Married to the Mobster's mistake

e inquiry itself was a significant warning. The silence between them was thick with tension. "A wife," he reiterated, the word suspended in the air like a loaded weapon. "Not for love. Just... t

d slightly, scrutinizing her with curiosity. "And what exactly have you heard?" "The usual stuff: Mafia ties, money laundering, illegal gambling. Your family operates half the city from behind the scenes." "And you still want nothing to do with me?" he challenged, a smirk forming on his lips. Lana hesitated before answering. Her mind raced as she processed everything she knew-or thought she knew-about the Morettis: the whispers, the stories, their notorious lineage. She should just walk away; she should run. But honestly, she wasn't entirely innocent in this world either. She had connections of her own-people who could make issues... disappear. "Why do you need a paper wife?" she asked impulsively before she could stop herself. Vincenzo's expression turned serious as he lost his smile. "I have some challenges, and a little fake marriage will help solve them-for now." The way he emphasized "for now" made her uneasy; it was clear this wasn't just another power maneuver-he was deeply entrenched in something significant. But she refrained from asking what kind of "challenges" he faced; she sensed that knowing could be dangerous. A faint ding interrupted them; it barely cut through the heavy atmosphere but drew Vincenzo's attention to his phone. His face tightened as he read something. Lana waited for him to return his focus to her but found him engrossed in whatever was on the screen. Then it happened. The door behind him burst open. Two men clad in black suits stormed in, their faces flushed with anger. One of them-a tall figure with broad shoulders and a scar beneath his left eye-brandished a piece of paper as if it were a weapon. "Vince, we've got an issue," said the