CHAPTER 1

“Brielle Wallace, do you take Ace Reynolds to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

The priest inquired gently, his gaze and every other gaze in the cathedral, including the cold one in front of me, settled on me, anticipating that I replied with a “yes”.

Maybe they all expected I smiled along with my answer, which was so ridiculous considering no one thought I would be asked this silly question until a few minutes earlier.

I was dressed to be the bridesmaid, not the bride. I wasn't supposed to be the bride, my sister was.

This wasn't my fate, it was my sister’s.

When I was very young, my mother always read this bedtime story to me. It was about a princess who got her fate swapped with a river goddess by merely standing by the riverside.

I always thought it was a ridiculous story because I didn't believe such a crucial thing as one’s fate could be swapped in a split second.

Now, I understood.

Indeed, it was possible. It was feasible because it just happened to me.

All my dreams of finally moving in with my boyfriend while I prepare for college, and live happily ever after with him, came crashing in just a split second.

A few minutes ago, I was sending my sister off to the dangerous yet, wickedly handsome mob boss now, they are sending me off to him.

~ A FEW MINUTES AGO ~

When Isobel had broken the news of her engagement with Ace Reynolds, I had immediately frozen in my spot.

I was certain I misheard until she said the name again, without an ounce of fear, unlike when we maliciously spoke about him five nights back.

I couldn't mishear that name for anything.

Ace Reynolds - ruler of the five kingdoms.

Dad ran a wine company that delivered wines and other alcohols to a casino owned by a mafia group. So, about the mafia world and how it was run, we knew just as much.

And when I say much, I mean Ace Reynolds.

Ace Reynolds heads the five biggest mafia families around the globe - the Voggur Mafia family from Russia. Haemir Mafia family from Italy. Azura Mafia family from Japan. Night wind Mafia family from Mexico and Viserion Mafia family from Chicago.

He was their ruler - he gave out orders and implemented them. Fearless, ruthless, and of course, deadly.

Ace Reynolds was said to be a hundred times more ruthless than every other Mafia Dons.

And true to the rumors, I had witnessed him taking a man’s head with an axe and smirking thereafter. That scenario haunted me for days. It only slowly began to fade when Isobel slept in my room, tucking me to bed after I appealed her to.

On her fourth night of sleeping in my room, we had maliciously gossiped about Ace Reynolds through the night.

I remembered Isobel hatefully calling him a devil. I remembered her hoping all the dreams she had about his death would become a reality. I remembered the way she sounded so spiteful towards him and how her face had crunched in disgust whenever she made mention of his name.

So, I was certain she was probably pulling a prank when she said he was her husband-to-be.

I waited and waited. Waited for her to tell me she was just fooling around. When it didn't seem like it, I confronted her and she once again confirmed that it was exactly as I heard her.

She was getting married to Ace Reynolds.

Surprisingly, she refused to share the details of their encounter with me or how they came to the conclusion of marriage.

Actually, she had been rather distant with me ever since she made that awful announcement.

Whenever I attempted to strike up a conversation, she always found a way to avoid getting too involved in the conservation and gave me curt replies.

I couldn't summon the chance to confront her about it and when I finally did, on her wedding day, she had disappeared, her wedding gown lying helplessly on her queen-sized bed.

Everyone, especially my father, almost ran mad searching for her. The more we searched, the closer it got for her to be expected before the priest in the cathedral, beside her husband-to-be.

And, when I thought Father was finally going to call off the wedding as I expected him to a few minutes earlier, he made that ridiculous request.

“What?”

My voice couldn't contain the shock I felt as it was rather beneath a whisper.

“Brielle, I have guests waiting outside. Important guest so to speak.”

I blinked, hoping to hear the part that had to do with replacing my sister as Ace Reynolds’ bride.

“Remember Connell?”

Yes, I remember him very well which is why I'm even more confused as to what he has to do with the ridiculous request.

“He is also here. After many months of trying to secure a deal with him, he finally honored it. Certainly, disappointment shouldn't be in my book this early.”

He paused or stopped talking. I just couldn't believe he was done laying down his reasons for the ludicrous request. I stared from him to my mother who just stood behind him like his pet, not saying anything or doing anything.

That's what she had always been to my father - a pet. She knows nothing more than to support every word he says with a nod or a “Your father is right.”

Sometimes, I don't bother asking her opinion on things because I know it would end with a “Your father is right.”

I stepped backward, almost tripping on my bridesmaids' attire of a sage green bodycon dress with stones from the chest area down to the waist.

“You’d better be joking. What the hell?”

Now, my voice was trembling because neither of them looked anything like they could crack a smile in the next millionth year and call it a joke afterward.

This is bad. No. No. It can't be.

“Please, Dad, don't let me do this.”

A tear dropped and slid down my eyes.

I was terrified enough when my sister swore she was happy with her decision to get married to him. And she showed it. Never in the eighteen years of my life have I seen Isobel so happy.

She looked happy. No, Isobel looked in love with Ace Reynolds and it scared me.

I was terrified on her behalf. That man terrified me and the thought of him with my sister sent shivers running down my spine.

And, how about the thought of him with me?

“No! Hell no! No way in hell!”

“Then, what other choice do we have?”

Mother finally spoke. I almost ignored her, pretending like she was never there like I always do because her presence was as useless as her opinions.

“We find Isobel! Postpone the wedding until further notice! Do something except make me marry that man in her place!”

I trembled, my lips quivering as I did.

“Isobel darling,”

Oh, how I hated that words of endearment! He used it on me only when he needed something.

“Most of my guests are from other countries. I can't have them fly all the way here and fly back without the wedding happening.”

“You can, dad. You actually can. If you consider the position you are putting me in, trust me, you can!”

“Brielle! Just do this for me, please. And when we find your sister, she can take back her position. But, for once in your life, do something for the family!”

I stared back at him, uncontrollable tears trickling down my eyes, ruining my makeup and in a few minutes, my makeup was redone and I was walking down the aisle as the bride.

The wedding dress was exactly my size. Isobel and I shared the same size, which is why she could steal my clothes and sometimes make them permanently hers.

I had always watched as she stole every accessory I owned.

And, I had planned to steal her most valuable dress one day as revenge.

Who knew that valuable dress was going to be her wedding gown?

The guests got up to welcome me, clapping and whooping as I walked past them, down the aisle.

I looked through the crowd. They all looked genuinely happy for me. If only they knew.

As my gaze traveled around the crowd, it stopped at the man with his groomsmen, standing by the pulpit.

I almost halted on the spot as his cold gaze regarded me, taking me in.

The first and last time we met was at the casino. I was expected to deliver drinks and beverages to the casino and that was when I saw him, his back to me, standing behind a man tied to a chair.

I quickly reached for a place to hide and observed the scene from my hiding place. Ace Reynolds hadn't said much compared to all the ramblings the man did, before he reached for an axe on the table and struck it at once, leaving the man’s head dangling off to the floor.

I had let out a shriek where I hid and he’d turned to me, regarding me with that same cold gaze.

My sweaty hand started trembling and I could feel a bile building in my throat and nauseous feelings in the pit of my stomach.

I could throw up the cupcake I had angrily shoved down my throat early this morning.

No, I can't! I can't, not now.

I approached the altar and Father took my hand and offered it to Ace who took it immediately.

I didn't ignore the way shivers ran down my spine when I felt his cold hand on mine.

Strong and rough yet, cold. I almost wrenched out of his hold and scrambled into a hole to hide.

The priest began the marriage rite.

This is really happening.

In every word the priest spoke, I would gaze at the entrance distractingly, expecting Isobel to burst through those doors, apologize for her brief absence, and take back her place.

But, it never happened. No Isobel. Just me and her man tieing the freaking knot.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

My heart bounced and my gaze quickly darted to Ace.

He inched forward, grabbing my hand in his rough ones. I let out a gasp when he suddenly grabbed my waist and forced me closer to him.

Then, something terrifying happened. Ace brought his thumb to my lips and caressed it gently, gazing down at them, lustfully. Like I was a dinner he urgently needed to devour.

Then, he leaned closely and whispered; “You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to know what this taste like.”

I had no time to react, I had only gasped when he swallowed my gasp into his mouth, capturing my lips to his.