Chapter 1 The Beginning of Submission

Isabella Monroe stood in the lavish penthouse of a Manhattan skyscraper, gazing out at the glittering city lights below. The world outside seemed so far away-so out of reach. Her once-thriving life as a socialite, a daughter of an affluent family, had crumbled to nothing. The man who had owned her heart had betrayed her, and now, she was bound to another. The mafia had claimed her. But she wasn't just anyone. She was his now.

The life Isabella once knew-full of glamour, high society events, and the freedom to be herself-was gone. Her father's fortune was wiped out by a series of bad investments, and her mother's health had deteriorated, leaving her family desperate. And when the last of their wealth was drained, Isabella had been sold. Not in the traditional sense, but in a much more terrifying way-she had been promised to one of New York's most feared men: Alexander Rossi. The mafia boss whose name sent shivers down the spine of every person in the city.

She hadn't met him yet. The stories she had heard about him, however, were enough to make anyone's blood run cold. Alexander was ruthless. A man with no mercy. Yet, there was a quiet power in his presence that she couldn't deny. It was as if he held the entire city in his hand, playing with it as a child would a toy.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the elevator doors sliding open. Isabella turned, heart racing, as a tall figure emerged from the shadows. Dressed in a sharp, black suit, Alexander Rossi stood there, his icy blue eyes locking onto hers. His face was unreadable, but there was something dark and magnetic in his gaze. He didn't smile. He didn't need to. His very presence was enough to demand attention.

"Isabella Monroe," his voice was deep, commanding, yet strangely calm. "I've been waiting for you."

Isabella's throat tightened. She had been warned about this moment-told that the first time they met would feel like an electric shock. But nothing could have prepared her for the intensity of his stare, the overwhelming sense of danger that radiated from him.

"I didn't have a choice," she said quietly, her voice betraying the fear she tried so hard to hide. "You know that."

A flicker of amusement passed over Alexander's face, but it quickly disappeared. "We all have choices, Isabella. You made yours the moment you walked into my world. Now, you belong to me."

Her heart thudded in her chest. She wasn't sure what she had expected from this encounter, but it definitely wasn't the cold, possessive tone of Alexander's words. He stepped closer, closing the distance between them. His cologne-a mix of leather and spice-was intoxicating, and Isabella fought the urge to step back.

"I've heard so much about you," she said, trying to sound braver than she felt. "You're the monster everyone talks about."

Alexander chuckled softly, the sound dark and dangerous. "A monster?" He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. His touch was surprisingly soft, but Isabella could sense the power behind it. "Maybe. But I'm not the one who sold you, am I?"

She flinched at his words, and a wave of shame washed over her. Her father had promised her to Alexander as a way of securing the family's safety. The thought of it made her stomach churn.

"You'll learn quickly, Isabella," Alexander said, his voice low. "In my world, loyalty is everything. And betrayal? It's a crime that comes with a heavy price."

She swallowed hard, trying to find her voice. "And what happens to those who don't... betray you?"

Alexander's smile was slow, deliberate. "Those who don't betray me," he repeated, "get to survive. For now."

The chill in his words was unmistakable. She was no longer just Isabella Monroe. She was now a possession-a part of his empire. A game piece. And that thought sent a shiver down her spine.

As he turned and began to walk away, he paused at the door, glancing over his shoulder. "Get some rest, Isabella. Tomorrow, you'll start learning what it means to be mine."

The door closed behind him, and Isabella was left alone in the cold, empty room. Her heart pounded in her chest as the realization hit her: there was no going back. Her life, as she knew it, was over.