Um_Royhan

MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

Claimed by the Mafia Alpha

The manager didn't say a word. He simply stood up, adjusted his shirt, and turned to leave. Before stepping out, he paused and said in a calm voice, "Just rest, Bella. It's for your own good." And then he was gone.

I let out a scream, my rage boiling over. "Come back here! You coward! You liar!" My voice echoed through the room, but he was long gone.

I couldn't control myself. I grabbed the glass of water on the bedside table and flung it across the room. It shattered into tiny pieces, the sound fueling my anger. My breathing was ragged as I yanked off the thin hospital blanket, throwing it to the floor. My fingers itched to destroy something, anything.

"How could he?!" I shouted to no one in particular. "How could he sell me off like that?! What did he get in return? What was worth throwing me away like some object?"

Maybe I'm not meant for happy ending.