Bound by Betrayal (The Mafia King Captive Bride)

Olivia

With a smile on my face, I parked my car and made my way towards the house. As I walked, a warm feeling spread through my heart, grateful for the little stunt I had just pulled off.

The internet is damn on fire!

You know, finding someone to do the work for you isn’t too difficult when money is involved. People can be quite motivated by a little cash incentive.

Opening the door, I walked inside, the wicked smile still not leaving my lips. As I walked into the living room, a wave of tension hung in the air. There sat my father, sipping his coffee, and my mother, sitting beside him. They were close physically, but it was clear that something was missing between them. No chemistry, no bond. It was as if they were two strangers sharing a couch.

This always makes me wonder if he actually loves my mom.

It’s always been interesting how he never fails to remind us of our place in his life, even though he never says it outright. But his actions speak volumes. Since the very first day, I started to think for myself, I’ve never seen him look at us with affection. It’s always been her… always Ashley!

Tell me why can’t he love us? Then why did he impregnate my mom if he never loved her?

With a sad smile on my face, I blink back the tears. This isn’t why I’m here. I refuse to let his actions ruin the mood right now. So, still smiling, I make my way into the sitting room.

A wicked smile crept onto my lips as I approached them, drawing their attention. My heart raced with excitement at the little pieces of information that I was about to disclose to my dear father. I needed to shake things up to know how he would still see her after everything. Maybe, just maybe, I could shatter the love and connection they once had and gain his love and adoration.

“Hey, Mom, and Dad,” I greeted them, trying to sound casual but with a hint of mischief. “What’s going on here? Mind if I join you?”

Our eyes met, and something flickered in my mother’s gaze. We both exchanged a quick glance, as if silently communicating. My mother’s eyes softened, while my father’s expression remained guarded. Ignoring me, he continued with his coffee.

“Of course, sweetie,” my mother replied, patting the empty space beside her. “Come sit with us.”

I plopped down on the couch, deliberately placing myself between them. I could feel the tension in the room, but I refused to let it deter me. I was determined to break through the walls he had built around his heart and the little love he still has for her.

“So, Dad, have you seen the news spreading like wildfire on the internet?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “Did you happen to receive any phone calls today?”

A mischievous smile plays on my lips as I notice his grip tighten around the cup, yet he still avoids looking at me. His curiosity is piqued, and that’s all the encouragement I need to continue. It seems he hasn’t seen the news yet, just as I expected.

“What’s the latest scoop this time around, daughter?” my mom asks, turning to face me.

I gave her a small smile before turning my gaze back to my father. “I distinctly remember you telling me that Damien would be in charge of the company, but it wouldn’t be publicly known. You shared this with me on the day of their wedding, right after my dear sister’s embarrassing stunt at the DDW hotel that had brought us to our lowest point,” I sarcastically blurt out, slightly lifting my head a bit to take in his facial expression.

Now he’s not even sipping his coffee. Though he’s not looking at me, I can tell his curiosity is piqued. A mischievous gleam dances in my eyes as I raise an eyebrow and smirk, continuing my words.

“So sorry, Dad,” I say, my tone softening as I lower my voice. “The news is all over the place now. Everyone knows that Damien is the one in charge of Power Tech, not you anymore.” I drop the bomb, and just like that, the cup slips from his grasp, shattering on the floor. Coffee spills everywhere, leaving a brown stain on the pristine white tiles.

“What…… nonsense are you talking about?”

“How could Damien!” he yelled, but I quickly interjected.

“I don’t think it’s Damien,” I mumbled, shaking my head as he angrily glared at me. “I… I think it’s my sister, Ashley, who posted that stuff online. It was uploaded on her Instagram page.”

“WHAT!!!” My mother’s shriek echoed through the room. But as usual, Daniel shook his head disapprovingly.

“This can’t be happening, Ashley can’t… do this,” he kept stuttering, shaking his head repeatedly in refusal to believe the words I spoke.

“But she did, that witch did it…” my mom interjected, her voice filled with frustration. “I warned you, Daniel Harlow, as soon as I saw the news on the television while I was away. But no, she was your favorite daughter, and you didn’t mind taking the risk. The only valuable thing our family had was snatched away because of your selfishness and her. You shouldn’t have married her off instantly, but no…” My mom shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“You love her so much that you didn’t even consider your second daughter, Olivia,” the tears started streaming down her cheeks. Daniel held his head, his heart filled with panic, rising and falling. “I know you dislike me so much, but at least this girl here hasn’t done anything wrong to deserve this hatred or to endure this torment with us.”

“STOP IT!!” Daniel yelled, his veins popping out from his neck.

“She’s way better than your so-called favorite girl, you know? Look at where this nonsense you pulled has landed us. It’s all over… the news is everywhere. And guess what? She’s the one who spilled the beans to the whole world.”

“Charlotte!!!” he snapped, anger evident in his glare towards both me and my mom. “There’s no proof. It could just be some baseless rumor. Besides, Ashley couldn’t possibly do something like that.”

I smiled sadly, looking at him. It’s clear that he trusts her unconditionally. It’s hard to believe… He still sees her as his daughter, while he never hesitates to point out my mistakes.

“Seriously, Daniel, I mean seriously,” my mom shook her head, disbelief and hurt flickering in her eyes. “She ruined not just you, but all of us,” he gestured towards the three of us.

With a sigh, I slowly got up from the couch and approached my furious father. I have had enough of their endless banter. “Here,” I handed him my phone.

He took a quick glance at it and then turned his gaze back to me, his eyes filled with anger. “What’s this for?” he asked, glaring at the phone in front of him.

“It ain’t no rumor, Dad. Take a look and see for yourself how she spilled all the details,” I said, my voice trembling with the hurt and pain that consumed my heart.

Reluctantly, he nodded his head and took the phone, heading to her Instagram profile. A wave of anger, hurt, and pain washed over me as I watched him scroll through it. How could he love her so much? Why is it so difficult for him to accept me?

“No….. No!”

The shock in his voice jolted me out of my thoughts, and I quickly caught my phone before it hit the ground. Daniel staggered back, shaking his head in disbelief, unable to accept what he had just witnessed. A whirlwind of shock, disbelief, pain, and hurt filled his gaze.