Chapter 1
Knox Rivera was the only son of the infamous crime lord Dominic Rivera.
Notorious for his womanizing ways, Knox’s greatest pleasure came from winning someone’s heart only to crush it
beneath his heel.
Yet at the age of twenty–four, this notorious playboy unexpectedly settled down, marrying Aria Winters–a mere
waitress at the time.
Everyone said he loved her more than life itself. Even Aria believed it.
To gain his father’s approval, she risked her life repeatedly for the Rivera family business, dancing on the edge of
death time after time.
She thought this would ensure they’d be together forever.
Until two months ago, when Knox’s dying childhood sweetheart, Mila Montgomery, returned to his life.
Only then did Aria realize their eight years of marriage had been nothing but an illusion.
She was merely a replacement–a stand–in for the woman he truly loved.
But Aria refused to accept defeat.
Until she saw her mother’s mutilated body, torn apart by wild beasts.
Only then did she realize she had lost everything.
n a damp, dark warehouse, the metallic scent of blood hung heavy in the air as Aria’s mother was brought in with a lood covering her head.
Behind her stood three massive cages, each containing a different beast.
tiger, a vicious dog, and a massive python–all staring hungrily, waiting for their cages to open so they could levour their prey.
Choose one, darling,” Knox said, his long fingers holding three wooden sticks. His voice carried a hint of
musement.
few steps away, the frail, elderly figure trembled violently but couldn’t make a sound due to the gag in her mouth.
iría instantly realized what Knox intended to do. Her heart raced wildly, blood rushing in her ears as she stared at
im in disbelief, her voice shaking.
16:50
Bad Boy Mob Heir: I Was His Clone… Now He’s My Puppet!
0.0%
Chapter 1
“She’s my mother–my only family left in this world. Please don’t hurt her… I’m begging you…”
Knox Rivera was the only son of a notorious crime lord. From an early age, he learned his father’s brutal ways, becoming known for his ruthless methods and merciless tactics.
Aria had witnessed it before, which is why she knew he wasn’t bluffing now.
“What if I insist on hurting her?” Knox lifted her chin, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips, though his eyes held something dangerous.
“Aria, I’ve told you repeatedly that Mila is dying. She has less than a month left. Why do you insist on antagonizing her?”
Aria looked at him, overcome with grief.
Fighting back the lump in her throat, she rasped, “It won’t happen again. My mother’s in critical condition–I had no
choice…”
“Hmph!” Knox scoffed. “Yet Mila still collapsed because of you. Since you’ve made a mistake, you must face the
consequences.”
He held the sticks out to Aria again, impatience flashing in his eyes.
“Choose one, Aria. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“I’ll give you three seconds. If you still refuse, I won’t give you another chance. Three-”
“Two-”
“One!”
Aria’s heart leapt into her throat. She fell to her knees. “No, please!”
But it was too late. Knox had already made the choice for her.
The cage door swung open, and her mother was thrown inside like a rag doll.
The beasts lunged forward eagerly–the tiger and dog growling as they opened their massive jaws. In an instant, one tore off her arm while the other went straight for her throat!
Blood erupted everywhere, staining Aria’s vision red.
“No-!”
She screamed in agony, lunging forward, but Knox’s bodyguard pinned her to the ground, rendering her immobile.
Three hours earlier, she had returned home after a near–death experience to learn from the housekeeper that her mother had suffered a heart attack and was fighting for her life.
16:31
Bad Boy Mob Heir: I Was His Clone… Now He’s My Puppet!
0.1%
Chapter 1
Ignoring the gunshot wound in her shoulder, Aria had rushed her mother to the hospital, only to be told by a nurse that Mila had accidentally cut her cat’s nail too short, got scratched, and was now receiving treatment.
All the hospital’s specialists had been called to attend to Mila instead.
Hearing this, Aria had pressed a gun to the nurse’s head.
Mila had fainted on the spot.
Her mother received timely treatment and survived.
But word of the incident quickly reached Knox’s cars. He’d smiled cryptically before driving Aria to the family’s underground torture chamber.
Never in her wildest nightmares had she imagined things would escalate to this point.
८
Tears blurred her vision as she struggled to understand how eight years of love could lead Knox to treat her this way
When they first met, she was just a struggling student working as a waitress at a high–end lounge. After accidentally spilling a drink on an important guest who threatened to cut off her hand, Knox had appeared like a guardian angel, shooting the man in the hand. Later, Knox was targeted in retaliation and spent a month bedridden.
The second time, her mother fell ill. Fearing Aria couldn’t afford the surgery, her mother climbed to the hospital’s roof, intending to jump. Knox caught her just in time, his wrist bloodied by the rough concrete, yet he refused to let
- go.
The third time, when Aria had first started working for the Rivera family, she was ambushed during a shipment run due to her inexperience. As she waited to die, Knox appeared out of nowhere and rescued her, taking a bullet to the chest that nearly killed him.
Throughout their eight–year marriage, Knox always hid a love letter under her pillow each month.
But one day, when she accidentally spilled water on the envelopes, she discovered another name hidden beneath her own on every single one–ninety–six love letters, without exception.
She was nothing but a pathetic replacement.
Despite this revelation, Aria didn’t believe Knox was entirely without genuine feelings for her. She still wanted to
give him a chance.
She believed if she tried hard enough, she could replace Mila in his heart.
But two months ago, Mila returned.
Knox seemed to transform into a different person, especially after learning she was terminally ill.
He began doting on Mila obsessively, doing everything to make her happy.
1031
Bad Boy Moh Heir: I Was His Clone. Now He’s My Puppet!
0.3%
Chapter 1
His body increasingly carried Mila’s scent; he spent more nights away from home, and mysterious love bites appeared on his neck.
He’d held Aria countless times, explaining: “Baby, she doesn’t have much time left. Once I help her through these final days, I’ll be with you forever. Just wait a little longer, okay?”
She believed him.
Aria had always been somewhat self–assured, convinced that she held some special place in Knox’s heart.
Only now did she realize how catastrophically wrong she’d been.
Her arrogance had cost her an unbearable price.
Her mother, who just days ago had reminded her to eat properly, was now being torn apart before her eyes.
Aria broke down sobbing. With all her strength, she broke free from the bodyguard’s grip and stumbled toward the cage. She pulled out her gun, shot the snarling beast, and collapsed beside her mother.
By now, the fabric covering the corpse’s face had been completely torn away.
But when she looked at the body, she froze.
This wasn’t her mother–it was the female doctor who had operated on her mother the day before.
Knox seemed satisfied with her reaction. After watching her long enough, he crouched before her, gently wiping away her tears with his thumb before pressing it against his lips.
“So bitter,” he murmured.
‘Next time, Aria, I won’t be bluffing. Remember that.”
Aria stared at him, stunned into silence.
Knox pulled her tightly against him.
‘Baby, I told you Mila doesn’t have much time left. I just want her to enjoy every day she has left. You know I care about you. So please, can you just let her have this? Don’t make things difficult for me.”
Aria remained silent and unresponsive. Even after Knox left, she didn’t spare him a glance.
She had lost this battle with Mila.
With trembling hands, Aria dialed Knox’s father’s number.
“I’ve made my decision. I’ll leave your son.”
The voice on the other end chuckled softly.
1631 O
Bad Boy Mob Heir: I Was His Clone… Now He’s My Puppet!
0.4%
Chapter 1
“Smart girl. I’ll arrange your departure in one month.”
16:51
