In front of the mirror, my reflection looks calm and composed. But inside, I'm filled with nerves. It's a big night. I observed myself, wearing a simple black dress with my long hair down, as if I were going to a wake. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK! "Can I come in?" It was Brother Enzo's voice, so I immediately turned around and saw him peeking in with a smile on his lips. "You know you're always welcome, Brother Enzo. I'm just checking my look before I make my grand entrance," I said, and Brother chuckled softly before giving my outfit a once-over. "Yeah, I see. It looks like you've really prepared for your first meeting with your fiance," he teased, but I knew he was also worried about me, which is why he came here. I've been ready for a while now, yet I'm still up here and haven't gone downstairs. He knows I'm just hiding out in my room. He took a deep breath as I lowered my head, and I felt his hand on my shoulder, so I turned to look at him as he sat down in front of me. "You're stalling, Chiara. It's okay; you don't have to pretend with me. I don't like this arranged marriage either," he said, so I looked at him. "There must be a way to stop this, right?" I asked, my eyes brimming with tears. "He's not serious about marrying me, is he?" I asked. "And it's not just any Montello, Brother. We're talking about Ethan Harris Montello. He's a monster!" I exclaimed, and he let out a harsh breath at my words. "But father is a man of his word. He made the deal with the Montello elders, and he won't back out of it now," he said, and I shook my head. Why is this happening to me? I felt him hug me, so I just closed my eyes. brother Enzo may be hotheaded, but he's always been gentle with me. This family is incredibly important to him. "Hey, I'm worried about you too. If this truce doesn't hold, who knows what could happen to you? Our family has been at war with the Montello family for decades. We may be at peace for now, but I doubt it will last," he said. "Do you think there will be another war between our family and theirs?" I asked, and he took a deep breath. "I don't know. This hatred is in our blood. It won't disappear just because we've been promised peace. Keep your wits about you, Chiara. Stay guarded around Ethan. He may be your husband soon, but he'll always be our sworn enemy," Brother reminded me firmly. Married to my sworn enemy. Fate sure has a strong sense of humor when it comes to shaping your destiny. Fine, I'll do my best. No matter who I marry, in my heart, I'll always be a Bianchi. I looked at Brother. "Come on. I should join the party before father sends out a search party," I said, and he offered his hand to me, which I accepted. I was incredibly nervous about making my entrance, knowing that I'd see Ethan there. I can't believe this is happening. This engagement feels like a bad dream...
Chapter 1
My engagement party was planned down to the last exquisite detail, but not by me. Just like my engagement itself, the family elders took care of all the arrangements.
The guests started whispering as I passed by. A Bianchi wedding is a big deal for everyone, but it's even more so because I'm marrying Ethan Harris Montello.
Everyone here is probably betting on whether Ethan and I will actually get married. That's how unbelievable this all seems.
My father is in the middle of the room, standing with Lucan Montello and another man whose back is turned to me. I walked closer to them.
"Ah. And here is my daughter," Daddy said as I approached. "Finally, principessa. You've come to join us. What took you so long?" he asked.
I forced a smile. "Well, I was trying to make my escape. But it turns out the window in my room is too high, so I thought I'd take my chances with this party instead," I said, and Mr. Montello, Ethan's father, nearly choked on his wine at my words. The others fell silent, while my father burst into loud laughter, which made me roll my eyes inwardly.
"Well, we're honored that you decided to join us. This is your party, after all. Now, without further ado, it's time to introduce you to your betrothed. Chiara, this is Ethan, your fiancƩ," Daddy said.
"Hello, Chiara." My first glimpse of him sent a jolt through me. He's even more attractive than I was led to believe.
Broad shoulders, a strong jaw, sculpted cheeks. In that crisp designer suit, his presence is undeniable, and it's undeniable that he has an effect on me. But he's a Montello, so I need to keep my composure.
"Hello," I greeted him with minimal enthusiasm.
"Come on. Surely you can muster a little more excitement. You're meeting your fiancƩ for the first time, after all," he said, but I remained silent.
"Maybe she's saving her enthusiasm for the wedding night," Ethan's father joked, making me want to gag. I frowned and quickly looked away at the other guests.
"Or maybe she's just being true to how she feels. I doubt she's thrilled to be marrying me," Ethan remarked, making me turn to him in surprise. I didn't expect him to speak up for me.
But he shows no sign of solidarity with me. He just stares blankly back.
Is he this emotionless all the time? We're about to get married, but when he looks at me, it's as if I'm just a piece of paper to him.
"I'm sure any woman would be thrilled to marry someone like you, my son. Your prowess is unmatched," his father said, laughing softly, though I couldn't tell if it was sarcastic towards me or his father.
"Though I suppose not every woman appreciates a powerful, alpha man. Not every woman can handle it," Mr. Montello continued, making me cross my arms and glare at him.
"And not every man can handle an independent, capable woman. I suppose we'll see, won't we?" I boldly retorted before turning to look at Ethan.
Something flickered across Ethan's face, but I couldn't quite tell what it was. Amusement? Irritation? Well, it's hard to read the man I'm about to marry. I rolled my eyes internally.
"She's a brave one, Carlo. I suppose she gets that from her mother too, not just her looks," Mr. Montello said with a smile.
"Bianchi women are always spirited, but once you earn their loyalty, they'll stand by your side through thick and thin," Dad said proudly.
"Good to hear," Mr. Montello replied.
"If Ethan wants to earn my loyalty, he has his work cut out for him," I said, which made Ethan suddenly laugh.
"I find most people bend to my will easily enough. I'm sure it won't be any different with you," he said, and I gasped at his words, but eventually, I smirked back at him.
"Then I wish you luck, Montello. You'll need it with me."
"We'll see, Bianchi," I said sarcastically, though the truth was, I really wanted to grab the gun from Daddy's pocket and shoot the man in front of me.
He met my challenging gaze with a confident smirk. He didn't look intimidated at all. In fact, it seemed like he was enjoying seeing me irritated with him. Marrying this man is definitely not a good idea.
"Well, look at this! Sparks are already flying. Perhaps you and I should play matchmaker more often, Lucan," Dad said to Ethan's father, which immediately made me frown.
"But is it a match made in heaven or hell? Only time will tell," Mr. Montello said with a laugh.
Ethan's lips curled, but he maintained that cool exterior. His intense eyes were fixed on me, as if studying my every move.
Pushing Ethan's buttons could turn out to be surprisingly fun, but I know Dad wants me to keep the peace.
But because he annoyed me, I have no intention of keeping the peace between us.
"What do you think, Montello? Will being married to me feel more like heaven or hell?" I teased, and he suddenly grinned before slowly approaching me. We were just an inch apart.
"There's a third option, you know. Purgatory." His face remained as flat as his tone. Needling him isn't as easy as I'd hoped.
I rolled my eyes and quickly looked away. My chest was rising and falling with irritation. I swear, I'd bury him alive!
"Perhaps we should speak alone, Chiara," he said, making me look at him again. What is he up to? I glared at him from head to toe. "Well, you know, we can talk without our interfering fathers looking over our shoulders," he added, making me pause and consider his suggestion. Well, he has a point.
"Fine, I guess I could show you the gardens," I said.
"Let's go then," he replied with a small smile, which I inwardly rolled my eyes at.
Ethan didn't even bother to feign interest in the gardens. He looked unimpressed by everything Bianchi, including me.
Right, the only thing that matters to Ethan Harris Montello is his business. He's all about making money and spending it. What a man.
I crossed my arms as I faced him, looking at him with disinterest. "So, why did you want us to speak alone?" I asked.
"Why do you think? It wouldn't hurt for us to get to know each other better before our big day," he said, making me grimace.
"It might hurt," I said, and he suddenly chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"Maybe, but just the right amount of pain can feel a lot like pleasure," he said, and my eyes widened at his words. Wait, am I thinking the right thing? Or is my mind just going dirty? But then he flashed a mischievous grin, confirming my suspicion. Damn him!
"Don't believe me? I'd be happy to prove it to you any time you like. How about right now?"
My cheeks instantly flushed as he gently stroked them. We've only been alone for five minutes, and he's already making innuendos. We haven't even properly greeted each other yet.
I quickly pushed him away from me. "Thanks for your generous offer, but I'm going to have to decline. I've been saving myself for my wedding night," I said as I hugged myself, and he chuckled softly again.
"Yes, your father mentioned that..."
"What? That I'm a virgin? I'm not ashamed that I decided to wait. I thought I'd marry for love, not politics."
Though that decision seems like a waste now. I'm not marrying for love; I'm marrying someone I hate. Have I really missed out on my chance to know true passion? Ethan's ice-cold. I thought my marriage would have more heat.
He sighed.
"For the record, this isn't how I imagined my future either. In fact, I planned to never get married at all."
"Really? Why?" I asked, puzzled.
"Do I strike you as the sentimental type, Chiara? I prefer to be on my own," he said without emotion.
"What about love?" I asked, and he smirked.
"Love? I don't know that word, Bianchi. For me... love is a weakness, and I have no weaknesses." I took a deep breath before smiling bitterly. I hear the truth. Now, I know where our future is heading.
"Strange, isn't it? We only just met tonight, and next week we'll be married," he sighed too.
"Yeah. It's a short engagement. I guess they just didn't want to give us time to back out," he said, hands in his pockets.
"Everything's happening so fast. A few weeks ago, you were my enemy. Now I'm meeting you tonight as my fiancƩ," I said, taking a deep breath to calm myself.
"We've barely spoken to each other-"
"-and we haven't even kissed yet."
"Yeah-Huh? Wh-What?!" I was stunned and felt like I had misheard him. I quickly wiped away the tears forming in my eyes, becoming emotional while he...
To Be Continued..
Chapter 1 My engagement party
13/08/2024
Chapter 2 our first kiss
13/08/2024
Chapter 3 Our marriage
13/08/2024
Chapter 4 My wedding day
13/08/2024
Chapter 5 our honeymoon
13/08/2024
Chapter 6 the penthouse
13/08/2024
Chapter 7 His business meeting
24/08/2024
Chapter 8 our marriage
24/08/2024
Chapter 9 he flirting
24/08/2024
Chapter 10 Our honeymoon
24/08/2024
Chapter 11 The Flowers
24/08/2024
Chapter 12 kissed
24/08/2024
Chapter 13 Out dinner
24/08/2024
Chapter 14 Family members
24/08/2024
Chapter 15 Suspected
24/08/2024
Chapter 16 About my brother
24/08/2024
Chapter 17 The annulment
24/08/2024
Chapter 18 Our relationship
24/08/2024
Chapter 19 The party
24/08/2024
Chapter 20 The guests
24/08/2024
Chapter 21 the anniversary party
24/08/2024
Chapter 22 Pretending
24/08/2024
Chapter 23 My wife
19/09/2024
Chapter 24 the mission
19/09/2024
Chapter 25 Kisses
19/09/2024
Chapter 26 desire and genuine love
19/09/2024
Chapter 27 Enemies
19/09/2024
Chapter 28 Hiding your relationship
19/09/2024
Chapter 29 The Mariani Family
19/09/2024
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