Every memory.
It didn't happen. If I could erase the evidence, maybe it didn't happen.
By the time I was done, it was past two in the morning. My body was screaming at me to rest. But I didn't want to lie down. I didn't want to close my eyes and dream of what could've been.
Still, I made tea. The same kind I used to drink when I was pregnant and nauseous. It sat untouched on the table.
I sat beside it in silence.
I waited.
Not for him.
For the numbness to go deep enough so it wouldn't hurt anymore.
I don't know when I fell asleep. My head dropped against the chair. My arms wrapped around my stomach, as if I could hold the baby that was no longer there.
And when I woke to the sound of the door opening... it wasn't hope I felt. It was shame.
---
---
The next morning, the pain had dulled, but the emptiness stayed.
I moved slowly around the apartment. The same apartment where we once laughed, where he once kissed me against the kitchen counter, where I once believed he loved me.
I cleaned the bathroom in silence. I didn't cry. I couldn't.
The smell of bleach mixed with the coppery scent of blood. I washed every towel, threw away the test I had saved-the one that read positive in soft pink lines. I had planned to surprise him. I even bought tiny white baby shoes.
They were still hidden in my closet.
By evening, I was sitting at the table with a cup of untouched tea. The clock ticked past ten. Damian still wasn't home.
I thought about texting him. Asking if he was okay. But what would I say?
"Did Lillian need you again?"
"Do you still remember I exist?"
"Do you know what it feels like to lose a child while lying alone in a pool of blood?"
No.
I wouldn't text.
I had already reached out. He'd already let me fall.
The door finally opened at 10:43 p.m.
He walked in like everything was normal. His shirt was slightly wrinkled, the top buttons undone. He looked... relaxed. Like he had a good evening.
His eyes barely flicked to me.
"Hey," he said, dropping his keys on the counter.
I stared at him. Said nothing.
He sniffed. "Something smells weird in here."
I swallowed, tightening my fingers around the mug.
That smell was bleach. And blood. And heartbreak.
"I cleaned the bathroom," I said softly.
He didn't respond.
Just shrugged off his jacket and walked down the hall toward our bedroom. His bedroom now. I hadn't slept there in days.
The door clicked shut behind him.
I sat in silence.
And that's when it hit me.
He never asked.
He never asked how I was. Never mentioned the baby. Never said a word about what I'd told him.
As if it never happened.
As if I never happened.
I slowly rose from the table and walked to the bedroom door. My hand hovered over the handle.
But I didn't knock.
I turned and walked to the guest room.
My bed now.
I lay there, staring at the ceiling, the silence pressing heavy against my chest.
My hand drifted to my stomach.
Empty.
Gone.
And just before my eyes closed, I heard the faint sound of a woman's laugh... coming from down the hall.
Isabella Gray has spent her life fighting for her family's legacy, pouring her heart into saving their crumbling business. But when her efforts lead her to the doorstep of Ethan Hawthorne-a billionaire with a reputation as cold as the skyscrapers he owns-her world is thrown into chaos. Ethan offers her an unthinkable deal: pose as his fiancée to secure a critical business merger, and in return, he'll save her family's company from ruin. It's a proposition that could solve all her problems... or break her heart. As they navigate high-society galas, boardroom battles, and stolen moments of undeniable passion, Isabella begins to see the man behind the ruthless mask. But when secrets from Ethan's past threaten to unravel everything, Isabella is forced to decide: can she trust the man who holds her future in his hands, or is their love just another transaction? In a world of power plays and forbidden desires, will their love affair rise above the stakes-or crash under the weight of deception? "Whispers of a Forbidden Heart" is a sizzling billionaire romance that will leave you breathless and craving more. Perfect for fans of passion, drama, and unexpected twists.
In a world where your values are determined by a procedure,Adrian Kane is the perfect person of the system: A special billionaire with everything money can buy except freedom. Below this whole aspect lies a dangerous secret: He's planning to destroy the very foundation of his power. Cynthia, a brilliant but disobedient tech engineer,has spent years to find out the code behind the system that controls the society.when her hacking leads her straight to Adrian's world,she finds out a man has been trapped by the system as those under it. Unfortunately, Adrian doesn't turn her in,he makes her an offer: partner with him to destroy the system from within.Together, they must plot a road plan for a world of hidden dangers, merciless enemies,and unwanted desires. But as their plan takes shape, so does their undeniable connection of love fall on them both. Can they rewrite their futures, or will the system prove too powerful to break ? The story is a fascinating billionaire romance with an exciting twist, dark secret, and a love worth doing everything for.
In a world where your values are determined by a procedure,Adrian Kane is the perfect person of the system: A special billionaire with everything money can buy except freedom. Below this whole aspect lies a dangerous secret: He's planning to destroy the very foundation of his power. Cynthia, a brilliant but disobedient tech engineer,has spent years to find out the code behind the system that controls the society.when her hacking leads her straight to Adrian's world,she finds out a man has been trapped by the system as those under it. Unfortunately, Adrian doesn't turn her in,he makes her an offer: partner with him to destroy the system from within.Together, they must plot a road plan for a world of hidden dangers, merciless enemies,and unwanted desires. But as their plan takes shape, so does their undeniable connection of love fall on them both. Can they rewrite their futures, or will the system prove too powerful to break ? The story is a fascinating billionaire romance with an exciting twist, dark secret, and a love worth doing everything for.
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
For the whole 17 years of her existence, Alana did not know the word freedom and happiness having been confined in the basement of her family's house accused of killing her own mother. She's beaten, cursed at, and barely survived from crumbs of food thrown at her. She thought this is her final destiny and has accepted the bitter fate of her life not until the night of her 18th birthday, a mysterious alpha appeared at her door telling her that she is the long-lost daughter of the alpha king and claiming her as his mate he's been looking for several years now.
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?
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"