Married by Mistake, Loved by Fate

Chapter 5

The applause from Antonio’s speech hadn’t even faded before a raw, high-pitched scream tore through the far end of the ballroom.

Lucy’s head whipped toward the sound, her blood turning to ice. Guests froze mid-clap. Before anyone could process the noise, it was followed by the sharp, violent crash of floor-to-ceiling glass shattering under immense force.

Austin was on his feet before she could even blink. His hand closed around hers, warm, unyielding, and commanding.

“Move. Now.”

Her heels scraped against the polished marble as he ruthlessly pulled her tloward the side exit. “What’s happening?” she gasped, her heart climbing straight into her throat.

“The Phantom’s here,” Austin said, his eyes scanning every dark corner of the ballroom with lethal precision. “And he’s not here for small talk.”

Shadows flickered beyond the tall windows. Through the smoke, Lucy caught the terrifying glint of black tactical masks and automatic weapons. The glittering ballroom was no longer a palace of champagne and elite speeches—it was a slaughterhouse.

Suddenly, the lights above them flickered violently and died, swallowing the entire room in pitch-black chaos. Terrified screams ripped through the air.

Austin’s voice cut through the dark, low but urgent. “If you value your future, you’ll come with me.”

He didn’t give her time to argue. Yanking her into a narrow, hidden service hallway, the heavy doors slammed behind them, dulling the chaos of the ballroom. The sharp, metallic tang of dust and old paint stung Lucy's nose as they sprinted down the corridor.

“Where are we going?” she breathed, her lungs burning.

“A safe room at the back,” Austin said, his tone flat but wound tight like a spring. “If they find us out there, it's over. Keep up.”

They reached a heavy, narrow steel door. Austin shoved it open, guiding her inside with a firm, protective hand on her lower back. The room was barely lit, just enough for Lucy to make out the jagged shadows dancing across the cracked concrete walls.

Outside, the heavy crunch of tactical boots echoed on the gravel. Too close. Too many.

Austin’s hand shot out, pulling her tightly into the darkest corner of the room, her back pressed hard against the cold concrete.

“Stay here,” he breathed, his voice so low it was almost swallowed by the darkness.

“I’m not hiding while they”

His palm clamped gently but firmly over her mouth, cutting off her words. “Lucy… don’t.”

She froze. She could feel the intense heat radiating from him, smelling the faint, intoxicating mix of gunpowder and rain on his jacket. The cool metal of the wall chilled through the thin fabric of her evening dress, but Austin’s body was a shield.

When he finally let his hand drop, she whispered, “Why is the Phantom here? What does he want?”

Austin checked the heavy lock on the door, then turned to face her. In the dim light, his eyes looked almost entirely black. “He wants leverage. And right now, Lucy, that’s us.”

Her pulse spiked painfully.

“You’re a Bennett. I’m a DiMarco,” he continued, stepping deeper into her personal space. “Together, our marriage is a loaded gun in this city’s power game. If he takes you, the alliance between our families collapses, and the city burns with it.”

She swallowed hard, staring up at him. “Then why keep me in the dark? Why let me walk into this blind?”

Austin's jaw tensed, a muscle leaping in his cheek. “Because the truth puts you in more danger than ignorance ever could.”

A short, bitter laugh escaped her lips. “And yet, here we are. In the dark. In danger. With people screaming outside.”

He stepped even closer, his chest nearly touching hers, heat radiating through the space between them despite the freezing air. “You think I don’t care? You think I wouldn’t bleed for you, Lucy?”

“I think,” she said, her voice trembling but steady, “you’re just too used to making decisions for everyone else.”

They were inches apart now. His gaze held hers, sharp, intense, and almost too much to bear.

“You want the truth?” he growled softly.

“Yes.”

He pinned her with his stare, his large shadow completely swallowing her against the wall. “The truth is, Lucy… you’re the only part of this marriage I can’t control. And that scares the absolute hell out of me.”

Before she could even process his confession, a violent, deafening bang shook the steel door.

Austin pivoted instantly, a sleek black gun appearing in his hand as if by magic. “Stay behind me.”

The heavy lock twisted under immense outside force. The steel groaned.

“Austin…” Lucy whispered, her eyes wide.

“Far side of the room,” he ordered, his eyes never leaving the door. “If they get in, you run and you don't look back.”

With a sickening snap, the lock shattered. The door flew open, and three masked men flooded into the room, moving with the terrifying precision of wolves on a hunt.

Austin fired. The first man dropped instantly, a clean shot to the chest. The second lunged with a gleam of silver, but Austin caught his wrist mid-swing, slamming him brutally into the concrete wall until the blade clattered to the floor.

But before Austin could turn, a third man seized Lucy from behind, yanking her violently away from the wall.

“Austin!” she screamed.

The freezing, unmistakable press of a gun barrel met her temple. The man’s masked face hovered inches from hers, his iron grip crushing her waist.

“Drop it, DiMarco,” the intruder growled into the shadows.

Austin’s stance didn’t waver. His gun was still raised, his eyes locking onto Lucy’s. They were unblinking, lethal, and filled with a terrifying darkness.

“Don’t,” she whispered, tears pricking her eyes. “Please…”

The air in the room was a live wire, thick with the scent of ozone and death. Austin looked at the gun pressed to his wife's head.

Clink.

Austin’s fingers opened. His gun hit the concrete floor, rolling into the shadows.

The masked man’s chuckle was low, cruel, and victorious. He twisted his fingers into Lucy’s wrist, crushing it until her fingers went entirely numb. He leaned in so close she could see his eyes—pale, flat, and completely devoid of humanity.

“The Phantom sends his regards,” he whispered against her ear.

The barrel of the gun dug deeper, bruising her temple.

And in the dark, Austin took one slow, deliberate step forward, his eyes promising a fate worse than death.