Aria never imagined that signing a contract could seal her fate. Trapped in a dangerous agreement with the ruthless and enigmatic mafia boss, Alexander, she finds herself bound by rules she never agreed to and desires she never expected. In his world, power is law, and love is a weakness. But as their fiery clashes turn into an irresistible pull, Aria must decide: fight for her freedom or surrender to the man who holds both her body and heart in chains.
Chapter 1 Bound by a Contract
The pen felt heavier than it should.
Aria's fingers trembled as she held it above the contract, her heart slamming against her ribs. The only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock on the wall slow, steady, suffocating.
The name at the top of the page taunted her.
'Marriage Agreement'
She clenched her jaw, willing herself to breathe. The room reeked of cigars, expensive leather, and something colder, something that reeked of power. The air itself pressed against her like an invisible force, warning her of the man sitting across from her.
Aexander Varela
He was motionless, seated behind his dark mahogany desk like a king on a throne, one hand resting against the armrest while the other tapped his fingers slowly, rhythmically, against the polished wood.
That was the only sound apart from the ticking clock.
He said nothing.
His piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, unreadable, unwavering.
Aria swallowed hard, her throat dry. The silence in the room was suffocating. It was worse than shouting, worse than threats. He didn't need to raise his voice to be terrifying. His stillness alone was enough to crush her.
Her fingers tightened around the pen.
"You expect me to sign this?" she asked, her voice stronger than she felt inside.
Alexander didn't reply.
He didn't need to.
His gaze flickered to the contract, then back to her. A silent command.
Sign.
Aria's stomach twisted into knots. There had to be another way.
Her mind raced. The past few days had been a blur of chaos and fear, her father's desperate pleading, the bruises on his face, the threats that loomed over their family like a guillotine.
This contract was the only thing keeping them alive.
Still, her pride rebelled against it. Against him.
Her nails dug into her palm as she forced herself to meet his gaze. "This isn't marriage," she whispered. "This is imprisonment."
Nothing.
No reaction.
She might as well have been speaking to stone.
Alexander's expression remained cold, detached, as if her resistance amused him. Or bored him. He leaned forward slightly, his movements slow, controlled.
His presence filled the room, stealing the air from her lungs.
Then, with two fingers, he tapped the contract again.
A warning. A final offer.
Aria's breath came out unsteady.
This man-this monster-held her entire life in his hands.
Her father's words echoed in her mind. 'Just sign it, Aria. Please.'
She felt sick.
Her fingers shook as she finally lowered the pen to paper.
The moment the ink touched the page, something inside her shattered.
Her signature looked foreign. Like a death sentence written in black ink.
The second she lifted the pen, Alexander reached for the contract, barely sparing it a glance before setting it aside.
No approval. No satisfaction. Nothing.
As if her resistance had been insignificant from the start.
She had just sold herself to the devil.
And he didn't even care.
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Aria expected him to say something. A cruel remark, a cold warning-something.
Instead, Alexander rose from his chair.
The movement was slow, deliberate. He was tall, his tailored black suit molding to his frame with effortless power. He walked around the desk, his polished shoes making barely a sound against the marble floor.
Aria stiffened as he stopped beside her chair, his presence towering over her.
Her pulse pounded in her ears.
She hated that he could make her feel this way. Small. Trapped.
Alexander didn't touch her. Didn't lean in.
And somehow, that was worse.
His voice was quiet when he finally spoke.
"Take her home."
The command wasn't directed at her.
The bodyguard stationed near the door-a massive man dressed in black-stepped forward immediately.
Aria's stomach twisted.
No. Not like this.
She turned sharply in her seat, staring up at Alexander. "What do you mean home? I thought-"
His icy blue eyes flicked to her. Just a glance.
She froze.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
That one look was enough.
A warning.
A reminder.
She wasn't in control anymore.
Aria swallowed back the lump in her throat.
Her hands curled into fists as the bodyguard's hand closed around her arm-not rough, but firm.
She was being dismissed. Like a business transaction that had finally been settled.
Fury burned in her chest.
She didn't know what she had expected. A fight? Some kind of twisted mind game? Anything would have been better than this complete, effortless indifference.
As if she was just another pawn moved into place.
She bit her lip to stop the words from spilling out.
Fighting back wouldn't change anything.
It was over.
She forced herself to rise from the chair, her legs feeling weak beneath her.
The bodyguard didn't let go of her arm.
Alexander still hadn't moved.
Without another word, he turned his back to her and walked toward the massive windows overlooking the darkened city.
Dismissed.
The bodyguard led her toward the door.
Her breath felt shallow. Her heart pounded so hard she thought it might burst.
She glanced back one last time-
Alexander stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing at the city below.
Unbothered. Detached.
She could have been anyone.
And that realization made her feel even more trapped.
As she stepped through the doorway, her heart twisted painfully in her chest.
This was her life now.
She was his.
And there was no escaping it.
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