CHAPTER ONE

THIS WAS IT.

The day I would be delivered and given as a sacrificial lamb to my father's enemies. They claimed it was a pact— a ritual that had been going on for generations upon generations as a way to siphon our family businesses. I called it modern slavery. Somehow it felt the 1500’s where daughters were pimped out to spouses old enough to be their daughters or granddaughters. Which made me scared because I had no idea who I was betrothed to. What kind of man was he? What did he look like? Would I even be attracted to him?

Those questions I didn't have the answer to, but what I knew was that I was officially signing off my happiness in exchange for my father to live happily. I hated that I had to do all these, but I had no choice.

“Remember, Ariadne,” Mom said with feigned excitement. She was not a good actress; I could read her like an open book and I wished she stopped trying. For both our sakes. “Marriage to the Russos is something everyone in this society is dying for. They are a family of power and influential wealth. Can you imagine how many doors would be open for us? It's a dream of every average family. Believe me.”

The only door that would be open would be that of a psychiatric ward, or the prison cells because I was sure of one thing: either I fought until I murdered someone, or he would finally break me hence admitting me to a ward. None of those options were appealing though.

I could taste the bile in my throat and I swallowed it as I faked a smile at Mom through the full-length mirror, and then nodded.

She seemed pleased with my immediate compliance because she grinned, tucking a strand of stubborn hair behind my ear.

“Do you know him?” I finally mustered the courage to ask. “The man to whom I'll be betrothed to, I mean. I heard Valeria and Anna talking about how the Russos are ruthless and… I don't know… what is he like? What does he look like?”

I hoped he wasn't a beast. I'd read the Beauty and the Beast and let me tell you, it was only romantic on paper. No one actually wanted a beast. I know I didn't.

“Oh, Santiago is not bad at all. It's his Uncle you should be worried about. Ruthless, merciless and a killer, everyone is scared of him,” Mom told me with a sigh. “Thankfully, you were not given to him. If it were him, I would have gone through the ends of the world to ensure you weren't bonded to that beast for eternity.”

Then what's stopping you from going through the ends of the world now, Mom? I wanted to ask, but bit my tongue.

It was no secret that my mother was a coward and a follower. She loved my father to a fault and his words were always final. Luckily, I'd inherited my stubborn streak from my father. I was as stubborn as they come, and father always told me I wouldn't be able to survive in their world.

“All done,” Mom finally announced. “My daughter is the most beautiful girl in our society.”

I wasn't. Valentina was, with her doll like features, except raven hair that fell down her back in long waves. She was a stunner, and anyone who said she wasn't was simply a H–A–T–E–R.

“We should get going. We wouldn't want to keep our guests waiting.”

I gave her a small smile. “I doubt they are waiting down for me. Party goes on either way.”

Mom grinned, lightly pinching my cheek. “You really have no idea how this settings go.”

“Because you and Dad have always kept me away from Society business,” I retorted.

“Now that is changing.”

With one glance at the mirror, I captured my last look and seemingly contented with what I was seeing, I walked out of my from with Mom.

With each step I took, I could feel bits of my freedom leave. What was I to expect the moment I went down there? Would Santiago be happy with what he saw? Would I be happy? What was my future look like from tomorrow? Again, I had no answer to those questions.

The party was in full swing. People— men and women of different caliber stood in the ballroom, having chats, some dancing to the slow music, some drinking, some bored to death by their expressions. My eyes wandered to the full room, and as my eyes met each man I felt was single, I wondered if he was my betrothed.

“Santiago isn't here yet,” Mom informed me in my ear. “ He's set to arrive with his Uncle, but something came up.”

My face fell. What could be more important than this night? “Oh,” was all I said before turning back to the crowd. Mom soon left me alone to talk to a friend if hers and I scanned the crowd in search of my best friend Georgina and I was deflated when I didn't see her.

Gianna hated this kinds of functions, and I didn't blame her. I wish I could have declined my own engagement. It would have been thrilling and fun to watch.

“Aria?”

My heart skipped a beat at that voice and the way he said my name. There was only one person who called me that…

“Matt,” I whispered before I turned to meet his overpowering blue eyes. “What are you doing here?” I managed to ask, lost in his eyes.

“I came to see you for the last time, before, you know…” he gestured to the room. His eyes held me captive as he studied me and I hated that he had the power to trap me with his gaze. “You look sad.”

I rolled my eyes, fighting a tear at his words. “Well thanks, Captain Obvious. Tell me you wouldn't be sad if you were going to be sold off to a man who came from the Mafia, and his family known to be ruthless.”

He winced at my words. “Shit, you're right. That came out wrong. I…” he ran a hand through his hair. “How are you doing?”

“I'll be better.” I shrugged. “I guess I should be thankful, I'm not being sold the greatest evil, right?”

“Yeah,” he offered me a sad smile. “Like Luca Russo. His Uncle — or should I say small Uncle. I mean he's only nine years older than him.”

Great. Everyone knew everything about my fiance except me. Good move, Mom and Dad.

“So…” I moved closer to him. “What are the Russos like?”

He scoffed. “Formidable beyond comprehension. That's the better description for them. They are the gods in this Society. Billionaires too. But I guess their virtue is the fact that they value justice.”

I don't know if Matt was trying to make me feel better, but I did. At Leary they had a good streak to them.

“That's good… for me, I guess.”

Matt nodded in agreement. “Yeah. So…” he started after a beat of silence. “You wanna… uhhh… get outta here for a sec to somewhere maybe private?”

The way he asked that, so unsure, so desperate, like we didn't share some kind of connection (still do), but fate had resigned us to a whole new different destiny. Now we were strangers with memories.

“Yeah, I…” I nodded and cleared my throat once. I was about to answer to that, to decline and tell him it was unnecessary now as I belonged to another.

I didn't know a lot about this tradition but I knew the dos and don'ts with debutantes. The first rule was that we were to remain untouched until our wedding night. Virgins had higher chances of being married. Non virgins simply implied you were defiled and stained and orchestrated from the society. Your family became a thing of mockery and so parents ensured their daughters adhered to the rules.

Following Matt to “somewhere private” was a bad move because I wasn't sure what might happen. We both liked each other but we never gave in to our carnal feelings because we knew we were never meant to be. He was the son of a guard, I was an elite. Well, middle class to most elites, but nevertheless…

“I don't think that's a good—”

As if on cue the hallway door swung open and everyone's heads swiveled to the direction, the room immediately going silent, and time stopping. Or was it me?

I wasn't someone that got surprised easily, nor did I get starstruck. My best friend used to say it was like I had a heart of ice. So, when the hunk of a man in a charcoal suit that seemed tailor made for him walked into the room, tall and imposing, domineering, full with power, my jaw dropped at the sight in front of me.

Was this my fiance? The man I was supposed to marry? Was this the Santiago Russo… the—

“Luca Russo,” Matt told me beside me and my heart dropped immediately as it leaped at the information. This was the Luca, the one everyone said was ruthless? He exuded power and dominance, and I should have known it couldn't have been Santiago. “God, I always seem to forget how much power he imposes. Wait… shouldn't his nephew be here with him?”

I was too busy ogling him — the Luca Russo— that I'd forgotten about the man I should be searching for. The man I was supposedly marrying soon.

“Maybe something came up,” I told him the same words mother told me, not bothering to look at him hence he saw the disappointment in my eyes.

Was this what my married life would be like? Be with a man who didn't care about me? How many times would he avoid me with the “something came up” excuses. This marriage was doomed before it even started.

I watched as Luca walked up to my parents who were in the midst of other elites, and their eyes lit up on seeing him. He said something to them, and then him, Dad and Mom excused themselves, moving to a distance. I was curious and concerned when I saw Dad and mom's faces fall at something he told them. Dad however seemed to catch him quick, and his gaze flickered to mine before turning to Mom.

I furrowed my brows in concern. What was happening?

“Is something wrong?” Matt nodded and I shook my head. “Not sure,” I said as Mom made her way to me with a smile that I knew was forced.

“Ariadne, darling,” she said in a feigned happy tone. “If your friend would excuse us, there is something we both have to discuss.”

“What? Where's Santiago?” She hooked her hands around my arm, not bothering to answer me as she dragged me along with her.

Luca's gaze swept through my body in a bored way as I made my way to them. I didn't need a fortune teller to tell me this man already hated me. Before he even knew me.

“Shall we, Mr. Russo?” Dad asked in a businesslike tone. Uh–oh. This wasn't good. At all. When Dad was all business and stuff, it meant there was trouble or trouble brewing.

“With pleasure,” Luca answered, his tone matching his bored look. He glanced at me, except this time it was with an indecipherable look. “After you ladies.”

Mom unceremoniously dragged me by the arm as my legs threatened to give out. I could feel lasers in the back of my head and it made my hairs stand. I wondered what got everyone acting strangely, and knowing my fate, it seemed it had to do with me.

I was Ariadne Moretti after all. I never seemed to catch a break.