Introduction
2-years-ago if I stood on this very podium, with this man across from me, I would have smiled similar to the way I am now. The white dress hugging my body then a promise of honesty and trust as I glowed with a warmth knotting my stomach walls.
Only then, my smile would've been comfortable, wrapped in genuine joy, because then I loved him. At that stage in my life, he was my world and I would have laid myself on the floor where he walked with his blood-stained soles. And I would have done it naked, ready to bare myself to this one man with a smile on my face.
A smile that wasn't bold, or soaked with the whisper of revenge. My heart would have beat with love, and not in the threat that now lurks outside these Church walls, waiting with finite patience that would soon be over. This marriage is no fairy-tale.
Chapter 1
Aliyana
Leonardo da Vinci once wrote, Black is like a broken vessel, which is deprived of the capacity to contain anything. I wonder what he thought of the color white. Did he think it was a sign of purity? Or did he too look upon whiteness as a false brightness, a lie?
2-years-ago if I stood on this very podium, with this man across from me, I would have smiled similar to the way I am now. The white dress hugging my body then a promise of honesty and trust as I glowed with a warmth knotting my stomach walls.
Only then, my smile would've been comfortable, wrapped in genuine joy, because then I loved him. At that stage in my life, he was my world and I would have laid myself on the floor where he walked with his blood-stained soles. And I would have done it naked, ready to bare myself to this one man with a smile on my face.
A smile that wasn't bold, or soaked with the whisper of revenge. My heart would have beat with love, and not in the threat that now lurks outside these Church walls, waiting with finite patience that would soon be over. This marriage is no fairy-tale.
Yes, this entire scene once had the potential to be the perfect imagery of a great folklore tale where the devil married his angel. But I am not the angel, I'm the bad one.
Since I am going for honesty, I should also point out that this man is not the devil. The devil was once an angel. Marco Catelli has never known a day of what it feels like to be pure.
He only knows evil, hurt, pain, and hatred. And the only greatness in this entire Church is my hate for this one man, my future husband.
He lifts my hand, enclosing it in his own. I need not look into the crowd to know the women are glaring at me in disgust and jealousy. I am marrying a Catelli.
The few PEOPLE happy about this union are old and might think Marco's hand over mine means he loves me. But I assure you, love is not the case of point. He is squashing my hand, his cynical eyes are stabbing me to death, over and over again.
Marco Catelli is showing me he will soon have power over me.
This isn't a Union of Love; this is the Union of Death. Marco isn't marrying me for the life he claims to breed with me in the foreseeable future. He is marrying me to avenge the one he has already claimed as his own. He is slipping this ring on my finger because I am the one with the tools he now needs in his arsenal to start a war.
I am the last choice. His last step into the darkness. And my inevitable early grave is the only solace he offers.
My father told me Marco was obsessed with the idea of me. But I know that is not true, Marco Catelli's only obsession is feeding his addiction to power. It has blinded him to the extent that he can't see, that I, Aliyana Capello his future bride, is his most dangerous enemy.
If he thinks I am going to just allow him to use me, I will relish in his misery when he realizes I am not the mouse he was so in love with. Camilla Moretti was foolish and whatever led her to her untimely death was her own doing.
She wanted to play a game with the wrong players and like Ren; they took her out like a pawn:- worthless and dispensable.
But for me, I have gained Queen status. I am as evil and cunning as Marco's biggest adversary, Lucca Sanati. The man they all search for. A man who chose to make an enemy out of me when he took someone he was not supposed to touch.
"Do you take Marco Catelli to be your lawfully wedded husband, through sickness and in health, until you both shall live?" The word no comes to my lips. I should say it.
My true-love remains buried in a shallow grave that is still wet, in the middle of nowhere thanks to this man. I should say no. I look at him, his clean-shaven jaw, harder than I remember it. Those obsidian eyes that once burned with so much heat, I felt touched by the sun, now empty, freeze me in that my skin is still covered in Goosebumps from the time I arrived here, 37 minutes ago.
"Yes," I say it and like a tick of a clock my fake smile drops.
It boggles my mind how one simple word can have such a life-altering outcome to one's life. Is that what my existence has now come down to? Is that all that my freedom meant? One word and it is all gone. Sold at a low cost of pride to the man with the biggest title. How shallow has it all become? And I have said yes, sealed it all, and now I am the official Mrs. Catelli.
I take a deep breath, as the flashes of last night remind me of why I am here, and I tell myself that biding my time is my only option.
The ring my father chose comes into view by my small cousin Bernardino and as I take it my eyes drift to the man sitting in the front of the Church row, my father, my jailer who just gave me away.
A deep throat clears and my heart beats in equal measures of fear and nerves as I face my soon to be husband and hold the hand that just hours ago, left the mark on my neck. Funny isn't it. What is hilarious is I slip the band on his finger knowing full well that he is not yet done with me.
It is sad that a tear betrays me, as it slips down the side of my cheek. Life can sometimes be a cruel joke.
How did it all come to this? When did I make the wrong choice?
My name is Aliyana Capello, daughter of Consigliere Sartini Capello, and today on June 23rd, 2014, I became the wife of Marco Catelli, The Capo Dei Capi of the 5th State.
The man who killed my lover, best friend, and who now wishes to kill me. And this is my confession.
Camilla
6-years-Old
America, the place where dreams come true and white picket fences are a must.
"Miss Moretti, your grandfather sends his apologies but he will not be coming to your birthday. He said to enjoy the evening."
"Couldn't he have just called and told me that himself," I say to Ridwano, my 2nd bodyguard, or was he the first?
"Scusi Signorina." Sorry Miss.
I sigh but say nothing else, as the car continues to travel along the road of no real destination.
There is pros and cons that come with the title of Dante Moretti's granddaughter.
Pro's were far and few between because the con's always slapped me right in the face. Today is no different, only today instead of wasting this chance I am embracing it.
"Can you drop me off at the hotel."
The driver doesn't question me and I don't turn my face from the street lights and bustling cars of Washington DC. I'm 23 today. 1 year to add to my growing hate of my Grandfather and another year to add to the loss of my parents and brother.
We arrive at the hotel just before 8pm and in a way, I am glad and relieved to just get inside. Sliding out of the Bentley, a standard car if your Grandfather is the Godfather of the underworld, I rush to the door.
"Miss Moretti, you are back early, did you enjoy your dinner?" The door man asks me as he opens the door to lead me in. He is a short chubby man, around 50. He reminds me of someone I met on my trip to Alaska last September.
"I did thank you. Do you have a bar around here?" My long dress is not the perfect bar outfit but it is definitely me. A mafia princess
"Certainly, this way." I move toward the door he's ushering me to and spot the dim lights and mirrored beams before I enter the cosy place.
"Thank you." I signal the bodyguard which is closest to me to tip the guy.
The place has a vanilla scent which hits my nose as I enter and make my way closer to the bar where I sit down. The bartender is a handsome bulky man, maybe in his late 30's.
"What can I get for the lady."
"3-fingers-whiskey, anything black will do, 16-years or older."
"Coming up." The shelves surrounding the bar is designed in a pyramid of cherry wood finishes. Hundreds of bottles of alcohol are stacked around the expanse, catering to a truly wide variety of customers.
"Give her a Jameson Jacob." The deep voice comes from the other end of the bar and my eyes fray to the man who now holds my attention.
"Are you the manager or something?" I am genuinely curious.
"Or something." He is hidden in a shade of light so it is hard to make out his face but his voice is deep, dry. He must be one hell of a man.
I get off my chair and make my way toward him as my guard's start approaching. I send them a signal with my fingers to relax. I don't want them ruining an evening before it hasn't even begun. I get closer to the man and that is when I see the uniform.
"You are a soldier? Wow, I didn't see that coming. I've never met an American soldier in my life."
He says nothing but when I sit next to him and smile, he stares at me with dark intense eyes.
"What brings an English woman like yourself to this fine dine, dressed like that?"
"It's my birthday, so I thought I would dress up and leave my castle and have a drink with a handsome man. And not that it makes an inkling of a difference to you, but I am actually Italian." His face is clean shaven. His head is cropped short and a tattoo is visible on his scalp but the dim lighting in this particular area makes him seem like a vivid dream.
The Bartender brings my drink over to this side and as I take a much-needed sip my eyes stain his handsome face with lust.
"Two Italians in a bar. What are the chances. Like what you looking at?" He asks me and a laugh bubbles in the back of my throat.
"I'm still looking, I will let you know when I am done."
"You don't strike me as an ordinary Italian, you sound and look British, are you here for holiday?"
"It's the hair. I changed it to red. And yes and no. I came to visit some family. I thought I would surprise my cousin, and he would be all smiles to see me but I missed him. It seems like he left for London with the intention of surprising me. And yes, I like what I see."
"The nights still young, who knows what can happen." When he says that my entire body heats up at his not so subtle hint. I have never been an exhibitionist but tonight staring at this man I know he was about to change that.
"If I'm going to miss my plane for you, I should get a name."
"You first."
"Marco."
A man walks toward us with a tray in his hand that has a cell phone on top of it, interrupting our conversation.
"Sir, your brother is on the phone."
His eyes stare me down and a flicker of recognition shifts my lust into something deeper. Could it be?
"Tell my brother something has come up."
"Yes sir."
I smile as a swamp of nerves rushes through my body as the boy I have loved since I was 8 years old sits across from me with want and doesn't recognize me at all.
"Do I get that name?"
"It depends, how badly you want it."
Last Chapters
#36 Chapter 36
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#35 Chapter 35
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#34 Chapter 34
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#33 Chapter 33
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#32 Chapter 32
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#31 Chapter 31
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#30 Chapter 30
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#29 Chapter 29
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#28 Chapter 28
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#27 Chapter 27
Last Updated: 1/21/2026
You Might Like 😍
Where The Ice Gives Way
Blake Atlas scents his mate the moment Charlotte arrives. The bond hits hard and unmistakable, but Charlotte doesn’t recognise it. She doesn’t know why her chest keeps pulling toward the one boy she absolutely cannot afford to want. Blake is Charlie’s new hockey captain. Charlie’s chance at making something good. Charlie makes it clear; his sister is off-limits and Blake tries to do the right thing, but secrets don’t stay buried forever. Rogues prowl the edges of town. The ice cracks. The bond tightens. Then Charlotte’s rare white wolf awakens, the very thing that makes her powerful, also makes her a target.
Shanti needs Shakti. (Peace needs strength.)
Where the Ice Gives Way is a slow-burn YA paranormal romance filled with fated mates, protective alpha energy, fierce sibling loyalty, found family pack bonds, hurt/comfort, and quiet, aching tension. It’s a story about first belonging, learning to be cared for, and what happens when the girl who has always held everyone else up finally falls, and someone catches her.
Mission: Steal the Male Lead
But the more Morwenna changes the story, the stranger the world becomes. The heroine seems to know the future, unseen spectators begin commenting on her life, and the gods watching from above grow obsessed with the drama unfolding before them. Trapped in a story where fate has already decided the ending, Morwenna must choose whether to follow the script or rewrite it entirely. But if the world itself was never meant to belong to its characters, can she steal the male lead before fate steals her freedom first?
Rejected By My Family, Desired By The Mafia
While the real heiress struggled to survive, the nanny’s daughter, Talia, was raised in luxury as the beloved jewel of the Laurent family, pampered by Camille’s parents, adored by her three brothers, and even promised to the prestigious Matteo Devereux through a childhood engagement arranged by their grandparents.
Then the truth came out.
Six months ago, Camille was finally brought back to the Laurent family. To protect the family reputation and prove their devotion to their bloodline, the Laurent patriarch transferred 35% of his personal shares into Camille’s name overnight, instantly making her one of the wealthiest heiresses in the country.
It brought anxiety to all the Laurent family. But what they don’t know…is that Camille never needed them.
Behind her elegant smile lies a woman filled with secrets powerful enough to shake the whole family. She's a miraculous healer capable of curing the incurable poisons.
Yet despite everything, her family still chooses Talia.
Every accusation against Talia is forgiven. Every scheme against Camille is brushed aside. Even Matteo, the man who was supposed to be Camille’s fiancé—cannot let go of the woman he always believed belonged by his side.
But while the Laurent family underestimates Camille, another man begins to see exactly who she is.
Dante Moretti.
The ruthless heir of an old-money dynasty. A billionaire CEO worshipped by the public…and the merciless king of a criminal empire hidden beneath the city’s glittering surface. When Dante is poisoned by a rival syndicate with a deadly toxin no doctor can cure, he offers a fortune for anyone who can save him.
Only Camille can. Their deal is simple: she becomes his personal physician, and he gives her anything she wants.
GO ON YOUR KNEES, ALPHA.
He was wrong.
Six years ago, Pete Leadsilver had everything an Alpha could want. Power, a respected pack and a future already written for him.
Then he met me.
What began as a game became a mistake I would spend years trying to survive. When I told him I was carrying his child, Pete chose not to believe me. He rejected me, humiliated me, and allowed the people around him to make sure I understood that there was no place for me in his world.
So I disappeared.
I took the secret of my pregnancy with me and built a life far away from the Alpha who had broken me.
Six years later, Pete finds me again. Only this time, he isn't the man with all the power. His pack is dying, his people are running out of time, and I may be the only person capable of saving them.
But I'm no longer the woman Pete remembers. And beside me is a little boy who carries far too much of Pete's face to be a coincidence.
Our reunion should have been about a cure, but instead, it becomes the beginning of a war neither of us saw coming.
Because Pete's greatest danger isn't outside his pack.
It's inside his own family.
Old resentment turns into manipulation. Loyalty becomes betrayal. And the people Pete trusts begin hiding secrets that threaten to destroy everything he's built.
Then someone comes for the people I love.
Suddenly, this is no longer about whether Pete can earn my forgiveness.
It's about whether he can keep me alive.
Whether he can protect the son he never knew existed.
Whether he can uncover the truth before the people closest to him destroy everything he has finally learned to value.
Along the way, we'll lose people we thought would always stand beside us, I'll be forced to confront wounds I've spent six years trying to bury, and the family we're slowly building will be tested in ways neither of us could have imagined.
Because sometimes love isn't the hardest thing to find. Sometimes it's the hardest thing to survive.
Pete once believed power meant never needing anyone and I once believed surviving him meant leaving him behind.
We were both wrong.
Because some bonds refuse to die, some betrayals cut deeper than rejection and some people don't come back into your life to give you a second chance.
They come back to show you exactly what you almost lost.
Pete Leadsilver lost me once.
This time, he'll have to fight to keep the family he never knew he needed.
Mating Moon
Everybody is Guilty Here
Middlesbrough's underworld is a dangerous game, and Matthew Smith finds himself right in the middle of it. A once-feared gang leader, he is now forced to be a pawn in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Matthew's only shot at freedom is helping the police bring down Mr. K, the elusive mafia boss of the city. The only problem is that the detective he is forced to work with is the same man who arrested him years ago.
Masahiro Payne is everything Matthew hates: cold, calculating, and relentless. But their only hope for survival is by pretending to be a happy couple, blending in amidst dangerous crime, deceit, and power struggles. The closer they find themselves to taking down Mr. K's empire, the more they are attracted to one another, an affair too potent to turn from.
As their undercover mission spirals into a web of lies and hidden desires, they face a growing threat from all sides. But the greatest risk is the one they can't control-their own feelings. With every touch, every stolen kiss, the line between their fake relationship and real emotions blurs.
In a world of betrayal, trust is a luxury, and falling for each other may be the deadliest mistake of all. Can they survive the deadly mafia games or will their passion be their demise?
The Family Books 1-3 (A Mafia romance)
The saint to my sinner. with her innocent eyes and devilish curves.
A Madonna that was meant to be admired but never touched.
Until someone took that innocence from her.
She left.
The darkness in my heart was finally complete.
I avenged her, I killed for her, but she never came back.
Until I saw her again. An angel dancing around a pole for money.
She didn’t know I owned that club. She didn’t know I was watching.
This time I won’t let her escape.
I will make her back into the girl I knew.
Whether she likes it or not.
2/ Judge and Jury- I can’t stop watching her.
I’m not even sure I want to.
Taylor Lawson, blonde, beautiful, and totally oblivious to how much dangers she’s in.
She’s also the one juror in my upcoming murder trial that hasn’t been bought.
The one who can put me behind bars for a very long time.
I know I should execute her.
After all that’s what I do.
I am the Judge.
I eliminate threats to The Family.
And Taylor is a threat.
But I don’t want to kill her.
Possessing her, making her love me seems like a much better plan for this particular Juror.
3/ Rags and Ritches-
Tango 2 the Alpha's Heart
My gaze snapped to his. He was smiling, causing my heart to skip a painful beat. Before I could respond, the music began, and my body instinctively reacted to the sweet melody.
I found myself molded to Lex's will, my feet irresistibly following the dance steps.
The crowd gasped as Lex pulled me into a more intimate position, his hands roaming over my body in a seductive manner.
The experience was both terrifying and magical, allowing me to feel every longing emotion through the dance.
I soon found myself lost in his arms.
When the music finally stopped, my arms were wrapped around his neck, his hands resting on my back, our noses almost touching. He gazed deeply into my eyes.
The ballroom fell silent.
Was he about to kiss me?
Lilly’s life was never easy; she lost her memory and family in a blazing fire. Angelica found and took her in—only to make her a slave to the household.
Years of torment and abuse left Lilly weak, vulnerable, and believing she was without a wolf, but that didn't mean that all hope was lost.
At night, in her dreams, he would patiently wait for her—the man who brought sunshine into her darkest moments.
They would dance the night away, but as dawn approached, he would vanish into the morning sun.
Lilly had given up hope of finding a mate, having a family, and leading a normal life.
But things are about to drastically change for her...
Secrets, lies, betrayal... and a baby on the way.
What if Lilly wasn't wolf-less? What if it was all a lie?
What if she had a living family? Would she stay and bond with them or make a run for freedom?
The Spy Who Left
"I still can't believe she actually did it. Aria Hart, filing for divorce. Who saw that coming?"
"How long do we think it'll take before she comes crawling back?" Another voice joins the conversation.
"Three days," Victoria declares. "Five at most. She has no money, no skills, no family. Where's she going to go?"
When Aria Chen divorced billionaire Leon Hart, New York's elite sneered, betting she'd crawl back within days. She never did.
Three years later, the world is rocked when Dr. Aria Vale, CEO of a revolutionary cybersecurity empire, steps into the spotlight. The mysterious genius who built a billion-dollar company from nothing is none other than Leon's discarded wife, the woman everyone thought was just a pretty ornament.
Now, every powerful man wants the queen Leon threw away a renowned scientist seeking partnership, a financial titan proposing an empire, and an actor offering devotion. Each sees the brilliance Leon ignored.
Then Leon discovers the truth: Aria's sacrifices, her secret double life, and the daughter she's been raising without him. For the first time, the man who once took her for granted must fight for her love. But can he compete with men who valued her from the beginning?
A story of love, betrayal, and power where the king must kneel before the queen who never needed saving.
Luna On The Run- I stole The Alpha's Sons
But Axton is more than just a rival, he's her fated mate. And he's been searching for her not for love, but for revenge and a chance to destroy her father's pack. The next morning, Elena rejects him, walking away before he can trap her in his ruthless schemes.
But Axton does not take rejection lightly, and his retaliation is brutal: a leaked video, a ruined reputation, and a family that turns their backs on her drive her to flee the city in disgrace.
But when Elena disappears, she takes something Alpha Axton never planned to lose - his sons. Now, he'll stop at nothing to get them back. He wants his heirs, he wants his mate, and Elena will learn that no one runs from the Alpha.
The Lycan Kings and the White Wolf.
