Caught Between Two Mafia Billionaires

As the golden rays of the setting sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Vale estate, near the balcony outside her bedroom, Selene Eloise Vale stands. She closed her eyes as the evening breeze caressed her skin. From a distance, she saw the city surrounded by lights that glows under the evening sky. Moments like these were rare. Peaceful. Quiet. Free. Then, Selene sighed. She could never hide the truth that being born to the Vale family meant that freedom was always conditional. "Miss Selene..." A sudden knock on her door drew her attention. "Your grandfather is requesting your presence in the council room." "The council room?" Selene frowned. The maid anxiously nodded. "Everyone is already there." A strange feeling settled in her stomach. Family gatherings like this were never a good thing for her. She sighed, left the balcony, and went downstairs. The deeper she walked through the mansion, the heavier the atmosphere became. When she reached the large double doors, the guards automatically stepped aside. Selene pressed the doors open, and the sight that greeted her instantly made her uneasy. She saw her parents sitting at one end of the mahogany table. Beside them were her grandparents and other family elders. "What's going on?" She asked while cautiously taking her seat. The room was too quiet until her grandfather finally stood up. "There's something you need to know." She looked around and felt the tension, which was ret really impossible to ignore. "Okay?" Her grandfather spoke, "This is the time to finally fulfill the agreement twenty-eight years ago." Selene blinked. "What agreement?" "It concerns your future." She frowned. At that moment, she was too confused about what her grandfather was saying. "What future?" Her father finally spoke. "Your marriage." The word caught her off guard. "My what?" "Marriage." After hearing that word, a nervous laugh escaped her lips. "Very funny." Nobody laughed back. That gesture gave her the idea that the matter is serious. Her smile slowly disappeared. "Wait..." There was a continuous silence in the room. "You've got to be kidding me." Her grandfather suddenly brought out a thick folder and slid it across the table. "This thing is serious." As soon as the folder reached Selene, she stared at it. Many questions were running through her head. With trembling fingers, she opened the folder. The first pages contained contracts. Official documents. She flipped through them quickly. Then she suddenly froze. There she saw a picture staring back at her. A man. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in an expensive black suit. His sharp features carried an intimidating elegance. But it was his eyes that caught her attention. Cold. Unforgiving. Dangerous. The kind of eyes that looked like they had never known mercy. Looks like the photo was taken recently. Beneath the picture was a name. Zane Alexander Blackwell. "No..." Selene whispered. Then she felt her stomach drop. "You are to marry him." Her grandfather insisted. Selene pushed the folder away from her and firmly replied, "No. Absolutely not!" The whole family exchanged disappointed looks. "There has to be some mistake!" Selene added. "There isn't," her grandfather replied. "You've been promised to the Blackwell family since birth." The words felt like a slap. Promised? Since birth? As if she were a property. As if she were a business deal. "You never told me anything about this." "It wasn't necessary until now." Selene stared at them in disbelief. "Not necessary? You are talking about my life!" Her grandfather's expression never changed. She saw in his eyes that he would never back down. "The alliance between the Vale and Blackwell families has preserved peace for decades." "I don't care!" Her voice echoed throughout the room. Selene stood abruptly. "I'm not marrying a stranger." "He's not a stranger," one elder interrupted. "He's the future heir of the Blackwell empire." "That doesn't make anything better!" She exclaimed. Her breathing became uneven. She had heard stories about Zane Blackwell. Everyone had. A billionaire feared by enemies and respected by allies. A man known for crushing anyone who stood in his way. A man rumored to be as ruthless as the devil himself. And now she was expected to marry him? Without a choice? Without even being asked? Her father finally stood up. "The decision has already been made." Selene stared at her father. The man she thought would support her. The betrayal hurt more than she expected. Tears threatened to form, but she refused to entertain the feeling. Not now. Not here. Not in front of them. "I won't do it. This discussion is already finished." She stood up and started walking away. Selene knew that even though she insisted on not doing it, her family would force her into it. For the first time in her life, Selene realized that her future had been decided long before she had ever been given the chance to choose it. She wasn't a daughter. She wasn't family. She was leverage. A bargaining chip. A contract waiting to be fulfilled. "Selene..." Her mother called softly. She stopped. For a moment, she considered turning around, but the truth about what she heard was enough for her to trigger her stubbornness. Instead, she clenched her fists. "No." The heavy doors slammed shut behind her, leaving her family inside the council room. Selene immediately went upstairs and locked herself inside her bedroom. Her hands were still shaking. Then she remembered the picture attached to the folder earlier as if her memories were mocking her. Reminding her. Zane Alexander Blackwell. The face of the man who was about to ruin her life. Anger started burning in her chest. "There's no way," she whispered. "No way I'm marrying that monster." Meanwhile, miles away, in a towering skyscraper overlooking the city, another pair of gray, cold eyes stared at a picture. A picture of Selene Eloise Vale. Beautiful. Elegant. Stubborn-looking. Zane leaned back in his chair. Then he tossed the picture onto his desk. "This marriage," he said coldly, "is going to be a disaster."