Beneath the mask

Beneath the mask

Angel T.

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Elena Rossi, a 17-year-old bookworm, has always lived a sheltered life under the watchful eye of her overprotective father. What she doesn't know is that her father, Antonio Rossi, is a powerful mafia boss who has been keeping her in the dark about their family's dangerous legacy. When a rival mafia family threatens to destroy the Rossis, Antonio makes a desperate deal: Elena will marry Luca Moretti, the 28-year-old heir to the Moretti crime family, to secure an alliance. Luca Moretti is ruthless, calculating, and used to getting what he wants. He agrees to the marriage for power, expecting Elena to be a meek, obedient pawn. But Elena's fiery spirit and innocence challenge him in ways he never anticipated. As the two navigate their forced union, they uncover secrets, face betrayals, and slowly fall for each other. When a deadly betrayal puts Elena's life at risk, Luca must choose between the mafia world he's always known and the girl who has shown him a life beyond violence and power. In the end, love triumphs, and they forge a new path together, leaving the shadows of their past behind.

Beneath the mask Chapter 1 The proposal

The rain poured relentlessly, tapping against the windows of the Rossi mansion like a thousand tiny fingers. Elena sat curled up in the window seat of her bedroom, her favorite book resting in her lap. The storm outside mirrored the unease in her heart, though she couldn't quite place why.

"Elena," her father's voice called from the doorway, pulling her from her thoughts.

She turned to see Antonio Rossi standing there, his usual stern expression softened by something she couldn't quite name. At 17, Elena had grown used to her father's mysterious ways, but tonight, something felt different.

"Yes, Papa?" she asked, closing her book and setting it aside.

Antonio stepped into the room, his polished shoes clicking against the hardwood floor. He hesitated for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. "I need to speak with you about something important."

Elena's stomach twisted. Her father never spoke to her about "important" things. She was kept in the dark, shielded from the world outside their gated estate. She nodded, bracing herself.

"You're getting older," Antonio began, his voice steady but laced with an emotion Elena couldn't place. "And it's time for you to take on more responsibilities."

"Responsibilities?" she echoed, confusion knitting her brows together.

Antonio sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. "Elena, our family... we have certain obligations. And to secure our future, I've arranged a marriage for you."

The words hit her like a punch to the chest. "A marriage?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Papa, I'm only 17. I'm not ready for this."

"You don't have a choice," Antonio said firmly, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of guilt. "This is for your safety, for our family's safety."

Elena's mind raced. "Who am I supposed to marry?"

"Luca Moretti," Antonio replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The name sent a chill down Elena's spine. She had heard whispers of the Moretti family-ruthless, powerful, and dangerous. She had never met Luca, but the stories were enough to make her blood run cold.

"Papa, please," she begged, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't want this."

Antonio's expression hardened. "This isn't about what you want, Elena. It's about survival. Luca will be here tomorrow to meet you. Be ready."

With that, he turned and left the room, leaving Elena alone with her thoughts. She stared out the window, the rain blurring the world outside. Her life, once so predictable, had been turned upside down in an instant.

The next morning, Elena dressed carefully, her hands shaking as she buttoned her blouse. She had no idea what to expect, but she knew one thing: she would not go down without a fight.

When the doorbell rang, her heart leapt into her throat. She descended the staircase, her father waiting at the bottom with a man she had never seen before.

Luca Moretti was tall, with sharp features and piercing green eyes that seemed to see straight through her. He wore a tailored suit, his posture exuding confidence and power. Elena felt small under his gaze, but she lifted her chin, refusing to let him see her fear.

"Elena," her father said, his voice unnaturally cheerful. "This is Luca Moretti."

Luca stepped forward, his eyes never leaving hers. "Elena," he said, his voice low and smooth. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Elena forced a smile, though her heart was pounding. "Likewise," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

As they sat down to talk, Elena couldn't shake the feeling that her life was no longer her own. But deep down, a spark of defiance ignited. She would not let this man-or anyone-control her.

Little did she know, Luca was just as intrigued by her as she was terrified of him. And their meeting was only the beginning of a story that would change both of their lives forever.

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I lay paralyzed on stiff white sheets, a prisoner in my own skin, listening to the rain lash against the window like nails on a coffin. My father, Elmore Franco, didn't even look at my face as he checked his clipboard. He just listened to the steady, monotonous beep of the heart monitor-the only thing proving I was still alive. Without a hint of remorse, he pulled a pen from his pocket and signed the Do Not Resuscitate order. My stepmother, Ophelia, stepped out from behind him, wearing my favorite pearl necklace and smelling of cloying perfume. She leaned close to my ear to whisper the truth that turned my blood to ice. "It was the tea, darling. Just like your mother. A slow, tasteless poison." She chuckled as she revealed that my fiancé, Bryce, had a two-year-old son with my sister, Daniela. My inheritance had been funding their secret life for years, and now that the money was secure, I was an inconvenience they were finally scrubbing away. As my father yanked the power cord from the wall, the beeping died, and the darkness swallowed me whole. I was being murdered by my own flesh and blood, used as a bank account until I was no longer needed. I died in that sterile room, drowning in the realization that every person I ever loved was a monster who had been waiting for me to take my last breath. Then, I gasped. I woke up in a luxury hotel suite surrounded by silk sheets, five years in the past-the very morning of my wedding. Next to me lay Basile Delgado, the "Wolf of Wall Street" and my family's most dangerous enemy. In my first life, I ran from this room in a panic and lost everything. This time, I looked at the man who would eventually destroy my father's empire and decided to join him. "I'm not leaving, Basile. Marry me. Right now. Today."

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Beneath the mask Beneath the mask Angel T. Romance
“Elena Rossi, a 17-year-old bookworm, has always lived a sheltered life under the watchful eye of her overprotective father. What she doesn't know is that her father, Antonio Rossi, is a powerful mafia boss who has been keeping her in the dark about their family's dangerous legacy. When a rival mafia family threatens to destroy the Rossis, Antonio makes a desperate deal: Elena will marry Luca Moretti, the 28-year-old heir to the Moretti crime family, to secure an alliance. Luca Moretti is ruthless, calculating, and used to getting what he wants. He agrees to the marriage for power, expecting Elena to be a meek, obedient pawn. But Elena's fiery spirit and innocence challenge him in ways he never anticipated. As the two navigate their forced union, they uncover secrets, face betrayals, and slowly fall for each other. When a deadly betrayal puts Elena's life at risk, Luca must choose between the mafia world he's always known and the girl who has shown him a life beyond violence and power. In the end, love triumphs, and they forge a new path together, leaving the shadows of their past behind.”
1

Chapter 1 The proposal

11/03/2025

2

Chapter 2 The First Encounter

11/03/2025

3

Chapter 3 The Engagement

11/03/2025

4

Chapter 4 The Wedding

11/03/2025

5

Chapter 5 The First Night

11/03/2025

6

Chapter 6 The First Morning

11/03/2025

7

Chapter 7 Shadows in the Daylight

11/03/2025

8

Chapter 8 The Warning

11/03/2025

9

Chapter 9 The First Test

12/03/2025

10

Chapter 10 The Storm Breaks

12/03/2025

11

Chapter 11 The Escape

12/03/2025

12

Chapter 12 The Debt

12/03/2025

13

Chapter 13 The Blood Oath

12/03/2025

14

Chapter 14 The Edge of Trust

12/03/2025

15

Chapter 15 The Ledger'Curse

12/03/2025

16

Chapter 16 The Father's sin

12/03/2025

17

Chapter 17 The Ashes of Legacy

12/03/2025

18

Chapter 18 The Ghost Gambit

12/03/2025

19

Chapter 19 The Cadnivale Masquerade

12/03/2025

20

Chapter 20 The Flood and the Flame

12/03/2025

21

Chapter 21 Inferno pact

12/03/2025

22

Chapter 22 The Vineyard Vow

12/03/2025