The Untypical Marriage

PROLOGUE...

KIRA'S POV

The morning sun spilled its light through the stained-glass windows of the wedding hall,

The air was thick with the scent of roses and lilies, and the soft hum of a string quartet filled the space with a romantic melody.

I stood at the back of the hall, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't tell if it was due to my nervousness or the overwhelming excitement of finally being able to get married to Dylan. My hands trembled slightly as the large double doors slowly opened. Today, I would marry Dylan, the man I had loved even before I knew what love was.

My father stood in front of me, his hands akimbo, waiting for me to take his arm. I couldn't help the shiver that ran through my body as our skin made contact.

"Stop shaking like a fool and smile," he instructed, his tone sounding more like a warning than encouragement.

The veil over my eyes blurred my sight, but the sound of the orchestra playing was enough to make me giddy and momentarily forget my father's intimidating presence. 

As we reached the altar, my father released my hand. I stepped forward and bowed my head slightly.

"We are gathered here today for the union of this couple," the priest began. "If anyone has a reason to object to this marriage, let them speak now."

There was total silence after that, and I concluded no one objected to our union, not that anyone could.

My father was the Don of the American mafia while Dylan's father was the Don of the Italian Mafia, our wedding was not an ordinary union, it was a blood pact, meant to pay back a debt that my family owed to Dylan's family more than a hundred years ago an-

"Do you Adrian Vasillos take Kira Neel as your lawfully wedded wife?" The priest's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"I do," he responded. His voice sounded different but before I could think anything of it, the priest spoke again.

"Do you Kira Neel take Adrian Vasillos as your lawfully wedded husband?" 

Wait....

I slowly replayed the priest's words in my mind. 

He had said Adrian Vasillos.

Adrain Vasillos, not Dylan Vasilios?

Adrian Vasillos? As in Adrian... Dylan's elder brother? 

My heart raced as I yanked the veil from my face, my eyes wide. "Adrian?!" I whispered as I looked up in confusion to see the person standing before me, it wasn't my fiancé Dylan, but his elder brother Adrian, dressed in an orange prison uniform instead of a wedding suit.

"W... What's going on here?" I stammered, looking at Adrian, his eyes already fixated on me. "Why are you standing here? Where is Dylan?"

The priest shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat. "Is there a problem, my child?" he asked and I shot him a narrowed look before returning my gaze to Adrian.

"Tell me where Dylan is?!" I said, my voice louder than before.

"He is right behind you." Adrain scoffed. I turned around to see Dylan standing next to an unfamiliar man. He wore the best man suit that was totally different from what I had specially picked for him for our wedding. 

"Dylan!" I rushed over, grabbing his face in my hands. "W... What's going on? Why are you here? Why aren't you standing with me at the altar?"

He removed my hand from his face."Please don't make this difficult, Kira. Just go say 'I do,'" he muttered, his gaze avoiding mine.

"I don't understand what's going on. What do you mean I should just go and say I do? He's your elder brother. I'm supposed to marry you. We've been engaged since we were twelve. Why are you pushing me to him?" My voice cracked as I felt warm tears stream down my cheeks.