Chapter 2

After the announcement, I turned and walked away.

Victor chased after me. "Elia! Who are you marrying? How come I didn't know about this?"

I stopped and smiled. "I don't think our relationship requires me to report every detail of my life to you."

"Elia, I know you're upset, but Chloe is the wife God chose for me. My hands are tied."

"Victor, don't act like you had no choice in this." I looked him straight in the eye, fighting the urge to be sick.

He had engineered the whole thing himself, yet he was still trying to cast himself as a victim of fate.

"Elia, Chloe is a kind girl. She wouldn't mind sharing a home with you." He stepped closer, his tone dripping with condescension. "Once I officially take over, I'll bring you in. Chloe doesn't know anything about the business. You can help me manage the docks and the arms deals. I promise you, aside from the title, you'll have the same authority as the Donna."

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Victor, what makes you think I would ever stoop so low as to play housekeeper for another woman?"

I didn't bother arguing any further. I shoved him aside. "Get out of my way."

Victor stumbled back half a step, his expression darkening. "Elia, when did you become so unreasonable? Being the Donna is just a title. Why are you making such a fuss over it?"

"Besides, too much rides on the alliance between our Families. As the Castellano heiress, you should know better. If you feel slighted because you won't get a wedding, then marry me alongside Chloe."

Slap!

I couldn't hold back any longer. I swung my hand and slapped him across the face.

I put every ounce of my strength into it. The side of his face swelled up instantly, the red mark impossible to miss.

Victor touched the welt, then raised his hand to hit me back.

Just as his hand came down, a long-fingered hand reached out and clamped around Victor's wrist with effortless precision.

I spun around. It was Victor's uncle, Dante Moretti.

"U-Uncle Dante..." The moment Victor recognized him, every last trace of his bravado vanished.

Dante shot him a cold look. "You raise your hand to a woman? Aren't you ashamed?"

He dropped Victor's wrist and straightened his cuffs with deliberate calm, his gaze sweeping toward the chapel doors. His voice was low but carried like a command. "Your new bride is getting pushed around in there, and instead of protecting her, you're out here harassing someone else. What kind of man does that?"

Victor's expression shifted. Without another word, he turned and rushed toward the chapel.

Everything around us went quiet, leaving only the rustle of wind through the leaves.

I took a deep breath and looked at Dante. "Thank you."

He didn't respond right away. He only studied me with those deep, penetrating eyes, as if he could see straight through me.

After a moment, he spoke, his voice low and magnetic. "The wedding is in seven days. You still have time to back out."

"I'm not backing out." My answer came without a moment's hesitation.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Good. Then I'll see you in seven days."