Chapter 3

The Moretti house was always a place of noise and laughter. It was a home where the walls seemed to vibrate with life, the sound of Italian opera coming from the kitchen, the heavy thud of footsteps on the stairs, and the constant, energetic bickering of brothers who loved each other more than they loved themselves.

But when Luca walked through the front door that morning, he didn't notice the strange tension in the air. He didn't notice that the house was too quiet or that the lights in his father’s study were still burning bright even though it was past dawn. Luca was in a world of his own. He walked through the foyer with a dreamy smile on his face, his heart feeling lighter than it ever had. He kept touching his neck, his mind replaying every second of the night before.

It had been a wonderful night . The music, the drinks, and that man Adrian. Luca didn’t think much of anything else, He just wanted to go to his room, fall into his soft bed, and sleep while keeping those golden memories fresh in his mind. He slipped up the stairs, kicked off his shoes, and vanished into a deep, peaceful sleep, completely unaware that his family was downstairs fighting for their lives.

For weeks, the Moretti family had been living a nightmare. Ever since they lost the massive government shipping contract, everything had been falling apart. They had done everything to secure it, even going after Adrian himself.

"It was just supposed to be a scare," Lorenzo whispered, his hands shaking as he gripped the edge of his desk. "The bullet... it was only meant to hit the car to make him back off. It was an accident. Nobody was supposed to die, especially not his wife. But we still lost the deal."

They had put every cent the family owned into that contract, gambling their wealth, their reputation, and their home on it. When it slipped through their fingers and landed in the hands of Adrian Voss.

"Banks were calling. Creditors were at the door. The Moretti name was turning into a joke on the streets. For days, Lorenzo Moretti and his older sons, Marco and Dante, had been calling Adrian’s office. They begged for a meeting. They begged for mercy. But Adrian had ignored them, letting them sit in their fear, going straight to voicemail every single time.

Finally, that morning, a call went through. Valentino, Adrian’s right-hand man, had given them a time. "One hour," he had said. "Come to the office to discuss a proposal."

Lorenzo, Marco, and Dante didn't wake Luca. They didn't even tell him they were leaving. They never wanted Luca involved in the dirty side of the family business. To them, Luca everything. They wanted to protect him from the dark world they walked in every day.

The meeting at Voss International didn't go the way the Morettis expected. They walked into the cold, glass office with their heads down, feeling the weight of their debt. Adrian was already sitting there, looking like a king on a throne.

"Mr. Voss, thanks for meeting with us," Lorenzo said, his voice shaky.

Adrian didn't even look up from his desk at first. "I have a proposal for you," he said, his voice smooth but dangerous.

Lorenzo and his sons were so desperate they didn't even wait to hear it. "Name anything you want," Lorenzo said quickly. "Whatever it is, we will do it. Just help us."

Adrian looked up then, a dark smirk touching his lips. It wasn't a kind smile. "You haven’t even heard what I want yet, and you are already agreeing to it? That’s very careless of you."

"We just need to save the family," Marco added, leaning forward. "So, what is it ? Just tell us.

Adrian leaned back in his leather chair, crossing his legs. "I heard you had another son. A younger one."

The air in the room seemed to freeze. Lorenzo’s face went pale. "Yes... my last child. Luca. But he doesn't know anything about the business. We keep him out of it as much as we can. He’s not involved in any of this."

"Interesting," Adrian said, his eyes darkening with a hidden fire. "That is my proposal. I want him. I want a marriage contract. I will clear every cent of your debt, I will give you the money you need to stay afloat, and I will keep the banks away from your door. In exchange, you give me your son. He moves into my house. He takes my name. He belongs to me."

"You want Luca?" Dante shouted, standing up. "He’s just a kid! He has nothing to do with the war between us!"

"He has everything to do with it now," Adrian replied, his voice like a sharp blade. "You have until tonight to decide. If you say yes, the money is moved by sunrise. If you say no... I will ruin what is left of your business by tomorrow morning. You’ll be on the street with nothing but the clothes on your backs.

The brothers had nearly jumped over the desk to hit him. Lorenzo had stood up, shaking with rage. They didn't agree. They couldn't. They walked out of that office, their blood boiling. There was no way they were selling Luca to a man who clearly hated their bloodline.

They drove home in a silence so heavy it felt like lead. By the time they walked back into the Moretti mansion, they looked like defeated men.

Luca was in the sitting room. He had woken up feeling refreshed, lounging on the sofa in his silk pajamas, halfway through a movie. He looked up and smiled when they walked in, but his smile died instantly when he saw his father’s face.

"Papa? What’s wrong?" Luca asked, sitting up straight.

Lorenzo didn't answer. He walked to the middle of the room and simply broke down. This man, the head of the family, the one who always had a plan, started to cry. He sank into a chair, hiding his face in his hands.

Luca panicked. He had never seen his father like this. He turned to his older brothers, his eyes wide with fear. "Why is Papa crying? Dante? Marco? Tell me what happened! Did someone hurt him?"

Marco and Dante looked at each other. They didn't want to say it. They wanted to keep protecting him, but the walls were closing in. They couldn't hide the truth anymore.

"We’re losing everything, Luca," Marco said, his voice cracking. "The business, the house... it’s all gone. Ever since that contract went to Voss, we’ve been drowning."

"But that’s just money," Luca said, trying to be brave. "We can work. We can find a way."

"It’s not just that," Dante added, looking at the floor. "We went to see him today. Adrian Voss. We asked for help. He told us he would save us, but he wants a price we can't pay."

Luca frowned. "What price? What does he want?"

Dante took a deep breath. "He wants you, Luca. He wants a marriage contract. He wants to own you to get back at us for the past. We told him no. We’ll lose the house before we give you to a man like that."

Luca stood frozen. His mind raced. He looked at his father, who was still sobbing, and his brothers, who looked like they were ready to go to war just to keep him safe. He thought about their life. Ever since their mother died years ago and his father lost his wife these three men had been his entire world. They had given him everything. They had worked late nights so he could have a good life.

Luca felt a strange, cold strength wash over him. He wasn't a businessman, and he wasn't a fighter, but he loved his family.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Luca asked, his voice shaking but loud. "Why didn't you trust me enough to tell me we were hurting?"

"We were trying to protect you!" Marco shouted, his eyes red. "You’re not supposed to be part of this!"

"I am a Moretti!" Luca shouted back. "And if the family is hurting, I’m hurting too!"

He walked over to his father and knelt on the floor, taking the older man’s shaking hands in his own. "Papa, look at me."

Lorenzo looked up, his eyes wet with tears. "I'm sorry, Luca. I failed you."

"You didn't fail me," Luca whispered. "You loved me. And because you love me, I’m going to save us. Call him. Call Adrian Voss."

"No," Dante stepped forward. "Luca, you don't know him. He’s a monster. He’s cold. He doesn't want a husband; he wants a prisoner."

Luca stood up, wiping his own tears away. "I don't care what he is. If marrying him is the only way to keep this family together, then I’m doing it. I’m ready. Tell him we agree to the proposal. Tell him I’ll sign the papers."

The room was silent for a long time. The only sound was the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall. Finally, Lorenzo stood up. He hugged Luca so tight it was hard to breathe. He didn't want to do it, but he knew they were out of options.

"Are you sure, my son?" Lorenzo asked.

"I'm sure," Luca said, his heart heavy but his mind made up. "Call him now. Before I lose my nerve."

Lorenzo pulled out his phone. His fingers trembled as he dialed the number for Voss International. When Valentino picked up, Lorenzo spoke in a voice that sounded like it cost him his soul. "We agree. Tell Mr. Voss... tell him we agree with his proposal . Just save my family."

Luca sat back down on the sofa, feeling like he was watching a movie of someone else's life. He knew his world was ending. He knew that the freedom he loved so much was gone.

But as he sat there, he had no idea that the "monster" he was about to marry was the very same man who had held him so tenderly the night before. He didn't know that the Adrian who had whispered to him in the dark was the same Adrian who was now buying him.

He didn't know that his life wasn't just changing, it was about to become a beautiful, terrifying trap. All he knew was that for the people he loved, he was willing to walk into the fire. He was ready to do anything, even if it broke him.