A DANGEROUS VOW

EPISODE 4 — THE PROPOSAL

Bianca barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her father's face.

I'm sorry.

Those two words had been haunting her since the men brought her to the Romano mansion.

She had spent the entire night trying to understand how her own father could have done this to her.

She finally got out of bed just after sunrise.

The bedroom door opened.

A young maid entered with a tray.

"Good morning, Miss Moretti."

"Morning."

The maid placed the tray on the table.

"Mr. Romano asked that you have breakfast downstairs."

Bianca looked at her.

"Which Mr. Romano?"

The maid hesitated.

"The Don."

Bianca sighed.

"Of course."

---

The dining room was already occupied when Bianca entered.

Alessandro sat at the head of the table.

Lorenzo was seated beside him, dressed in a black suit, his expression unreadable.

Victor and Elena were there as well.

Bianca stopped at the doorway.

Alessandro smiled.

"Come in, Bianca."

She slowly walked toward the table.

"Good morning."

Elena smiled warmly.

"Good morning, dear."

Lorenzo barely looked up from his phone.

Bianca sat down.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Alessandro placed his cup down.

"Did you sleep well?"

"No."

Lorenzo finally looked at her.

"Why?"

Bianca gave him a look.

"Because I was kidnapped yesterday."

Alessandro almost choked on his coffee.

Elena covered a smile.

Lorenzo simply looked back at his phone.

"Fair enough."

Bianca couldn't believe how casually he said it.

She picked up her glass of water.

"I want to go home."

Alessandro's expression softened.

"I know."

"I need to see my mother."

"Your mother is receiving treatment."

Bianca froze.

"What?"

Lorenzo spoke calmly.

"I arranged for her to be transferred to a private hospital."

Bianca stared at him.

"You did that?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because she needs treatment."

"I didn't ask you to."

"No."

"Then why?"

Lorenzo looked at her.

"Because I could."

Bianca didn't know how to respond.

Before she could say anything, Alessandro spoke.

"Bianca, I want to discuss something with you."

She looked at him.

"What?"

He glanced at Lorenzo.

Then back at her.

"I want you to marry my grandson."

Bianca nearly dropped her glass.

"What?"

Lorenzo closed his eyes briefly.

"Grandfather."

Alessandro ignored him.

"I know this isn't how anyone would want to begin a marriage."

Bianca laughed in disbelief.

"Marriage?"

"You heard me."

"I don't even know him."

"I know."

"I was brought here against my will."

"I know."

"And you're asking me to marry him?"

Alessandro nodded.

Bianca looked at Lorenzo.

He looked completely calm.

"Does he even want this?"

Lorenzo finally spoke.

"No."

Bianca blinked.

At least he was honest.

Alessandro sighed.

"That is why I need both of you to consider an arrangement."

Bianca frowned.

"What kind of arrangement?"

Lorenzo put his phone down.

"A contract."

She looked at him.

"Explain."

"Our marriage would be legal, but temporary."

"How temporary?"

"Three years."

Bianca stared at him.

"Three years?"

"After three years, we divorce."

"And during those three years?"

"You live here. You carry the title of Donna Romano publicly. In return, your mother's medical expenses will be covered, and you'll receive financial security."

Bianca shook her head.

"I don't want your money."

"Then think of it as payment for fulfilling your part of the agreement."

She stared at him.

"What exactly is my part?"

Lorenzo's voice remained calm.

"Be my wife."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Bianca looked at Alessandro.

"And you agree to this?"

"I only want to see Lorenzo married."

She looked back at Lorenzo.

"What happens after three years?"

"You leave."

"No questions?"

"No."

"No interference?"

"No."

"No pretending that we're actually in love?"

Lorenzo's eyes met hers.

"Absolutely not."

Something about his answer almost made Bianca smile.

"Good."

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow.

"Good?"

"I don't think I could pretend to love you either."

For the first time, Alessandro laughed.

Lorenzo simply stared at Bianca.

She wasn't intimidated by him.

That was unusual.

Very unusual.

---

Later that afternoon, Lorenzo entered his study.

His lawyer was already waiting.

The marriage contract lay on the desk.

Lorenzo picked it up.

"Everything is included?"

"Yes."

"Three years?"

"Yes."

"Divorce after the third anniversary."

"Correct."

Lorenzo nodded.

Then he reached the final section.

His lawyer hesitated.

"There's one additional matter."

Lorenzo looked up.

"What?"

"Your grandfather requested a clause concerning an heir."

Lorenzo's expression immediately changed.

"No."

"He believes—"

"I said no."

The lawyer nodded and removed the page.

Lorenzo looked at the contract again.

Three years.

That was all.

He would give Alessandro what he wanted.

A wife.

A stable family image.

Then Bianca would walk away with enough money to start whatever life she wanted.

Simple.

Lorenzo signed his side.

---

That evening, Bianca was given the contract.

She sat in the library reading every page carefully.

When she reached the final paragraph, she looked at Lorenzo.

"You really expect me to sign this?"

"Yes."

"Three years."

"Yes."

"And then we're strangers again."

"That's the agreement."

Bianca looked at the pen.

She thought about her mother.

The surgery.

The bills.

The life she had been trying desperately to hold together.

Then she signed.

Lorenzo took the document and signed beneath her name.

The lawyer collected the papers.

The contract was sealed.

Bianca stood.

"Then I suppose we're officially married."

"Not yet."

"When?"

"The wedding."

She frowned.

"You said it was only an arrangement."

"It is."

"Then why have a wedding?"

Lorenzo looked at her.

"Because the clan needs to see a Don with a wife."

Bianca sighed.

"Of course."

She started walking away.

"Bianca."

She stopped.

Lorenzo looked at her.

"For the next three years, there will be rules."

"What rules?"

"You don't involve yourself in my business."

"Fine."

"You don't leave the estate without security."

She frowned.

"Fine."

"You don't speak about anything you see or hear inside this family."

She nodded.

"Fine."

"And you never mistake this marriage for something it isn't."

Bianca stared at him.

"I won't."

She walked away.

Lorenzo watched her disappear.

Then he looked down at the signed contract.

Three years.

He had never expected a marriage to be this easy.

What he didn't understand was why he already had the uncomfortable feeling that Bianca Moretti was going to make those three years much harder than he had planned.