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

The soft jingle of metal rang out in the darkness, snapping me from my sleep with a jarring jolt of adrenaline. Through blurry eyes, I found Matteo looming above me, his hands deftly working at my cuffs. The sight of him sent a surge of terror coursing through me, freezing me in place like a deer in headlights. His features, caught in the dim light, contorted into a mask of frustration as he realized I was awake. 


 “We have a guest, so be good”. That was all he said to me. 


He pulled me into his arms and carried me all the way to the dining room. There, I saw a bunch of familiar faces and a completely new face. 


 Carter, Ben, and Charles were the only people I could recognize on the table and there as a girl who looked like she could be in her teens. 


The relief and elation that washed over Carter's face when he spotted me was undeniable, his eyes brightening as he took in the sight of me, freed from the confines of my room. 


53. Matteo's Sister