The chauffeur opened the door with the grace of a true gentleman, allowing me to slip into the luxurious car Vincenzo had sent after I signed the contract.
"Thank you," I murmured, offering a faint smile that barely touched my lips even when my heart wasn't in it. He shut the door carefully.
As the car began to move, a strange heaviness settled in my chest. My fingers curled slightly on my lap, as if they still remembered the weight of the pen.
A pen that had changed everything about me especially my life.
"This is your only chance, Jennie."
I stared at the portfolio for a few moments before I signed without bothering to read any single word written in it.
Who cares?, I already sold my life to this the moment I agreed to this. One moment I was holding the pen… the next, I was swept away like a pawn on his chessboard.
"This is your only chance, Jennie."
I stared at the portfolio for a few moments before I signed not bother to read any of the article written in it, Who cares I already sold my life to this already. One moment I was holding the pen… the next, I was swept away like a pawn on his chessboard.
My throat tightened at the memory as my vision blurring as years threatened to fall.
'No..... don't I forced myself to stay composed, clinging to the one thought that me from breaking.
I have to win, No matter what...I must
I quickly wiped my tears from my eyes and turned my gaze to the city beyond the window as the car glided smoothly through the streets. Fear and curiosity tangled in my chest, clouding my thoughts of mine. I didn't even realize we had stopped until a voice pulled me back.
"We've arrived, ma'am."
I startled, blinking my eyes. I stepped out of the car, the sight before me stole my breath and not in a comforting way. The mansion loomed ahead, massive and eerily pristine, its stark white walls standing in sharp contrast against the sprawling garden. Only… it wasn't much of a garden. There's no vibrant flowers, No sweet fragrance in the air. Just Cold and Empty like him.
A line of maids stood at attention near the entrance, clad in crisp black-and-white uniforms. Their posture was flawless and their expressions was unreadable, their heads slightly bowed. They looked more like statues than people welcoming, yes, but with an undertone that made my skin crawl.
Then, a man with dark brown hair approached, accompanied by an older gentleman who looked to be in his sixties or perhaps early seventies carrying himself with quiet authority. I shifted my attention to them immediately.
"I'm Tyler," the younger man said with a polite smile. "Please allow me to introduce the butler,This is Elio. You can come to him for anything you need."
"Please, allow me to escort you to your room," Elio said warmly.
I nodded and followed him inside, my eyes drinking in every inch of the interior. The halls were wide and bathed in golden light, and everything around me whispered wealth and power. I felt like I'd stepped into another realm entirely.
However when we reached the room, my breath caught in my throat. Not because it was beautiful but because it was… too much, the space stretched endlessly tall windows, heavy velvet drapes, polished marble floors reflecting the soft glow of the chandeliers above.
I stepped further inside slowly, my heels barely making a sound against the marble.
This place was perfectly arranged just like every detail had been decided long before I ever set foot here.
My chest tightened when I remembered my lifestyle in New York, my personal assistant Emily, and my best friend Naomi. Suddenly, reality came crashing on me. I hadn't reached out to Emily in days. My thoughts had been consumed by Vincenzo. His name alone had become a storm cloud hovering over every moment.
I pulled out my phone just to see several missed calls from Naomi flashed on the screen,I sighed
Of course. She must be worried sick about me, especially after I told her about the upcoming marriage between Vincenzo and me. Even though I left out the part about the contract... and the chilling truth my aunt revealed to me.
I sat on the edge of the bed, the velvet cover cool beneath my fingers, but my skin burned with unease. I stared at her name glowing on the screen, the missed calls stacked like silent accusations. She deserved the truth but how was I supposed to explain something I barely understood myself?
The Marriage to Vincenzo.
A contract I never fully understood.
A secret I wish I'd never learned.
I hesitated, thumb hovering over the "call back" button, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not yet. What would I say?
Hey Naomi, remember the man I told you about? The one I'm marrying? It's all a deal. A dangerous, complicated deal. And I didn't tell you the worst part…
No... Not over the phone, Not when even I wasn't sure what was real anymore.
I let the phone fall gently beside me and looked around the room again. Silver chandeliers glimmered above, casting soft reflections on the walls. Outside, the sky was already bruising into twilight.
A soft knock tapped on the door.
"Come in," I called, my voice lower than usual. The door creaked open and Elio stepped in, bowing slightly. "Dinner will be served shortly, Miss and Mr. Ruggiero has requested your presence."
Vincenzo.
Even his name carried weight in the air like thunder before the storm. I nodded slowly, "I'll be there shortly."
He bowed again and disappeared as quietly as he came.
I stood, smoothing my clothes, forcing my breath to steady. Tonight, I'd face the man who now controlled my fate, haunt my thoughts with his cold stare, yet whose presence had begun to stir something in me I couldn't place a name on. That alone frightens me more than anything else.