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...Episode 1 – ...

...The white satin slid against my skin, cold and foreign, as if it had never been made for me. My reflection in the mirror showed a bride I didn’t recognize. The pearls sewn onto the bodice sparkled under the chandelier light, but my eyes held no light—only a dizzying mix of fear and uncertainty....

...— Breathe, Skylar… I whispered to myself, barely convincing....

...The doors opened behind me....

...— It’s time, a man in a black suit announced sharply, one of Alexandre’s guards....

...I nodded, though my legs trembled. There was no choice—this marriage wasn’t a fairy tale, it was a contract sealed in blood and power....

...---...

...The music played, solemn, suffocating. The grand hall was filled with men in dark suits, women with icy stares, and an atmosphere heavy as a storm about to break....

...And then… him....

...Alexandre....

...He stood at the end of the aisle, motionless, imposing. His silhouette cut through the shadows, eyes like steel piercing every thought, every breath. He was dangerously beautiful, the kind of man you couldn’t ignore or forget....

...My heart raced so fast I was afraid he could hear it. I knew the stories. Alexandre Moretti. Just the name alone made his enemies tremble. Cold. Calculating. Unpredictable. And now… my husband....

...Every step toward him was both a step closer to him and a step away from freedom....

...When I reached him, he didn’t smile. He didn’t reach for my hand. He just studied me, as if I were a puzzle he never asked to solve....

...The priest began to speak, but all I heard was a ringing in my ears. My lips murmured the expected words—I do—while inside, I screamed....

...The moment Alexandre spoke his vows, his voice rang like both a promise and a threat:...

...— I take you as mine....

...Nothing more. No love. No tenderness. Only a raw, cutting declaration....

...When his lips brushed mine to seal our union, the shiver that ran through me wasn’t one of gentle passion—it was a storm, icy and possessive....

...---...

...The reception passed like a broken dream. Laughter, music, champagne… everything felt unreal. But my eyes kept returning to Alexandre. Calm, distant, his gestures measured, his glances sharp. He barely touched me, as if our contact were only a role to play for the guests....

...Finally, when the crowd dispersed, he led me to the bridal suite. His steps were heavy, shoulders tense. My heart felt like it would tear itself apart....

...I gathered my courage....

...— Why me? I asked, my voice trembling but firm. You could have had any woman… so why me?...

...His eyes darkened, and a cold smile ghosted across his lips....

...— Because you’re the only one no one can take from me....

...His words fell like a verdict....

...Before I could respond, he stepped closer, his hand cupping my cheek. His touch was both tender and possessive, burning yet freezing....

...— You’re mine now, Skylar. Never forget that....

...His lips crushed against mine with an intensity that stole my breath. I felt the storm, the danger, the repressed desire lurking beneath his marble facade. My body responded despite myself, betrayed by the fire coursing through my veins. But my mind… my mind screamed....

...I realized, in that instant, that I had stepped into a gilded cage. Beautiful, luxurious… but a cage nonetheless....

...And in Alexandre’s eyes, there was no escape....

...---...

...Later that night, I overheard him on the phone, his voice low and sharp:...

...— Eliminate him. This is not a request....

...I froze. A chill ran down my spine. The rumors were true. He wasn’t just a powerful man of business… he was a king of shadows, the master of an empire built on fear and blood....

...And I… I was bound to him....

...For better… or worse....

...---...

...✨ Cliffhanger:...

...I slipped under the covers, pretending to sleep as he entered the room. I felt his weight settle beside me, his hand resting on my waist....

...He whispered, close to my ear:...

...— You’re mine, Skylar. And I will destroy anyone who tries to take you from me....

...My breath caught....

...In that moment, I knew: this marriage wasn’t a fairy tale. It was the beginning of a war....

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