Sebastian Moretti knew no mercy. As the sole heir to the Moretti crime dynasty, he was raised with blood and power as his inheritance. To him, love was nothing but a weakness-an illusion that had once destroyed his family. His mother, the woman who was supposed to protect him, had betrayed his father for another man-their family's greatest enemy. Now, with the Moretti mafia empire in his hands, Sebastian had only one goal: to rule with absolute power. But everything changed when Luca Moretti, his aging father, issued an ultimatum he couldn't ignore. "You must marry and produce an heir, or I'll give Moretti to someone else." Marriage? An heir? That was never part of his plan. Sebastian preferred to rule with an iron fist, not be tied down by a relationship that could only lead to betrayal. But refusing meant losing everything. When a woman from the very family that had once betrayed them suddenly became his only option, Sebastian faced an unexpected dilemma. Accepting this marriage meant inviting an enemy into his life, but rejecting it meant betraying his own father. And for the first time in his life, Sebastian Moretti wasn't sure which was more dangerous-falling in love or being betrayed again.
Chapter 1 The Inevitable Choice
Sebastian Moretti sat in his father's lavish office, his sharp gaze fixed on the panoramic view of the city below. The towering skyscrapers, the dark alleyways, the bustling streets-all of it was under his control. Everything in his life had always been under his control, from the empire his family had built to the ruthless power he wielded. There was nothing in this world that could shake him, nothing that could make him doubt his position. He was the undisputed heir to the Moretti crime dynasty, and for that, he had sacrificed everything.
Except love.
Love had always been a weakness. A dangerous, deceiving force that could destroy you when you least expected it. That was the lesson Sebastian had learned at a young age. His mother, the one woman who was supposed to protect him, had abandoned him and his father without a second thought. She had left them to chase a man-a rival mafia boss who had once been the greatest threat to their family's reign. The pain of that betrayal had been seared into his memory, and it had shaped the man he became: cold, unfeeling, and ruthless.
And now, his father, Luca Moretti, lay in a hospital bed, weakened by age and illness, asking him to do something he never thought he would have to do.
"You must marry, Sebastian," Luca's voice was hoarse, filled with the weight of his years. "You need to secure an heir. Without it, the empire will crumble. Moretti needs its future. I need you to protect it."
Sebastian clenched his jaw, the words hanging in the air like a heavy burden. He had never imagined a day like this would come. His father, the man who had built the Moretti legacy with blood, sweat, and ruthless ambition, was now pleading with him to carry the torch forward. And the only way to do that was through marriage.
The very idea repulsed him.
Marriage was a chain. A bond. It meant vulnerability, something Sebastian could not afford. He had never trusted anyone enough to let them into his life, and after what had happened with his mother, he wasn't sure he ever would. Love was for the weak. It was an illusion.
But his father's words weighed heavily on his conscience. If he didn't marry, if he didn't produce an heir, the empire would fall into chaos. The Moretti name, built over generations, would be reduced to dust. Sebastian's pride would never allow that. He would never let their enemies take what was rightfully theirs.
But the question remained: Who could he marry? And why did it have to be now?
The Moretti family had enemies on every side-rivals who would do anything to see their empire crumble. Trusting someone with the legacy of the Moretti name was impossible. But there was one name, one family, that kept resurfacing in his thoughts: the Cantu family.
The Cantus had once been close allies of the Morettis. But when betrayal ran through their veins like a poison, the alliance had turned into bitter rivalry. And now, the Cantu name was forever tied to one woman-Elena Cantu.
Sebastian knew her well. Too well.
She had been the daughter of the man who had tried to destroy his family, the woman who had been at the heart of the betrayal that had torn his world apart. And yet, despite everything, she was now the only one who could secure his future. She was the key to the Moretti empire's survival, whether he liked it or not.
Elena Cantu. His enemy. His past. And, according to his father's demand, his future.
Sebastian gritted his teeth. This was not a choice, it was an ultimatum. A cold, calculated decision he had no control over. And in that moment, he realized just how deep the power of fate and family ran.
His father's voice broke through his thoughts, weak but unwavering. "Do this for the family, Sebastian. Do this for the empire."
The weight of the Moretti name pressed down on him like an unrelenting force. For a moment, he considered the cost-the personal cost-and the turmoil that would surely follow. But the reality was unavoidable. His father was right. The empire could not survive without an heir, and the Morettis were never ones to back down from what they had set their sights on.
"Fine," Sebastian muttered, the word tasting bitter on his tongue. "I'll marry her."
But as he spoke those words, a part of him knew-nothing would ever be the same again. The moment he entered into a marriage with Elena Cantu, it wouldn't just be a union of families. It would be a war. A battle for power. A battle for control. And Sebastian Moretti had never backed down from a fight in his life.
The stage was set. And the game was about to begin.
Chapter 1 The Inevitable Choice
08/03/2025
Chapter 2 A Reluctant Union
08/03/2025
Chapter 3 The night felt colder as Sebastian
08/03/2025
Chapter 4 the tension between Sebastian
08/03/2025
Chapter 5 The hours stretched long as Sebastian
08/03/2025
Chapter 6 with every passing day
08/03/2025
Chapter 7 Sebastian stood before his desk
08/03/2025
Chapter 8 a place where power was forged
08/03/2025
Chapter 9 The stone walls
08/03/2025
Chapter 10 Every footstep echoed in the silence
08/03/2025
Chapter 11 Sebastian sat in the lead car
08/03/2025
Chapter 12 Elena had shot him
08/03/2025
Chapter 13 The Rizzo family had been waiting for them
08/03/2025
Chapter 14 her heartbeat echoing in her ears as Sebastian's
08/03/2025
Chapter 15 Sebastian hadn't killed her
08/03/2025
Chapter 16 Elena sat motionless
08/03/2025
Chapter 17 Elena sat stiffly in the ornate dining chair
08/03/2025
Chapter 18 You'll stay
08/03/2025
Chapter 19 His lips curled into a slow
08/03/2025
Chapter 20 The way he looked at her now
08/03/2025
Chapter 21 Elena barely slept that night
08/03/2025
Chapter 22 Her legs felt heavy
08/03/2025
Chapter 23 A Kiss of Possession
08/03/2025
Chapter 24 A Prison in Silk
08/03/2025
Chapter 25 The Wedding Night Bargain
08/03/2025
Chapter 26 Her wedding dress still clung to her skin
08/03/2025
Chapter 27 Elena emerged from the bathroom
08/03/2025
Chapter 28 Morning arrived in muted gold
08/03/2025
Chapter 29 The First Move
08/03/2025
Chapter 30 His gaze was unyielding
08/03/2025
Other books by Risa Febria Arumi
More