Mafia bride

The Past

ger Be

lp. There's a difference between asking and demanding. Alessandro leaned back again, the anger in his eyes not quite gone but now mingled with something else, something deeper, more complicated. His jaw clenched as if he were forcing himself to keep his emotions in check. I don't understand why I'm offering to help you, Vivienne," he muttered, his voice rough with unsaid words. But I'll tell you this: you'll owe me. In ways you're not ready for." Vivienne's chest tightened. She didn't like the sound of that. But she knew she had no other choice. I'm not proud of what I'm asking," she said, her voice stronger now, but still carrying the weight of her desperation. But I'm out of options. You're the only one who can help me save my family's house. I need you. Alessandro's gaze softened for just a fraction of a second before the cold mask returned. You need me? He repeated this, a mocking smile forming on his lips. How convenient. Vivienne's pride burnt, but she swallowed it down. I don't have the luxury of choosing, Alessandro. I require a solution, and it seems you have one to offer. Can you please share the solution? What do you want? His eyes locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. I want more than you're willing to give, Vivienne. But I think you already know that. The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Vivienne felt as though the walls were closing in around her, her mind spinning with the impossible choices before her. Alessandro was offering her help, but at what cost? Could she afford to take what he was offering? Could she afford not to? The decision hung in the air, and Vivienne knew she would have to make it soon.The Choice.The air outside was colder than Vivienne had expected. She stepped out of the elevator and onto the sidewalk, her heart still racing from the meeting with Alessandro. The steel and glass of the city towered around her, and the cacophony of street sounds felt distant, muffled, as if her mind was wrapped in a fog of confusion. She wasn't expecting this; she wasn't expecting the raw anger that Alessandro had shown, the bitterness and the hurt. It was a slap in the face, and it had rattled her more than she cared to admit. Despite this, he had offered to help. But what did it mean? What was he expecting in return? She wandered, her footsteps echoing in the peaceful day. Her thoughts raced. The only way out of her financial mess was through Alessandro. That much was evident. His name had weight; he was the Cruz family heir, somebody who could change her life with a single decision. However, she sensed that the cost might exceed her willingness to bear. She turned a corner and clashed with someone, nearly stumbling. Vivienne. A familiar voice grabbed her from her thoughts. It was Dante, his giant form looming over her, a concerned look on his face as he steadied her