Chapter 1

LUCA

"Valentina, I won't tell you again. Your words hold no interest to me. In six weeks, when I hit thirty, our divorce will be final. Then you can walk away with your pot of gold and never darken my fucking door again. Now, I'm going to get ready for the last family black-tie charity event I have to attend with you as my wife. We will arrive separately, and I want you to stay as far away from me as humanly possible. Remember, as soon as my inheritance has been deposited, and I've given you what you're owed, according to our arrangement, you'd better not come near me again. Do you understand me?"

I've never hurt a woman before, but there's a first time for everything. The hate and rage that I feel for my wife causes me to break out in a sweat and my hands tremble. She's a vile woman, who only thinks about herself and is constantly looking for ways to fuck me over. I think she's made a game of it.

The deafening silence tells me she's hung up, but I don't care. The sooner I'm rid of her and her family, the better. My grandfather made a deal to align her family and mine through an arranged marriage. During his illness and subsequent death, I discovered the conditions for my inheritance required me to respect the family agreement. I married at twenty-five to ensure that a nasty takeover bid did not completely swallow up my grandfather's company. They deceived me into a loveless marriage, akin to a business deal. I've never liked Valentina or her family. They are all snakes and greedy cunts, but I'm determined to do whatever I need to do to save my family's business.

Valentina's family had always harbored a fierce sense of jealousy towards our successful business, and they saw our marriage as an opportunity to gain control over me and my family. Despite my clear lack of affection for her, they manipulated the situation to their advantage. The moment we exchanged vows, Valentina's father cunningly orchestrated the removal of my grandfather and his trusted executives, leaving me as the sole heir apparent to the billion-dollar empire. The power from this position was not as liberating as I'd anticipated. Her father had no intention of allowing me to lead the company according to my own vision. Instead, he used various forms of blackmail to ensure that I became a mere puppet, forced to carry out his every command. It was a devastating betrayal, and I found myself trapped in a web of deceit and manipulation, with no easy way out.

Little did they know, I'm linked to Gio Martinelli, now Don of the Martinelli Empire, through our family bloodline. He runs one of five families, with the Martinelli's being the most powerful. Once I knew my wife's family had lied to and manipulated me, I reached out to ask him for help. With Gio's backing, I'm confident I'll be able to regain control of my family's business. Furthermore, becoming part of his organization has initiated me into the Italian Mob. Willing to resort to anything to beat Valentina and her family, I signed on to be an ally of Gio's. Once my divorce is final, I'll be free of the hag and her family, but I'll remain indebted to the Mafia. I chose the lesser evil of the two and I don't regret it. At this point, I have nothing left to lose.

I have endured endless nights of arguments, lies, and betrayal. Valentina's addiction to cocaine has only fueled her reckless behavior, leading her to engage in illicit affairs with both the gardener and the pool boy. She hasn't even attempted to hide her infidelity. One time I walked in on her bent over our kitchen table with a man fucking her up the ass. It's weird but I didn't feel jealous as she had hoped. Actually, I didn't feel anything at all. I merely continued to walk by them, grabbing a bottle of water out of the refrigerator, before looking back to see they'd both stopped fucking each other and were stood frozen. Unable to think of anything else to say I simply remarked, "Don't let me interrupt," then I walked back out of the house feeling numb.

Soon after our union, it became clear that she had no intention of staying faithful or committed to our marriage, and, as a consequence, her actions have turned my life into a never-ending circus of chaos and drama. Once I'm free of her, I never want to be under a woman's control again. From this point on, I'll be satisfied with a warm and willing hole to find my release in. No names, no cuddling, no affection of any sort. Women are dangerous beings, and I will never leave myself open to being manipulated and lied to again.

Having finally reached breaking point, I refuse to continue living under the tyranny of Valentina and her toxic family. It's time for me to take back control of my life and find some semblance of peace and stability. Determined to extricate myself from this disastrous situation and start anew, I've vowed to no longer allow myself to be dragged through the depths of hell by Tina's drama. I need to move on and find happiness, away from my destructive marriage.

Looking down over the city from my apartment windows, I feel a sense of contentment, amidst all my inner turmoil. I love it here. It's peaceful inside but the bustling city is right there, just outside. The windows take up one complete wall, offering breathtaking views of the city skyline. The natural light streaming in illuminates the space, creating a sense of tranquility and serenity. It's one of the many features that drew me to this place, along with the fact that Valentina dislikes this part of town. She's always found it too ordinary, lacking the charm and uniqueness she craves. However, when this condominium became available a few months ago, it was a perfect opportunity for me to have my dream home and live in a neighborhood I found appealing. Everything I need is within walking distance. That my wife hates it is an added bonus. Once the contracts were exchanged, I quickly moved straight in, eager to embrace the convenience and modernity of my new place and ecstatic to be away from her toxicity. Valentina and her family think that they can control me but I'm one step ahead and always looking for ways to deal with anything they throw my way.

Dante, a man several years older than me, has been acting as my trusted driver/bodyguard for months. He's familiar with my schedule and consistently ensures I'm always on time. Settling into the cool leather seats of my sleek black sedan, I check my phone for important emails and messages, but there's nothing that warrants my attention. Sliding my phone into the inner pocket of my suit jacket, I brace myself for whatever this evening may bring. With Tina attending the event, there's no telling what could happen. Dante starts the engine smoothly and we navigate the bustling city streets on our way to the Gala. No one knows that he's trained in combat and sent to protect me. He's one of Gio's top enforcers and will prove to be an ace up my sleeve when the time comes for Valentina's family to make their move. They would rather have me dead than allow the divorce to go through, so we are preparing accordingly.

I've started laundering money through my businesses and training for combat. If I'm going to participate in Gio's organization, I have to be ready to get my hands dirty, and honestly, there has always been a darkness inside of me. I've learned to keep it under control but now I'd rather let it out. My freedom awaits me.