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

As I sat outside, staring at the moon, my mind wandered to Bella. It had been days since I last saw her, and the distance was starting to weigh on me. I never thought I would miss someone like this, but I did. I missed her presence, her voice, the way she looked at me with those defiant eyes.

With a sigh, I pulled out my phone and called Luca. He picked up almost immediately.

"We're leaving tomorrow," I said without hesitation.

"Understood, boss," Luca replied. "I'll make the arrangements."

I ended the call and stood up, stretching my arms. It was time to go back. Whatever unfinished business I had here could wait. Right now, I needed to return to my world, and to Bella. I could not believed myself that I was thinking about her.

I headed back to my room, ate a quick meal, and lay down on the bed. Sleep came easily, but my last thought before drifting off was of her.

How did it go?