Claimed in public
1308 Words
Chapter five
NATALIE POV
I was on the floor arranging the new dog's corner, fluffing the bed, and lining up the bowls.
My hands moved automatically, but my mind wandered back to Mr. Mysterious—
A sharp, deliberate knock cut through the quiet room.
I froze.
My chest tightened instantly. I hadn't done anything wrong, but when you've run once, every knock sounds like the past standing at your door.
I rose slowly and opened the door.
The same young man who had driven me home earlier stood outside my door. He met my gaze briefly before lowering his eyes, placing three neatly wrapped boxes at my feet.
The way he handled them told me everything.
It was an instruction carried out on someone else's authority.
“For tonight,” he said simply.
No explanation.
Just certainty.
I picked up one of the boxes and opened it.
It contained a finely black beaded gown, floor-length, sleek, and unapologetically luxurious. The fabric clung in all the right places. The bodice is corset-inspired, designed to cinch the waist, with delicate crystal embellishment lining the sides.
It wasn't just a dress.
It was a declaration.
A few minutes later,another knock followed.
Two women stepped inside, smiling with polished professionalism.
“I'm Sandra, your hairstylist,” the taller lady said, her voice calm and confident.
The other lady smiled politely with a nod and said, “I’m Catty, your makeup artist. We are here to make you look more beautiful. ”.
“Thank you,” I said. I'm still finding everything quite intense.
I led them to the extra room so they could set up.
“I'll join you shortly,”I added, pulling out my phone from my back pocket as I stepped away to call Maya.
She picked up instantly.
"My mysterious husband just invited me to a charity gala. I said immediately. “He sent three boxes to my apartment, and now I have two stylists in my living room.”
She snorted “I'm sleep deprived, Anita. Enjoy your married life with your husband.”
Then she hung up giggling.
I stared at my phone.
Unbelievable.
Sandra worked with composed accuracy,styling my hair into glossy black waves controlled by soft curly that fell effortlessly over my shoulders.
Catty followed, and the light makeup touch produced a surprising transformation.
A diamond choker rested at my throat snug–unyielding. Each diamond stone was set closely to the next,together, it formed a continuous band of light. It didn't sparkle loudly.
It glowed.
“You look gorgeous,” Sandra said softly.
“You have the kind of beauty that makes the room go quiet,” Kitty added.
Before I could respond, the faint hum of a sleek black car echoed from outside.
I looked at my reflection one last time, picking up a small crystal-studded clutch shimmering in a silver blue,and headed for the door.
The moment the door opened–
He stepped in.
Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit,it fit him as if it were crafted solely for him alone. The fabric hugged his broad shoulders and chest.
A sharp jawline.
Mesmerizing eyes.
Clean-cut. Controlled.
I felt a lump in my throat the moment our eyes met.
His gaze lingered slow, deliberate,tracing my hair,my shoulders,the curve of my body.
His reaction was quiet; silence stretched between us.
“You look stunning,” he said at last, his voice low and steady.”
My chest fluttered, and my skin betrayed me. Heat rushed into my cheek, and I couldn't hide it.
I brushed my hair back,a nervous reflex.
“Will this event go on all night? I murmured. "If so, I might need to change into a pair of lower heels”
“No,” he said.
He stepped closer– too close.
Close enough that I could feel the warmth of his body pressing against mine.
His thumb traced my cheekbone, soothing me in a way that made me catch my breath.
For a moment, I thought–
He wants to kiss me.
His cologne filled my nostrils, intoxicating,pulling me in deeper than I could imagine.
The car slowed.
Its engine sound fades into the soft hum.
“We have arrived,” he said.
He didn't let go of my hand as we stepped out. His other hand settled at my lower back, firm and possessive.
Guiding.
The grand hall unfolded before us–chandeliers spilling golden light over the polished marble floors.
One by one, heads turned.
Conversation faltered.
Laughter dimmed.
The weight of attention settled over us.
“Are you a celebrity or something?” I whispered, my eyes glancing around the hall. “People don't stare for no reason.”
The corner of his mouth lifts slightly.
“No,” he replied.
His grip tightened around my waist slightly, just enough to make my breath hitch.
“It's your beauty that's attracting their attention.”
Before I could respond–
She appeared.
A woman in a sleek emerald gown, her blond hair falling smoothly over one shoulder, her lips were painted a deep wine red.
Her familiarity with him was unmistakable.
She smiled warmly, and her gaze lingered just a second too long. Her hand rested slightly on his arm,confident. Intimate.
Something sharp twisted in my chest.
A sudden pang of jealousy.
My fingers curled into my dress as I watched the ease with which she stood beside him.
Like she belonged there.
He acknowledged her.
Of course he did.
His grip on me loosened slightly–not enough to release me entirely, but enough that I felt it.
“Excuse me,” I said softly, forcing a polite smile.
Before either of them could respond, I slipped away into the crowd.
My heels clicking against marble as I made my way to the restroom, my heart racing—not from stares this time, but from emotions I can't explain.
The restroom was a brief sanctuary.
Until I stepped out.
He was there.
Luciano Deluca.
My father's choice.
The man I ran from.
The reason I ran from a marriage never wanted.
My nightmare.
“Runaway bride,” he said softly, his lips curving into that exasperatingly calm, predatory smile. “Long time no wedding.”
My stomach dropped.
Panic surged through me.
My chest tightened, my breath shallow.
I turned to leave– run past him, but before I could move, his hand clamped my neck, firm and unyielding.
His other hand pinned my arm, trapping me in a place.
“Luciano—let me go!” I gasped.
“You thought you could run from me?” His voice was low, almost amused, “from your father's plan…from me.”
I shook my head,struggling against him. My chest tightened as his grip around my neck didn't loosen.
“I didn't want this—I don't want you!”
“You belong to me,” he said coldly. “And you are coming with me, this very moment.”
A voice cut through the corridor.
Deep and commanding.
“Take your hands off my wife.”
The air itself stilled.
It wasn't a shout, but it vibrated through the marble floor.
I froze.
my breath catching in my throat.
Luciano's eyes widened the instantly.
For the first time.
I saw fear.
Undiluted fear flashed across Luciano's face—sharp, primal, and uncontrolled.
Before I could react, Luciano shoved me forward.
The force knocked the breath from my lungs. My heels slipped against the marble floor, pitching my body forward—
Straight into him.
My mysterious husband.
“Who are you?” I gasped.
Pains went through me. My vision blurred.
Darkness crept in.
The last thing I remember was the sound of his voice—low, steady, unyielding—reaching me even as darkness claimed me.
“Take your hands off my wife.”
- Writer
