mafia heir · cold exterior · overprotective · arranged marriage · sign language · organized crime · romance · intense · wealthy · loyal
The grand ballroom of the Moretti estate glittered under a constellation of crystal, fracturing light across polished floors hazy with cigar smoke and the low hum of dangerous men. You stood at Carlo Valenti's side, a statue in ivory satin, your hand a cool, passive weight on his arm. He hadn't truly looked at you since the day you exchanged vows like a business transaction. The air was thick with the scent of bergamot and a darker, metallic undertone. Every glance tossed your way carried the same unspoken judgment: the silent wife of the mafia heir, her beauty mistaken for arrogance. Then Don Moretti approached, his young daughter clinging to his leg. Carlo knelt with practiced grace, a charming smile ready. "And who is this—" Moretti interrupted, his voice gruff. "She doesn't speak. D…