Prologue

Everyone was on edge as the wedding day crept closer. Sitting alone in her car, Maddie let out a heavy sigh, her mind racing. She was about to marry a guy she barely even knew—a complete stranger. They hadn’t even met face-to-face yet. Her dad had arranged the whole thing, and Maddie hadn’t had a say.

Out of nowhere, a knock on the window made her jump. She rolled it down to see her younger sister, Violet, standing there with a sad, forced smile. Violet slid into the seat beside her and grabbed her hand, offering a little comfort. Maddie’s hand was ice-cold, giving away just how nervous she was.

"The wedding’s starting soon," Violet said softly, worry all over her face. "Are you ready?"

Maddie gave a tired smile and took a shaky breath. "No, not really. But do I have a choice? This is what Papa wants. And if I say no..." She trailed off, her voice dropping. "He'll hurt me."

Violet pulled her into a hug, her voice cracking. "I wish I could take your place, sis. After everything you've been through with him... you deserve to be happy, not stuck like this."

Maddie gently pulled back and shook her head. "It’s okay, Violet. If I rebel, he’ll just come after you instead. I’ll be fine. I just need to do what’s expected—be a good wife."

Violet looked like she was about to cry. "But, sis... we’ve heard so many bad things about your husband-to-be. They say he’s cold, cruel... the worst of all the Morettis. What if leaving Papa doesn’t actually mean you’re free? What if he just hands you off to someone worse?"

Maddie’s heart sank a little deeper as she listened. Her voice was barely a whisper. "I hope that's not true..."

Before they could say anything else, Maddie’s stepmother, Mildred, appeared by the car. "Violet, get out. The wedding’s starting," she barked, cold and impatient. Then she turned to Maddie and added, "Remember to smile and act happy. You know what’ll happen if you mess this up."

As if Maddie needed the reminder—she’d lived with her father’s temper all her life.

Today, she would finally see her future husband's face for the first time. Until now, she'd only seen pictures of him. He was always too busy, traveling and working overseas, to actually meet her. The only people Maddie had dealt with were his parents.

Now, as she made her way down the aisle, arm in arm with her father and stepmother, Maddie felt her nerves battling with a strange kind of hope. Waiting at the altar was the man she was about to marry—the man she was meeting in person for the very first time.

Maddie couldn’t stop replaying her father’s words in her head, each one weighing heavier than the last. "Be a good wife, Maddie. If your husband ever leaves you, you know what’ll happen. Obey him, don’t upset him, and make sure our family name stays spotless. Your marriage is important for our business, so you better act like the perfect wife," he had said, all while smiling at the wedding guests like everything was fine.

Maddie glanced nervously at her dad. His fake smile didn’t fool her—his warning sat like a rock in her stomach.

Then her eyes drifted to her soon-to-be husband. Their gazes locked, and Maddie felt a jolt of panic. Even though she wore a veil, she could feel the intensity of his stare, like he was seeing straight through her.

A cold shiver ran down her spine. There was something about him—something harsh and dangerous. His eyes were cold, almost dead, and the way he looked at her made her knees go weak.

"Marco, take good care of my daughter," her father said smoothly, still smiling as he handed Maddie over.

As Marco took her hand, she felt a chill shoot up her arm. She sneaked a quick glance at his hand gripping hers, then looked up—and there was that stare again, sharp and unflinching through the veil.

"I will, sir," Marco said politely, before leading Maddie down the aisle toward the altar.

As the ceremony started, anxiety washed over Maddie. It really hit her—the reality of it all—when Marco said, "I do," without the slightest hesitation.

The priest looked expectantly at Maddie, and she swallowed hard, her heart pounding. She knew there was no backing out, not if she wanted to avoid her father's wrath.

Marco gave her a quick, impatient look that said hurry up.

Maddie sucked in a shaky breath. "I-I do, Father," she whispered, blinking back tears. She buried her real feelings deep down, locking them away where no one could see.

When the priest finally announced that Marco could kiss the bride, Maddie and Marco turned toward each other.

Marco reached up and lifted her veil, revealing her face to him for the first time. His expression stayed cold and distant, and Maddie squeezed her eyes shut as he leaned in.

Without hesitation, Marco pressed a quick, emotionless kiss to her lips. The crowd clapped and cheered, but Maddie barely heard them over the regret pounding in her chest.

Later, she stood alone in a huge room, brushing her hair in front of a massive mirror, trying to brace herself for what was waiting for her on her first night as Marco’s wife.

As Maddie brushed her hair, she heard the door creak open. In the mirror, she caught a glimpse of Marco walking in.

She set the brush down and slowly turned to face him. He stood behind her, looking proud and serious.

"If you don’t want this, just say so. I’ll understand," Marco said, his voice calm but cold.

Maddie looked down, unsure. She didn’t want this — not with a man she barely knew, not with someone she didn’t love. But what choice did she have? Her father's warnings echoed in her head, pressing her into a role she couldn’t escape.

Marco let out a sigh, and Maddie looked up at him — just in time to see him start undressing.

"If you’re not going to say anything," Marco said, "I’ll take that as a yes."

Maddie closed her eyes tightly, trying to steady herself. Then she stood up and slowly pulled off her nightdress.

Marco looked a little surprised but didn’t hesitate for long. His desire quickly took over.

He grabbed Maddie and kissed her hard, catching her off guard. She didn’t even have time to shut her eyes before she found herself on the bed, with Marco hovering over her.

His movements were quick. He tugged off her underwear, then paused, giving her one last chance to stop him.

"You can still say no," Marco said, his voice rough.

Maddie sucked in a shaky breath and shook her head. "This is my duty as your wife. You don’t have to ask again. Just... do it."

Marco grabbed a condom, put it on, and lined himself up before slowly pushing into her. Maddie cried out from the pain, her body tensing against the invasion.

Instinctively, she grabbed at Marco’s hair as he kept moving, trying to ease into her carefully but still overwhelming her.

Tears spilled down Maddie's cheeks as she lay there, feeling every bit of him. Slowly, she started to adjust, but the pain and confusion tangled inside her.

That night was a blur of conflicting emotions. Maddie gave in because she felt she had to, but deep down, her heart ached with regret. Even when their bodies moved together, the tears didn’t stop.

By morning, Maddie woke up alone in the huge, empty bed. Marco was gone — just like that — off to another country without even telling her, leaving her feeling even more abandoned and lost than before.