Inherited lies as a Mafia bride

Elena's POV Months earlier The hallway stretched out before me, its marble floors radiating in the warm light. But the atmosphere felt cold and unwelcoming. Every step I took echoed loudly, making me feel like I was being warned to turn back. At the end stood a massive black door. His office, Nico De Luca’s door. My fingers held an envelope tight, so tight that its edges dug into my palm. Inside was my future or death. A proposal written under a name that wasn't even mine: Melissa. I grasped the cold brass handle and pushed the door open. It creaked softly as I stepped inside, closing it gently behind me. This was our first time meeting face-to-face, and I was already overwhelmed by the sheer sight of his office. Books lined the walls in perfect rows, their leather covers gleaming in the office light. A glass bottle of whiskey sat untouched on a side table. The air still smelled faintly of smoke. Behind the huge brown desk, everything was spotless and perfectly ordered; papers stacked neatly, every surface polished. Nothing in the room was out of place or even dared to be. And behind it all sat my fiancé, Nico De Luca in a blue dress shirt, sleeves rolled up, reading a book like he hadn’t noticed me walk in or maybe he just didn’t care. I stood by the door, frozen, waiting nervously. One wrong move meant trouble and I wasn't about to carelessly make it my last. I crossed my fingers, hoping things would go smoothly.As time seemed to slow down ,one minute, two, three, all I could do was wait and pray. Then, he finally looked up from his book. His cold eyes meeting mine, and instantly I felt an unsettling feeling as if he could see right through me. The silence was more frightening than awkward, and I could feel him studying me. Under his intense stare, chills ran down my spine. I desperately tried to read his face, his eyes,to know what was going through his head, but all I got was a cold, unreadable, expression. But I couldn't back down, not without trying, so I kept moving. Before the urge to run could take over, I sat down across from him and gently placed the envelope on his desk. Nico didn't give it a single glance. His eyes remained fixed on me, never wavering like I was some freak show. “So,” he murmured, his voice low but heavy. “My future wife comes bearing gifts.” The word 'wife' made my stomach turn. “I heard you were tough. But you've got some nerve walking in here like that, Melissa.”he said, his tone filled with pure dislike. “Bravery doesn't impress me. And guts…” his gaze slid over me, slowly. “…guts can be mistaken for stupidity. And people like that often get killed.” "I was direct, way too direct." I thought, as panic set in My throat tightened with instant regret of my forward approach, knowing it was too much of a bold move even for someone like me. I took a deep breath, regaining back by composure. Lives, including mine, were at stake, and I had no choice but to see my plan through. No matter what, I couldn't just give in. Not yet. “I’m not stupid,” I said firmly A cold smile tugged at his lips. “No? Then prove it.” He pulled out a black pistol from the drawer and slammed it onto the wood, breaking the silence. “If I don’t hear you, I’ll shoot. Don’t understand you, I’ll shoot. Irritate me, and I’ll shoot. Bore me my dear fiancée…” he tapped the barrel once, on purpose. “…and you’ll wish you'd never walked through that door." And just with those words, my calm interior collapsed. Fear surged through me as I saw the deadly seriousness in his eyes. Things were moving too fast, much faster than I had expected. My chances of leaving here completely unharmed were slipping away. This wasn't what I had imagined this early into our conversation and I didn't know what to do. If my future self had warned me I’d end up like this, I might have simply dropped dead long ago. But who was I kidding? This is my life now and the man in front of me made it feel like even breathing could cost me. He leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. “You’ve been practicing something, haven’t you? I see it in your eyes. Start. Say your little speech.” Painfully, he was right. I had practiced. I'd whispered the words over and over again to myself. But now, under his watchful eyes, my practiced lines were faltering. “Well?” His tone grew sharper, slicing the air. “Or do you plan on sitting there wasting my time?” “I,” I caught myself, not wanting to stutter. “I wanted to—” He raised his hand, cutting me off. His voice was soft, but deadly. “Wrong again. You don’t want. You do as I say. People who try to get something from me also end up buried.” I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to flinch. “I’m here to show you I can be of use.” His laugh was low, bitter. “Use? Do I look like a man searching for a useful woman?” His gaze swept over me, cold and slow. “I don't have time for pointless chatter.” His hand tapped the gun again. “What I need is someone who goes straight to the point.” My pulse pounded. “I won't waste your time,” I said, my brain scrambling for any response it could possibly find. He tilted his head, eyes half-closed. “Big promise, Melissa.” He spat the name like poison. “Don’t test me, because I promise you'll regret it.” I forced my chin up and nodded. “Yes.” The smile returned, darker this time. “Smart girl.” “Now, speak,” Nico said, his voice quiet but still sharp. “Convince me I shouldn’t put a bullet through those legs of yours that brought you here.” Every part of me wanted to pull back, to beg, to be the Elena I had always been. The naïve girl who ran, who bowed her head, who would let the world crush her if it meant living another day. The girl who has blindly trusted her father to give up her life. Yet that same father was nowhere beside her now. I knew Elena wouldn’t be able to live here. Not with him. Not in this room. But Melissa could. Melissa got what she wanted, no matter the price. And if I wanted to survive, I had to stop being myself and step fully into her. Not just her name but her strength. I filled my lungs with a steady breath. Straightened my shoulders. Lifted my chin and met Nico's eye, not as Elena, trembling and weak, but as the fierce, unfazed Melissa. Just like that. My voice was calm and controlled, dangerous even. “Then let me give you something you won’t want to kill.” I blurted out, surprising even myself.