Chapter - One

Aleena — POV

Hatred simmered beneath my calm expression as I sat at the dinner table. My designer dress clung tightly to my body while the scent of expensive food filled the room. I could feel everyone watching me.

“Aleena Caruso will marry your son, Nico Bellini,” my father announced to Mr. Angelo Bellini.

Angelo nodded in approval. His bald head gleamed beneath the chandelier, gold rings covered nearly every finger, and the gaps between his teeth somehow made him look even more intimidating. Everything about him screamed wealth and power.

My eyes shifted to Nico Bellini. At least he didn’t resemble his father.

Nico was handsome, with sharp features, dark hair slicked back perfectly, and piercing green eyes but none of that mattered. He was still not the man I wanted to marry.

“Aleena agrees to this arrangement, Mr. Luciano?” Nico asked coldly, glancing at me for only a second.

“Yes,” my father answered before I could speak. “My daughter respects my wishes and will follow through.”

The anger burning inside me only grew stronger. I didn’t want this marriage.

I wanted to build my tech company, create something for myself, something outside the violent world I’d been born into. But being the eldest daughter in a mafia family came with responsibilities. In this life, children rarely got to choose their own futures.

“Aleena.”

I looked up at Nico.

“You’re happy with this arrangement?” he asked.

The tension beside me sharpened instantly. I could practically feel my father’s warning glare without even turning toward him.

Don’t you dare embarrass me. You know the consequences.

“Yes,” I muttered quietly. “I agree to the arrangement.”

“Good,” Angelo Bellini said. “Now that everything is settled, we can discuss the deal and who will take over your smuggling business. I assume your daughters won’t be involved. Nico should handle it.”

The greed in his voice was impossible to miss.

My father remained silent for a moment. In the mafia world, misogyny ran deep. Men like Angelo believed women were too weak to lead businesses like this. Part of me wanted to prove them wrong.But years ago, I promised my mother I would never become part of the blood and dirt that came with this life.

“We’ll discuss leadership of the business soon,” my father replied firmly.

Angelo clearly didn’t like that answer, but my father continued before he could argue.

“I suggest we move the engagement ceremony to this week.”

“Next Saturday works fine,” Angelo replied.

“Yes,” my father said. “The arrangement will be finalized then.”

I glanced at Nico again. His jaw was tight, his expression unreadable. When the painfully awkward dinner finally ended, Nico spoke again.

“I need to speak with Aleena alone.”

My father’s sharp gaze immediately shifted toward him.

“Just a few minutes,” Nico said.

My father looked at me, and I stood from the table without a word. Nico followed me to the rooftop, the only place I knew no one would be watching.

“You’re not happy with this arrangement, are you?” he asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said.

“This marriage is a business deal,” he replied. “I want you to understand something. This arrangement is only for show. I have someone I care about.”

He paused, studying me.

“Are you okay with that?”

“Yes,” I said. “How about this? We stay in this arrangement for six months, then find a way to end it.”

He didn’t answer. His expression shifted into deep thought. Noticing my gaze on him.

“How have you been since the accident?” he asked.

No one knew about my accident.

“Did you regain your memories?” he asked.

No, I hadn’t. I barely remembered anything, only one painful memory that refused to leave me alone.

“Never mind,” he said. “I’ll take my leave.”

With his sharp features and piercing green eyes, Nico looked dangerously handsome. He gazed at me with a stoic. Before he turned to leave. I watched his tall, broad frame disappear down the stairs. How did he know about my accident?

Then again, he was the heir to the Bellini mafia family. Getting information probably wasn’t difficult for him. Still, something about him felt familiar, even though I was sure I had never met him before.

Later, I followed my father into his study room.

“Aleena, don’t get any ideas about running away or sabotaging this arrangement,” he warned. “If you try anything and I find out, I’ll make your sister marry Nico instead. I’ll force her to break her relationship with the man she loves. She won’t even continue with her degree either.”

I swallowed hard. This was why I stayed trapped.

“Your mother’s last wish was to keep you and your sister away from my business,” he said. “I’m honoring that. Remember it.” His words sound like he is being kind to me. He didn’t think I was capable of anything. To him, I was just another pawn.

“You need to make Nico fall in love with you,” he continued. “I need the Bellini business to merge with ours. I will not hand control over to them. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Father,” I muttered.

Like a stupid puppet.

I loved my younger sister too much to let her suffer because of me. So I would endure this nightmare.

“I don’t trust this innocent act, Aleena,” he said. “You agreed to my words without a fight, which makes me think you already have a plan to sabotage this.”

I wanted to roll my eyes.

“To keep watch over you, I’ve hired a bodyguard from America. He’s a retired ex-military officer.”

What the hell?

“Step in,” my father ordered.

The study door opened.

A man stepped inside, tall and built with broad shoulders. A black T-shirt stretched across his muscular arms and military-style pants tucked into heavy boots. His neatly set-up dark blond hair and his blue eyes carried a quiet danger behind his haughty stare.

For a second, his gaze locked with mine. Then he looked straight ahead at my father.

“This is your bodyguard,” my father said. “His name is Zane Caldwell.”

My father turned to him.

“You report to me and keep her safe.”

“Yes, sir,” Zane replied.

Disappointment sank through my entire body.

I stormed out of my father’s study, but I could hear Zane’s heavy footsteps following me all the way to my room. When he entered behind me, I turned to face him. My life was officially ruined.

I had a plan to sabotage the arrangement, but now my father had placed a new obstacle in my way a six-foot-four ex-military bodyguard with razor-sharp eyes.

“Zane,” I called.

“You can call me Caldwell,” he said in an American accent.

“I can pay you more,” I said. “Work for me instead.”

“No,” he answered.

“Why not?” I asked. “Aren’t you working for money?”

“It’s not that simple,” he said coldly. “My duty is to protect you.”

“No,” I corrected. “Your duty is to spy on me.”

My father must have known I would try to bribe him. That meant he had something on Caldwell. He never allowed outsiders into our home, especially not American ex-military men who once worked for the government.

So why him?

Maybe Caldwell had done something. Maybe my father was using it against him. With enough corrupt politicians on his side, my father could protect almost anyone as long as they served his purpose.

“You can step outside and keep watch from there,” I said.

“No,” Caldwell replied. “I was told to stay in your room and watch you directly.”

I glared at him, but he gave me nothing. No emotion. No reaction. Just that handsome, unreadable face. I needed to find a way out.

For myself.

For my sister.

One day, we would both be free from the Caruso family for good.