Reborn I Refused The Mafia Husband Who Buried Me Alive Chapter 01
This Time, I Say No
Adrian DeLuca was supposed to marry my sister.
Everyone knew it.
He and Isabella had grown up together, and by the time they were eighteen, half the families in Chicago assumed the Morettis and DeLucas would eventually join their families through marriage.
Then Adrian came to our house and asked for me instead.
Isabella took my hand afterward.
“Don’t overthink it, Elena. Adrian and I are practically family. That’s all we’ve ever been.”
I believed her and I married him.
A few years later, Adrian lost a vicious power struggle inside the DeLuca family. We were pushed out of Chicago and sent to manage one of their least important territories.
I followed him.
For thirty years, I helped him rebuild.
I gave birth to five sons and three daughters.
Then Adrian finally regained his place in Chicago.
He went back first.
Weeks passed.
He never came for me.
So I went after him.
And found all eight of my children gathered around Isabella at the DeLuca estate.
They were calling her Mom.
I thought I had misunderstood.
Then I saw Adrian standing beside her.
The wedding ring on Isabella’s finger told me everything.
“What the hell is this?”
Adrian immediately moved between us.
“Lower your voice. Isabella’s sick.”
I looked at my children.
“I carried every one of you. I raised you. And you’re calling her your mother?”
My oldest son wouldn’t even look ashamed.
“Isabella is Dad’s wife.”
“So what does that make me?”
No one answered.
Isabella did.
She had always been fragile.
Now she was dying.
She looked at me from her bed and said, “I lost thirty years with Adrian because of you. When I’m gone, I don’t want to spend eternity wondering if you finally took my place.”
Then she asked Adrian for one last gift.
She wanted me buried with her.
I laughed because I thought even Adrian would know she was insane.
He didn’t.
Three days after Isabella died, Adrian’s men forced me into a coffin.
My children watched.
I begged Adrian to stop them.
“I’ll leave. You can have everything. I’ll never come back.”
His answer came through the open coffin.
“Isabella spent her whole life sharing what should’ve been hers.”
“She deserves peace now.”
Then they nailed the coffin shut.
I screamed until my voice gave out. I clawed at the lid until my fingers bled. For three days, I waited for my husband or one of my eight children to change their mind.
No one came.
When I open my eyes again, I’m nineteen.
And Adrian is coming to the Moretti house tomorrow to propose.
I don’t waste time wondering how I’m alive.
I write two letters.
One goes to Dante Russo.
The other goes to Julian Romano.
Then I give them to Lena.
“Make sure they get these personally.”
The next afternoon, Adrian arrives with his father and two DeLuca captains.
This isn’t a romantic proposal.
In families like ours, marriage is business.
The DeLucas get a stronger alliance with the Morettis.
My father gets DeLuca money, protection, and access.
And both families get exactly what they want.
My father calls me downstairs.
Adrian smiles when he sees me.
“Elena.”
I remember that smile above my coffin.
“No.”
“I haven’t asked yet.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Someone else already approached the family about me.”
Adrian’s smile disappears.
“Who?”
“That’s between my father and them.”
Before he can push further, Isabella rushes in.
“Elena, what are you doing?”
She looks genuinely anxious.
“You’ve known Adrian your whole life. You know he’d take care of you.”
He turns back to me.
“If Isabella is what you’re worried about, don’t be. There’s never been anything between us.”
“He’s telling the truth,” Isabella says.
I look from one liar to the other.
Then I smile.
“Fine.”
Adrian relaxes.
“So you’ll marry me?”
“I said I’ll consider it.”
I turn to Isabella.
“If you’re this sure Adrian is the right man for me, convince Dad.”
Before she can answer, one of my father’s men hurries into the room.
“Mr. Moretti needs Isabella in his office. Now.”
Isabella frowns.
“Why?”
The man looks at Adrian.
Then back at her.
“Because copies of your letters to Adrian are everywhere.”
“People are saying you’ve been sleeping with your sister’s future husband for years.”