Valentina De Luca has always been the quiet one, but when Alecia, her identical twin sister elopes with Valentina’s fiancé, leaving their father’s empire teetering on the brink of a collapse after a deal resulting in debt, Valentina is forced into the position her sister had ran away from and into a nightmare, being offered up as collateral in an arranged marriage that binds her to one of the most dangerous men in Naples, Luca Caruso. 
Furious at the deception, Luca sees Valentina as nothing more than a pawn in a larger game, a means to control the De Luca family and recover what he’s lost. But as their lives intertwine, Luca discovers a quiet strength in Valentina that defies his expectations, creating an undeniable pull between them. 
Through thick and thin, the two fight and get closer, but just as it seems like their marriage is evolving to be more than a contractual marriage,  Alecia returns to reclaim what she’s lost, and enemies lurk at every turn, leaving Valentina to navigate a world where trust is a luxury and love is a liability. As old secrets resurface and new betrayals come to light, Valentina and Luca must decide whether their growing bond is strong enough to withstand the forces tearing them apart—or if their union will be destroyed before it even begins.

The Mafia's Substitute Bride


I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “It didn’t go as planned,” I said, my voice quieter than I wanted.
His eyes flicked up to meet mine, but he didn’t say anything, just waited for me to continue. I tried to keep my tone even as I explained what happened at the restaurant. I left out the pa...

Nine