Bound by Shadows

Valentina~

The grand hall of the Mafia Ball was dazzling—gold chandeliers, dark mahogany walls, and expensive suits paired with equally deadly smiles. The air was thick with power, whispered alliances, and silent wars. Every step I took in my deep crimson gown felt heavier, as if I were being led to my execution rather than a celebration of Dante's reign.

But the weight pressing against my chest wasn't just from the night's significance.

It was from the secret I carried inside me.

My hand trembled as I touched my stomach, hidden beneath the intricate fabric of my dress. The realization had struck me hours ago when I sat in the bathroom, my body betraying me with symptoms I couldn't ignore. The nausea, the exhaustion, the way my body had changed.

I was pregnant.

With his child.

And I couldn't tell him. Not yet.

Dante had many qualities—ruthless, possessive, dangerous. But mercy? That wasn't one of them.

If he found out, he'd never let me out of his sight. He already controlled every move I made, but if he knew I carried his heir? I would never have a chance to escape this life.

I wasn't ready for that.

I wasn't ready for this.

So I swallowed the truth, buried it deep, and prepared myself for the role I had to play tonight—Dante's perfect wife.

The moment we stepped into the ballroom, conversations quieted, all eyes turning toward us. Toward him.

Dante moved like a king entering his throne room, his hand resting possessively on my lower back. He was dressed in a custom black suit, every inch of him exuding power. And beside him, I was nothing more than an extension of that power.

A trophy.

A queen forged in blood and betrayal.

I forced a smile as we walked past the heads of the most dangerous families in the world, each one greeting Dante with respect wrapped in veiled threats. But none of them mattered.

Not as much as the man standing near the far end of the ballroom.

My breath hitched.

My father.

He was here.

He stood near the bar, surrounded by his allies, his expression unreadable as he sipped from a glass of bourbon. His eyes flicked toward me for only a second before returning to his drink, as if I were a mere stranger.

The rejection was sharp, but I wasn't surprised.

Dante's grip on my waist tightened. "Don't look at him," he murmured low in my ear, his lips barely brushing my skin. "He's already made his choice."

My father hadn't tried to save me. He hadn't even negotiated for my return.

I was nothing to him.

A pawn he had discarded.

Dante's hold became almost comforting in comparison, and that realization sent a bitter taste through my mouth.

I had spent my life fearing men like him. Hating men like him. And yet, here I was, standing beside the worst of them all, carrying his child, pretending I wasn't already falling deeper into his world.

"Come." Dante guided me toward a group of men, his business partners, his enemies, his rivals.

And as the night went on, I played my role flawlessly.

The perfect wife. The perfect queen.

All while keeping the most dangerous secret of all.

To Be Continued...