After My Ex Left Me At The Altar, I Married the King of the Underworld

On my wedding day, my mafia fiancé, Ryder Conti, had his men bar me from the church. Instead, he walked down the aisle with another woman on his arm. He shrugged at me through the iron gates. "Emilia, the Contis need an heir, and Carmela is carrying a Rossi." "Once I use the Rossi influence to solidify my position in the Family, I'll divorce her. You'll still be my woman." Everyone thought I would obediently nod and wait for him to come back. For ten years, I had loved him more than life itself, even cutting ties with my family for him. That very night, I boarded a private jet to Sicily to accept an arranged marriage with the Godfather of the Vettori family. From then on, I vanished without a trace from Ryder Conti's world. Three years later, I returned to New York with my husband and child to deal with a traitor in the Family. Zayn had some last minute business, so he sent his men to collect me. I never expected to see a face from my past. Ryder looked at me with a smirk. "Had enough fun out there? Since you've come crawling back, this is perfect. Carmela's son needs a cook. You can do the job." Wait, he just called me, the most respected Donna in the underworld, the cook? Chapter 1 On my wedding day, my fiancé, Ryder Conti, cast me aside at the church for his mistress and the bastard in her belly. Three years later, I returned to the States with my husband. At a private airstrip, I ran into Ryder, who had the gall to offer me a job as a cook for his mistress's son. He had no idea that the woman he dismissed as a nobody was the most respected Donna in the entire underworld. A strong wind whipped across the private airstrip. In the distance, a group of men stood beside a few black SUVs. The man at the front was holding a sign. The Italian word "Tesoro" was written on it. It was Zayn's pet name for me, a word he loved to whisper in my ear during our nights in Sicily. As I got closer, I saw that the person holding the sign was none other than my ex-fiancé, the Conti family's Capo, Ryder. He and a few of his men, their arms covered in tattoos, were craning their necks to look toward the jet's stairs. "Boss, isn't that Emilia? The one who cried and begged you not to leave her back then?" Ryder was stunned for a moment when he saw me, but he quickly composed himself, a smug look spreading across his face. "I knew it. Sooner or later she'd hit rock bottom and come crawling back." "This time she held out for quite a while!" The men erupted in a chorus of jeers. "I thought she had some pride! Turns out she's just come crawling back to kiss the boss's feet, hasn't she?" "Look at that black dress, not even a brand logo on it. Probably some cheap crap from an outlet mall!" "I wonder how she even got onto this private airstrip. Maybe she's on the cleaning crew?" It was no wonder they thought that. In the past, to please Ryder, I would wear short skirts and squeeze my feet into ill-fitting high heels, no matter how cold it was. But I had no need for that anymore. Because of my pregnancy, Zayn forbade me from wearing anything restrictive. This seemingly simple black silk gown was custom-made by a master artisan in Italy. These clueless goons wouldn't know quality if it slapped them in the face. But I understood from their words. They had no idea I was the one they were sent to collect. Seeing me stand still, one of the men, who had once received a favor from me, tried to smooth things over. "Emilia, good to see you back. To be honest, the boss hasn't completely forgotten you all these years…" The smile on Ryder's face froze for a second before he cut the man off. "You're back just in time. Carmela's son has been a picky eater lately. He needs a personal cook." "I know you've always been good in the kitchen, and you should be able to take good care of the boy. The job's yours." The same condescending look, as if he were bestowing some great charity upon me. Too bad I was no longer the spineless woman who swallowed every insult and compromised for his sake. Just as I was about to tell them to get lost, Ryder's phone rang. It was Carmela. When she heard I was going to be their family cook, she couldn't hide her excitement. "Emilia, don't you dare blame Ryder. He's only arranging this to take care of you. After all, you disappeared for three years. Who knows what kind of life you've been living?" "It's better to stay by our side, to have a roof over your head." "Don't worry, no one will look down on you for taking care of the heir to the Conti and Rossi families." Three years, and Carmela was still the same spiteful, vicious woman, just as capable of making my stomach turn. Neither of them had changed one bit. A match made in heaven, truly. The goons around them immediately started chiming in. "Emilia, what are you waiting for? Thank the boss! This is a sweet gig with room and board!" "A chance to walk through the Conti family's door is a damn sight better than living on the streets!" I touched the family ring hidden beneath my sleeve, about to reveal my identity when Ryder stepped closer. "Emilia, don't be ungrateful. I made a necessary sacrifice for the Family, and you just abandoned me. Now you come crawling back after hitting rock bottom..." "You won't grow up if you don't learn the hard way." My heart clenched at his words. He still thought I would be overcome with shame, that I would finally bow my head and admit I was wrong. So, in his mind, promoting his pregnant mistress and kicking me to the curb was just a "necessary sacrifice." The boy who had once carried me five blocks through a storm to find a pharmacy was long dead. The Ryder who swore to make me the happiest woman in the world was nothing but a joke. Fine. Let all those foolish memories die right here. After all, I was carrying Zayn's second child. Our children were the true legacy. Chapter 2 I had no intention of continuing this pointless reunion. Zayn's possessiveness was terrifying. If he knew I was tangled up with this trash, he would have them killed. Slowly. I lifted my eyes, my voice flat. "If you're my ride, let's go." I walked straight toward the black Cadillac. The air froze for a second. Then, the men behind Ryder burst into laughter, even louder and more grating than before. "Go? Go where?" "Emilia, are you insane? Or has living on the streets finally rotted your brain?" One of the beefy thugs pointed at the sign. "This car is reserved for the VIP from Sicily!" "Open your damn eyes. We're here for the Donna of the Vettori family!" Ryder's phone was still on speaker, and Carmela's shrill voice cut through again. "Honey, don't waste your breath on her. And remember to get a good look at the Vettori Donna's hand. I heard Zayn gave her the 'Fleur-de-lis Blood Ring'." "It's the symbol of the Vettori family's power. I've only ever seen blurry pictures of it in magazines. If I could see that pigeon's blood ruby in person, even from a distance, I could brag about it to my socialite friends for the next six months." Ryder's voice softened as he spoke into the phone. "Don't worry, babe. I'll get a good look for you once we meet her." "But honey, I've already bought you a pink diamond ring at auction. It's not as priceless as the Blood Ring, but it's still very precious." After hanging up, Ryder turned back to me, a cold sneer on his face. He crossed his arms, watching me like I was a clown. "Did you hear that? We're here to greet royalty, not some pathetic woman in a cheap, unbranded dress." "You think you're worthy of even being mentioned in the same breath as someone of her stature?" I glanced down at my left hand. The legendary ring rested quietly on my finger. The massive pigeon's blood ruby caught the sunlight. On the inside of the band, the ancient fleur-de-lis emblem pressed against my skin with its familiar coolness. I thought of the man who always wore a cold expression, but whose hands trembled slightly as he knelt on one knee to place it on my finger. A soft smile touched my lips unbidden. Ryder saw my smile and his gaze followed my own. The next second, he lunged forward, grabbing my wrist and exposing the ring to everyone. "Emilia, you really pulled out all the stops to put on a show for me, didn't you?" "Is this another plastic piece of junk you picked up at a flea market? So desperate to play the lady that you'd parade around in a fake like this?" "You don't have to go to such lengths. Just come back, be good, admit you were wrong, and go cook for Carmela's kid. I'll forgive you." "You think putting on a fake ring makes you Mrs. Vettori? Your vanity is pathetic." The pain in my wrist made me frown. I looked at the man I once loved so deeply, now acting like a self-righteous imbecile. "Tell you what, I'll give you two hundred bucks for this knockoff. The forgery is actually pretty good." "Carmela has always wanted to see the real thing, so I'll give it to her as a toy. You're getting a good deal." He started to pull at the ring. I wasn't strong enough to break free, so I said flatly, "It was a gift from Zayn…" Before I could finish, he grabbed my chin, his face close to my ear. "Emilia, you've gotten really bold." "You have no right to speak his name!" Chapter 3 Ryder still hadn't let go, forcing me to look at him. "If you're looking to get killed, don't drag the Conti family down with you." He lowered his voice, but he couldn't hide the fear in it. "Forging a Vettori family sigil and saying the Godfather's name in public... Emilia, are you trying to get us all killed?" The Soldatos, who had been enjoying the show, instantly paled. Anyone in this life knew the price of impersonating someone from the Vettori family. It meant a one-way trip to the bottom of the Hudson River, sealed in a concrete barrel. A few of the more cowardly ones even took a step back, staring at me as if I were the plague. "Dammit, Emilia, are you crazy? We begged and pleaded for this job today." One of the men pointed at me, his finger trembling. "Boss, she's trying to provoke the Vettoris with this cheap fake! She wants them to think the Contis are challenging them!" "She's getting revenge! I can't believe she'd come up with such a vicious plan." Ryder shoved me away, wiping his hand on his suit as if my touch had soiled it. "Crazy bitch." "Looks like three years on the streets taught you nothing." I lifted my head. My jaw throbbed, but my gaze was as still as a frozen lake as I stared straight at Ryder. Perhaps he'd never seen me like this, because he froze, his words dying in his throat. A crony Carmela had planted in the group saw his chance and added with a sneer, "Boss, don't let her fool you. This woman is just bitter. She wants to ruin your alliance with the Rossi family." "It's classic jealousy. If she's miserable, she wants to drag everyone else down to hell with her." Ryder seemed to find this a reasonable explanation. Perhaps the word "jealousy" soothed his pathetic ego. He was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly pulled a thick wad of cash from his suit jacket and stuffed it into my hands, as if I were a beggar. "Alright. For old times' sake, I'll help you out one last time." "This is twenty thousand dollars. Go into the city, find a decent hotel, clean yourself up, and buy some respectable clothes. You need to hide how pathetic you look." "I'll talk to Carmela. As long as you're willing to swallow your pride, you'll be taken care of in the kitchen." He brushed off his lapel. "Don't worry. I'm a Capo in charge of several districts now. This is just pocket change to me." Looking at the cash in my hands, I almost laughed. In Sicily, Zayn gave me a black card with no spending limit for my allowance. Twenty thousand dollars? It wasn't even enough to cover the cost of a single paintbrush Zayn had casually gifted me. But Ryder assumed this was the moment I'd been waiting for, the moment I would kneel at his feet, weeping with gratitude and selling my dignity for a handful of cash. With a sudden burst of strength, I ripped my wrist from Ryder's remaining grip. The wad of cash hit the tarmac with a slap, the bills scattering and taking flight in the wind. "Not necessary, Mr. Conti." My voice was devoid of warmth. "I don't accept charity from strangers. It's dirty." Chapter 4 I didn't care what shade of purple Ryder's face was turning as I walked away. I hadn't gone more than a few steps before my wrist was seized again, the grip so tight it felt like my bones would shatter. Ryder's distorted face was close to mine. "Emilia, you won't even take my money? Who are you trying to impress?" "A stranger? After I slept with you for ten years, now I'm a stranger?" He had grabbed me twice today. If Zayn saw this, Zayn would kill him a dozen times over for it. Or rather, if Zayn so much as smelled another man on me, I wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. "Mr. Conti, we're broken up. Stop making a scene." I used all my strength to shake him off. "You wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea." "And don't say I didn't warn you. My husband is a jealous man." Ryder paused, then let out a snort of laughter, his eyes sweeping contemptuously over my "bargain-bin" dress. "Husband? Is your broke-ass husband slinging takeout on some street corner, or is he mopping floors like you?" He seemed convinced I was either lying out of shame or trying my hardest to provoke him. His anger faded, replaced by a smug, self-satisfied expression. "Alright, stop with the dramatics." "In three days, the Five Families are hosting a charity gala in Manhattan. That's the real big leagues." "The Vettoris will be there. I'll take you, show you what real power looks like." He looked me up and down, frowning in disgust. "But not in those rags. Go buy a proper gown. Don't embarrass me." "You can't be on my arm looking like that." The Five Families' gala? Zayn had arranged for the Vettori family to host that gala specifically to celebrate my pregnancy. "I really don't need that, thank you." Rejected again, Ryder's last shred of patience vanished. In his eyes, I was ungrateful, pushing my luck. "Fine! Just fine!" "Emilia, you've really grown a backbone, haven't you?" "After a few years on the streets, you think you're hot shit?" He abruptly pulled his hand back and yelled to his men behind him. "If she doesn't want to go, then forget it! Tell Carmela to get her best gown ready!" "I'll take her that day, and I'll let everyone see who the real woman worthy of standing by my side is!" I had no desire to argue. Zayn was probably getting impatient. As I left, I glanced back at Ryder, my eyes filled with pity. "I hope you still have this much confidence in three days." Stepping out of the restricted area of the airstrip, the cold air filled my lungs, settling the nausea churning in my stomach. My mind went back to that rainy night three years ago, at the church doors. I had stood in my wedding dress, waiting not for vows, but for Ryder's cold announcement. "Carmela's pregnant. The family doctor says it's a boy." "Emilia, to get the inheritance, I have to marry the Rossi girl. It's a necessary alliance." He even had the audacity to grab my hand and swear. "Just bear with me for a year. As soon as I get the Capo position, I'll divorce her and marry you." In that moment, my heart died. If he needed a marriage of convenience, then so would I. That night, I agreed to my parents' arrangement and boarded the flight to Sicily. In an ancient, dimly lit church in Palermo, Zayn Vettori, the Godfather who made the entire European mafia tremble, knelt on one knee before me. We completed a simple wedding ceremony. A year later, I gave birth to Lucas. Now, I was pregnant with our second child. If it wasn't to accompany Zayn back here to clean house, I would never have laid eyes on Ryder again. And I certainly wouldn't have given him the chance to peacock in front of me like a fool. Chapter 5 Three days later, I arrived at the venue wearing the black velvet gown Zayn had personally chosen for me. The skirt had no elaborate decorations, but its cut perfectly complemented my pregnant figure. Ryder spotted me immediately. His eyes lit up for a moment, probably assuming, in his self-important way, that I had finally given in. "I knew you'd come around." He strode over, examining me like one of his possessions. "But Emilia, if you want to be on my arm, you need to show some sincerity. You're still dressed so plainly, with no jewelry. It's not fit for a Conti's woman." "Since you're here, just follow me quietly and don't wander off." I didn't even bother to give him a glance. I sidestepped him and walked directly toward the main table at the front of the ballroom. A single seat was empty there, next to Zayn's exclusive wine glass. "Stop!" Ryder, infuriated by my dismissal, snapped. "I'm talking to you! Our seats are over there, in the corner. Where the hell do you think you're going?" I took another step forward. "That's your seat. My seat is over there." I lifted my chin, pointing to the very center of the room. Ryder followed my gaze, and his face instantly turned ugly. "That's the Vettori family's head table! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" The commotion was loud enough to draw the attention of the surrounding guests. Before I could shake him off, a shrill shout pierced the elegant violin music. "Emilia! How did you get in here?!" Carmela, squeezed into a gaudy, sequined red dress, marched over, spoiling for a fight. She pointed at the ring on my hand. "How did a cheap whore like this get in? And she still dares to parade around wearing that fake?" Countless eyes focused on me. Carmela reveled in the attention, her voice growing even louder. "Everyone, look! The ring on this woman's hand, isn't it a copy of the Vettori family's 'Fleur-de-lis Blood Ring'?" "Tonight is Don Zayn's first public appearance with his Donna, and this bitch has the nerve to wear a fake and insult the real one?" "Security! Where the hell is security? How did this trash get in here?" "Is she here to sell herself? Trying to land a sugar daddy?" Ryder's face was chalk-white. He yanked his hand away from me and even took a step back, quickly adjusting his cuffs. He spoke coldly to the curious onlookers. "I don't know her." "Did you hear that? Ryder doesn't even want to acknowledge a disgrace like you!" Seeing Ryder's reaction, Carmela grew bolder. "Take that fake ring off and get the hell out of here!" "Are you sure you want to kick me out?" I asked, a half-smile on my face. My attitude startled Carmela, and her confidence wavered for a split second. "Stop pretending! Take that piece of trash off!" With that, she lunged for my ring. I tried to step aside to avoid her. But I forgot I was wearing heels, and being pregnant made me less agile. Someone's foot shot out, tripping me hard. I lost my balance and fell heavily to the floor. Before I could react, a sharp stiletto heel ground into my left hand. A searing pain shot through me. Carmela smiled, grinding her heel into my fingers and the ring. "That's what you get for wearing a fake! For putting on an act!" "Since you were shameless enough to follow us here, consider this ring your admission fee!" My hand was a bloody mess. Blood stained the pigeon's blood ruby and seeped into the plush carpet. People around us started to stir, wanting to break it up. I cradled my stomach. For the sake of the child inside me, I endured the excruciating pain and tried to state my identity. "Stop! I'm Zayn's..." SMACK! A loud slap cut me off. "Shut up! Are you going to start rumors that you're Zayn's mistress now? As if you're worthy!" My face burned, and I could taste blood at the corner of my mouth. I had no intention of fighting a crazy woman in a place like this. There was no need. Zayn would have her hands and feet broken, inch by inch. Ryder finally reacted, rushing over and kneeling down, calling for her to stop. "Emilia, have you had enough?" He looked at my bleeding hand, a flicker of something in his eyes. "You wore a fake ring and dressed like this just to get humiliated in front of me. You're trying to win me back with this pathetic stunt, aren't you?" "Fine. If you beg me right now, I'll agree to take you back." I endured the pain, looked at his foolish expression, and smiled. "Ryder, you're finished." "Not just you. The entire Conti family, and the Rossis, you're all finished." Ryder's brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth to lash out. The grand doors of the ballroom were thrown open from the outside. The once-noisy hall fell completely silent. Zayn Vettori, dressed in a black custom-tailored suit and holding our son, Lucas, in his arms, strode in. Ryder's face changed. He scrambled to pull me up from the floor and hide me behind him. "Shit, Zayn's here! You better not make a scene!" "As long as you don't cause any more trouble for Carmela, I can give you a chance. Your genes aren't bad, after all..." Before he could finish, Lucas, secure in Zayn's arms, struggled to be let down. The moment the little boy's feet hit the floor, he took off on his short legs, running straight toward me. He dropped to his knees beside me, his clear, child-like voice choked with tears as he cried out, "Mama!" Zayn's gaze followed his son, landing on me, a disheveled mess in the corner. He took in the slap mark on my face, my bloodied, crushed hand. Ryder was completely frozen. He pointed at Luca, his voice trembling. "Am I hearing things? The boy... just called her... Mama?"