Dangerous Secrets: My Mafia Stepbrother

“Isabella, no one has ever threatened me and lived to tell the tale,” Emanuele said, his expression icy and his tone heavy, his grip on Isabella’s hand tightening.

Isabella felt her throat becoming unbearably constricted due to the lack of oxygen. Her face turned crimson, and her vision started to fade, as if she might pass out any moment.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Dear God, she hadn’t done anything wrong. Why was this demon torturing her so cruelly?

Watching the girl in front of him struggling for her life, Emanuele’s lips curved slightly. Yes, she was so fragile. With a little more pressure, he could end her right there. Did he really think he was so special and powerful for toying with such a fragile creature?

Emanuele contemplated it; maybe he should just strangle her. Although Isabella was interesting, he couldn’t allow her to challenge his boundaries so easily. As the head of the Chicago Mafia, he had to establish dominance. Anyone daring to provoke him would meet a swift demise. How else could he control his underlings?

However, as he saw Isabella’s face growing paler, her struggles gradually ceasing, and it seemed like she might lose consciousness any moment, he furrowed his brow. For some reason, he felt uncomfortable, and he immediately released Isabella.

Isabella fell onto the bed, and at the same time, she got a chance to breathe again. It was like a fish that had been out of water for too long, suddenly being thrown back into it. She had never realized that being able to breathe fresh air normally could be such a wonderful thing.

Yet, when Isabella looked up and saw the mountain-like man before her, she couldn’t help but tremble with fear. Her body was still shaking.

Seeing Isabella’s fear, Emanuele’s discomfort grew.

What’s wrong with you, Emanuele? She challenged you, and you didn’t like it. She’s scared of you, and you still feel uncomfortable?

Emanuele left the room, closing the door behind him. He felt like he would go insane if he stayed with Isabella any longer. He was usually so decisive in his actions – if he wanted to kill someone, they wouldn’t survive the next moment. But now, he was hesitating. What was wrong with him?

Emanuele’s departure allowed Isabella to finally relax. This man was truly terrifying, with his inexplicable desire to be with her one moment and his irrational rage the next. In his presence, she felt like a tiny ant, with her life at his mercy.

Isabella thought this situation was beyond dreadful. She wanted to escape, but everyone here was connected to Emanuele. Where could she go? The only option might be leaving the country, but she couldn’t bear to leave her mother behind.

…

“Isabella, are you okay? You look really pale, and what’s with the bruise on your neck?” Evelyn asked as soon as Isabella arrived at the hospital.

Both of them were doctors, so their professional sensitivity was high. Despite Isabella’s attempt to hide the marks on her neck with a ribbon, Evelyn immediately spotted them.

“It’s nothing, just an accidental injury,” Isabella forced a smile. She had only noticed the bruising on her neck when she woke up that morning, a painful reminder of Emanuele’s actions the previous night. She hastily covered it with a scarf.

Thinking of that demon, Isabella felt like she was living through a nightmare.

How could she ever escape him? Did she really have to marry Clark to break free? But she knew it would only be jumping from one abyss to another.

“Did you and your wealthy boyfriend get a little too wild last night?” Evelyn teased, glancing at the bruise on Isabella’s neck and covering her mouth with her hand. “But seriously, be careful. That bruise looks pretty deep. If he had choked you to unconsciousness, what would you have done?”

Isabella knew Evelyn believed it was some sort of playful game between her and Clark. She had a headache. Why did Evelyn always have such a dirty mind? But she supposed that was better than Evelyn discovering that she had nearly been killed.

“Honestly, your boyfriend really cares about you, making you bring two bodyguards even to the hospital,” Evelyn remarked, casting a glance at the two men standing outside the corridor.

Looking at Tony and Harry, Isabella furrowed her brow. “Evelyn, I really want to explain everything to you.” She wanted to clarify that she wasn’t officially with Clark yet and that her current situation was orchestrated by her stepbrother.

But observing Evelyn’s innocent demeanor, Isabella hesitated. She felt that sharing too much would only make her friend scared and confused.

“I understand,” Evelyn patted Isabella’s shoulder. “You don’t have to explain. Next time, ask your boyfriend if any of his friends are single and introduce me. If I could be pursued by someone so wealthy, why would I bother going to work? I’d be traveling around the world with my boyfriend.”

“Evelyn, the world isn’t as simple as it seems on the surface. It might look good, but you also lose a lot,” Isabella cautioned.

“Lose what?” Evelyn asked.

“Like the possibility of losing your life at any moment,” Isabella sighed, still haunted by the near misses she had experienced, from the almost car accident to the kidnapping attempt. She couldn’t help but shudder at the thought.

She felt that her future would either end at the hands of Emanuele or his enemies. If she could make it to next year, it would be a reason to celebrate with champagne.

Evelyn was quick to pick up on the implications in Isabella’s words. “Oh my god, so these two bodyguards suddenly appeared because your life is in danger?!”

Isabella nodded.

“Okay, I get it. I won’t envy you anymore, Isabella. You’ve been through a lot. So, are you planning to break up with him?” Evelyn inquired.

Isabella smiled wryly. “I’m actually not officially with him. It’s just that my mother married the former head of the mafia, and I got dragged into all of this. I don’t even know how many people want to take my life now.”

Evelyn once again covered her mouth in astonishment. “Oh my goodness, I’ve never heard you mention this before!” She scrutinized Isabella, who was wearing a Dior blouse today. She noticed that Isabella had been wearing more upscale clothing lately.

Could it be that Isabella’s newfound wealth was somehow related to her stepfather? Was her wealthy suitor also connected through him?

Evelyn knew that the mafia existed all over the world, and even in their country, there were several mafia groups. They had their struggles, and people died, but that was usually within their own circles. Ordinary people who kept their distance were usually safe.

She had never imagined that her close friend would have any connection to these organizations.

“I don’t know how to explain it, Evelyn. My life has become a nightmare, and telling you would only make you worry. I just hope you never get involved in this kind of life. It’s like a terrible dream,” Isabella sighed, feeling utterly helpless and powerless.