Mafia Boss Discovers His Bride Is a Virgin… He Thought His Innocent Bride Was…
Chapter 3
The revelation changed the way Matteo treated Isabella.
He became more protective.
Not possessive.
Protective.
He didn’t mention her virginity again.
He never asked questions she didn’t want to answer.
Instead, he started investigating the false reports.
Every document led back to Isabella’s older brother, Adrian.
Adrian had arranged the marriage.
Adrian had also been the one who supplied the background file.
Matteo summoned him.
“You lied to me.”
Adrian frowned.
“About what?”
“About your sister.”
Silence.
“What exactly did you tell him?” Matteo asked.
Adrian glanced toward the door.
“Nothing important.”
Matteo stood.
“Wrong answer.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“You’re married to her now. What difference does it make?”
“It makes every difference.”
Adrian laughed nervously.
“You’re acting like this is a love story.”
“No.”
Matteo stepped closer.
“I’m acting like someone deliberately deceived me.”
Adrian’s face changed.
“Matteo, listen—”
“Why did you make me think Isabella had been with other men?”
Adrian went pale.
“She was supposed to seem less innocent.”
“Why?”
“Because if you thought she was innocent, you would look too closely at her.”
Matteo froze.
“What does that mean?”
Adrian said nothing.
“Why would I look too closely?”
“Because you investigate everything.”
“And?”
Adrian lowered his voice.
“She knows something.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why are you afraid of her?”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Adrian backed away.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
Before Adrian could answer, the door opened.
Isabella stood there.
She had heard enough.
“Adrian.”
He turned.
“Isabella…”
Her face was pale.
“You lied about me?”
He looked ashamed.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From whom?”
Adrian’s eyes moved toward Matteo.
“Everyone.”
Isabella shook her head.
“You told him I had been with men.”
“I had no choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Do you want to know why the marriage happened?”
She nodded.
“Dad wasn’t trying to make peace.”
Matteo’s expression sharpened.
“Then what?”
“He was trying to hide you.”
Isabella’s face went blank.
“Hide me?”
Adrian nodded.
“Someone discovered what Mom left behind.”
“What did she leave?”
Adrian looked at Matteo.
Then at Isabella.
“An account.”
“What account?”
“A private trust.”
Matteo frowned.
“How much?”
Adrian answered:
“Forty million dollars.”
Isabella stared at him.
“I don’t know anything about that.”
“I know.”
Adrian looked at her.
“That’s why they chose you.”
“Who?”
He whispered:
“The men who killed our mother.”
The room went silent.
Matteo’s eyes hardened.
“Your mother was murdered?”
Adrian nodded.
“Six years ago.”
Isabella’s voice trembled.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“Because the people who did it were still looking.”
Adrian turned toward Matteo.
“We thought if you married her, nobody would touch her.”
Matteo stared at Isabella.
She had never been a romantic bride.
She had been a target.
And suddenly the entire marriage looked different.
Someone hadn’t sent him an innocent woman.
Someone had sent him a woman carrying a secret she didn’t even know she possessed.
