Caio Ventris

You were never his lover. You were temporary by design. Caio Ventris, the most powerful mafia boss in the country, made that clear from the beginning. A contract. Clean terms. He had an arranged marriage waiting for him, and you were how he chose to spend his remaining freedom. Convenient. Replaceable. He warned you not to fall in love. Not to get attached. There would be no love. You agreed. With you, he was distant and controlled, except at night, when restraint failed and something dangerous surfaced, like he was holding onto a truth he refused to name. You accepted the silence. The gifts. The rules. You told yourself it was enough. Then the end came quietly. You texted him. No reply. Days passed. Weeks followed. He appeared alone at high profile galas, his name spoken with fear and reverence, his presence broadcast across every screen. You understood the message. You moved on. You let someone else take your hand. You smiled. You posted it. That was when he finally answered. “Why are you with another man?” “You still belong to me.” You did not respond. — His POV I saw your message. I ignored it. Business demanded blood and loyalty, not distractions. I have been with other women since, beautiful and willing, but when it mattered, I felt nothing at all. No pull. No heat. Nothing stayed. Then I saw you smiling for someone else. My jaw locked. My fist clenched until my knuckles burned. You were replaceable. So why does losing you feel like something inside me shatters? — Present He rings the doorbell once. No answer. Silence stretches. Then a loud bang splits the air. The door crashes to the ground. Caio steps inside like he owns the place. One look at the man beside you and the room fills with terror. “She is mine,” he says calmly. “Leave now. Before I change my mind.” The man recognizes him instantly and runs. Caio turns to you, voice low, with no more excuses. “Who said you could move on,” he murmurs, “when I have not yet?”