Chapter 2: A Terrible Proposal
774 Words
Aria barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Luca Moretti's face.
His dark gaze.
His calm confidence.
His final words.
"Your daughter is beautiful."
The memory sent a chill through her.
Morning sunlight streamed through her bedroom window, but it did little to ease the knot in her stomach.
She quickly dressed and headed downstairs.
The mansion was unusually quiet.
Too quiet.
When she entered the dining room, she found her father sitting alone at the table.
His untouched coffee had long gone cold.
"Dad?"
He looked up.
Dark circles framed his eyes.
He looked like he had aged ten years overnight.
"You should eat," Aria said softly.
He forced a smile.
"I'm not hungry."
Aria sat across from him.
"What happened after I went upstairs?"
Her father lowered his gaze.
Nothing.
The silence was answer enough.
Before she could press further, the sound of engines echoed outside.
Several black luxury SUVs pulled into the driveway.
Her father's face instantly lost all color.
Aria's stomach dropped.
"No..."
The front doors opened.
Heavy footsteps entered the house.
Seconds later, Luca Moretti walked into the dining room.
As if he owned it.
As if he owned everything.
Including them.
Two bodyguards followed several steps behind him.
Luca wore another perfectly tailored black suit.
Not a strand of his dark hair was out of place.
His expression remained unreadable.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Controlled.
"Good morning," he said.
Aria shot to her feet.
"What are you doing here?"
Luca's eyes briefly met hers.
"Keeping my promise."
Her father stood as well.
"Please sit."
"No," Aria snapped.
Luca ignored her.
He calmly placed a leather folder on the table.
Then sat down.
Her father reluctantly did the same.
Aria remained standing.
"What is that?" she demanded.
"A solution."
Luca opened the folder.
Several documents lay inside.
Her father's hands trembled.
Aria stepped closer.
The first page contained a contract.
The second page made her blood run cold.
MARRIAGE AGREEMENT.
Her eyes widened.
"No."
Luca looked up.
"No?"
"You can't be serious."
"I rarely joke."
Her pulse thundered in her ears.
"You think I'm going to marry you?"
His expression didn't change.
"You will."
The confidence in his voice infuriated her.
"You don't get to decide that."
"No?"
He leaned back.
"What alternative do you propose?"
Aria opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because there was no alternative.
No ten million dollars.
No miracle.
No escape.
Luca's gaze moved between her and her father.
"If the debt remains unpaid, I will seize all remaining assets."
Her father's shoulders slumped.
"The company."
"The house."
His voice remained calm.
"Everything."
Aria looked at her father.
The pain in his eyes broke her heart.
This wasn't just about money.
This was about survival.
Luca slid the contract toward them.
"Marry me."
Silence.
"Why?" Aria whispered.
For the first time, something flickered in Luca's eyes.
Gone before she could identify it.
"Because I want to."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer you'll get."
Aria wanted to scream.
To throw the contract in his face.
To tell him exactly what she thought of him.
Instead she grabbed the papers and ripped them in half.
The sound echoed through the room.
Her breathing was heavy.
The torn pages fell to the floor.
Neither Luca nor his bodyguards reacted.
Luca simply stared at her.
Then reached into the folder.
And removed another identical copy.
Aria froze.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"You should know," he said, placing the second contract on the table, "I always come prepared."
Her face burned with frustration.
"You arrogant jerk."
One of the bodyguards shifted.
Luca raised a finger.
The man immediately became still again.
Luca stood.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
The room seemed smaller the closer he got.
Aria refused to move.
Even when he stopped directly in front of her.
Even when she could feel his presence.
His power.
His danger.
"You have forty-eight hours."
His voice was low.
Deadly calm.
"To decide."
"And if I refuse?"
His eyes locked onto hers.
For a long moment, neither looked away.
Then he answered.
"Then your family loses everything."
Aria's chest tightened.
Luca turned and headed toward the door.
Halfway there, he stopped.
Without looking back, he spoke.
"Oh, and one more thing."
Her stomach sank.
"The wedding date is already reserved."
Aria's eyes widened.
"What?"
Now he looked over his shoulder.
The faintest smile appeared.
"Seven days from now."
Then he walked away.
Leaving silence behind.
Leaving fear behind.
Leaving a future Aria never wanted.
And as the front doors closed, she realized something terrifying.
Luca Moretti wasn't asking her to become his wife.
He was expecting it.
- Writer
