Chapter 2

Rachel’s POV

Rain hit the tall windows of the Raphael mansion like tiny stones falling from the sky. I stood in front of my bedroom mirror, staring at my reflection while trying to calm the strange feeling twisting inside my chest.

A family dinner, this alone was enough to make me nervous.

We never ate together unless Father wanted something important… or dangerous.

I smoothed my black dress with shaky fingers before glancing at the silver necklace resting against my collarbone. My mother’s necklace, the only thing nobody had managed to take from me.

“For courage,” I whispered softly to myself, then I stepped out of my room.

The mansion felt colder than usual, every hallway looked too quiet.

The sound of my heels echoed against the marble floors as I walked downstairs toward the dining room. The closer I got, the tighter my chest became.

I already knew Clarissa had planned something, she always smiled too much before ruining my life.

The dining room doors were already open when I arrived.

Golden light spilled across the floor from the giant chandelier hanging above the table. The room looked beautiful, but it never felt warm.

Clarissa sat beside Father wearing a deep red dress, diamonds sparkling around her neck. Elena sat across from her, scrolling through her phone with a smug smile on her glossy lips.

Father sat at the head of the table silently drinking wine while reading through several documents.

He barely looked up when I entered, but I noticed something strange immediately.

There was an extra chair at the table, a  cold feeling crawled down my spine.

“Rachel,” Clarissa said sweetly. “You’re late.”

I knew that tone was fake kindness, the kind she used before hurting me.

“I came as soon as I was called,” I replied quietly before sitting down.

Elena looked me over slowly before smirking, “You look tired.”

I ignored her, a maid placed food in front of me, but I had no appetite. Nobody spoke for several seconds, only the sound of rain filled the room.

And somehow… that silence felt terrifying, I learned long ago that silence in this house usually came before pain.

Clarissa smiled as she lifted her wine glass, “Tonight is very important for this family.”

Father continued reading his documents without speaking.

 Elena suddenly leaned forward, “So Rachel…” she said casually. “Have you ever imagined marrying someone powerful?”

I froze, because the question felt strange, I slowly looked toward father. For the first time that evening, he finally raised his eyes to mine, and something inside me immediately felt trapped, like a bird locked inside a cage.

I instinctively looked down and that was when I saw it, a black crest stamped onto one of Father’s documents, a silver crown with the letter K beneath it, Kane.

My heartbeat stumbled painfully, father slowly placed the document down onto the table.

Then he spoke, “There’s something you need to hear.”

The rain outside grew louder, my hands curled tightly beneath the table.

Father folded his hands calmly, “You’re getting married to Matthew Kane.”

There was silence, the entire world seemed to stop moving around me.

I honestly thought I had heard him wrong, “What?” I whispered.

Father’s expression didn’t change, “You heard me.”

Matthew Kane, everybody in the city knew that name, the cold billionaire, the dangerous mafia CEO, the man powerful politicians feared.

Stories about him spread everywhere like shadows, people said he destroyed enemies without mercy, people said nobody refused him and survived peacefully afterward.

And now my father wanted me to marry him? A small laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it, “No.”

Clarissa’s fake smile disappeared instantly, Elena rolled her eyes dramatically, father leaned back in his chair.

“This marriage will strengthen the Raphael family,” he said calmly. “Kane Enterprises and Raphael Enterprises together will become untouchable.”

I stared at him in disbelief, so that was all this was to him, that was what I was to him, a business tool….. i stared at him in disbelief.

“Honestly, Rachel,” Elena said with a smirk, “you should feel lucky. Matthew Kane could have any woman he wants.”

Humiliation burned through me, nobody even cared what I wanted, nobody bothered to ask.

I looked directly at Father, “I won’t marry him.”

His expression hardened immediately, “This marriage is not a request.”

Fear curled inside my chest, but anger burned even stronger.

Slowly, I pushed my chair back and stood up, my hands trembled badly beneath the table, but I forced my voice to stay steady, “I already love someone else.”

Clarissa’s face twisted with fury, Elena burst into mocking laughter, father slammed his hand against the table so hard the wine glasses rattled violently.

“You will not mention that boy in this house,” he snapped.

Father hated him because Lucas wasn’t rich enough and powerful enough.

“He’s worthless,” Father said coldly.

Something inside me cracked, “At least he cares whether I’m hurting.” The words escaped before I could stop them, silence crashed across the room instantly. Even I felt shocked after saying it aloud.

Father stared at me like I had slapped him.

Clarissa recovered first. “See?” she said dramatically. “After everything we’ve done for her, she still behaves like this.”

I almost laughed at the lie, everything they had done for me?Years of cruelty flashed through my mind, birthdays forgotten, insults whispered behind closed doors, watching Elena receive everything that once belonged to me and father pretending not to notice.

My throat tightened painfully, “You never treated me like family,” I whispered.

Clarissa’s face darkened immediately.

Elena crossed her arms, “Because you’re weak.”

Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall, I slowly turned toward her. “No,” I said quietly. “You’re just cruel.”

Elena’s mouth fell open slightly, because nobody had ever heard me speak back like this before, not even me.

Father suddenly stood from his chair, the movement made my heart jump. His voice became terrifyingly calm, “You will marry Matthew Kane,” he said slowly. “Even if I have to force you.”

Fear wrapped icy fingers around my throat, for one second, I saw something unfamiliar in Father’s eyes. I saw desperation.

Before I could think further, I turned and stormed out of the dining room, I heard Clarissa calling after me, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t breathe inside that room anymore.

Across the city, darkness covered the skyline like a blanket, Inside the top floor of Kane Enterprises, Matthew Kane sat behind a massive black desk.

Rain rolled down the tall glass windows behind him, the office looked expensive, cold and dangerous just like the man sitting inside it 

Matthew swirled whiskey slowly inside his glass while Antonio Virelli stood nearby holding a file.

“Victor Raphael’s daughter refused the arrangement,” Antonio said carefully.

Matthew said nothing at first, his sharp eyes remained fixed on the photograph resting on his desk. Rachel Raphael.

Instead of anger, something else crossed his face, Interest and amusement.

Most people feared him instantly, but this girl had said no to his request.

Antonio folded his arms, “The girl could become a problem.”

Matthew finally spoke, “Or an advantage.”

Antonio raised an eyebrow, Matthew picked up Rachel’s photograph slowly.

“She avoids public events,” Antonio continued. “There are rumors her family mistreats her.”

Matthew studied the sadness hidden inside Rachel’s eyes.

“She was also involved with someone named Lucas Grant.”

At the mention of the name, Matthew’s expression darkened slightly, his thumb brushed across the edge of Rachel’s picture. He recognized pain easily, because he carried enough of it himself.

“A girl willing to defy her own father,” Matthew murmured softly, “is either foolish… or dangerous.”

Antonio stayed silent, Matthew leaned back in his chair. Then calmly ordered, “Prepare the engagement contract.”

By the time I reached my bedroom, my entire body was shaking, I slammed the door shut and locked it quickly, the tears finally came. Pain exploded out of me all at once, I covered my mouth to stop the sob escaping my throat.

“You will marry Matthew Kane,” father’s words replayed endlessly inside my head.

I slowly slid down against the door until I hit the floor, I clutched my mother’s necklace tightly in my fist, this can’t be happening. 

“What do I do?” I whispered brokenly.

Thunder shook the windows, desperately, I grabbed my phone and opened my messages, it was Lucas,  My fingers trembled as I typed, we need to leave this city.

I stared at the message for several seconds, fear consumed me completely.

Could we really run away? Would Father hunt us down? Would Matthew Kane allow it?

A knock suddenly echoed against my door, distracting me from my thoughts but before I could answer, the door opened. “Speak of the devil” Clarissa stepped inside, her sweet mask was gone now.

Only coldness remained, she slowly closed the door behind her. “Do not ruin this opportunity for this family,” she said quietly.

Anger rose sharply inside me, “What family?” I asked in an angry manner 

Her eyes turned icy, she stepped closer until I could smell her expensive perfume, “You should learn your place,” she whispered, “before powerful men teach it to you instead.”

For the first time in years, I felt truly afraid of her not because she insulted me orhated me, but because she sounded serious.

Like something terrible was already moving toward me, Clarissa stared at me one final time before leaving the room.

The second the door shut behind her, I released a shaky breath, then I noticed something slid beneath my door.

I frowned, confused, I walked over and picked it up slowly.

A black card, silver letters glimmered against the dark surface.

My heartbeat slowed painfully as I read the words “Matthew Kane accepts.”

Cold fear spread through me instantly, my refusal didn’t matter, the decision had already been made.

Thunder crashed loudly outside, I slowly lifted my eyes toward the dark window, rain poured endlessly beyond the glass.

Suddenly, i felt a strange feeling crawling down my spine, like  unseen eyes were watching me from somewhere in the darkness.

And for the first time in my life, realized I might truly belong to a dangerous man now.