A Forced Contract Marriage with the Devil novel Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Alessandro’s rules.

echoed in my mind through the day and night. I couldn’t stop thinking about them however

much I tried.

It was a constant, suffocating reminder of what was expected of me. I could almost hear his voice in my head, firm and unwavering:

The weight of it pressed down on me, thick and unrelenting, like a heavy blanket I couldn’t escape from. I tried to distract myself, but it was impossible. My anxiety bubbled up, threatening to spill over, and the thought of Alessandro’s cold eyes watching my every move was enough to make my

heart race.

I thought back to the past, to the small, fleeting dreams I had as a kid. I wanted something so simple -peace, freedom, a life where I could breathe without fear. But those dreams felt so distant now, like they belonged to someone else. As a child, even though I was the male twin, I used to crie over little

things–a kitten stuck in a tree, a neighbor’s house burning down. I cared so much about the world, about others. Now, everything felt numb, a constant weight of responsibility and expectation crushing me.

I just wanted to be free….

But freedom wasn’t meant for people like me. Not when you born in a mafia family. That much, I

had learned. I remembered the first time when we were still young with Sabrina.

Then my father came home, his face dark and stormy. I could see the tension in his posture before he even stepped inside. He slammed the door behind him, and the air in the house seemed to change

instantly.

“Where is your brother?” he demanded, his voice harsh.

I froze, feeling the weight of his words settle over me, like a storm about to break. Sabrina, ever the

protective twin, shot me a worried glance but didn’t say anything.

“I’m here,” I said, stepping forward, my voice unsteady.

My father’s gaze cut into me, cold and demanding. “Get in here. Now,”

I swallowed hard, trying to hide my fear as I followed him into the study. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

“You think you can just live in this world, carefree, like it’s all a game?” he spat, and I didn’t even

understand him.

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Chapter 12

Some times I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around him. The man made no sense to me. One minute, he was a mystery, and the next, he was a threat. He confused me. We all didn’t understand him, mum and my twin sister and that made me feel even more out of control.

Thinking back on the way my dad treats my mum, my mind couldn’t help but race, my anxiety bubbling up with each passing thought. I tried to distract myself, focusing on my wishes, the things I had always hoped for. Though I knew most of them would never come true, I couldn’t help but dream, if only for a momen

1 lay back on the bed, letting my thoughts drift. A ukulele–something simple, something small that had been a childhood dream of mine. I knew it wouldn’t happen. It was just a silly wish. Leven (remembered crying as a child, terrified of the dark, my small world filled with shadows that felt like

they might swallow me whole. When I was older, in my teens, I longed for love. But even then, it was clusive. I searched for it, tried to find it in school, in friends, but it was always just out of reach.

Before my mind could spiral further, I heard a soft knock at the door, pulling me from my thoughts. I jolted up, nearly giving myself whiplash, “Come in,” I mumbled.

The female maid stepped inside, her presence calm and steady. She placed a hand gently on the back of my neck, attempting to ease the tension there. “Master Alessandro had to leave before you woke up for an urgent call,” he said. “We don’t know when he’ll be back, but he asked me to look after you. Time to wake up and get ready, breakfast is waiting for you.”

Breakfast. The thought of it pulled me from my daze. I immediately scrambled off the bed and

rushed out the door.

The maid followed with a quiet chuckle, her footsteps light as she trailed behind me. I dashed down the stairs, nearly tripping on the last step, and made my way to the dining room. There, I saw a stack of golden pancakes waiting for me, syrup dripping down the sides, just the way I liked it.

I dug in without a second thought. Afterward, though, I felt a wave of exhaustion hit me. It seemed like all the energy I’d gathered in the last few minutes had drained away. I stumbled toward the couch in the living room and collapsed into its plush cushions. With a small effort, I pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over myself, sinking deeper into the comfort of it.

I closed my eyes, trying to will myself into sleep. I wished my childhood fears would fade, that my dreams would come true when I woke up. But even as I stared at the back of the couch, a part of me knew it wouldn’t happen. And that was the hell of it. My life had already gone down a path that felt impossible to escape. I let my thoughts drift as my body began to shut down, my mind slowing as sleep started to claim me.

In my sleep, my mind painted dark pictures. Blood dripped from my hands, staining them red. I stood over the body of my former business partner, a twisted smile curling on my lips as I wiped the blood away with a white handkerchief. ‘Get rid of it,” I muttered to no one in particular. I’m done looking at this mess.”

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