His Ruthless Vow

Chapter 1: The Bride and the Bullet Rain slammed against the stained-glass windows of the church. The scent of gunpowder lingered in the air — faint, but sharp enough to sting. Elena Russo stood at the altar, her trembling hands hidden beneath white lace gloves. A bride. A liar. A revenge waiting to bloom. Across from her, Lorenzo De Luca — the most feared man in New York’s underworld — looked like sin carved into flesh. Sharp jaw. Cold eyes. A calmness that made her skin crawl. The priest’s voice broke through the silence. “Do you, Lorenzo De Luca, take Elena Russo as your lawfully wedded wife?” He didn’t even blink. “I do.” Elena’s breath hitched. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She wasn’t supposed to feel anything. Her plan was simple — marry him, destroy him, and reclaim her family’s empire. But as his hand brushed hers, something dangerous stirred inside her chest. “Your turn, Signorina Russo,” the priest said softly. Her lips parted. The words trembled out. “I… do.” Applause echoed from the small crowd — his guards, her enemies, witnesses to a marriage written in blood. As Lorenzo slid the ring onto her finger, he leaned closer, his voice low enough for her alone. “You should’ve stayed hidden, Elena.” Her heart pounded. “And let you win?” she whispered back. His dark smile burned through her resolve. “This isn’t a game.” But for her — it was. Until she realized that in his world, the loser doesn’t walk away alive.