Chapter 1

Aria

“He’s handsome, isn’t he?”

“Huh, who?” I smiled at my new friend, Stella. Of course, I knew who she was talking about. She was talking about the man I had been staring at for the past hours.

It was common at weddings for another woman to stare at the bride, but my eyes couldn’t leave one of the handsome groomsmen. Vincenzo Garcia.

Others had often said his late father was poison and that no one should get involved with him or the remaining Garcia’s, but I just couldn’t help myself. Maybe it was because my family was new in town, so whatever damage the Garcia’s might’ve done, it didn’t matter to me.

Or maybe it was because I loved trouble, and trouble loved me.

My name is Aria Morales, and I’m the 20-year-old only daughter and heir to Oscar and Talia Morales. To many, my father was known as an ambitious mafia boss with a lot of power, but to me, he was my hero and my mentor.

Perhaps that was why I had decided to tag along to an important wedding. I wasn’t that interested at first, but my dad said it would help us start an alliance with the Lambertis.

I watched as Vincenzo grabbed the hand of the bride and spun her around. “My new sister-in-law is beautiful, isn’t she?” Stella bragged. “Serena is so kind, gorgeous, brave.” She continued as I slowly observed the look on Vincenzo’s face.

“Is Vincenzo into her?” I asked Stella. “Vince?” She laughed out loud before shaking her head. “My brother and Vince are best friends. He would never.”

“Oh.”

The look on Vincenzo’s face said otherwise. It had almost seemed as if he was staring at his first love. I couldn’t help but imagine myself in Serena’s beautiful dress. How would things be if I was the one in that dress? How would things be if I was the one getting married to Vincenzo?

I was a determined person. I always got what I wanted, and at that moment, I had already decided I wanted him. He was mine. I would make him mine.

“Tell me more about him. They say his family is poison?”

“His dad was.” Stella nodded. “He was so twisted that the entire family wanted nothing to do with him, so he built his own empire instead.” She explained. “He was so obsessed with killing Serena and my niece, Siena, so all the families had to go against them, and Vincenzo gave my brother permission to kill his dad.”

“Damn.” I frowned, surprised. I came from a city where stuff like this didn’t happen. Everyone minded their own business, and there were no fights, but I liked fights. I loved the thrill of it.

“That’s not all.” Stella rested her chin on the palm of her hand. “Before his dad died, he shot him, and he was in a coma for quite some time—“

“But he can walk,” I spoke with sparkles in my eyes. He was the person I had been longing for. A fighter, a survivor, and someone worthy of standing beside me.

“But he can walk.” Stella shrugged. “He and his brother Nic have been trying to restore their dad’s damage, and they’ve managed to get all the others on board, but many of the families are still hesitant because of their family name.”

I chuckled at Stella’s explanation as I came up with a perfect solution to their little problem. “So what they need is an alliance with a powerful family?”

“Hmm.” Stella hummed. “It could be, but I don’t think anyone is willing to sacrifice themselves.”

I took in Stella’s words as I followed my target with my eyes. The groom made his way to Serena and Vincenzo before pulling them into a hug. Yes, he was drunk.

“Can you introduce me to Serena and your brother, Christian?”

Stella shot me a surprised look. “You’re a Morales, but you haven’t met my brother?”

“Yeah, I’m not that interested in meetings.” I yawned. I knew Christian Lamberti was the boss around here and that the Morales had to adjust, but I didn’t care about all of that, so I had never joined my dad to any of the meetings.

“Come on. I’ll introduce you to my brother!” Stella pulled me by my hand. “I have to warn you, though. He seems pretty drunk.”

“That’s okay.” I smiled, following her. Her brother was not my target anyway, so I didn’t mind. I felt my heart raise as we stepped closer and closer. This was it. I was finally about to meet him. The man I had been staring at for hours. What was happening to me?

“Chrissie!” Stella called out to her brother. He turned around with a bright smile and pulled her into his embrace while I awkwardly stood behind. My eyes moved to Vincenzo, but all he could stare at was the bride.

I cleared my throat, making all their heads turn to me. “Oh, right.” Stella clapped her hands. “I would like to introduce you to Oscar Morales’ daughter, Aria.”

“And Aria,” Stella turned to me. “This is my brother Christian, his wife, Serena and Vincenzo Garcia.”

I ignored Christian and Serena’s presence as I was desperate to lock my eyes with Vincenzo, but he wouldn’t even give me a single glance. “It’s nice to meet you, Ariel!” Christian shook my hand. “I’ve heard so much about you!”

Yes, he was far gone.

“Her name is not Ariel. It’s Aria!” The bride corrected him. “That’s what I said, right?” Christian mumbled, confused.

“Excuse him, I’m Serena—and I’m really glad you could make it!”

I stared at Serena, completely mesmerized by her beauty. She was gorgeous, and I could understand why Vincenzo couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

Had she not been married, she would’ve been my target instead. “You look like a goddess.” I blurted out of nowhere.

Serena got an embarrassed look on her face while Christian wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. “She does, doesn’t she?” He agreed. “You know, Ariel, many said you were spoiled and rude, but I like you!” He said. “You’re nice to my wife, so I like you!”

Serena placed her hand over Christian’s mouth and shot me an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry. Please excuse us!”

She dragged Christian out of our sight while Vincenzo made a turn to follow them—but before he could, Stella wrapped her arm around his wrist. “Vince, this is Aria.” She introduced me again. Stella seemed like someone who liked to observe others, so it probably wasn’t that difficult for her to find out my true intentions.

Vincenzo blinked his eyes a few times before staring into mine. There it was again, that weird feeling in my stomach. I tried to behave as normal as ever while the sides of Vincenzo’s lips had curled in a perfect smile. He softly grabbed my hand and planted his lips on top of it.

“Nice to meet you, Aria.” He locked his dark brown eyes with mine. “Vincenzo Garcia, call me Vince.”

“Y-yeah, I know.” I stuttered, pulling back my hand. Why was I being like this?

“Then you probably heard bad things about me.” Vince sighed with a slight smile on his lips. I tried to focus on his words, but I just couldn’t look away from him. Vince was handsome. He was too handsome for words.

“If you heard the things they said about me, you wouldn’t even look at me.” I breathed. I had heard it all before, and Christian was right. Many called me rude, spoiled, stuck up—but all I was was misunderstood.

As long as no one went against me or picked a fight, I could be a real sweetheart.

“You don’t seem all that bad to me,” Vince smirked. I turned to look for Stella, but she had already disappeared. “I feel the same about you,” I told Vince. “You honestly don’t seem that bad to me.”

Vince seemed delighted by my compliment and grew a shy smile on his lips. “I’m glad to hear that, Aria.”

We looked at each other in complete silence while I tried to find the words to say. I hated conversations as much as I hated people, but I wanted to talk to Vince. “So you and Christian are close?”

“Yes, we are,” Vince confirmed. “We’ve been best friends since we were children...who would’ve thought that he out of all people would get married one day?”

I gathered my courage and linked my arm with Vincenzo while he looked at me in full surprise. “Please tell me what he was like growing up. I’m curious.”

“Well,” Vince led me to the balcony, so we could get away from the loud music. I wasn’t that interested in Christian, but I was interested in him. “He was evil, bossy, uncaring, selfish, aggressive, and just a bad kid overall—but all of that has changed since he met Serena...that’s the kind of effect she has on people.”

Serena, there was that name again.

How would he even let me compete with a married woman?

“Did she also have that kind of effect on you?” I asked Vince. He looked startled and blinked his eyes. “W-what?”

“I mean, the two of you seem to be close friends.” I changed my original approach. She clearly meant a lot to him. “Yes.”

Vince’s answer was short, and I could tell by the look on his face that he did not want to talk about it. It gave me a good opportunity to look at his side profile, and I felt as if I was about to go crazy. I could only imagine what our future kids would look like.

Imagine both of our looks combined?

“So, are you seeing anyone?”

“Me?” Vince frowned. He stepped forward and brushed his hand against my arm. “Why are you asking?”

He wasn’t stupid.

“W-well, I-I y-you, e-eh—“

Vince laughed in my face and gave me a nudge against my shoulder. He was making fun of me, and I had just made a complete fool out of myself.

He turned his back, preparing himself to walk back inside.

“I don’t have the time or energy for a relationship.” He spoke. “But I appreciate you for trying.”

I gasped as he walked back inside. I liked challenges and I liked games, but I wouldn’t and couldn’t waste any time.

I had already made up my mind.

I would make him my husband, even if I had to do it by force.