CHAPTER 1

The sound of the pen dropping against the desk felt louder than it should have.

For a few seconds, nobody moved.

Nobody spoke. My signature remained at the bottom of the contract, staring back at me as if mocking the last seconds of freedom I had left. I had just signed my life away. Not because I wanted to. Not because I loved him. But because I couldn't watch my family turned to ash.

Or perhaps... I had simply become the price of saving them.

I slowly pushed the contract away.

"Now what? I hope you're all happy now."

My voice sounded foreign to my own ears.

Vincent took the document. He glanced at my signature once before closing the folder.

"Now, the Laurent debt belongs to the Moretti Empire." I stared at him.

"And I belong to you?" I said sarcastically.

His eyes met mine. "According to the contract, love."

Love... That answer made my stomach twist.

I stood abruptly. "I still can't believe my father agreed to this." My gaze shifted toward him.

"No—I can't believe my mother agreed."

My mother flinched. A tear slipped down her cheek.

"Honey..."

"You could have stopped him." Her lips parted, but no words came out. "You could have told him no."

"I tried." I shook my head.

"Not enough." My mother looked down. That silence was an enough answer. A bitter laugh escaped me.

"Of course." I said. I wiped the tear from my cheek before it could fall.

"I guess I was the easiest thing to sacrifice." I smiled bitterly.

"That's enough." My father's voice was low. Almost surrender.

I turned toward him.

"Am I right papa?"

He looked at me, his face filled with regret.

"I'm your father."

"And you sold me." His expression crumbled.

"I was trying to save you."

"By giving me to him?"

"By saving our family!"

"You mean your company!"The words came out louder than I intended.

My father looked away. That hurt more than anything. For years, Laurent Enterprises had been the center of our lives. Tonight, I finally understood how easily everything could disappear. And how easily I could disappear with it.

Vincent remained standing near the desk, watching the confrontation without interfering. That bothered me.

He had caused this. He had walked into our lives, crushed our empire, and turned our desperation into a contract.

Yet he stood there like an outsider. As if this had nothing to do with him. I turned toward him.

“Why are you still here? Wasn’t my signature enough, Mr. Moretti?” One of his eyebrows lifted slightly.

“Technically, this house belongs to me as of today, doesn’t it?” I nearly scoffed.

“And you’re my wife. You can’t question my presence anymore.”

The word wife made me freeze. WIFE?

Too permanent.

Too intimate.

Too dangerous.

"We're not married yet." Vincent glanced at the signed contract.

"Legally, the agreement has already been executed."

My heart sank.

"That fast?"

"I don't like wasting time, Love."

Of course he didn't. I'm aware of that.

Man like him, he never waited for something in his entire life. They could get everything they wanted. Fast. Immediate. ASAP. Including people. And unfortunately, Elara, it's you this time.

He checked his watch.

"Pack your things." I stared at him.

"Why would I?"

"We’re married now. It wouldn’t be appropriate for you to continue living under your father’s roof. You'll have to come with me”

"No." I looked straight into his eyes.

"Yes." He glared back at me.

"I'm not leaving this place with you Moretti."

His expression hardened.

"Elara."

The way he said my name made the room suddenly quiet.

"You signed." He reminded me.

But I took a step closer to him.

"And you threatened my family."

"Correct."

"You threatened to turn us into ashes."

"Also correct." He answered calmly that made me clenched my fists.

"Then let me tell you, don't pretend this is a marriage." His eyes darkened.

"I never did if that's what you're thinking about." That answer silenced me.

Vincent walked toward the door. Then he stopped.

"One year." I looked at him.

"What?" He turned his head slightly.

"One year, Elara." His gaze settled on mine.

"Live as my wife for one year. Follow the terms of the contract. At the end of it, you're free."

Free. The word should have comforted me. But It didn't. Because something about the way he said it made me feel like the opposite was true. I feel like I'm never gonna leave his world the moment I step on it.

"What happens if I break the contract?"

His lips curved into the faintest smile.

"You don't want to find out, Love "

Then he walked out, and with him vanished the dark, suffocating presence that had filled the room moments before.

I remained inside my father's office long after Vincent left. My mother approached me.

"Elara..." She called me but I stepped away.

"I need to pack." She nodded.

"I'll help you."

"No. I'll be fine."

She stopped. I looked at her.

"I need to do this myself." Her eyes filled with tears again.

"I'm sorry, my dear."

I believed her. I know my mom. She doesn't want this. Any of this

She was sorry. My father was sorry.

But their regret couldn't undo my signature.

I walked out of the office as though a heavy weight had been placed on my chest. As I climbed the stairs, I glanced back one last time.

My father was sitting behind his desk.

The man who had built the Laurent Empire. The man who had once taught me that our name was something we should be proud of. Tonight, he looked like a stranger. He was no longer the father I knew—the one who was capable, brave, and unwavering.

When I entered my bedroom suddenly it felt different. Maybe nothing had changed.

Maybe I had. I opened my closet and pulled out a suitcase.

I didn't know what a contract wife was supposed to pack. A year's worth of clothes? Memories? A life she was no longer allowed to live?

I started with the essentials. Clothes. Shoes. Toiletries. A few books. My passport.

Then I stopped.

My eyes landed on a small velvet box.

Inside was my grandmother's necklace.

I picked it up carefully. She had given it to me on my eighteenth birthday.

"Never let anyone make you forget who you are." I closed my eyes. A tear escaped.

"I'm trying, Grandma." I put the necklace around my neck.

Then I continued packing. A knock sounded. My mother entered. She looked at the suitcase.

"It's time?" I nodded. My mother reached for my hand. I allowed her to hold it.

"Elara..."

"Don't."

"I just want you to know that I never wanted this."

"I know mom."

"But I couldn't stop your father." I looked at her.

"That's what I'm afraid of, Mom."

"Afraid of what?"

"That you couldn't stop him." Her face fell.

"Because what happens if Vincent asks for something else?" She didn't answer.

Neither of us had to. A car horn sounded outside. I looked toward the window.

A black Maybach was waiting at the front entrance.Two men in dark suits stood beside it. And then I saw him.

He was standing beside the car, one hand in his pocket, completely composed.

As though he wasn't taking someone's daughter away from her family.

As though this was simply another transaction. Something not someone.

My mother followed my gaze.

"He's waiting." I picked up my suitcase.

My mother suddenly hugged me.

This time, I didn't pull away. I held her tightly.

"I'm scared." I whisper. I felt like I have a reason to be honest since she's my mother. Her arms tightened around me.

"I know." She tapped my back.

"What if I can't do this?"

"You can. The moment you put your name on that contract I know I raised an intelligent and a brave woman." She cupped my face.

"What if I hate him, what if I could not bear his presence for the next 12 months?"

She pulled back and looked at me.

"Then set aside your personal issue with him. Just be his wife. Nothing else. In that way you must survive."

I almost smiled. Almost. But I couldn't.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, honey." She kissed my forehead. Then she whispered,

"Don't let him take everything from you. Surrender everything except this one." She points into my heart. I nodded.

"I'll remember that." I looked toward the window again. Vincent was still there.

Watching.

Waiting.

I picked up my suitcase.

And walked downstairs.

Vincent's gaze immediately fell on me when I got to his car.

Then his eyes went to my suitcase.

"Ready?"

"Honestly, no." He nodded.

"Good." I frowned.

"Good?" I repeat what he said.

"I like your honesty." I rolled my eyes and kept my mouth shut.

He opened the car door for me.

I stopped before getting inside.

"One last thing." He looked at me.

"If you expect me to act like some obedient little wife, you're going to be disappointed." A slow smile appeared on his lips.

"I wouldn't want an obedient wife, Love."

My brows furrowed.

"Whatever and please stop calling me Love. I have a name and that's Elara."

"Whatever you want, Love." He grinned. I just rolled my eyes again and took a sigh of frustration. I got into his car. Vincent followed then one of his security closed the door.

The Laurent mansion slowly disappeared behind us as the car moved through the city. I stared through the window.

My home became smaller. Then smaller.

Until it vanished completely. I didn't know where I was going. I only knew who I was going with. And that terrified me.

I don't know what's gonna happen to me as I'm on my way to his world.

-----

The Moretti estate appeared behind enormous iron gates. Security guards stood at every entrance. Cameras followed the car. The gates opened.

I stared at the property ahead. It wasn't simply a mansion. It looked like a fortress.

Dark stone walls. Tall windows. A long driveway illuminated by soft lights.

Beautiful.

Expensive.

And somehow threatening. Now I know why his name makes everyone tremble just by hearing it.

The car stopped. Vincent stepped out first. I remained inside. He opened my door.

"Welcome home." I looked at him. No, I glared.

"This isn't my home." His expression didn't change.

"It is now." I stepped out.

Inside, several people were waiting.

Men in suits.

House staff.

Security. Everyone immediately lowered their heads when Vincent walked past.

No one questioned him.

No one even looked directly at him for too long. That was when I understood something. Vincent didn't simply own this place. He ruled it.

A woman in her 20's approached us.

"Mr. Moretti." She bowed before him.

"Take Mrs. Moretti's luggage upstairs." He said coldly to the woman.

Mrs. Moretti? My stomach turned at the title. The woman glanced at me before nodding.

"Yes, sir."

Vincent started walking. I followed reluctantly. We reached the staircase.

I stopped.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?"

"Second floor. East wing."

"And you?"

He looked over his shoulder.

"West wing."

I blinked. "I wasn't expecting this, but at least there's something we both agree."

He smirked. "I made it clear in the agreement that I wouldn’t force you into anything you didn’t want. This marriage, however, is the exception. And since this is a contract marriage, I assumed you wouldn’t want to share a room with me. So I made arrangements accordingly.”

I remembered his words from the contract. He's right.

He continued,

"This marriage may be an arrangement, Elara, but I keep my agreements." I didn't know whether to believe him.

He turned away. Then stopped again.

"One more thing." I looked at him.

"Your life changes tonight." His voice was quiet. "You'll have security. You won't leave this estate without informing me. You won't speak to the press. And you will never interfere in my business."

I crossed my arms.

"And if I do?" He looked directly at me.

"Then you'll learn why people are afraid of the Moretti name."

A chill traveled down my spine. I blink twice. He didn't wait for me to say something, He walked away immediately.

I watched his back disappear down the hallway. Something wasn't right.

There was a reason he had chosen me.

A reason he had destroyed my family's empire. A reason he had been waiting for me from the moment we met three weeks ago. And I intend to find out.

Because if Vincent Alessandro Moretti thought his new wife would simply follow his rules for the next twelve months...

He had made one very big mistake.

I need to find out what he's plotting against me and my family.