Adriana’s POV

“I can’t do this.”

My voice breaks before I can stop it.

I stand in the middle of my father’s study, staring at the two people sitting across from me.

My father doesn’t look up from the document in his hands.

My stepmother does.

“Can’t do what, Adriana?”

I swallow.

“Marry him.”

The room falls silent.

“You’ve known about this arrangement for days.”

“I know.”

“Then what exactly is the problem?”

“The problem is that you want me to marry a man I don’t know.”

My voice rises.

“A man nobody really knows.”

“Everyone knows the Volkov Corporation.”

“That is exactly why I don’t want to marry him.”

There were rumors about him.

They said he was ruthless. That he destroyed anyone who got in his way. That he had connections everywhere in New York.

Some people called him a businessman.

Others called him something much worse.

New York’s most dangerous man.

And now my father wanted me to marry him.

“I can’t just marry some stranger because you tell me to,” I whisper.

My father finally looks at me.

“He is one of the most powerful men in this city.”

“I don’t care.”

“You should.”

“I care about my life!”

My voice cracks.

“I care about who I wake up beside. Who I have children with. Who I spend the rest of my life with.”

My stepmother sighs.

“You’re being selfish.”

I stare at her.

“Selfish?”

“Your father built this family from nothing. He has spent his entire life protecting this company and protecting you. And this is how you repay him?”

“That’s not fair.”

My father finally pushes a folder toward me.

“Vitale Holdings is in trouble.”

My heart sinks.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“How bad?”

He says nothing.

My stepmother answers.

“Bad enough that if this deal falls apart, everything your father built could disappear.”

I stare at the folder.

“Why does marrying Volkov fix anything?”

“Because Volkov Corporation will absorb our debt.”

I look at my father.

“And the price is me?”

He looks away.

My chest tightens.

“Dad.”

Nothing.

“Please don’t do this.”

“I am not asking you to die.”

“You’re asking me to marry a man people are terrified of.”

“A man who can save this family.”

“A man I don’t even know.”

My stepmother’s expression turns cold.

“Then think about the alternative.”

“What alternative?”

“Watching your father’s company collapse. Watching employees lose their jobs. Watching his name become a joke.”

“Stop.”

“Watching everything he worked for disappear because you were too selfish to help him.”

“Stop!”

My father finally speaks.

“Enough.”

He looks at me.

“I don’t want to lose you.”

My eyes fill with tears.

“You won’t.”

“If this company goes under, I don’t know what will happen to me.”

My heart breaks.

He knows exactly what he’s doing.

I close my eyes.

“Two years,” I whisper.

My father looks at me.

“What?”

“The marriage. If I agree, I want a time limit.”

My stepmother smiles.

“That can be arranged.”

I look at my father.

“Two years.”

He nods.

“Agreed.”

“And I don’t want him controlling every part of my life.”

“Agreed.”

“No children.”

My father hesitates.

Then nods.

“Agreed.”

I take a shaky breath.

I hate this.

But I don’t see another way out.

“Fine.”

The word barely leaves my mouth.

“I’ll marry Volkov.”

Then anger rises again.

“And what about Serafina?”

My stepmother’s expression changes.

“What about her?”

“Why don’t you give her out for marriage?”

Silence.

“Why is it always me?”

“Adriana”

“No. I want to know.”

“Serafina already has someone.”

My stomach drops.

“She has a fiancé,” my stepmother continues. “A man she loves. A man she chose for herself.”

My eyes fall to the table.

A man she chose for herself.

And then I remember.

Matteo.

The same man I had loved.

The same man I left behind when I went to London.

I force a smile.

“That’s convenient.”

“You’re jealous.”

“I’m not.”

“You always wanted what Serafina had.”

“That isn’t true.”

I look at my father.

“I spent five years studying law. I worked for everything I have. I have plans.”

“You can still have those plans after marriage.”

“With a man I don’t even know?”

My voice cracks.

“I’m scared.”

Nobody speaks.

“I’m scared because you’re asking me to marry a man I’ve never met, and everyone says he’s dangerous.”

My father reaches for the folder.

“Your decision has been made.”

My heart sinks.

“There’s something you should know.”

“What?”

“He’ll be here shortly.”

My breathing stops.

“What?”

“He wanted to meet you before everything was finalized.”

The study door opens.

I slowly turn around.

And then I see him.

Black suit.

Blonde hair.

Sharp jaw.

Those same grey eyes.

My breath catches.

No.

It can’t be.

He looks at me.

And suddenly, I remember.

The club.

The music.

His hand around mine.

The private room.

That night.

The stranger I had met two days ago.

The stranger I had kissed.

The stranger I had spent the night with.

Is standing in my father’s study.

And apparently, he is going to be my husband.

TWO DAYS EARLIER

The first thing I felt when I stepped out of the airport was the cold.

Not the kind that came from the weather.

The kind that settled somewhere beneath my ribs when I realized I was finally home.

New York.

After three years in London, the city felt strangely familiar and foreign at the same time.

“ADRIANA!”

I turned.

A woman with dark hair and sunglasses pushed onto her head came running toward me.

“Tatiana.”

She hugged me tightly.

“You actually came.”

“Of course I came.”

She pulled away.

“Oh my God. You got prettier.”

I rolled my eye

“You say that every time.”

“Because every time it’s true.”

We headed outside.

“So,” she said, “tell me everything about London.”

“Nothing happened in London.”

“Five years and nothing?”

“I studied.”

She laughed.

But the truth was, I hadn’t only left New York to study law.

I had left because of Matteo.

My first love.

The boy I thought I would marry.

Until I found him with someone I never expected.

Serafina.

My stepsister.

I had walked in on them together.

So I left.

I threw myself into law school and built a life without him.

Or at least, I convinced myself I had.

Tatiana glanced at me.

“You’re thinking about him.”

“I don’t think about him.”

“Liar.”

I looked out the window.

“I don’t.”

She squeezed my hand.

“We’re not talking about him tonight.”

“Good.”

“Tonight is about you.”

I smiled faintly.

“I’d like that.”

When we reached my house, my stomach tightened.

Tatiana looked at me.

“You okay?”

“I don’t know.”

“Want me to come in?”

“No. I need to do this myself.”

She nodded.

“Call me.”

“I will.”

“And Adriana?”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t let them make you feel like you don’t belong here.”

“I won’t.”

I grabbed my suitcase and walked toward the house.

My father opened the door.

“Adriana.”

“Dad.”

He pulled me into his arms.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

Then I heard a familiar voice.

“Look who’s finally home.”

My smile disappeared.

Serafina.

She walked toward me wearing a silk dress.

“Welcome home, Adriana.”

“Thank you.”

Then I heard another voice.

“Adriana?”

My entire body froze.

I turned.

Matteo.

My ex-boyfriend.

And beside him was Serafina.

Her hand rested comfortably on his.

They were wearing matching rings.

My chest tightened.

“It’s been a long time,” Matteo said.

“You’re here.”

Serafina smiled.

“We were having dinner.”

I forced myself to look away.

Later that night, Tatiana convinced me to go out.

The club was packed.

Music shook the walls as people danced around us.

Then Tatiana stopped.

“What?”

She pointed toward the VIP section.

Three men sat at a table.

One of them caught my attention immediately.

Blonde hair.

Broad shoulders.

Black shirt

Cold grey eyes.

“Who is that?” I asked.

“I don’t know.”

His eyes met mine.

Tatiana smiled.

“I dare you.”

“No.”

“You can’t get that stranger to come upstairs with you.”

I stared at her.

“I’m not doing that.”

“Prove it.”

I should have walked away.

Instead, I smiled.

“Fine.”

I approached him.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“I was wondering if you’d dance with me.”

“No.”

I blinked.

“You’re rude.”

“So I’ve been told.”

I sat beside him.

“What is your name?”

“Adriana.”

He studied me.

“Dmitri.”

I didn’t know his last name.

I didn’t know what he did.

I only knew that something about him pulled me in.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Adriana.”

“Maybe I like dangerous.”

His eyes darkened.

The rest of the night became a blur.

We talked.

We laughed.

And eventually, he kissed me.

By morning, I knew I had made a mistake.

I gathered my things, left some cash on the table, and wrote a note.

I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Last night wasn’t supposed to happen. Take care.

Adriana

Then I left.

I didn’t know his last name.

I didn’t know where he came from.

I thought I would never see him again.

I was wrong

Immediately I got to the elevator I dialed Tatiana

“I did something terrible”

She looked at me and looked like she was thinking of her next words

“You didn’t go home yesterday? This place looks like an elevator”

“Do you have somewhere you intend on going to”

I didn’t answer immediately.

“Honestly? No.”

There was silence on the other end.

“Adriana, what happened?”

I swallowed.

“I did something stupid.”

“What did you do?”

“I left.”

“Left where?”

I closed my eyes.

“His place.”

Tatiana was quiet for a moment.

“You’re serious?”

“Yes.”

“You actually left?”

“Yes, Tatiana.”

“Without saying anything?”

“I left a note.”

“What did you write?”

I sighed.

“I apologized.”

“That’s it?”

“I didn’t know what else to say.”

The elevator continued

“I just couldn’t stay there.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“You keep saying you don’t know.”

“Because I don’t.”

I heard her sigh through the phone.

“Did he do something to you?”

“No.”

“Then why are you running?”

But I didn’t know what I was running from.

Maybe it was him.

Maybe it was the way I had felt around him.

Or maybe it was myself.

“I just think last night was a mistake,” I finally said.

“A mistake?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re sure about that?”

I looked at the elevator doors.

“No.”

The word came out before I could stop it.

Tatiana went quiet again.

I rubbed my forehead.

The elevator reached the lobby.

The doors opened.

I stepped out slowly.

“Where are you going now?” she asked.

“Home.”

“Do you want me to come over?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I just need to be alone.”

She hesitated.

“Call me when you get home.”

“I will.”

“And Adriana?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t disappear on me.”

I smiled faintly.

“I won’t.”

The call ended.

I slipped my phone into my bag and walked outside.

I kept walking without looking back.

I told myself it was over.

Whatever happened between me and that man would stay exactly where it belonged.

In the past, I left it.

And I certainly didn’t expect to ever see him again.

PRESENT DAY

I stare at the man standing across from me.

The same grey eyes.

The same cold expression.

Dmitri Volkov.

My father clears his throat.

“Adriana, I’d like you to meet Dmitri Volkov.”

My heart stops.

Dmitri’s eyes remain fixed on mine.

His gaze drops briefly to the engagement ring on the table.

Then returns to my eyes.

I can’t breathe.

Because suddenly, I remember the note.

The money.

The words I left behind.

I’m sorry for the inconvenience.

Dmitri takes one slow step toward me.

His voice is quiet.

Almost dangerously calm.

“I’m afraid, Adriana…”

He pauses.

His eyes lock onto mine.

“You owe me more than an apology.”

I thought I had left a stranger behind that morning.

I was wrong.

I had just walked away from my future husband.