HELENA'S POV
The morning of the wedding didn't feel real.
It felt quiet, Too quiet. Like the calm before something terrible.
"Stop moving!" Zoey snapped, trying to fix my veil for the tenth time.
"I'm not moving," I muttered.
"You are breathing too much," she said dramatically.
Despite everything I almost laughed. Isabella stood behind me, gently adjusting the back of my dress.
The gown was beautiful. Too beautiful for a life like this, White in color soft and elegant. Everything I had ever imagined as a little girl But nothing about this moment felt like a dream, a deal and a dangerous one.
"You look… insane," Zoey whispered, staring at me through the mirror.
I swallowed.
"Do I look like a bride?"
She paused. Then softer
"You look like someone about to change her entire life."
My chest tightened.Yeah that sounded more accurate.
A knock came at the door, all three of us froze. My heart skipped.
"Come in," Isabella said carefully.
The door opened Jason stepped in dressed in a black suit, serious as always But something about his face looks like Tension.
"Boss is waiting," he said.
I nodded slowly, My hands felt cold. Zoey squeezed my hands.
"You'll be fine," she whispered.
I wasn't sure if she believed that cause I definitely didn't.
As I stepped out of the room everything felt heavier. The mansion was completely transformed with White flowers, Gold decorations.
Men in suits everywhere, GuardsToo many of them Even for a wedding.
The ceremony was set outside. Open space Chairs lined perfectly. An aisle covered in white petals And at the end was Him Vincenzo.
My breath caught He looked Dangerous, Beautiful, Untouchable. Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, standing like he owned not just the space But the world. His eyes found mine immediately And just like that Everything else faded.
I started walking Slow, Careful, Each step felt like I was walking toward something I couldn't escape.
His gaze never left me, Not even for a second. It wasn't cold today, It wasn't angry, It was Focused, Possessive Like he was already claiming me in front of everyone.
When I finally reached him he stepped closer to me, his voice dropped low.
"Don't run," he murmured.
I blinked.
"I'm not."
His lips curved slightly.
"Good."
The ceremony started, I barely heard anything.Words were being said.
Vows. Promises. Things that felt too normal for a situation like this.My heart was beating too fast, Something felt wrong.
Then I saw it, Movement Far beyond the gates Black vehicles too fast and aggressive.
My breath hitched.
"Vincenzo…" I whispered. But it was already too late.
BOOM!
The explosion shook the entire ground. Screams filled the air instantly. Chaos Pure chaos.
"GET DOWN!" someone shouted. Gunshots followed immediately.
My body froze I couldn't move, Couldn't think untill Vincenzo grabbed me hard, Pulling me against him.
"Stay with me!" he barked. My ears rang.
My vision blurred.
"What's happening?!" I cried.
"Nathan," he said coldly.
Men started running everywhere, guards firing back. Guests screaming, running,
People falling and So much blood everywhere
"Jason!" Vincenzo shouted.
"I've got Zoey!" Jason yelled back, dragging her behind cover.
Zoey screamed my name.
"HELENA!"
"I'm here!" I cried back, my voice breaking.
Another explosion happened closer to us, The force threw me off balance. I slipped But Vincenzo caught me instantly.
"I told you," he said harshly, gripping my face, forcing me to look at him.
"You don't leave my side."
Then a familiar voice Mocking us
"Beautiful wedding, Esposito."
My blood ran cold. Nathan.
He stepped out slowly, Gun in hand. Smiling like a madman.
"You really went all out," he added, glancing around at the destruction. "Shame it won't last."
Vincenzo's entire body went still Dangerously still.
"You should've stayed dead," he said.
Nathan laughed.
"You should've shared." Before I could react Nathan lifted his gun And pointed it directly at me.
Everything slowed.
My breath stopped.
My heart dropped.
But before he could pull the trigger Vincenzo moved Fast.
He pushed me down, gunshots exploded around us. I screamed as I hit the ground.
When I looked up Vincenzo was standing in front of me taking the hit.
"NO!" I screamed. The times stopped and Everything stopped.
He staggered slightly But didn't fall, Blood stained his side. His jaw clenched Eyes still locked on Nathan like the pain didn't exist.
"You're dead," Vincenzo said quietly. Not angry.
And in that moment I realized something terrifying. This wasn't just a wedding anymore. This was a war And I was right in the middle of it.
"No… no no no—" My voice broke as I crawled toward him, my hands shaking so badly I could barely move.
"Vincenzo!" He didn't fall That was the scariest part.
He was still standing, Still staring at Nathan like nothing mattered not the blood soaking through his shirt, not the chaos around us nothing Except the man who just shot him.
"Stay down!" Vincenzo snapped without looking at me.
I froze, Even now when his bleeding he was still in control.
Nathan laughed, tilting his head.
"You see?" he said, gesturing toward Vincenzo. "This is what happens when a man gets weak."
My chest tightened, That wasn't weakness, That was…
"Shut up!" I screamed. Both of them looked at me. Nathan smirked.
Vincenzo's eyes darkened.
"Go inside," Vincenzo ordered again, his voice rougher now.
"I'm not leaving you!" I shouted back, tears blurring my vision.
Big mistake.
Nathan's expression shifted to Interest, Dark, twisted interest.
"Ah…" he murmured. "So she really does care."
Before I could react he moved fast, too fast.
A hand grabbed me again and I screamed as I was yanked backward, my back hitting his chest, his arm locking around my neck. The gun pressed against my head Again.
"LET HER GO!" Vincenzo roared.
That was different.
That wasn't controlled.
That wasn't calm.
That was rage.
Pure rage.
Nathan chuckled, tightening his grip.
"You never learn, do you?" he said. "She's your weakness. And weaknesses get exploited."
My breathing turned uneven My hands clawed at his arm.
"P-please…" I whispered.
"Drop it," Nathan ordered, nodding at Vincenzo's gun.
Vincenzo didn't move, didn't even blink. Blood kept dripping slowly down his side But his grip on the gun? Steady and Deadly.
"Do it," Nathan pressed the gun harder into my temple.
I whimpered.
"Vincenzo…"
That was all it took for his jaw clenched. His fingers tightened Then slowly the gun dropped from his hand again.
"Good," Nathan smiled.
But this time Something felt off Vincenzo didn't look defeated. He didn't look desperate but he looked Focused and Too focused.
"Jason," he said calmly. That One word.
Everything exploded again, Gunshots from all directions. Chaos returned instantly Nathan cursed, distracted for a split second and that was all Vincenzo needed.
He moved faster than I had ever seen In one second he was in front of us. In the next Nathan was on the ground.
I stumbled back, gasping, my legs giving out beneath me.
The world spun. I couldn't process anything, Everything blurred Except one thing Vincenzo.
He didn't stop, didn't hesitate. He grabbed Nathan by the collar and slammed him hard against the ground.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
"YOU TOUCH HER—" slam
"YOU COME INTO MY HOUSE—" slam
"YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE WHAT'S MINE—"
Each word hit with a punch.
Each punch worse than the last.
"Vincenzo—stop!" I cried, my voice shaking.
But he didn't hear me Or maybe he didn't care.
Nathan coughed, blood spilling from his mouth, laughing weakly.
"You're… losing control…" he choked out.
That made it worse. Much worse.
Vincenzo froze for a second Then slowly he smiled Not normal or human but Terrifying.
"You wanted my attention," he said quietly.
Leaning closer.
"Now you have it."
He grabbed the gun. Pressed it to Nathan's chest.
My heart stopped.
"Vincenzo—"
Nathan smirked weakly.
"Do it," he whispered. "Prove her right… prove you're the monster she thinks you are."
Silence.
Heavy.
Deadly.
Vincenzo didn't move, Didn't blink, Didn't breathe.
Then he pulled the trigger.
BANG.
I flinched hard, my hands flying to my mouth and Everything went quiet Too quiet.
Nathan's body went still Completely still.
My chest tightened painfully, My breathing became uneven. I couldn't look and didn't want to look But my eyes betrayed me. They moved Slowly back to Vincenzo.
He stood up, blood on his hands, On his clothes, On his face And then he looked at me not cold, Not angry, not violent just him.
"Are you hurt?" he asked. Like nothing just happened, Like he didn't just—
My throat closed up.
"I…"
I couldn't speak.
He walked toward me slowly, Carefully, Like approaching something fragile.
"I told you to stay upstairs," he said quietly. Not harsh. Just…Tired.
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
"You got shot…" I whispered.
He glanced down at his side like it didn't matter.
"It's nothing."
Nothing?
Nothing?!
"You could have died!" I snapped, my voice breaking.
Something flickered in his eyes.
"But I didn't," he said.
Then softer—
"I wouldn't."
That made my chest ache.
"Stop saying things like that," I whispered.
"Why?"
"Because you're not invincible, Vincenzo!"
Silence. Then he stepped closer. Close enough that I could feel his warmth, his presence, his everything.
"But I'm enough to protect you," he said quietly.
My heart betrayed me again.
"I didn't ask for this," I said, my voice trembling.
"I know."
"Then why me?" I whispered.
He stared at me long, deep, Like the answer was sitting right there between us.
"Because," he said slowly,
"I can't lose you."
My breath hitched amd for the first time it didn't sound like possession it sounded like fear Real fear and that scared me more than anything else.