Dangerous Secrets: My Mafia Stepbrother

Could he really be like that? Isabella thought about Emanuele, always ready to kill her, delighting in her suffering. He was a sadistic tormentor, capable of inflicting the most excruciating pain on a living person.

Such a demon, and yet, he treated those close to him so well?

“Then… what about Emanuele and the women he likes?” Isabella asked cautiously.

She suddenly realized that she knew nothing about whether Emanuele had other women or if he had other girlfriends while he was with her. The mere thought of it made her feel sick.

“Oh God, I hope not,” she prayed internally.

Fortunately, Lilly shook her head. “I’m not sure about that. I’ve never seen Emanuele bring women home, and even though his father has been pushing him to get married, it doesn’t seem to have any effect.”

Lilly then smiled and continued, “But honestly, you’re the girl I’ve seen Emanuele treat the most seriously. He actually let me cook for you and spend time with you.”

Isabella was shocked. Treated seriously? She couldn’t believe it. If this was what Emanuele’s version of taking something seriously was, then she was nothing more than an object to him. After using her, he’d handed her over to his brother like she was a commodity.

“So, Isabella, is your distress related to Emanuele?” Lilly asked with a warm and compassionate smile, making her look like a therapist.

Isabella nodded. “I thought he might like me, but then he asked me to marry one of his friends.”

Even speaking about it to someone else was painful for Isabella. Lilly was surprised and gasped, “Oh my goodness, he asked you to marry someone directly?!”

She looked at Isabella’s sorrowful face and suddenly understood why she was so heartbroken. From Isabella’s appearance, she could tell that Isabella had developed feelings for Emanuele, yet he wanted her to marry someone else.

When Emanuele had requested her presence to cook here, Lilly had suspected that he might have feelings for Isabella, but Emanuele had denied it, insisting that Isabella was like a little sister. Now, hearing Isabella’s account of the situation, Lilly knew what was really going on.

“You like Emanuele, but he doesn’t like you, is that it?” Lilly gently stroked Isabella’s hair, which used to be as smooth as silk, but now appeared messy due to her lack of grooming.

Isabella nodded, her voice quivering. She admitted to herself that she had developed feelings for Emanuele, but she didn’t dare to confess this in front of others.

“It’s okay, dear,” Lilly reassured her. “Emanuele isn’t as ruthless as you might imagine. He’s good to everyone in the house. You don’t have to think of him as such a terrible person. He brought me here to take care of you because he already considers you a part of the family. Otherwise, he could have just left you to fend for yourself, right? I think there might be some misunderstanding.”

Isabella found Lilly’s words somewhat reasonable. However, just as Emanuele had stated, he considered her a part of the family, like a sister. The realization shattered her heart.

“But he still wants me to marry someone. I don’t want to get married, and he doesn’t agree,” Isabella’s voice trembled, and her tears were about to start falling again. “Lilly, what should I do? Can you convince him?”

“On that matter, I’m truly not sure,” Lilly furrowed her brows as she thought, not finding any good solution to the problem.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Emanuele’s decisions are hard to change, Isabella,” Lilly began, trying to paint a brighter picture of Clark’s future. “Clark is actually a good guy, handsome, ambitious, and marrying him means you’ll be going to Canada. You won’t have to live in constant fear anymore, and you’ll be free to go wherever you want, with no one to harm you.”

Isabella’s eyes filled with tears, her trembling lips managed to whisper, “I understand.”

She was now lost in a sea of despair. Isabella wondered why everyone around her was so loyal to Emanuele, thinking of him as a great person and even being willing to sacrifice their lives for him. But in her eyes, Emanuele was nothing short of a demon. He could easily drag her into the abyss, inflicting endless pain upon her.

Later, Isabella joined Lilly for breakfast, not wanting to worry her. To make Isabella feel better, Lilly even baked a small cake for her. However, Isabella couldn’t find joy in anything. The approaching wedding was causing a constant ache in her heart.

Isabella finished her meal and wanted to retreat to her room. She believed that sleep might be the only way to escape from the harsh reality.

“Isabella, why go to your room? Let’s continue watching the reality show we were enjoying,” Lilly suggested, fearing that Isabella would be consumed by dark thoughts if left alone. She took Isabella by the arm and led her to the living room, turning on the TV to play the reality show they both liked.

“You see, isn’t this the guy you like?” Lilly made an effort to redirect Isabella’s gaze. “He’s handsome, gentle, considerate, and incredibly charming.”

Isabella gazed at the man on the television screen. This man was so gentle, caring, and polite with every girl, a true gentleman, the complete opposite of Emanuele.

But Isabella’s mind was still occupied with thoughts of Emanuele. She couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing now and whether he would feel any regret watching her marry Clark. Was he really so heartless? Had all the tenderness of that night been a mere façade?

A string of thoughts tormented Isabella almost to the point of madness. She had never imagined that she would find herself in such a situation, longing for Emanuele despite his cruelty.

She liked Emanuele, and the thought drove Isabella to the brink of a breakdown. What was even more agonizing was that Emanuele didn’t like her. The memory of Emanuele’s ruthless attitude when he asked her to marry Clark the previous night filled her with sorrow.

Isabella tried to focus on the reality show, but her mind was locked in her misery. The idea of becoming Clark’s bride was almost unbearable.

Yet, the most painful aspect was Emanuele’s cold indifference. Just yesterday, he had been passionate and intense in bed, as if he couldn’t get enough of her, but not long after, he had become a completely different person.

Isabella knew she couldn’t resist him, but should she confide in her mother about this?