Chapter 15

BEAUTIFUL CAGE

I gazed through the tinted glass, the cityscape becoming a mere streak as we raced along the highway. A line of polished black vehicles led the way, a stark reminder that my autonomy had slipped away. This wasn’t just another day—it was the day. The day I would become Lysander Vincenzo’s wife, the man whose name was spoken in hushed tones but who now occupied the very core of my existence.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, attempting to alleviate the pressure building in my chest. Yet, nothing seemed to ease the weight.

"Are you alright?" Ava's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts, laced with an unmistakable tension.

I nodded, though I couldn’t tell if I was reassuring her or myself.

"Yeah, just... feeling a bit anxious."

Ava shot me a look that clearly conveyed, the understatement of the year, but she remained silent. We both understood that there was no turning back now.

As we arrived at the Vincenzo estate, I was struck by the sheer extravagance that enveloped