Page 1 of Ruthless Royalty

CHIARA

When I stepped off the plane this evening, I had no idea what I was walking into. But finding out that my mother had gotten married in the two years I’d been abroad? That was definitely not on my radar.

First Alarm Bell: It was a goddamn private jet, not a commercial plane.

I hadn’t even known she was seeing someone, let alone that things had gotten serious enough for marriage. It would have made sense if we weren’t close or if we barely stayed in touch, but my mom is my best friend. We talk about everything.

It made me extremely fucking worried that she might have been forced into this sham of a marriage, but looking at her now, happy and wearing designer clothing with a huge diamond on her ring finger, something told me she was not forced at all.

Second Alarm Bell: my mother isnota material girl by any means. She’s as down to earth as me, and yet here she is, dressed to the fucking nines.

“What do you mean you’re married?” I exclaim as I lookaround the inside of the fancy as hell black car she picked me up in a few minutes ago. “You never even mentioned a guy!”

The sheepish look on her face makes me cringe, and I force myself to at least hear her out before I start swinging. She takes my hand, looks down at it and then back up at me. I realize then that she was wearing makeup as well.

Who is this, and what has she done with my mother?

“I know it’s a shock, baby, but I need you to understand that this was what I wanted, okay? Dmitri treats me really well and we love each other. I just didn’t know how to tell you how it all happened while you were in Europe,” she explains, but it still makes no sense to me.

“I don’t know, Mom, you could have texted me?‘Hey, I met a guy and we’re quite serious.’I think I would have appreciated that more instead of being completely left out of your life like this,“ I say and sit back, crossing my arms.

This is honestly so bizarre to me, but I’m more hurt than anything else. Who keeps an entire relationship and marriage from their only child?

“I’m sorry, Chiara,” she says, and I can tell by the look on her face that she really is sorry. “I know nothing I say will make it up to you, but I want to start today, if you still want to be part of my life after we get to the house.”

I snort. “Why wouldn’t I want to be part of your life after all this?—”

My words are cut short when I hear the sound of heavy gates swinging open and my eyes nearly pop out of their sockets as I take in the scene in front of me. ‘House’ was a polite term to describe what I was seeing. No, ‘House’ doesn’t even cover it.

It’s a fucking mansion.

An entire estate with sprawling manicured lawns, expensive cars parked in the cobblestoned driveway and even a goddamnfountain. I don’t even want to touch on how arrogantly large the mansion is because no words could possibly do it justice.

What in the fuck did my Mom marry into? Who is this guy?

“I know you’re confused,” she says, snapping me out of my thoughts. “And I promise I’ll explain it later. But for now, Dmitri is waiting inside to meet you. I just ask that you … try not to ask too many questions.”

“Oh, Mom, I have more than a few questions right now,” I murmur as the SUV comes to a stop in front of the large wooden doors. It’s only then that I noticed the guy walking down the marble front steps.

He’s wearing a black three piece suit, but I can tell this man was well-built. His blond hair is slicked back, blue eyes filled with…adorationas he looks at my mother while opening the SUV door for her.

He kisses her cheek and steps back as I get out as well, nodding slightly when we make eye contact. I don’t know how to read this man at all; not with the way he was assessing me by looking me up and down.

“You must be Chiara,” he says with a slight accent, holding out his hand to me. “Your mother has told me so much about you. I trust your flight was okay?”

“My flight was perfect, thank you,” I respond as I shake his hand. “And you must be Dmitri. I wish I could say the same about you, seeing as I only found out about you five minutes ago.”

I know, I know. That was really petty, but what do you want me to do? My mother just dropped a bombshell on me and I’m literally still reeling from that. Then to find out that this man might be a millionaire? What is my life right now?

My mother looks nervous, but Dmitri simply chuckles as he turns to her.

“I like her, she speaks what’s on her mind,” he says, then he looks at me again, eyes filled with mirth. “I understandthat you’re confused about everything, but I promise that I have taken care of your mother for the last year and a half we’ve been together. I love her, and that’s not going to change any time soon. But that’s enough about me. Let’s have dinner.”

And after that whiplash, Dmitri takes my mother’s hand and leads us inside.

What the heck am I supposed to think? None of this is making sense to me at all. How did they even meet? How long have they known each other? I know absolutely nothing about their relationship, just that they’re married and he’s super handsome and wealthy.

I don’t even know where to look when we’re inside, I can just tell that everything is expensive. Dmitri mentions that my luggage will be taken to my room and I wonder how that will look.

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