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

After taking my bath, I stepped out of the shower, still fuming. The heat of my anger had not dissipated with the water; if anything, it had only intensified. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I walked back into my room, running a hand through my wet hair. That was when I saw one of the maids packing my dirty clothes into the laundry basket.

She turned quickly at my presence, her eyes widening before she bowed respectfully. "Good evening, sir."

I narrowed my eyes at her, something stirring within me as I took in her delicate features. "What's your name?" I asked, stepping closer.

"Rhoda, sir," she responded softly, keeping her gaze lowered.

"Bella," I repeated, the name rolling off my tongue in a way that felt right.

Damn you, Bella