CHAPTER 2- The Wrong Bride

YULIA'S POV

"She's a thief! I want her deported right away!"

"No, no, please! I didn't do it!" My voice cracked as tears streamed down my face. "Mom! Dad! I didn't do it! I was framed! Please, believe me!"

But my screams fell on deaf ears. My mother stared at me with cold, unfamiliar eyes. The warmth that had once been there was completely gone.

"I knew we shouldn't have adopted this one."

My heart shattered. I stared at them in disbelief, desperately searching their faces for even the slightest hint of the parents I knew. There was nothing. The officers grabbed my arms and pulled me away.

"Mom! Dad!"

I fought against their grip, crying and screaming as they dragged me farther away.

"Please! I'm telling the truth!"

Neither of them moved. Neither of them came after me. And that was the last time I saw them.

***************************************

I opened my eyes slowly. My face was wet with tears. For a few seconds, I lay there, confused, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling above me. Then I sat up.

Something was different.

This wasn't the same room I'd been in yesterday.

The walls were beautifully decorated, soft lights hung from the ceiling, and flowers were arranged around the room. Everything looked elegant. Too elegant.

My brows furrowed. Then it hit me. I froze. Slowly, I lifted my hands. White gloves covered them. My breathing stopped. I looked down. A white wedding gown covered my body. My eyes widened.

"No..."

I jumped out of the bed and stared at myself in the mirror. A veil was attached to my hair. My heart began pounding violently against my chest.

"No. No, no, no."

I grabbed the veil and pulled at it with trembling hands.

"This isn't happening."

I turned around frantically, searching the room.

"Where am I?"

The door suddenly opened. Three women dressed identically in red suits and skirts hurried inside.

"Miss, is there a problem?"

I stared at them from head to toe.

"What is this?" I demanded. "Why am I here?"

They exchanged uncomfortable glances. Then one of them stepped forward.

"Miss..."

She hesitated.

"You are getting married today."

My heart sank.

"What?"

"Your wedding is today, Miss."

I stared at her. Then at the other two women. Then back at her.

"You've got to be joking."

Nobody laughed. My stomach twisted.

"Who am I marrying?"

They remained silent.

"Who?"

Before anyone could answer, the door opened again. The scar-faced man from yesterday walked into the room. The three women immediately bowed their heads.

"Sir."

He gave them a brief nod.

"Leave us."

They didn't hesitate. The three women walked out, closing the door behind them. I immediately turned toward him.

"What is this?"

He said nothing. He walked over to the chair beside the bed and sat down, studying me for several seconds. I folded my arms tightly across my chest.

"Why am I wearing a wedding dress?"

His gaze remained fixed on me.

"You're Serena Blackwood...right?"

My stomach dropped.

Blackwood.

That name. I hadn't heard it in years. That used to be my last name. Before everything happened. Before I was deported.

I shook my head firmly.

"You have the wrong person."

He raised an eyebrow.

"My name is not Serena."

A faint scoff escaped him. He leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms.

I briefly looked at him. Unlike yesterday, he wasn't wearing a mask. Today, he was dressed in an elegant black-and-gold suit. A silver wristwatch glistened against his wrist whenever he moved.

He looked like someone who belonged in a room full of billionaires and politicians.

Not someone who kidnapped girls.

"I advise you to drop the act," he said calmly. "We will be getting married today."

My mouth fell open.

"Are you deadass?"

He didn't react.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?"

I pointed at myself.

"Look at me! You have the wrong person!"

"I know what you look like."

His answer was so calm that it made my skin crawl.

"I am not Serena!"

His expression didn't change. He simply stood.

"You'll see me at the altar."

"Wait!"

He turned toward the door.

"You can't just—"

The door closed behind him. I stood there, completely stunned. Then reality hit me.

I ran to the door.

Locked.

I rushed toward the windows.

Locked.

I pulled at the handles repeatedly.

Nothing.

"No."

I turned around, breathing heavily.

"This can not be happening."

I searched the room for anything I could use to break the door.

A lamp.

A vase.

Anything.

I grabbed the lamp and rushed toward the door. Before I could even raise it, the lock clicked. I froze. The door swung open. Three masked men stood outside. I slowly backed away.

"No."

One of them stepped toward me.

"Please..."

I shook my head.

"You have the wrong person. I'm not Serena."

They ignored me. One grabbed my arm.

"Don't touch me!"

I struggled violently, but another man grabbed my other arm.

"Please! Let me go!"

They began dragging me out of the room.

"Careful," one of them warned. "Boss will skin you alive if she's hurt."

"Tell your clown of a boss that I'm not the woman he's looking for!"

I kicked and thrashed against them, but the wedding gown made it difficult to move. I leaned forward and bit down hard on one man's hand. He hissed. His grip loosened.

I ripped my arm free.

But the other man immediately grabbed me again.

"Let me go!"

They dragged me down the hallway. I stumbled repeatedly, the hem of my gown catching beneath my feet. Then we stopped. A pair of enormous doors stood in front of us. One of the men pushed them open.

I gasped. The room beyond was breathtaking. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. White flowers lined the aisle, and golden decorations shimmered beneath the lights. There were people everywhere. My eyes moved across the room.

And then I saw him.

He stood at the altar with his hands clasped behind his back, dressed in the same black-and-gold suit. My stomach twisted. Beside him stood another man dressed in a navy-blue suit. He looked similar to the scar faced man but older, his face covered with wrinkles and his hair streaked with white.

I looked around the room. There was only one woman.

Me.

Murmurs immediately erupted among the guests as they noticed me.

"This is the Serena Blackwood?"

"Why does she look...like that?"

My heart hammered against my chest. I wanted to run. I wanted to scream. I wanted someone—anyone—to tell me that this was some horrible misunderstanding. But the two men holding me continued dragging me forward.

Closer.

And closer.

Until I was standing directly in front of him at the altar. He looked down at me. Not once did he look surprised. Not once did he look confused.

As if he'd expected me to be standing there all along.

"This is just an arranged wedding," he said quietly.

I stared at him.

"Nothing more."

My lips parted, but no words came out.

Arranged?

He kidnapped me.

Drugged me.

Locked me in a room.

And now he was standing here telling me this was an arranged wedding? I looked toward the officiator. He cleared his throat awkwardly. I swallowed hard.

"Do you, Mr. Armani Batisti, take Serena Blackwood to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

Armani reached for my hand. I instinctively tried to pull away. His fingers tightened around mine.

"I do."

A diamond ring slid onto my finger.

I stared at it. Then at him. My chest tightened.

I looked around the room.

Nobody was stopping this.

Nobody was asking if I wanted this.

Nobody cared.

I looked back at the officiator. He didn't ask me. I didn't even have a choice. 

I wanted to say no. I wanted to scream it. I wanted to throw the ring back at him and run. But my body wouldn't move. My voice wouldn't come.

Armani's eyes remained fixed on me.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife"

My vision suddenly blurred.

The room began spinning.

I reached for the edge of the altar, but my knees weakened beneath me.

What was happening?

The voices around me became distant. Someone called my name. Or maybe it wasn't my name. I couldn't tell anymore. The last thing I felt was Armani's hand catching my arm.

Then his voice reached me through the darkness.

"Welcome to my family."

And everything went black.