𝔒𝔟𝔰𝔦𝔡𝔦𝔞𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰: 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖒𝖆𝖋𝖎𝖆 𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌'𝖘 𝖘𝖊𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖙 𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙

▄︻デ══━一💥 Chapter 1

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"Arranged marriage is not a bed of roses but one can make it with one's love and belief."

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Maribella Lorenzo stood in front of the full-length mirror, her reflection staring back at her with a mixture of anxiety and defiance. The wedding gown was a cloud of white silk and lace, its intricate beadwork shimmering under the soft lights of the bridal suite. It was the kind of dress little girls dream of, but for Maribella, it felt like a shroud. The high neckline and long sleeves made her feel suffocated, each stitch a reminder of the life she was being forced into.

Her hands clenched the bouquet of deep red roses, the thorns hidden beneath the satin ribbon pricking her fingers. The small pain was grounding, a reminder that this was real. That she was about to marry Matteo Wilder, the Obsidian King, the most feared man in New York City's criminal underworld.

Her father, Alberto Lorenzo, had arranged this marriage as part of a truce with Matteo's family. A truce that would supposedly bring peace between two warring crime families, but Maribella knew better. She was just a pawn in a game of power, a symbol of loyalty in a world where betrayal was as common as breathing.

The bridal suite was buzzing with activity. Bridesmaids fluttered around her, adjusting her veil, fluffing her gown, applying the final touches of makeup. They chatted and laughed, oblivious to the turmoil swirling in Maribella's mind. Her mother, Isabella Lorenzo, hovered nearby, her eyes filled with a mixture of pride and concern.

"You look beautiful, Bella," her mother said, smoothing a stray curl from Maribella's forehead. "This is a big day for all of us."

Maribella forced a smile. "Thanks, Mom." But inside, her thoughts were racing. She couldn't do this. She couldn't marry a man she barely knew, a man with a reputation for ruthlessness and cruelty. The stories about Matteo Wilder were the stuff of nightmares—dark alleys, whispered threats, people who disappeared without a trace.

As the clock on the wall ticked down to the wedding ceremony, Maribella's heart raced in time with it. She couldn't shake the feeling that if she went through with this, she would be signing her own death warrant. Not in a literal sense—Matteo wouldn't harm her—but in the sense that her freedom, her autonomy, would be gone.

She glanced toward the door, where two of Matteo's men stood guard. It was a reminder that even in this moment of supposed celebration, she was under constant surveillance. They were here to ensure she didn't change her mind, that she didn't run.

But Maribella was nothing if not resourceful. She had spent her life learning to navigate the dangerous world her father had created, and she wasn't about to let it define her future.

The bridesmaids began to file out of the room, heading toward the chapel. The soft strains of a string quartet drifted in from the hallway. Maribella took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on her.

As the door closed behind the last bridesmaid, Maribella knew this was her chance. It was now or never.

She set the bouquet on the vanity, carefully removing her veil and laying it beside the roses. The dress was heavy, but she moved with purpose, gathering the skirt in one hand and heading toward the window at the back of the room.

Outside, the evening air was cool and inviting. The fire escape led down to the alley, a labyrinth of shadows and escape routes. It was dangerous, but less so than the life awaiting her at the end of the aisle.

With one final glance at the bridal suite, Maribella climbed out the window and into the night. The string quartet played on, but she was already gone.

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Thank you for reading!
I hoped you enjoyed.
Word count: 653

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