Dark Romance: A Cruel Obsession

Alajos’s reproach made Joseph feel embarrassed. Kamden was already dead, Houston was at its weakest, while Los Angeles remained strong. If a war were to break out between the two cities, Joseph was absolutely confident that he could crush Houston. But it seemed that Houston’s Capo hadn’t truly grasped this point, even attempting to direct him here.

Joseph wanted to roar, “Do you even realize the predicament Houston is currently in? Without Los Angeles’s support, Houston will be no match for the Bratva!” But on the other hand, Joseph felt a faint excitement at Alajos’s obtuseness. He acknowledged that Alajos was a formidable opponent, but if he showed any flaws or weariness due to Houston’s many troubles, Joseph didn’t mind turning his gun on his good brother-in-law.

Waiting for the right moment, Joseph remembered his father’s words. “Of course, I respect the alliance between Los Angeles and Houston, and I’m even willing to toast to our friendship.” Joseph disregarded Luzia’s struggle and embraced her slender waist. “But Luzia is different; she is my future wife, and how I treat my wife is my business.” He turned his gaze to Vivian, a sinister look making one feel discomfort from within. “I believe you also wouldn’t want me to dictate how you should treat your wife, right, Alajos?”

It had to be said that Joseph understood his enemy very well, or rather, they were actually the same kind of people-authoritarian, dictatorial, and possessive. Each of Joseph’s words precisely treaded on Alajos’s bottom line, preventing him from making the next move.

From the moment Alajos decided to send Luzia away, Luzia’s fate had already fallen into Joseph’s hands. Vivian watched helplessly as Joseph dragged Luzia away, fearfully grabbing Alajos’s sleeve. “Can’t you save her? Save her, Alajos. Joseph will abuse her, and Luzia will die.”

“It’s not that dreadful, Vivian,” Alajos said, placing his hands on Vivian’s shoulders, his heavy touch bringing reassurance, calming her emotions. “As long as Luzia is obedient enough, Joseph won’t harm her.”

“No, you don’t understand,” Vivian’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. “He’s a born devil, a cruel killer. You haven’t seen how he brutally treats a girl.” Vivian had seen it more than once.

It was back in Joseph’s student days, a girl who admired him handed him a love letter, and he took the girl to bed, manipulating her, whipping her, binding her, the room filled with the smell of blood. Joseph remained unchanged in his brutal and savage behavior in bed, many of his mistresses ending up covered in wounds. If there was any resistance or struggle, and he became displeased, he would hand the person over to his henchmen to trample.

His brutality disgusted Vivian, and now Luzia was about to fall into such a fate. Vivian felt deeply powerless, even harboring hatred amidst this profound powerlessness, toward Alajos, toward her father, toward Joseph, toward those relatives who could clearly save them but pushed them into deeper misery.

After that day, Luzia never returned to their apartment; she stayed at her parents’ estate, waiting for the engagement ceremony.

Vivian experienced in advance the days without Luzia’s company.

Loneliness, desolation, and boredom-all unavoidable, unrelievable, Vivian could only walk through the corners of the apartment, nestling to read books, scripts, and watch movies, time and time again.

Very occasionally, she would think of Mare, who always stood not far from her, and she would ask him, “Do you like Luzia?”

After asking, Vivian felt afraid; she feared that Mare’s answer would be “not like”, and then she would feel sad. But she was even more afraid that Mare’s answer would be “like”, that would make her sadder, so sad that she would die.

Vivian, of course, would not get an answer. Mare was a cautious and excellent bodyguard, knowing the correct way to keep his employer safe.

After that, Vivian never asked this foolish question again, knowing that the day of Luzia’s engagement was approaching.

Vivian tied up her long hair, revealing her slender fair neck. She had a pearl necklace that matched her pearl hair accessory, but she had no dress to wear.

What a disaster.

Vivian stood in front of the wardrobe in a bathrobe, feeling increasingly troubled; she had already delayed for a long time.

Alajos had changed into his dark blue suit and was buttoning his cuff. “You should change your clothes, Vivian,” he said, raising his hand to check the time on his wrist. “If you change now, we’ll stillhave time for lunch.”

“No, I don’t have a suitable dress,” Vivian said, increasingly disheartened. “They are all too small for me.”

Alajos walked over, frowning, and encircled Vivian’s waist with his hands, noticing she had gained some flesh.

“Or you could borrow one from Luzia,” Alajos suggested.

“No,” Vivian shook her head, having made similar attempts before. “Luzia’s clothes won’t save me either.”

“Let’s go downstairs for lunch,” Alajos said, embracing Vivian and leading her downstairs. “Trust me, I will arrange everything for you.”

Alajos possessed everything in Houston, including the finest tailors. He had prepared a light blue dress of the right size for Vivian, matching his own suit.

Upon wearing the well-fitting dress, Vivian thought she would be happy, but in reality, she wasn’t. She gestured at her waist, now thicker than before by more than an inch, sinking into greater despair.

“I’m truly too ugly,” she lamented, feeling imprisoned, missing the chance to take the stage. Even her body had betrayed her, distancing her completely from the stage.

Perhaps she should eat less temporarily, or exercise more-running, yoga, aerobics, anything.

“There’s a gym at the club, it’s very safe,” Alajos stood behind her, observing his wife in the mirror. Vivian had gained some weight, but it didn’t change her beauty, or perhaps…

Alajos’s gaze lingered on Vivian’s chest; he felt she had become slightly more well-endowed.

“If you need, you can have Mare take you there,” he suggested.

Vivian didn’t refuse Alajos’s proposal because she truly needed the gym’s help to slim down to her previous weight.

Luzia’s parents’ home was in a beautiful estate on the outskirts of Houston, surrounded by colorful flowers. Vivian could only name two or three varieties of the flowers; the rest were unfamiliar to her.

Vivian found Luzia in her room; the engagement ceremony was about to begin, and Luzia had cried off her makeup, with the makeup artist trying to fix it.

“Luzia,” Vivian stood behind Luzia, placing her hands on her shoulders.

Vivian looked at Luzia in the mirror, “Today… ” Vivian choked up, finally controlling her tears. “You look beautiful today.”

The immaculate engagement dress wrapped around Luzia’s slender figure. She was neither tall nor short, with a delicate waist and a slightly bulging chest. The low-cut dress tightened around her bust, exposing her captivating cleavage to the eyes of men.

It was a well-designed low-cut mermaid dress, the form-fitting design showcasing Luzia’s curves perfectly, while the narrow hem restricted her movements, forcing her to take elegant small steps.

She is truly beautiful.

But the beautiful princess was about to fall into the hands of a cruel beast.

Vivian felt her heart bleeding.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.