Synopsis: Celeste Moreno was just an ordinary college girl-until the night her life was sold to the devil himself. Forced into a marriage she never chose, she becomes the hidden bride of Lorenzo DeLuca, the most feared and untouchable mafia leader in the underworld. Cold, ruthless, and dangerously powerful, Lorenzo sees their marriage as nothing more than a contract-an arrangement to settle an old debt. To him, she is fragile. Innocent. A pawn in his world of blood and power. But Celeste is not as weak as she seems. As secrets unravel and betrayals cut deep, she refuses to be just a forgotten wife locked away in the dark. And when the world finally discovers who she is, she will no longer be the naive girl who once trembled in his shadow. She will become his queen. But in a world where love is a weakness and loyalty is bought with blood, will their dangerous passion destroy them... or make them unstoppable? A dark, steamy, and intense mafia romance filled with betrayal, obsession, and a love that could either ruin them or rule the world.
Chapter 1 The Hidden Bride
The night was silent, yet the weight of the moment was deafening.
Celeste Moreno sat in front of a grand vanity mirror, her fingers tightening around the smooth silver ring on her finger. It was beautiful-too beautiful for what it truly represented. Not a symbol of love, but of ownership. A contract sealed in silence, binding her to a man she barely knew.
She was a bride.
A hidden bride.
There had been no grand wedding, no flowers, no vows whispered under candlelight. Just a quiet ceremony with signatures on paper, and now she belonged to him.
Lorenzo DeLuca.
The most feared name in the underworld. A man spoken of in hushed tones, the leader of an empire built on blood, power, and control. He was a king, and she-just a simple college girl-had been forced into his world.
Her father had gambled with fate and lost. His debts were too great, and in the end, the price had been her. She hadn't chosen this life. She hadn't chosen him.
But choices had never been hers to make.
The heavy oak door creaked open behind her. A chill ran down her spine, her breath catching as she saw his reflection in the mirror.
Lorenzo.
Tall. Dark. Dangerous.
He stepped inside, his movements slow and deliberate, his mere presence commanding the air around him. His tailored black suit hugged his powerful frame, his crisp white shirt unbuttoned at the top, revealing a glimpse of inked skin-a secret world she knew nothing about. His face was unreadable, his sharp jawline and piercing midnight eyes revealing nothing.
"You look nervous." His voice was deep, controlled, dangerously smooth.
Celeste's fingers curled against the fabric of her dress. "Should I be?"
A slow smirk touched his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes. He took another step closer, his gaze never leaving hers.
"Yes."
The room felt too small, the air too thick. He was close now, close enough that she could smell the faint traces of expensive cologne mixed with something darker-something purely him.
Her heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to hold his gaze. She would not cower.
Lorenzo reached out, his fingers tilting her chin up ever so slightly. The touch was barely there, but it sent shivers through her. "You belong to me now, Celeste."
Her breath hitched.
Belong.
The word felt like a shackle around her throat, yet something inside her burned at the intensity of his claim.
"I didn't choose this," she whispered.
His eyes darkened. "Neither did I."
Silence stretched between them, heavy and unspoken.
She was his wife. A bride hidden from the world.
But one day, the world would know her name.
Because no matter how deep he buried her in the shadows
She would rise.
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