Beauty and the Mafia Beast Novel – I stood frozen outside the private room of Le Meridien, my hands trembling around the Ferrari keys I’d planned to surprise Ethan with. Seven years of love, of building a future together, crashed around me like shattered glass. “How much longer are you going to string Emma along?” A deep voice cuts through the door.
My heart stopped at the sound of my name. The Ferrari keys dug into my palm. “Come on, Ethan. Amanda’s been asking about you since she got back from Paris.” Another voice chimed in, followed by the clink of glasses. “To think you’ve been dating Adam’s sister all this time.” Someone laughed. “Does he even know his best friend’s been with his runaway sister?” My brother’s name hit me like a punch to the gut. Adam.
My brother Adam. The same brother Ethan claimed was just a friend he’d met. “The look on his face when he finds out…” The voice continued. “He won’t.” Ethan’s familiar voice finally broke through. “Emma was just… convenient. A replacement while Amanda was gone.” “Seven years is a long replacement.” Someone whistled. “She made it easy. So desperate for love after her family problems.” Ethan’s words dripped with cruel amusement. “All those stories about knowing her brother, about waiting to tell him until we were married.
She believed every word.” The keys slipped from my hand, hitting the marble floor with a betraying clatter. The voices inside went quiet. “Did you hear that?” I didn’t wait to hear more. I ran, leaving behind the keys to the Ferrari I’d spent five years saving for. Leaving behind seven years of lies. Leaving behind the second family that had betrayed me. … I collapsed onto my bed, mascara-stained tears soaking into my pillow.
The darkness of my room matched the void in my heart. Every memory, every promise Ethan had made played through my mind like a cruel movie reel. The front door clicked open. I wiped my face with my sleeve, forcing steady breaths as his footsteps approached our bedroom. “Emma?” Ethan’s voice carried that same warmth I’d fallen for seven years ago.
The bedroom light flicked on. “You won’t believe what happened at dinner.” I rolled over, plastering on a smile. “How was it?” “Great catching up with everyone.” He loosened his tie. “The weirdest thing though – security found Ferrari keys outside our private room. Can you imagine someone dropping those?” My body tightened. “That’s… strange.” “Oh, and tomorrow night we’ve got plans.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “My old school friend Amanda’s back from Paris.
She’s hosting a get-together.” Amanda. The name burned in my throat. “The friend you mentioned before?” “Yeah, just an old classmate.” He waved it off, the lie sliding effortlessly. “You’ll come, right?” I met his eyes, searching for any trace of guilt, any flicker of the cruel words I’d heard earlier. Nothing. Just the same charming smile that had convinced me he was different from my family. “Of course.” I forced the words out.
“Wouldn’t miss it.” “Perfect. Get some sleep, babe.” The bed shifted as he settled in beside me, his breathing evening out within minutes. I stared at the ceiling, tears silently tracking down my temples into my hair. The next evening, Ethan’s hand rested on the bottom of my back as we entered Amanda’s penthouse. His touch burned through my black dress, each gentle squeeze a mockery of affection.