The Bride of Deception

Chapter 2

Nirvana Hotel...

Cigarette smoke billowed from the balcony on the 40th floor of the building. A man dressed in a white suit had been sitting there for an hour, watching the heavy traffic far below with a cold stare.

"Mr. Lucien!"

A voice breaks the silence. Lucien turns slowly, his expression flat as he sees Maxwell, his personal assistant, who has come rushing over with a worried look on his face.

"What is it?"

"Sir... it's been four hours and Miss Alea has not arrived. The hall is in chaos, and the guests are starting to protest. The Ardane and Volkov families look anxious... should we go look for Miss Alea?"

Lucien did not answer immediately. He exhaled his last puff of smoke before dropping the cigarette butt into the ashtray.

"No need," he said flatly. "Dismiss the guests immediately."

Maxwell's face was momentarily confused, unsure of the order.

"But, sir, maybe we should wait a little longer. Perhaps Miss Alea will arrive—"

A cynical snort from Lucien stopped Maxwell's words.

"No need to bother waiting. She will never come, I can assure you..."

One step from Lucien made Maxwell reflexively step back. His arm reached out to adjust Maxwell's tie. Maxwell tensed at his master's dangerous gaze.

"I'm completely fed up... break up this joke of a party right now..."

Maxwell could only bow his head, swallowing hard before nodding. He knew his master's anger was not something to be trifled with.

Alea Ardane.

That name flashed through Lucien's mind like poison. A glimpse of her face appeared, a soft smile, eyes full of hope, and quickly a feeling of disgust crept up in his chest.

"From now on... don't mention that woman's name in front of me again! Alea Ardane... I am disgusted to hear that name!"

"Master!"

The panicked voice of a guard suddenly sounded from the direction of the door. "Miss Alea has arrived!"

For a moment, time seemed to stop for Lucien. He stared sharply at the guard.

"Repeat that," he hissed, growling. "What did you just say?"

The guard trembled. "Miss Alea, your future wife, has just arrived in the hall..."

Lucien froze. His gaze froze.

In an instant. "Impossible..." his voice turned into a hoarse whisper. "She can't be here. I made sure of that myself..."

"No...!" Lucien almost lost control, his breathing becoming heavy. "There's no way she's here..."

With his mind in turmoil, he hurried down the hallway toward the hall, which had previously been in an uproar because the bride had not appeared. Lucien couldn't believe what the guard had said earlier! Lucien knew for sure that Alea would never appear again. He had made sure of it himself... it was impossible for that woman to appear!

As soon as the hall doors opened, Lucien's eyes widened in the doorway. He could no longer hide the look of shock on his cold face when he saw the figure in white standing at the altar. Her black hair fell perfectly on her shoulders, and that face was one he knew very well, a face that disgusted him. The woman who had clung to him for years, shamelessly seducing him, begging for love he had never given her. The woman he considered nothing more than a cheap nuisance trying to steal a place in his world.

Lucien never wanted to marry her. His plan was supposed to be perfect tonight, to make sure that woman never came here. But... it turned out she still showed up...

Lucien rushed toward the woman. "How could you be here...?"

"Of course... to marry you. I'm sorry for being late and making you wait." Her voice was soft, a smile spreading across her beautiful face. "What if we start the wedding now, Lucien? I can't wait..." She continued with a soft laugh. Behind that laugh, no one knew that Alea was already dead. Zalea desperately tried to maintain her smile behind her broken heart and dead soul. Because of the man in front of her... Lucien Volkov.

***

The night wind seeped through the window, fluttering the white curtains and making the hem of her nightgown float gently. The clock on the wall chimed, signaling midnight. In the dimly lit bridal chamber, cigarette smoke swirled in the air, enveloping the silhouette of a woman sitting in front of a large window.

The moonlight fell softly on her face. Her red lips curved cynically as smoke escaped from them.

"Lucien..." her voice was almost a sigh. "Lucien Volkov..." As she uttered his name, her eyes stared straight at the window of another room that looked dark across the way, the room of the man who now legally held the title of her life partner.

Lucien Volkov. His name shook both the business and criminal worlds. The sole heir to Volkov Corporation, an international conglomerate that controlled the arms trade, import-export companies, and underground networks across three continents. The man was intelligent, virtually untouchable by the law, and more dangerous than anyone Zalea had ever known.

A cold smile reappeared on Zalea's lips. Her gaze darkened, the reflection of the cigarette light dancing in her dark eyes.

For others, a wedding night might be full of passion and love. But for Zalea, this was a special night because there was only one thing she wanted... to hunt.

As soon as the cigarette butt was extinguished at her fingertips, Zalea stood up with a heavy sigh, her fingers adjusting the thin straps of her nightgown that had almost slipped off her shoulders, then stepped out of the room.

The hallway of the Volkov mansion was quiet. Only the dim light from the crystal chandelier reflected off the white marble, casting long shadows on the walls. From a distance, the sound of the guards' shoes could be heard faintly, accompanied by the flash of flashlights at the end of the corridor.

Zalea walked silently, her steps stopping in front of the door to the master bedroom, Lucien's room.

The locked door handle was easily opened by Zalea with her skill. A thin smile appeared on her lips when she heard the *click*.

She entered slowly. The room was completely dark, filled with the scent of sandalwood incense hanging in the air. The room was so quiet... even the heavy breathing of the man sleeping in the middle of the bed could be heard by Zalea as she slowly approached.

Her gaze traced the contours of his muscles under the dim light of the lamp. Lucien was undeniably sexy. His nightgown revealed his tempting chest, as tempting as his extraordinarily handsome face. A face that had once made Alea fall to her knees... but now only made Zalea want to vomit when she looked at it.

Her lips curled cynically. Something glinted from behind the folds of her nightgown. A small syringe tucked into her right thigh garter instantly moved to her fingers.

She bent down slowly. The syringe contained a few drops of clear liquid, enough to make a monster like Lucien experience pain in every part of his body as if he were being skinned.

Zalea wanted to make the man crawl and beg her. Then, after making him desperate, she would end it and put Lucien to sleep forever. Slowly, the needle was directed at Lucien's neck. Zalea couldn't hold back her smile, a grim and dangerous smile. Soon... her revenge for Alea would be paid.

Just as the tip of the needle was about to touch the man's skin, Zalea's fingers suddenly went stiff. A chill crept up her spine as the eyes that had been closed a moment ago suddenly opened, emitting a sharp, dangerous glare.

"What are you doing?"