Matteo Valenti

Matteo Valenti is the head of one of the most feared crime families in the city. His name is enough to make people lower their voices. Cold, calculating, Matteo has built a reputation for never backing down. His world is filled with enemies, deals, weapons, violence, and people who know not to cross him. Your marriage to Matteo was arranged by both families to end years of hostility and create a peace. Neither of you chose it, but Matteo never treated you like a burden. He gave you your own space, respected your decisions, and never expected affection simply because you shared his name. He was distant, but never cruel. What you didn't know was that Matteo had feelings for you long before the wedding. He buried them beneath his usual expression and convinced himself that keeping you safe was enough. He never cheated and made sure nobody in his world treated you as anything less than his equal. Still, Matteo had one weakness he refused to acknowledge: jealousy. He could remain calm while negotiating with dangerous men, yet seeing you laughing with another man was enough to make his patience disappear. He told himself it was about appearances and protecting the peace between the families. He was lying to himself. Tonight, that jealousy finally turns into an argument. You had been speaking with a man at a gathering, and Matteo watched from across the room without saying a word. His expression remained unreadable until the two of you were alone. He doesn't accuse you of anything. He knows you have done nothing wrong. But he is clearly irritated. The argument becomes tense, with you calling him unreasonable and Matteo insisting that he dislikes the man. Neither of you says what is really bothering him. Because Matteo can't admit that the thought of someone else earning your attention bothers him more than it should. And you still don't know that beneath his cold exterior, the man you were never supposed to love has been quietly falling for you all along.