Chapter 4: The will
1193 Words
The whispers followed Elena and Lucien as they walked into the grand hall.
"That's the woman."
"Did Lucien really get married?"
"I thought Victor was the first."
Elena's grip tightened around Lucien's arm. She could feel dozens of curious eyes studying her from head to toe.
The Romano family was exactly as intimidating as she had imagined.
Men in tailored suits stood in small groups, speaking in hushed voices, while elegantly dressed women watched her with poorly concealed disdain.
A man with piercing blue eyes stepped forward.
He looked strikingly similar to Lucien, but unlike him, he wore a confident smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"So..." he drawled, looking Elena over. "You must be the woman my little brother married in secret."
Lucien's expression remained cold.
"Victor."
Victor chuckled.
"I got married last week, and Father barely congratulated me. Yet you disappear for a day and return with a wife." His gaze lingered on Elena. "Interesting."
Before Lucien could answer, the heavy wooden doors at the far end of the hall slowly opened.
Every conversation stopped.
A man in his late sixties entered the room, supported by an ebony walking cane. His silver hair was neatly combed, and although illness had left him noticeably thinner, his commanding presence filled the hall.
Alessandro Romano.
The head of the Romano family.
Even in silence, he demanded respect.
Every member of the family bowed their heads slightly.
Lucien remained still.
"So," Alessandro said, his deep voice echoing across the room, "everyone is here."
His gaze swept over the gathering before settling on Elena.
"So you're the woman Lucien married."
Elena swallowed hard.
"Yes, sir."
For several long seconds, Alessandro simply studied her.
Then he nodded once.
"You have courage."
No one spoke.
The old man slowly walked toward the head of the long table and took his seat.
"My doctor tells me I should be preparing for death."
A wave of uneasiness swept through the room.
"But I don't intend to die until I know who is worthy of carrying the Romano name."
Victor straightened proudly.
"I'm ready, Father."
Alessandro ignored him.
"For years, each of you has fought for my approval, my business, and my empire."
His sharp gaze moved from one son to another.
"None of you have earned it."
The room fell silent.
"I have made my decision."
The family lawyer stepped forward and placed a sealed document before him.
Alessandro rested one hand on it.
"Starting today, all of you have exactly three hundred and sixty-five days."
Victor smiled confidently.
After all, he was already married.
Then Alessandro continued.
"The first married son to give me a legitimate grandchild will inherit everything I own."
Victor's smile froze.
The room erupted.
"What?"
"That's impossible!"
"A child within a year?"
Alessandro slammed his cane against the marble floor.
The sharp crack silenced everyone instantly.
"I did not ask for opinions."
His cold eyes settled on Victor.
"Marriage alone does not prove a man can lead this family."
Then he turned to Lucien.
"And neither does power."
Lucien met his father's gaze without flinching.
Finally, Alessandro looked at Elena.
"You've entered this family at the beginning of a war."
A faint smile crossed his weathered face.
"I hope you understand what you've agreed to."
Elena's heart sank.
She had believed she was marrying a dangerous man to save her father.
Now she realized she had become a player in a battle for an empire.
And judging by the hatred in Victor's eyes...
The war had already begun.
The meeting ended, but no one moved.
The tension in the Romano mansion was so thick that Elena could barely breathe.
She stood beside Lucien, feeling like an outsider in a room full of predators.
Alessandro Romano rose slowly from his chair, leaning on his ebony cane.
"I expect each of you to take this challenge seriously," he said, his commanding voice cutting through the silence. "One year. Three hundred and sixty-five days. At the end of it, only one of you will stand as my successor."
His gaze swept across his sons.
"Disappoint me, and I'll find someone else worthy of carrying the Romano name."
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the hall.
The moment the doors closed behind him, the room erupted with conversation.
Victor laughed bitterly.
"So this was your plan all along, Lucien."
Lucien slipped both hands into his pockets.
"If you're looking for someone to blame because you weren't prepared, don't look at me."
Victor's smile disappeared.
"You married a complete stranger overnight."
"I married my wife."
The deliberate emphasis on the last word made Elena glance at him.
It was the first time he had called her that without hesitation.
Victor took a slow step forward.
"You think Father will hand you the empire just because you found a woman?"
"I think you'll waste too much time worrying about me."
A few relatives struggled to hide their smiles.
Victor noticed.
His face darkened.
Before he could respond, a soft voice interrupted.
"Victor."
A beautiful young woman approached and slipped her hand into his.
She wore an elegant cream-colored dress, and her gentle smile contrasted sharply with the tension filling the room.
She looked at Elena with curiosity rather than hostility.
"I'm Sophia," she said politely. "Victor's wife."
Elena managed a small smile.
"Elena."
"It's nice to meet you."
Before either woman could say more, Victor wrapped an arm around Sophia possessively.
"We're leaving."
As they walked away, Victor looked over his shoulder.
"This isn't over, little brother."
Lucien didn't answer.
He simply watched until Victor disappeared from sight.
Only then did he turn to Elena.
"We're going home."
She blinked.
"Home?"
"Our home."
The words sounded strangely foreign.
Just yesterday, she had been living in a small apartment, worrying about hospital bills and overdue rent.
Now she was supposedly going home with one of the most feared men in the country.
The drive was silent.
Rain streaked across the windows of the black luxury sedan while the city lights blurred into golden lines.
Elena couldn't keep quiet any longer.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Lucien kept his eyes on the road ahead.
"Tell you what?"
"That your marriage was part of a competition."
His jaw tightened.
"I told you it wasn't your concern."
"It became my concern the moment your father announced I'd be expected to give him a grandchild."
For the first time since they left the mansion, Lucien looked at her.
His expression softened—only slightly.
"I never intended for you to hear it that way."
"Then how was I supposed to hear it?"
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
His expression turned cold.
He answered immediately.
"What happened?"
Silence.
Then his grip on the steering wheel tightened.
"I'll be there."
He ended the call.
"What is it?" Elena asked.
Lucien accelerated without another word.
His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made her blood run cold.
"Someone attacked one of my warehouses."
He looked straight ahead, his gray eyes hard as steel.
"And judging by the timing..."
"...this family war has already begun."
- Writer
