This was the most special day of my life. I was going to marry who I believed was the love of my life. I had gone out with my aunt, who was the only family I had left. My parents had died in a plane crash, and my aunt Lisa had been taking care of me ever since.

"Victoria, are you sure you want to marry that boy?" she asked me for the tenth time.

"Auntie, I've told you, yes. He is the love of my life."

"But my dear, what will happen to your parents' workshop?"

My parents had left me a small sewing workshop. We didn't have many employees, and my aunt had been managing it while I was studying.

"Auntie, Luis Fernando may not have a lot of money, but he has a good position. He told me he works in a family company, and if we could get some money, we could start a haute couture business," I said, recalling one of the many promises and plans we had for the future.

"Hmm, there's something about that boy that I don't like, Victoria. You should know," my aunt expressed her concern.

"We're not going to start this again, aunt," I said impatiently.

"I worry about you and your happiness. You've barely known this Luis for a year or so," my aunt said, showing her unease.

"Well, auntie, these five months have been the best of my life. And when Luis Fernando proposed to me, I thought it was all a dream. I still think it is," I said.

"But my dear..."

"But nothing, auntie. Please don't ruin my happiness. You've already met my mother-in-law Adelaida, and my father-in-law is on a business trip, so you can relax now."

"Oh, Victoria, all of this seems like madness to me, but it's your decision, and I respect it. I just hope you're not mistaken," my aunt conceded.

"Auntie, I'm in love. Luis Fernando is the man I love, and I know he loves me too. Let's find the dress; we're running late, and everything has to be perfect tomorrow," I said, unable to look at her, but knowing that my eyes were sparkling with happiness.

We went to speak to the priest to confirm the time. There was another wedding later that day, so the priest requested punctuality.

I was so excited I couldn't fall asleep. It had been a long day, and despite feeling tired, it was impossible to drift off. So, I picked up my phone and sent a message to the love of my life.

"Love, I'm so happy I can't sleep from all this happiness. I love you!"

I waited a couple of minutes and received a response.

"I'm happy too, my love. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

"I wish it was morning already," I confessed.

I waited, but there was no response. I knew he had gone out to dinner with his mother to figure out some work and family details. I didn't want to bother him, so I put my phone aside and closed my eyes, hoping to finally fall asleep.

I didn't know how long I had been asleep when the sound of my phone woke me up. I picked it up without looking at the screen and responded, still half asleep.

"Hello, who's this?"

"Victoria, dear, is Fernando with you?"

"What? No, why?" I said, still groggy.

"He went to the hotel where we were staying. He was a bit drunk, and he's not answering my calls. I'm at an old friend's house I bumped into. Could you go and check if he's okay?" my mother-in-law asked anxiously.

I sat on the bed, feeling my nerves escalate. Could something bad have happened to him on our wedding day?

"Victoria, dear, are you there?" my mother-in-law asked, expecting my response.

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry. In which room is he?"

"Hmm, I think it's room 406. Just ask for Mrs. Giles' reservation at the reception desk to confirm."

"Okay, I'll go there now."

"Thank you, dear. See you soon!" she said and hung up.

I put on a simple dress, the first one I found, my slippers, and headed out to find Luis Fernando. As I made my way there, all I asked for was that nothing bad had happened to him.

I arrived at the hotel; I already knew which one it was because we had breakfast here the morning before with his mother and my aunt. I approached the receptionist.

"Good evening, excuse me... Mrs. Giles' room?"

"Please give me a moment," the receptionist said, typing something into the computer. "It's room 408, miss."

"Is this not room 406?" I asked, just to make sure that maybe my mother-in-law had confused me.

"No, miss, Mrs. Giles' reservation is for room 408."

"Alright, thank you very much," I said as I continued on my way to the room.

Once I found it, I encountered Luis Fernando's driver coming out of the room.

"Is he alright?" I asked him without giving him a chance to finish leaving.

"Yes, he's a little drunk but he'll be fine," I barely heard those words and felt like I could breathe again.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked me.

"Yes, it's just that I haven't been able to sleep well and now with this scare my mother-in-law gave me," I didn't know why I felt the need to tell him my things, but I did.

"Take a glass of water, Miss Victoria, and calm down a bit," he said apologetically as he offered me the glass.

I took it without thinking and drank almost all the water in a couple of gulps, I didn't realize how thirsty I was.

But it wasn't just that, I started feeling strange, everything was spinning and the driver's voice sounded distorted.

"Miss, are you alright?"

"I think everything is spinning..." but before I could finish speaking, I was already in his arms.

He held onto me and took me to the room, leaving me on the bed where Luis Fernando was.

I lay down, waiting for the dizziness to pass, but Luis Fernando started moving and stretching his hands while groaning. I tried to coordinate my movements and reach him, but it was very difficult, I felt like my whole body had turned to cotton and was floating.

Suddenly, I felt my sweet love take my arm and pull me towards him. We had made a purity pact, we were not going to have intimacy until marriage, but I could feel his desperation in his body. He positioned himself on top of me and started kissing me as if there was no tomorrow. His kisses were rough, but I could feel his need for me. He took one of my breasts in his hand, causing me to let out a moan. He growled and guided his mouth to my neck while his other hand touched my leg, causing my dress to rise.

I could feel his manly need between his legs, and although I wanted to succumb to the pleasure that his kisses and caresses were causing me, something inside me screamed to stop. I tried to push him away, but I could barely move him.

He kissed me again with that urgency, and before I knew it, he had already slipped his hand between my legs, and his touch was driving me crazy. I felt myself getting wet with the touch of his fingers. I wanted to stop, but at the same time, I desired more.

He placed his tongue on my nipple and then gently bit it, causing me to squirm beneath him. I felt my dress tearing as he tore it to shreds, but at that moment, I didn't care. My hands roamed over his bare chest as he positioned himself to take what I had kept guarded for so long.

I felt a bit of pain, and he groaned as he entered me, but we both needed this. We desired it, and he began to move in and out. The pain increased, and even though I asked him to go slowly, he ignored me.

He went deeper with each thrust, my nails digging into his back, the pain didn't go away, but I could feel a bit of pleasure. Suddenly, I felt my whole body tense, reaching climax at the same time as he did.

"As a professional English novel writer, you will need to rewrite a novel in English. Please be careful to keep the paragraph structure in its original state and do not add any additional explanations."

I woke up, feeling a bit sore from the previous night. I swear I felt like I was possessed, drugged, but that couldn't be true. I pushed those thoughts out of my head, but it only got worse. I realized that I had lost my virginity before our wedding. Of course, in a few hours, that wouldn't be a problem, but I still felt embarrassed.

I turned over to find Luis Fernando, but the room was empty. There was a box on the bed with a pretty dress inside, and a card on top of it.

"Hope this compensates for the harm I've caused."

The card had no name on it, but there were the initials M.S on the back.

This piqued my curiosity, but maybe I just picked the first card I saw. I dressed in my new outfit, a beautiful turquoise cocktail dress with little sparkles on the neckline, my favorite color.

I looked at the time and realized I was running late to get ready for my wedding. So, I rushed out of the hotel and headed straight to my aunt's house, who was a bit anxious and upset that I had left without notice.

"Sorry, aunt!" I said as I walked in.

"We'll have time for explanations later. Now, hurry up, the makeup and hairstylists are here."

I nodded and went up to my room. I took off my beautiful new dress and stored it to keep it from getting ruined. I would wear it on our honeymoon.

After a couple of hours, I was ready. The wedding dress was simple, with no embellishments or sparkles. It was a mermaid-style gown with a discreet back neckline, chosen for me by Luis Fernando's mother. It didn't impress me; it wasn't my style at all. But I appreciated the gesture and accepted it with affection.

I got into our car, where my aunt would drive me to the church. We were already running 10 minutes late. As we drove to the church, I told my aunt what had happened. She just looked at me with disapproval but didn't say anything. I knew she was holding back to not upset me on my wedding day.

We arrived at the church, and it was empty. Luis Fernando's car was not there, neither was his mother. Only the workshop employees who wanted to accompany me on this day were present.

My aunt got out of the car, somewhat concerned. I could feel it.

"Wait here. I'll see what's going on."

LISA

There was something about that boy that I didn't like. I had told my niece several times, but she was blinded by love. It was understandable, but I liked what had happened last night even less.

I approached Maria, one of the workshop employees.

"What's going on? Why are you all outside the church?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Lisa, but no one is there, only the priest."

"What do you mean... and Luis Fernando?"

"We haven't seen him," she confessed.

Something triggered my alarm that this wasn't right. I had gone through the same thing years ago, and I didn't want my girl to go through it too.

I could see Victoria gesturing for me to come over, but I didn't have the strength to tell her that maybe her future husband would never show up.

I gathered my courage and walked up to Victoria.

"Vicky, darling, can I borrow your phone?" She looked at me curiously but handed me her phone without objecting.

I hurriedly dialed Luis Fernando's number, but it went to voicemail. I dialed his mother's number, but it also went to voicemail.

Something was not right. Minutes passed, and the priest came out of the church.

"Ma'am, if the bride and groom don't arrive within 20 minutes, I will consider the ceremony concluded, as I have another wedding to attend."

"Give me 5 more minutes, Father," I nodded, and he went back inside the church.

I dialed that guy's number again. I was on edge, refusing to accept that they would leave my niece standing there in her wedding dress. It rang a couple of times, and he answered.

"Luis Fernando, where are you? Victoria is outside the church waiting for you!"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Lisa, I can't marry her after what she did last night."

I felt my blood boil. How could he say that after taking her innocence?

"How dare you say that after spending the night with her?"

I felt the sarcastic laughter.

"No, ma'am, your niece didn't sleep with me last night. She woke up in the arms of a stranger."

"How can you say that when it was your driver who escorted her to your room?"

"Oh, is that what she told you? Mrs. Lisa, she arrived asking for the gentleman in room 408 when mine was 406, so please excuse me, but I don't want to know anything more about you."

I could hear in the distance the announcement for boarding a flight before hanging up the call.

I felt my tears fall from my eyes. This imbecile had deceived her, stole her innocence, and now pretended to be the victim.

"Aunt, what happened? Why hasn't Luis Fernando arrived?"

VICTORIA

"Which room did you say you stayed in last night?" My aunt asked me.

I looked at her strangely but answered calmly.

"In 408, that was the room under my mother-in-law's name."

When she turned around, I saw that she was crying. I felt my blood run cold, knowing that nothing good was going to come out of her mouth.

"He's not coming, Victoria. He says you slept with someone else."

I felt like my world was crumbling beneath my feet, like I was running out of air, and I ran as far as I could, to a small prayer chapel in the church.

I held onto a bench and cried until I couldn't cry anymore.

"We will find that disgraceful man and make him pay for this. I won't allow him to mock you, or say all those things."

"It doesn't matter anymore, aunt. The only thing I thought was perfect has disappeared," I said through tears.

"You can't let a man bring you down, my daughter. You're worth so much more. I know it hurts, but you have to pick yourself up and move forward. Eventually, you'll find a way to get back at that miserable man."

"And how will we do that, aunt? He's not from here, I don't even know where he lives."

"We'll hire an investigator."

"And how will we pay for that?"

"I'll sell part of the workshop if necessary." I knew the workshop was the only thing my parents had left behind and it was very precious to my aunt. I couldn't let her do that.

"No, aunt, you won't do that. We'll have to think of another way to handle things."

"I can help you," I heard a man's voice speak behind me.

"Who are you?"

"The person who will help you with your revenge."

"How...how will you do that?" my aunt asked nervously.

"One favor, for another favor."

"Of course, I knew everything has a price. And what is yours?" I asked reluctantly.

"Marry me."

MAXIMILIANO

"What the hell?" I exclaimed as I struck the table.

"Watch your language," my father reprimanded me.

"It's not fair that I have to sacrifice myself in order to earn respect," I said exasperatedly.

"Maximiliano, lower your attitude. Don't forget who you're talking to," he challenged.

I took a deep breath, poured myself a whiskey, and sat back down in front of him. My father was stubborn, arrogant, cold, and calculating when it came to business. After my mother died, he immersed himself in his large corporations until he remarried. Now, in his old age, he wanted to ensure that his blood and non-blood children received what was rightfully theirs.

"I am your son, the only one who bears your blood," I bitterly reminded him.

"I know, but I can't be unfair to your brothers, Max," he said wearily. "I have already talked to Samuel and Ignacio."

"And what are you going to force them to do?"

"Son, asking you to get married in order to obtain majority shares in the company and the presidency is not because I am a bad father. It's so that you won't be alone," he explained.

"I think whether I am alone or not is my own business."

"Yes, I know, but I won't live forever, and loneliness is the worst companion there is. I don't want to leave this world knowing that my only son, from the only love of my life, would be left alone."

I glared at him; I couldn't believe he was asking me to marry as a condition to claim what rightfully belonged to me.

"And what if I don't get married?" I challenged.

"You won't receive anything related to the companies. I know you have your own business and you opened a textile company, so you won't need money," he replied.

"That's not fair!" I shouted. "You know well that I don't need that presidency, you just said it yourself." I saw the exhaustion in my father's eyes; he knew it wouldn't be easy for me to accept.

"I know, but I also know that these companies are important, they belonged to your mother, that's why I kept them. And I don't think you'd agree to let any of your brothers handle them. They are not bad boys, but they are not as good in business as you are. I fear a bad investment could lead us to bankruptcy."

"I'm not going to get married, Dad," I calmly told him.

"You won't be alone, so it's up to you. Either you keep everything or you get nothing."

"You should give me something, after all, I'm your son, Dad." I tried to make him understand, but my father was as stubborn as me, if not more.

"You won't inherit anything after my death. Everything will remain as stated in the will. The house is the only thing you can claim once you get married, along with 10% of the shares when you have a child."

"What? Have you gone mad? I'm doing just fine with my bachelor life; nothing bad will happen to me if you die."

"Having a different woman every night is not a life, Maximiliano. If you want to claim your damn inheritance and preserve your mother's legacy, you will do as I told you. You have one month to present me a spouse."

"One month?" I said angrily, feeling the urge to punch him in the face.

"Yes, after a month, if you don't bring a lady, whether married or engaged to you, the companies will pass to your brothers."

"You can't do this to me."

"I already told you, Maximiliano, you have one month. Now, if you excuse me, you may leave."

I felt my anger running through my veins. Who did this old man think he was? I wanted to strangle him, but he was my father, the only thing I had.

I stormed out of the office, got into my car, grabbed my phone, and called my best friend, Joshua.

"Hey, Maximin," he affectionately called me.

"I'm not in the mood, Joshua. I need to see you urgently at the company."

And with that, I hung up and headed to the textile company. It was still relatively small and just starting out, but it would be a total success. We would have high-quality fabrics with varied and innovative designs that would take us to the top.

After a while, Joshua arrived.

"What's up, buddy?"

"I've had a problem with my father," I told him as he took a seat and listened attentively.

"And what do you want us to do?"

"What are the possibilities of challenging that will?"

"Knowing your father and his lawyers, there's a possibility of... none, it's impossible unless you can prove that the will has been tampered with."

"Something that is impossible, knowing my father, he must have at least one or two copies."

"Then I recommend you quickly find a woman and get married. You have 30 days to come back married to your father's house." he said, smiling.

"Don't be foolish, there must be another solution. I don't want to be married to a woman I don't love. Who can fall in love in 30 days? It's the biggest stupidity."

"I didn't say you have to fall in love, and your father never said that either. He only asked for you to be married. We can draft a prenuptial and postnuptial agreement, and once you receive the inheritance, a generous sum can be given to the victim and you'll be free, keeping your companies" he said victoriously.

I thought about it for a moment.

"Not every woman agrees to get married under a contract" I cautioned him in case he hadn't considered that point.

"I know, and luckily I have a friend in Cansas who would gladly accept a contract with a man like you, especially if you're offering a good amount of money."

"You take care of arranging the date at a church in Cansas, and I'll ensure she gets there" he said, his confidence was eerie, but in this predicament I had no choice but to accept.

And here I am in a beautiful hotel, waiting for my best friend to show up with the woman who will be my wife.

"Darling, I didn't expect to see you here" said the voice of a woman as she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" I said, quite surprised.

"I've come to visit a relative. I heard what your father talked to you about. It's a shame you didn't manage to get married. You only have five days left, Maxi."

"Don't call me that" I said through gritted teeth. I couldn't stand that woman calling me by my mother's name. "I'm busy, excuse me."

"Don't leave yet, at least have a drink with me" she said, holding onto my arm. "It will just be a drink, I'm waiting for my chauffeur, trust me."

She ordered two tequilas and we toasted.

"I would marry you, but I'm already married, so let's toast to my marriage and your singleness" she laughed ironically and drank her shot. I did the same, hoping she would leave my table.

Suddenly, everything started to move. I felt dizzy. Someone had put something in my drink.

"You'll pay for this, you damn woman."

I felt someone helping me, taking me somewhere. I assumed it was to my room, but how could they know which room I was in?

"512" I said with difficulty. That was my room.

I tried to walk as best as I could. They helped me remove my clothes, leaving me only in my boxer briefs, lying on the bed like a miserable wretch. I stayed calm, waiting for the drug to wear off.

It was dark. I could feel someone lying next to me. It smelled like vanilla and coconut, a strange but divine combination. I reached out with my hands until I reached where the woman was. As soon as I felt her skin, my body started to burn. I felt like I was going to be consumed by the flames. Somehow, I pulled her closer and got on top of her. I kissed her desperately, needing to calm the desires that had awakened within me. To my surprise, she didn't resist for long and eventually surrendered to me. I released all the energy that had been building up and collapsed on the side.

I didn't remember much from the previous night. Next to me was a young woman with fair skin, her back still bare. At the lower part of her spine, there was a heart-shaped mole that caught my attention. I wanted to touch her and make her mine again, but I stopped myself. I had to get married in a few hours.

When I got up, I noticed that parts of the sheets, as well as my member, were stained with blood.

"Damn it, she was a virgin" I said in my head. I must have been too drugged to notice. Did I hurt her?

I grabbed my clothes and among them was a torn dress. In my mind, the memory of when I ripped the garment to leave her naked came back.

So, I went downstairs and went to look for a dress similar to the pieces I had. I chose a simple one with some jewels in a turquoise shade. I knew it would make her radiant with her skin tone. I sent Nicolas, my chauffeur, to place it in the room before she woke up.