His Bride,Their Prey

Chapter 10

The Wedding Day...

The mansion buzzed with activity.

Servants hurried through the halls carrying flowers and decorations.

Security had doubled overnight.

Every entrance was guarded.

Every hallway watched.

Inside Elena's bedroom...

Bianca stepped back with a satisfied smile.

"There."

"The veil is perfect."

Sophia gently smoothed the wrinkles from Elena's gown before smiling warmly.

"My goodness..."

"You look absolutely beautiful."

Elena stared at her reflection.

She didn't feel beautiful.

She felt...

Trapped.

Sophia squeezed her hand gently.

"Everything will be alright."

Elena forced a smile she didn't believe.

"I hope so."

Bianca checked the time.

"We should head downstairs soon."

The two women gathered a few things before walking toward the door.

"We'll be right outside if you need us."

The door clicked shut.

Silence.

Elena exhaled slowly.

She stared at herself one last time.

"...This can't really be happening."

Barely two minutes passed.

The bedroom door swung open.

Elena instinctively turned.

A tall man stepped inside without the slightest concern.

His charcoal-black suit fit him perfectly.

A silver watch gleamed beneath the cuff of his sleeve.

His movements were slow...

Elegant.

Like a man who had never been told "no."

His sharp emerald eyes settled on Elena.

For several long seconds...

He simply stared.

Then...

A low chuckle escaped him.

"So..."

He slowly walked around her.

Not touching.

Just...

Observing.

"As beautiful as the invitation suggested."

Elena frowned.

"...Who are you?"

He didn't answer.

Instead...

He stopped directly in front of her.

His gaze drifted over the wedding gown.

"The dress suits you."

"But..."

His smile widened.

"...it's a shame."

Elena's brows knitted together.

"A shame?"

"For someone so beautiful..."

He leaned forward slightly.

"...to become nothing more than a vessel."

"What?"

Before she could step back

He gently reached for her hand.

His fingers were surprisingly warm.

He turned her palm over.

Studying it.

Almost as if reading something written there.

Then...

He lowered his head.

And kissed the back of her hand.

Elena immediately pulled back.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

The smile on his face only grew.

A furious voice cut through the room.

"Damiano!"

Sophia stormed inside.

Her usually calm expression had completely disappeared.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?"

Damiano sighed dramatically.

"Oh..."

"I suppose introductions are in order."

He turned back toward Elena.

Placed one hand over his chest.

And gave a mocking bow.

"Damiano Moretti."

He smiled.

"Your future brother-in-law."

And Lucien's older brother...

He paused deliberately.

Then laughed softly.

"Ah..."

He waved a dismissive hand.

"Forgive me."

His smile turned razor-sharp.

"...Stepbrother."

He looked straight into Elena's eyes.

"Lucien and I..."

"...have never been fond of each other."

Before Elena could react...

Damiano calmly reached for her hand again.

Much more gently this time.

His thumb brushed lightly across her knuckles.

"As I was saying..."

He smiled.

"Welcome to the family, Elena."

Damiano's thumb lazily brushed over the back of Elena's hand.

"As I was saying..."

His emerald eyes never left hers.

"Welcome to the family, Elena."

The words had barely left his lips—

Click.

The unmistakable sound of a pistol being c****d echoed through the room.

Silence.

Every head turned toward the doorway.

Lucien stood there.

His tailored black suit was immaculate.

His tie perfectly straight.

One hand rested at his side.

The other...

Held a black pistol.

The barrel was aimed directly at Damiano's forehead.

Lucien's expression was unreadable.

Not angry.

Not surprised.

Just...

Cold.

His icy blue eyes settled on Damiano's hand.

Still holding Elena's.

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

"I'll say this once."

A pause.

"Take your hands off my wife."

The room fell deathly silent.

Sophia's eyes widened.

"Mr. Moretti!"

Bianca's face drained of color.

Even Elena forgot to breathe.

Damiano, however...

Smiled.

He looked from the gun...

Back to Lucien.

Then chuckled.

"Now that's no way to greet family."

Lucien didn't blink.

"Three."

Damiano raised an eyebrow.

"...Three?"

"Three seconds."

His finger rested lightly against the trigger.

"After that..."

His voice dropped another degree.

"...I'll stop asking."

Marco stepped into the room behind Lucien.

His own pistol already drawn.

The guards outside immediately surrounded the hallway.

Damiano glanced toward them before laughing quietly.

"My..."

He slowly released Elena's hand.

"I see you've become quite protective."

The instant Damiano let go...

Lucien lowered the gun.

Only slightly.

Not enough for anyone to think the danger had passed.

Damiano dusted off his sleeves as though nothing had happened.

Then looked toward Elena.

"I'd advise you not to stand between brothers."

He smiled.

"Family disagreements tend to become... messy."

Elena looked from one man to the other.

"...What is wrong with both of you?"

Damiano burst into laughter.

Lucien remained silent.

Damiano shook his head.

"I like her."

He turned toward Lucien.

"She's got spirit."

Lucien's jaw tightened.

His gaze never left Damiano.

For a long moment...

Neither man spoke.

Then Lucien slowly lowered the pistol.

Not because he trusted Damiano.

Because he had to.

Damiano smirked.

"There he is."

"I knew you still had some self-control."

Lucien's voice was cold enough to freeze the room.

"Don't mistake restraint..."

"...for mercy."

Damiano laughed quietly.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

He casually adjusted his cufflinks.

"As much as I'd love to stay..."

He glanced toward Elena one last time.

"I'll see you downstairs."

His eyes lingered on her for just a second longer.

"After all..."

"...I wouldn't miss my little brother's wedding for the world."

He flashed Lucien one last infuriating smile.

Then walked out of the room as though nothing had happened.

Marco instinctively moved aside, never taking his eyes off him.

The moment Damiano disappeared down the hallway...

The atmosphere remained heavy.

Sophia finally exhaled.

"...Thank heavens."

Bianca looked as though she was about to collapse.

Lucien slowly turned toward Elena.

His gaze drifted to the hand Damiano had held.

For a split second...

Something flickered in his eyes.

Gone almost instantly.

His voice returned to its usual calm.

"Did he touch you anywhere else?"

Elena frowned.

"...What?"

"Answer the question."

She blinked.

"...No."

"He only..."

She glanced down at her hand.

"...kissed my hand."

Lucien stared at it for another second.

Then looked at Bianca.

"Replace the gloves."

Bianca blinked.

"The gloves, sir?"

"The ones she'll wear during the ceremony."

Bianca frowned in confusion.

"They're brand new."

Lucien didn't even look at her.

"Replace them."

No one argued.

"Yes, Mr. Moretti."

Elena stared at him.

"...You're seriously replacing an entire pair of gloves because your brother touched my hand?"

Lucien finally looked at her.

His expression remained unreadable.

"Stepbrother."

A beat of silence.

"And yes."

He turned toward the door.

"Be ready."

"The ceremony begins in one hour."

Without another word...

He walked out.

Leaving Elena standing there...

More confused than ever.

Elsewhere...

A sleek black Rolls-Royce glided through the winding roads leading to the Moretti Estate.

Inside...

A young woman sat with one leg crossed over the other.

Her emerald green dress hugged her figure flawlessly.

A diamond bracelet sparkled around her wrist.

Her makeup was immaculate.

Not a single strand of her long black hair was out of place.

Vivian De Luca.

She stared out the tinted window.

Her expression was anything but pleasant.

Across from her sat her father.

Don Matteo De Luca.

One of the Five Family Heads.

He calmly read through a stack of documents.

Vivian finally broke the silence.

"Tell me..."

She didn't look at him.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

Matteo slowly lowered the papers.

"I assume you're referring to Lucien."

She let out a bitter laugh.

"Who else?"

Her manicured nails tapped impatiently against the armrest.

"For years..."

"Everyone assumed I'd become Mrs. Moretti."

She looked out the window again.

"Our families would've been unstoppable."

Her voice grew colder.

"...Instead..."

She scoffed.

"...he chooses a common girl?"

Matteo calmly folded his papers.

"A common girl..."

"...who'll soon become a Moretti."

Vivian rolled her eyes.

"She has no name."

"No power."

"No family."

"No status."

She looked directly at her father.

"And she's the woman that'll carry the Moretti heir?"

The words dripped with disgust.

Matteo remained quiet.

Vivian clenched her jaw.

"She doesn't belong beside him."

A long silence followed.

Then Matteo finally spoke.

"Careful."

Vivian frowned.

"Excuse me?"

"Jealousy clouds judgment."

She laughed.

"Jealous?"

She shook her head.

"I'm insulted."

The car slowly turned through the massive iron gates of the Moretti Estate.

The mansion came into view.

Vivian stared at it.

Then...

A slow smile spread across her lips.

"Let's see what kind of woman managed to catch Lucien Moretti."

Her eyes darkened.

"...I hope she survives today."

The car came to a smooth stop.

A bodyguard opened the door.

Vivian stepped out gracefully.

Every guard immediately lowered their heads.

She smiled sweetly.

But her eyes...

Promised nothing good.