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

I dashed into the woods, my feet pounding against the earth as I desperately sought escape. The trees blurred together, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers to snatch at my clothes. I didn't dare look back, fearing what I might see. My breath came in ragged gasps, my heart racing like a wild animal. 


As I ran, the forest floor seemed to grow treacherous, roots and rocks jutting out to trip me up. I stumbled, my foot catching on a hidden root. A sharp pain shot through my foot as I felt a thorn prick my skin. I bit back a cry, not daring to make a sound. 


But even as I stood there, frozen in pain, I heard it. A faint call echoing through the trees. 


 "Aria! Aria, please!" Matteo's voice, growing fainter with each passing moment. 


74. A Cold Hard Reality