Xahari_Aria 

After the death of his first  wife, Matteo Marino, a wealthy CEO and powerful mafia boss behind the scenes,  he was forced to remarry the daughter of one of his father's most trusted friend. Aria Barone, a young girl who witnessed her beloved mother murdered and burned alive by one of her father's rivals during her childhood and has been horrified since then. Forced to marry the man her father wanted, will she uncover Matteo’s darkest secret, or  will she fall in love with him?

Forced Vows, Hidden Shadows

 Jones walked back and forth in my office, his bag abandoned on the floor. Ben stood by the door, watching him with a concerned look on his face. Jones' usually attractive features were strained, and I could see the veins in his neck and forehead standing out. He was clearly under a lot of stress, and I wondered what was going on. 


Jones let out a heavy sigh, running his hand through his hair in frustration. It was clear that he was avoiding Aria and me, keeping his distance from us. I knew he was afraid of me, and a part of me felt a sense of satisfaction at the thought. I didn't feel guilty about the way I had treated him. He had brought it on himself. 


 “If you won’t stop doing that, you can leave”. Jones stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me, his eyes bloodshot and filled with pain. He looked like he had been through hell and back, and I could see that he was exhausted. He opened his mouth to speak, but I wasn't sure if he would actually say anything. 


23. A Worthy Enemy