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 pulled into Charles' compound, my eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Aria's hand was still clenched around mine, her eyes fixed on the rearview mirror as if she expected the figure from the mansion to appear at any moment. 


I parked the car and turned off the engine, my gaze locking onto Charles, who was waiting for us, his cigar smoke curling into the air. I could sense his tension, his eyes narrowing as he took in our disheveled appearance. I was wearing only my shorts, and Aria was clad in my t-shirt, her legs bare and her hair disheveled. I knew we looked like we had just fled a war zone. I got out of the car, my eyes never leaving Charles' face. 


 "What happened?" he asked, his voice low and serious. I glanced at Aria, who was watching us with a mix of fear and uncertainty. 


 "We need to talk," I said, my voice low. 


 "Inside." Charles nodded, his eyes flicking to Aria before returning to mine. 


91. The Compound