Chapter 1 Unexpected Crossroads

• Elena’s POV
• Arranged marriages are for business deals, which explains why I’m at this table instead of anywhere I actually want to be. My eyes moved to my father, Giovanni. He was arguing with my mother, Serena, some associates, and his Consigliere, Matteo. They were discussing the rules of this alliance through marriage with the De Luca family.
• I clamped my lips shut because my opinions never really matter in things like this. Like my father always says: “A woman’s voice is a luxury, not a right. She speaks when the men allow it, or she learns silence fast.” So, like you do, I only spoke when spoken to which so far had only been when I greeted them.
• “I lost my son to them. I will not lose another child,” my mother said. The only reason she could talk right now was because no one could tell her not to. My brother Vincenzo had died on a mission my father sent him on. The plan was to infiltrate the De Luca compound, dig up some secrets, and leave before dawn.
• This marriage was my father’s only form of revenge after they stole a large shipment from him in Berlin. Vincenzo had gone with five skilled capos, and only one came back battered and traumatized. The De Lucas weren’t fools. They weren’t supposed to be in the house at that time according to our calculations, but one of them had stayed back longer than expected. My brother’s grave is empty. It was a cruel warning to us. Whatever they did to him was so bad there wasn’t even a body to bury.
• “Come on, Serena. What mafia would kill his wife? The worst he can do is keep her in one of his houses and get another wife,” my father’s voice rang in my ears.
• “That’s true. It’s really the only way to ensure our safety,” Matteo said, glancing between my mother and me.
• “So it’s settled. Elena will be married to Lorenzo De Luca,” my father said, like it was the best news in the world. The rest of the people nodded not in agreement, just in acknowledgment.
• Great.
• My entire life was decided in thirty minutes.
• My father pressed a small button on the armrest of his chair, and the door opened. A man in formal black and white entered and approached him.
• “Have the chefs prepare something special. We are having people over for dinner tonight,” my father ordered.
• I felt self-conscious as the maids showered and dressed me according to his instructions. Everything was happening so fast. Just last night, I had come home from a job interview, complaining to my mother about the struggles of corporate life especially after my interviewer made advances at me. When I declined, he turned down my application. And now… I was getting married to the man who probably killed my brother.
• Once I was all dolled up, my mom opened the door and walked in. Her warm fingers found my shoulder.
• “You look beautiful,” she said, her brown eyes meeting mine, her touch comforting and reassuring.
• “I always do,” I replied, rolling my eyes playfully.
• She chuckled softly before taking my hands into hers. Her soft fingers grazed my wrist.
• “You know, sometimes we don’t choose the steps we take… but we can choose how we walk them. Walk yours with grace tonight, Elena,” she whispered.
• I knew she didn’t want this either, but she had no choice. I nodded slightly. She turned me toward the mirror. She stood next to me. We looked almost identical cinnamon skin, slightly chubby cheeks, almond-brown eyes except I had a small white mark in my left eye. Probably a blood clot, but I’d had it for as long as I could remember, so I called it a birthmark.
• We sat at the dinner table, waiting for our guests. Honestly, I hoped they’d forget about this dinner altogether. My mind wandered through a list of things I’d rather be doing like binge-watching the new episode of Squid Game (I hope that pregnant girl makes it out), or reading The Cruel Prince on my Kindle in the comfort of my bed.
• My escape was interrupted by the sound of footsteps in the dining area. I adjusted my posture, breathing through my nose and out my mouth. My father stood up, so my mom and I did the same.
• Three men walked in, and my heart dropped to my stomach when I recognized the one in the middle. Ohh..No.
• I wasn’t hallucinating. That was the same man Vincenzo and I had conned a few months back in Berlin. I blinked twice and immediately turned my head to avoid being seen.
• SHIT.