HIS DANGEROUS VOW

The first thing I noticed was the silence. Not the kind of silence that came from an empty room. This silence was worse. It was the kind that filled a room packed with hundreds of people and somehow made every breath feel like a scream. I stood behind the closed doors of St. Aurelia’s Grand Hall with one hand wrapped around my bouquet and the other pressed against my stomach. My wedding dress felt too tight. Or maybe I was the one struggling to breathe. “Are you ready, sweetheart?” My mother’s voice came from behind me. I turned around. She was smiling. That smile nearly broke me. My mother had spent months planning this day as if it were a royal ceremony. She had cried when I first showed her my dress. She had argued with florists, changed the seating arrangement three times, and personally inspected every tablecloth because, according to her, “Your wedding only happens once.” I smiled back. “I think so.” She adjusted the veil resting against my hair. “You look beautiful.” “Thank you.” Her eyes became glassy. “Oh, Liora.” She pulled me into a hug. For a few seconds, I allowed myself to relax against her. Everything was perfect. The flowers were perfect. The music was perfect. My dress was perfect. And somewhere beyond those doors was the man I had loved for almost four years. Adrian. My fiancé. My future husband. The man I had trusted with every vulnerable part of myself. The man who had promised me forever. My mother pulled away. “He is going to cry when he sees you.” I laughed softly. “Adrian doesn’t cry.” “He will today.” I looked at myself in the mirror. Twenty-four years old. White silk dress. Long veil. Diamond earrings Adrian had given me on our third anniversary. A ring on my finger worth more than anything I had ever owned. I should have been the happiest woman alive. Instead, a strange feeling had settled inside my chest that morning. Something I couldn’t explain. Something I should have listened to. My phone vibrated. I glanced at it. A message from Adrian. Where are you? I frowned. I was supposed to be waiting behind the doors. I typed quickly. With Mom. Is everything okay? The message showed delivered. No response. My mother noticed my expression. “Everything alright?” “Yeah.” I put the phone away. At least, I thought everything was alright. That was the last lie I told myself. ⸻ Ten minutes later, the doors opened. The music began. Everyone stood. My father offered me his arm. I took it. “Ready?” he whispered. I looked down the aisle. At the far end stood Adrian. My heart jumped. There he was. Black tuxedo. Perfectly styled hair. Hands clasped in front of him. But something was wrong. Even from that distance, I could see it. His face was pale. His eyes weren’t looking at me. They were looking somewhere behind me. I swallowed. “Dad?” “Hmm?” “Does Adrian look strange to you?” My father glanced ahead. Then back at me. “He’s probably nervous.” Nervous. Of course. That had to be it. I forced a smile. The music continued. One step. Then another. Every person in that hall disappeared from my mind. All I could see was Adrian. The man I had dreamed of marrying. The man I had imagined growing old with. The man whose children I had already secretly named in my head. I reached the altar. Adrian finally looked at me. And I knew. Something was terribly wrong. He didn’t smile. He didn’t reach for my hand. He simply stared at me. “Adrian?” My voice was barely audible. The priest looked between us. “Mr. Blackwood?” Adrian swallowed. “Liora…” Something inside me dropped. He had never said my name like that. Not once. “What’s wrong?” He looked toward the guests. Then back at me. “I can’t do this.” For a second, I thought I had heard him incorrectly. The priest blinked. My father stiffened. Someone in the audience gasped. I laughed. It wasn’t because anything was funny. It was because my brain refused to understand. “What?” Adrian shook his head. “I can’t marry you.” The bouquet slipped slightly in my hands. “Why?” He said nothing. “Adrian.” “Liora, I’m sorry.” Sorry. That word. That stupid, pathetic word. My eyes burned. “You said you loved me.” “I do.” “Then why can’t you marry me?” His jaw tightened. He looked like a coward. Because that’s exactly what he was. A coward. “I made a mistake.” I stared at him. “What mistake?” Silence. I could hear people whispering. My mother’s breathing became uneven behind me. I looked at Adrian. “Tell me.” He closed his eyes. Then opened them. “I’m in love with someone else.” The room exploded. Not literally. But it felt like it did. My ears rang. I couldn’t hear the whispers anymore. Couldn’t hear the music. Couldn’t hear my mother calling my name. I could only hear one sentence. I’m in love with someone else. I stared at him. “Who?” He didn’t answer. “Who, Adrian?” My voice cracked. Then a woman stood from the third row. She was beautiful. Tall. Blonde. Wearing a champagne-colored dress. And she was crying. My heart stopped. She looked at Adrian. Adrian looked at her. They didn’t need to say anything. I understood. “No.” The word escaped my lips. The woman lowered her head. I looked back at Adrian. “You invited her?” He said nothing. “You invited her to our wedding?” “Liora—” “Answer me!” Everyone went silent. He stepped toward me. I stepped back. “Don’t.” He stopped. “You’ve been seeing her?” His silence answered. My chest tightened. “How long?” “Liora…” “How long?” “Six months.” Six months. I laughed again. This time, tears rolled down my face. Six months. For six months, he had kissed me goodnight. For six months, he had told me he loved me. For six months, he had planned this wedding with me. And all that time, he had been sleeping with someone else. My fingers trembled. I pulled the engagement ring from my finger. Adrian’s eyes widened. “Liora, don’t.” I held the ring between us. “You don’t get to call me Liora like nothing happened.” I dropped it onto the floor. The tiny sound it made against the marble was almost insulting. “Take your ring.” He stared at it. Then at me. “I never wanted to hurt you.” I wiped my tears. “But you did.” I turned around. My mother was crying. My father looked furious. Guests were staring. Some were recording. Others were whispering. I didn’t care. I gathered the bottom of my dress and walked. Not down the aisle. Away from it. Away from him. Away from the life I thought I was going to have. Outside, the sunlight hit my face. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs. My breathing was uneven. My mother caught up with me. “Liora!” I turned. She wrapped her arms around me. And finally, I broke. I cried so hard my body shook. “I loved him, Mom.” “I know.” “I loved him.” “I know, baby.” “Why wasn’t I enough?” My mother’s hands framed my face. “Don’t ever ask yourself that.” “But he chose someone else.” “That is his failure, not yours.” I closed my eyes. My father came outside. He was still holding the anger inside his expression. “Come home.” I shook my head. “No.” “Liora.” “I can’t go home.” “Where are you going?” I looked at the road. “I don’t know.” And for the first time in my life, I didn’t care. ⸻ Three hours later, I was sitting alone at the bar of a hotel I had never visited before. My wedding dress was still on. My veil was gone. My makeup was ruined. My feet hurt. My phone had been vibrating nonstop for hours. My mother. My father. Friends. Relatives. Even Adrian. I ignored all of them. The bartender placed another glass in front of me. “Last one.” I looked at him. “That’s what you said two drinks ago.” He smiled. “That was before you ordered another.” I looked down at the amber liquid. “I need it.” “Most people say that before making bad decisions.” I lifted the glass. “I already made one.” I drank. The alcohol burned my throat. Good. I wanted something to hurt that wasn’t my heart. A voice suddenly came from beside me. “You shouldn’t drink when you’re upset.” I didn’t look at the man. “Then don’t watch.” He was quiet. I took another sip. “You always this friendly?” “Only with strangers wearing wedding dresses.” I finally turned. And forgot what I was going to say. He was beautiful. Not handsome in the harmless way Adrian had been handsome. This man was dangerous-looking. Dark hair. Sharp jaw. A faint scar near his eyebrow. Black shirt. Black trousers. A silver watch on his wrist. His eyes were the darkest shade of gray I’d ever seen. He looked at me like he could see every lie I was telling myself. I looked away first. “Are you going to ask?” “Ask what?” “Why I’m wearing a wedding dress.” He leaned against the bar. “Do you want me to?” “No.” “Then I won’t.” That surprised me. Most people wanted the story. Especially tonight. Everyone wanted to know what happened. But this stranger didn’t. I drank again. “She was supposed to be my wedding dress.” I glanced at him. He raised an eyebrow. “I mean—” I sighed. “I was supposed to be someone’s wife today.” “And you’re not.” “No.” “Why?” I looked at him. “You just said you wouldn’t ask.” “I changed my mind.” Despite myself, I laughed. It was small. But real. He watched me carefully. “Better.” “What?” “That.” He pointed at my face. “The laugh.” I touched my cheek. “You’re strange.” “So I’ve been told.” I studied him. “What’s your name?” He hesitated. Only for a second. But I noticed. “Luca.” Just Luca. I nodded. “Luca.” “And you?” I looked at my wedding ring finger. It was bare. For the first time, I realized how strange that looked. “Liora.” “Liora.” The way he said my name made something shift inside me. I didn’t want it to. I was supposed to be heartbroken. I was supposed to be thinking about Adrian. Instead, I found myself staring at a stranger. Luca ordered a drink. We didn’t talk for a while. And somehow, that silence felt comforting. Then he asked: “Do you still love him?” I looked at my glass. “I don’t know.” “That’s not an answer.” “It’s the only one I have.” He nodded. “Then don’t make decisions tonight.” I smiled bitterly. “I already made one.” “What?” I looked directly into his eyes. “I decided I’m never getting married.” Something dark passed through his expression. “Never?” “Never.” He leaned closer. “That’s a dangerous promise.” I didn’t know then how prophetic those words were. Because before the sun rose, I would make another promise. One that would change both our lives. A promise to a stranger whose last name I didn’t know. A stranger who would soon become the most powerful man in my life. I finished my drink. “Take me somewhere.” His eyes narrowed. “Where?” “Anywhere.” “Liora.” “What?” “You don’t know me.” “I know.” “And you’re asking me to take you somewhere?” I stared at him. “I don’t want to think anymore.” He was silent for several seconds. Then he stood. “Come on.” I followed. I should have stopped. I should have gone home. I should have called my mother. I should have walked away from him. But that night, I didn’t want to be sensible. I wanted to forget. For just one night. No questions. No wedding. No Adrian. No heartbreak. Just me. And the mysterious stranger who didn’t know enough about me to hurt me. At least, that’s what I thought. ⸻ The elevator doors closed behind us. Luca stood beside me. Neither of us spoke. The numbers climbed. My heart raced. Not because I was afraid. Because I knew exactly what I was doing. The elevator stopped. The doors opened. We walked into his suite. The room was enormous. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city. Thousands of lights glittered below us. I walked toward the glass. “What a view.” “You can see the entire city from here.” I smiled sadly. “Funny.” “What?” “Tonight I lost my entire future.” He came to stand beside me. “You didn’t lose your future.” I looked at him. “How would you know?” “Because you’re still standing.” His words stayed with me. I turned toward him. He was close. Too close. “Luca.” “Yes?” “If I regret tonight tomorrow, don’t let me remember it.” His expression changed. “Liora…” “I’m serious.” He lifted a hand and gently touched my cheek. “Then tomorrow, I’ll remind you that tonight was your choice.” My breath caught. “What if I don’t want to remember?” “Then I won’t make you.” His hand dropped. He gave me the choice. That was what made me stay. I stepped closer. Then closer. Our eyes met. And when he kissed me, the world disappeared. For the first time all day, I wasn’t someone’s abandoned bride. I wasn’t the woman everyone pitied. I wasn’t Adrian’s betrayed fiancée. I was simply Liora. And for one night, that was enough. ⸻ Morning came too quickly. Sunlight slipped through the curtains. I opened my eyes. For a few seconds, I didn’t remember where I was. Then everything returned. The wedding. Adrian. The bar. Luca. My stomach twisted. I turned. The other side of the bed was empty. A cold panic rushed through me. I sat up. “Luca?” No answer. Then I noticed something on the bedside table. A glass of water. Two painkillers. And a folded note. I opened it. Four words were written in neat handwriting. You deserved a better day. I stared at it. Something about those words hurt more than they should have. I dressed quickly. I didn’t see him again. I didn’t ask where he had gone. I didn’t know his surname. I didn’t know what he did. I didn’t know where he lived. I didn’t know anything about him. And that was exactly how I wanted it. One night. One stranger. One memory I could bury. Or so I thought. Three days later, I walked into the headquarters of Devereux Enterprises for my first day at my new job. I had spent the last three days convincing myself that life was finally moving forward. I had cut Adrian off. Ignored the gossip. Returned my wedding gifts. Changed my phone number. And accepted the position I had applied for weeks before. I walked through the marble lobby wearing a cream blouse and black trousers. My heels clicked against the floor. “Miss Amara?” I turned. A woman holding a tablet approached me. “Yes?” “I’m Elena. Mr. Devereux’s executive assistant.” I smiled politely. “It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled. “He’s expecting you.” My smile disappeared. “Mr. Devereux?” “Yes.” I followed her toward the private elevator. My stomach tightened. “Is he interviewing me?” “No.” “Then why does he want to see me?” She looked at me strangely. “Because you’re his new employee.” I laughed nervously. “Right.” The elevator doors opened. We stepped inside. The doors closed. The numbers began climbing. Thirty-one floors. Thirty-two. Thirty-three. I stared at the glowing numbers. Something felt familiar. I couldn’t explain it. The elevator stopped at the top floor. Elena stepped out. I followed. We walked through a quiet corridor. She stopped before a large black door. “He’s inside.” I nodded. She opened it. “Mr. Devereux, Miss Amara is here.” A deep voice answered from inside. “Send her in.” My heart stopped. I knew that voice. No. It couldn’t be. I stepped into the office. The man standing beside the floor-to-ceiling window turned around. Dark hair. Sharp jaw. Gray eyes. The scar near his eyebrow. The same black watch. The same face I’d seen three nights ago. My breath vanished. He looked at me. For the first time since I met him, something like surprise crossed his expression. Then it disappeared. He walked toward me slowly. “Liora.” I couldn’t move. “You…” His gaze dropped briefly to my bare ring finger before returning to my eyes. “You work for me now.” My stomach dropped. “No.” A faint smile touched his lips. “Yes.” I shook my head. “You can’t be serious.” “I’m always serious.” I took a step backward. “You knew?” “I knew your name.” My heart pounded. “How?” He stopped directly in front of me. “Because I had your résumé before you walked through that door.” I stared at him. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?” His expression became unreadable. “Would you have stayed that night if you knew?” I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. He was right. He knew it. And somehow, that made everything worse. Luca leaned closer. His voice dropped. “Welcome to Devereux Enterprises, Liora.” He paused. “Try not to break my rules.” I swallowed. “What happens if I do?” His eyes held mine. “Then you’ll find out exactly why everyone is afraid of me.” I should have walked out. Instead, I stood there. Because suddenly, I understood something terrifying. My one-night stranger wasn’t a stranger anymore. He was my boss. And I had a feeling that our night together was only the beginning.