Autumn Emerson was the Queen of the Shadow Mafia, inherited from her father. She was twenty-five years old and ruling a gang was a huge achievement for Autumn. However, there were some haunted memories linking between her fingers and a trigger of a gun. Meanwhile, Ian Beckett was the King of the Silver Mafia, whose life went upside down when his parents arranged his contracted wedding with the woman he loved to annoy since their childhood: Autumn Emerson. In order to protect their honor in front of their respective gangs, they have to put on a facade of being in love. What would happen when the contracted love had started to turn real?
Chapter 1 Love-Hate Relation
Chapter 1: Love-Hate Relation
Ian
I was enjoying the scenery, which was why a satisfied smirk played on my lips as I looked at Spencer, who looked pitiful-pathetic, even-to the point I almost wanted to kill him completely so that I could end his suffering. But I was not remorseful; instead, I glided the sharp point of the blade I was holding across his throat, pressing it deeper and deeper as I went. Plenty drops of blood flowed, crisscrossing his pale skin.
"How does it feel to see the death in front of you, Spencer?" I whispered sternly, making sure to breathe into his bloodied ear, driving my knife deeper into his skin.
Spencer whimpered in response. The chains that held him captive in a metal chair jingled and rang out as his feet and hands struggled to fight the pain, muffled screams escaping his duct-taped mouth. I took the blade away, still smirking. I moved to yank the duct tape from his mouth to hear Spencer scream, but my brother, Steven, entered the torture chamber, interrupting me.
"Ian," Steven called out. "Autumn will be here in a minute."
I chuckled in response.
Autumn Emerson was the only woman I loved to see angry. She was the only daughter of the Emersons, who were remarkably close friends of my parents. They ran the Mafia Shadow, and Autumn was the leader. Autumn and I basically grew up together, but our bonding was anything but friendly. I enjoyed seeing fumes coming out of her ear.
Removing the knife from Spencer's throat, I placed it back in my pocket. Looking back at Spencer I said, "Your leader is almost here. I better go home so that she has to drive to the mansion alone and turn red in anger while I enjoy a cup of espresso peacefully."
Exiting the chamber, I put my hands in my pockets, whistling in delight as I go. I stopped when one of my men caught my eye.
"Throw Spencer in the dungeon," I ordered. The man nodded and disappeared down the hall to follow my orders. I continued sauntering towards the garage with Steven trailing behind me, steps lightening as I imagined Autumn's reactions.
What should I do to make her angrier? I questioned myself, a grin overtaking my lips.
"What are you gonna do with Autumn?" Steven asked as we got in my Bugatti La Voiture Noire.
I started driving towards the Beckett mansion. The image of Autumn's angry face as she glared at me with her green eyes, made me chuckle. Her pale skin would turn red in anger, just like her hair.
What am I going to do with her? Oh, you don't even wanna know half of it, my brother.
"You just want to make her angry, don't you?" Steven asked again. It seemed like he sensed my thoughts.
"Let's just wait for her," I replied and put on my Chopard sunglasses.
The drive towards the mansion was short; either from my excitement or not, I wasn't sure. I sneaked to my room and changed into something a bit more presentable before proceeding downstairs to the living room. It was our family evening time, after all.
I took a seat on one of the sofas, grabbing a mug of espresso from the passing trolley as I went. I took a sip of it.
My sisters, Isabel, Lia, and Aubree were sitting with me, along with my brother, Steven. On our left side, our parents were talking to each other.
"So, how's everything going, Ian?" my dad, Simon Beckett, asked.
"Fine," I replied curtly.
"Honey, I and your father decided to go on a world tour," my mom, Ada Beckett, announced.
"When?" Aubree asked and shifted her gaze to Mom.
Aubree was one of the executives of the Silver. At thirty years old, she was quite efficient. She was my elder sister. Meanwhile, Steven was my right hand and the owner of all the Silver casinos. He ran the mafia's business by himself. He was twenty-three years old, just two years younger than me yet he earned his post in the gang.
Isabel didn't want to join the mafia, so she was currently focusing on the Becketts' Armament company. She was just two years older than me, but I loved bothering her. After all, she wasn't as scary as Aubree. Whereas, Lia was currently applying for colleges so she was
"So, we are going to leave after the party tonight. We just have to make one last announcement before we go." Dad looked at us as he asked, "How are the preparations for the party going?"
I glanced at Steven. He replied, "Everything is going smoothly, Dad."
"I can't wait for the party!" Mom beamed in excitement.
We couldn't throw a coronation party, so we prepared for a post-coronation party in the ballroom instead. It was supposed to be held tonight. Apparently, my parents wanted to make an important announcement at the party. When I asked about it, they said that I would get to know about it only during the party. I didn't ask further and decided to wait for the worst to happen.
Besides, I could sense Autumn's presence.
"Ian Beckett!" the young woman's familiar voice echoed through the living room. I smirked and took another sip of my espresso.
I watched as Autumn entered the mansion, her green eyes blazing with fire. Her angry expression was making her springy red hair look even hotter. She was stomping straight towards me. It was my time to get entertained, and seeing her reaction, I was assured that it would be fun.
"Hello, Autumn," my mom greeted hesitantly and stood up, but Autumn didn't stop. She continued to approach me. Within a second, she had taken her gun out from her waistband and had pointed at me.
My siblings rolled their eyes. This was nothing new for them.
I was still sitting comfortably.
"You bloody human! Where is Spencer?" Autumn yelled.
Ignoring her loud voice, I took another sip from my cup. She pointed the muzzle at my forehead, throwing glares as sharp as daggers at me.
"I-I think you should calm down first, dear," Mom said as she patted her shoulder, making Autumn heave a sigh in anger.
"I'm sorry, Ada, but I need your son to release my bodyguard. When I reached the Silver base, I found my bodyguard locked up in the dungeons. Then I heard that Ian already left the place. I had to drive here!" Autumn complained, making me chuckle.
"Bodyguard?" Dad raised his brows at me in amusement.
"Just free Spencer," Autumn ordered me. She still had me at gunpoint. I stood up, the mug of my expresso still in my hand.
Arching an eyebrow, I inquired, "And why would I do that?"
"Because I said so!"
I shoved her gun away. "I ain't one of your Shadow men." With that, I turned my back at her to leave for my room upstairs. A smile formed over my lips when I imagined the smoke that must have been fuming from her ears.
"I hate you, Ian Beckett!"
"The feeling is mutual, Autumn Emerson," I hollered back, then slammed the door of my room shut.
###
I ran a hand through my hair one last time after I prepared myself for the party, fixing my tux while admiring myself in the mirror. Sure that I was presentable enough, I headed towards the ballroom. I didn't know why I was wearing a tux. Mom told me to only wear what she had sent for me, so I had no options but to follow her. After all, who had the audacity to not listen to her? Even Dad becomes an ant in front of her.
"Everything is fine and perfect, Ian," Steven assured me, appearing in front of me. I nodded in return.
I asked curiously, "Did the Emersons come?"
A smirk took over his lips as he replied, "Her parents did, but Autumn didn't."
"Ian, come here," Mom called suddenly. I approached her only to meet the Emersons as well.
A song was playing softly in the background as I talked to my parents and to the Emersons, but my eyes were searching for Autumn. We attended her coronation party before. Shouldn't she attend mine?
"Where is your daughter, Rosalie?" I inquired with full curiosity. All four pairs of eyes looked at me in amusement, including Autumn's mother, Rosalie.
"Why? Do you want to kidnap my daughter's driver this time?" Rosalie Emerson said, resulting in all of them bursting into laughter.
"If you do something tonight, she will definitely pull the trigger today, Ian," Cruz Emerson, Autumn's dad, let out.
"Before she does that or before you do anything to make her irritated again, we will make the announcement and confirm everything first, okay?" said Dad.
I nodded at my dad's words. Before I could say something else, I felt the familiar sensation of having Autumn nearby. I could always feel it whenever she was close. My eyes traveled to the entrance of the ballroom.
She was indeed here.
Wearing a black strapless off-shoulder gown, she slowly took a step one by one. Her hair had been let down, reaching down to her chest. I would be lying if I said she didn't look like a real princess.
This girl always drives me crazy, but I will never stop bothering her. After all, this is my way of showing affection. I mumbled with a smirk, "Let the drama begin."
Chapter 1 Love-Hate Relation
03/08/2021
Chapter 2 An Unexpected Declaration
03/08/2021
Chapter 3 Nightmare Wedding
03/08/2021
Chapter 4 A New Place
03/08/2021
Chapter 5 An Attack
03/08/2021
Chapter 6 A Hint Of Jealousy
04/08/2021
Chapter 7 Acting To Care
05/08/2021
Chapter 8 A Lunch With A Loner
06/08/2021
Chapter 9 Surprising Visitor
07/08/2021
Chapter 10 Shocking Truth
08/08/2021
Chapter 11 Never Have I Ever
09/08/2021
Chapter 12 Her Third Reason
10/08/2021
Chapter 13 Past Upcoming
11/08/2021
Chapter 14 A Nightmare
12/08/2021
Chapter 15 Everything
13/08/2021
Chapter 16 Running Willingly
14/08/2021
Chapter 17 His Own Kidnapping
15/08/2021
Chapter 18 Special New Year
16/08/2021
Chapter 19 Fall In Like
17/08/2021
Chapter 20 Paparazzi Kiss
18/08/2021
Chapter 21 Devilish Plan
19/08/2021
Chapter 22 Jealousy Unlimited
20/08/2021
Chapter 23 Chocolate Is Shit
21/08/2021
Chapter 24 Escaped
22/08/2021
Chapter 25 A Vacation Or Honeymoon
23/08/2021
Chapter 26 Pont Des Arts
24/08/2021
Chapter 27 Merging Disagreement
25/08/2021
Chapter 28 My Home
26/08/2021
Chapter 29 Le Jules Verne
27/08/2021
Chapter 30 Be Lazy
28/08/2021
Chapter 31 Love Is In The Air
29/08/2021
Chapter 32 Ending Before Beginning
30/08/2021
Chapter 33 Downtown Memory Lane
31/08/2021
Chapter 34 You Are The Music In Me
01/09/2021
Chapter 35 When There Was Me And You
02/09/2021
Chapter 36 Gotta Go My Own Way
03/09/2021
Chapter 37 Work This Out
04/09/2021
Chapter 38 In Love Since Childhood
05/09/2021
Chapter 39 Betrayal
06/09/2021
Chapter 40 Turning The Game
07/09/2021
Other books by Tassel
More