married to the mafia king

Vows of Deception Chapter 1: The Bride Who Never Smiled The wedding hall glittered beneath thousands of crystal lights, filled with influential politicians, billionaires, celebrities, and powerful business executives. Cameras flashed endlessly as reporters fought for the perfect picture of the most talked-about wedding of the year. Everyone smiled. Everyone except the bride. Isabella Hart stood at the entrance of the grand cathedral in a breathtaking white wedding gown, her fingers trembling around a bouquet of white roses. She should have been happy. Every little girl dreamed of a fairy-tale wedding. But this wasn't a fairy tale. It was a contract. A sacrifice. A prison. She closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears threatening to fall. "You don't have to do this." The familiar voice belonged to her best friend, Sophia Bennett, who gently squeezed Isabella's hand. "I do," Isabella whispered. Sophia shook her head. "No. There has to be another way." "There isn't." Her father's company, Hart Technologies, was drowning in debt. Investors had abandoned them. Banks refused to lend another dollar. Only one man had offered help. Damien De Luca. CEO of the De Luca Group. Billionaire. Cold-hearted businessman. And the heir to one of the country's most feared mafia families. His condition had been simple. "Marry me." Not because he loved her. Not because he wanted a family. Because marriage would strengthen a business alliance that would make the De Luca empire untouchable. It was business. Nothing more. The church doors slowly opened. Music echoed through the cathedral. Everyone stood. Isabella forced one foot in front of the other. Each step felt heavier than the last. At the altar stood Damien De Luca, dressed in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo. Tall, handsome, and expressionless, he looked more like a king than a groom. His dark eyes met hers for only a second. There was no warmth. No excitement. Only calculation. She hated him for that. And he seemed equally uninterested in pretending otherwise. When Isabella finally reached the altar, Damien offered his arm. She ignored it. A few guests exchanged surprised glances. Damien didn't react. Instead, a faint smirk appeared on his lips. "So stubborn." She looked straight ahead. "I didn't come here to talk." "You'll have to eventually." "I doubt it." The priest cleared his throat. "We are gathered here today..." The ceremony passed in a blur. Isabella barely heard a single word. Her thoughts remained fixed on one question. How did my life end up like this? "...Do you, Damien De Luca, take Isabella Hart to be your lawfully wedded wife?" "I do." His answer came without hesitation. "...Do you, Isabella Hart..." She swallowed hard. The entire cathedral waited. Her father sat in the front row with tears in his eyes. He knew what she was giving up. For him. For their family. "I..." Her voice broke. Sophia silently prayed. Damien watched her carefully. "I do." The words felt like chains wrapping around her heart. "You may kiss the bride." Damien stepped forward. Instead of kissing her lips, he leaned close enough for only her to hear. "Relax." "I don't need your advice." "I wasn't giving advice." He gently kissed her forehead. The guests applauded loudly. To them... It looked romantic. To Isabella... It felt like the beginning of a nightmare. --- Hours later... The wedding reception took place inside the luxurious De Luca Estate. Everything screamed wealth. Marble floors. Golden chandeliers. Private security stationed at every entrance. Luxury cars lined the driveway. Yet something felt... Wrong. Every guard carried an earpiece. Several wore concealed weapons. No ordinary businessman lived like this. She had heard rumors. The De Luca family wasn't just rich. They were dangerous. As Isabella wandered toward the balcony for fresh air, voices drifted from a nearby study. "...The Romano family rejected our offer." "We expected that." "What about the shipment?" "It arrives tomorrow night." Shipment? She frowned. Before she could hear more, someone grabbed her wrist. Damien. "You shouldn't be here." She pulled away immediately. "I was looking for some air." "Then look elsewhere." His voice was calm. Too calm. "What are you hiding?" "Nothing that concerns you." "I'm your wife." "You are my wife on paper." His words cut deeper than she expected. "Remember our agreement." She laughed bitterly. "Oh, trust me. I remember." "No emotions." "No questions." "No interference." He adjusted his cufflinks. "And you'll have everything your family needs." She stared at him in disbelief. "Do you treat every relationship like a business deal?" "They usually are." "You really don't have a heart." His expression didn't change. "Perhaps." Before Isabella could answer, another woman approached. Beautiful. Elegant. Confident. She wrapped her arms around Damien as if Isabella wasn't standing there. "Congratulations," she purred. Damien gently removed her hands. "Claire." "I've missed you." Isabella raised an eyebrow. "And you are?" The woman smiled. "Claire Moretti. Damien's former fiancée." Silence. Isabella slowly turned toward Damien. "You never thought to mention that?" "It wasn't important." Claire laughed. "Oh, it was important." She stepped closer to Isabella. "Especially since he was supposed to marry me." --- Later that evening... The reception finally ended. Damien drove Isabella to the mansion where they would now live together. Neither spoke. Rain poured against the windows. When they arrived, servants welcomed them. A middle-aged woman bowed politely. "Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. De Luca." The words sounded strange. Home? It didn't feel like home. It felt like another cage. Damien led her upstairs. "This is your room." She frowned. "Our room?" "No." He opened another door across the hallway. "Mine is there." "You don't even want to share a room with your wife?" "Our marriage isn't real." His answer came without hesitation. "I won't pretend otherwise." For some reason... That hurt more than Isabella expected. She walked into her bedroom without another word. The moment the door closed... She cried. Not because she loved Damien. She barely knew him. She cried because she had just realized she had sacrificed her freedom... For a man incapable of love. --- Meanwhile... Downstairs... Damien stood inside his private office. His trusted bodyguard, Marco Russo, entered. "The security team has confirmed it." Damien looked up. "They know?" Marco nodded. "The Romano family believes the marriage strengthens your position." "And?" "They've placed a bounty." Damien's eyes darkened. "On who?" Marco hesitated. "...Mrs. De Luca." Silence filled the room. Damien slowly poured himself a glass of whiskey. "I expected as much." "They'll come for her." "I know." Marco looked confused. "Should we tell her?" "No." "Why not?" "Because if Isabella learns the truth about this family..." He stared out the window into the storm. "...she'll run." "And if she stays?" Damien's voice became colder than ice. "Then I'll make sure no one lays a hand on my wife." Outside... Hidden among the trees beyond the estate walls... A masked sniper adjusted the scope of his rifle. Through the crosshairs... He watched Isabella's bedroom window. A finger slowly tightened around the trigger. To Be Continued...