THE DON’S FORBIDDEN MARRIAGE
The Don’s Forbidden Marriage – Chapter 12
©Joy Cindy
Secrets Beneath the Villa
By midnight, the entire city knew.
Elena Moretti was engaged to Alessandro Romano.
The news appeared everywhere.
On private family networks.
In whispered conversations.
In messages sent between powerful names.
And in photographs taken years before Elena had ever met Alessandro.
The same question followed her everywhere:
Would the Don finally marry?
Elena stood beside the window in Alessandro’s villa.
The engagement ring felt heavy on her finger.
She stared at the black rose engraved into its silver surface.
Inside the ring was a message.
THE BRIDE WILL BETRAY.
She had read it at least twenty times.
It had not changed.
Neither had the fear growing inside her.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
Alessandro entered.
He had removed his jacket, but his expression remained tense.
“Everyone has arrived,” he said.
“Who?”
“The family leaders.”
“Why?”
“They want to meet the future bride.”
Elena turned toward him.
“I’m not your bride.”
“Not yet.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You promised there would be no wedding.”
“I promised you would choose.”
“That sounds different.”
“It is.”
She crossed her arms.
“Then explain.”
Alessandro walked toward the table.
Several documents were spread across it.
“The engagement announcement has forced the families to take sides.”
“And?”
“Some believe we should marry immediately.”
“Why?”
“Because they think the marriage will unite the Romano and Moretti families.”
Elena laughed quietly.
“Those families have been fighting for years.”
“Exactly.”
“So they think a wedding will fix everything?”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“They think it will give them power.”
Her expression changed.
“And Vittorio?”
“He wants the same thing.”
“But why?”
Alessandro pointed to the black rose on her ring.
“Because the symbol belongs to an old group.”
“What group?”
“The Black Rose Council.”
Elena frowned.
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“You weren’t supposed to.”
“What do they do?”
“They control agreements between powerful families.”
“Like the marriage contract?”
“Yes.”
Elena looked at the ring.
“So the contract was part of their plan?”
“Possibly.”
“You don’t know?”
“I’m still finding out.”
She stepped closer.
“No more half-answers.”
Alessandro’s eyes met hers.
“I’m trying.”
“Try harder.”
For a moment, he looked as though he might argue.
Instead, he nodded.
“The Black Rose Council was created generations ago.”
“By who?”
“Five families.”
“And the Romano family was one of them?”
“Yes.”
“What about mine?”
“Your family joined later.”
Elena looked down at the documents.
“What happened to the council?”
“Most people believe it ended.”
“And you?”
“I don’t.”
She looked at him.
“Because of Vittorio?”
“Yes.”
A phone rang.
Alessandro answered immediately.
“Speak.”
He listened.
His expression changed.
“When?”
He ended the call.
Elena watched him.
“What happened?”
“A member of the council is inside the villa.”
She frowned.
“Who?”
“We don’t know.”
“And you’re just telling me now?”
“I found out ten seconds ago.”
“That’s fair.”
Alessandro moved toward the door.
“Stay here.”
Elena raised an eyebrow.
“No.”
“Elena.”
“You promised I could make my own choices.”
“This isn’t a choice. It’s dangerous.”
“Then I’ll be careful.”
“You said that before.”
“And I survived.”
Alessandro looked at her.
“You’re impossible.”
“You keep saying that.”
He opened the door.
“Stay beside me.”
Elena smiled slightly.
“Better.”
They walked through the long hallway.
The villa was filled with guards.
Every entrance was locked.
Every guest had been searched.
But Elena could feel the tension.
Someone had entered.
And no one knew who.
They reached the main hall.
Several people stood around a large table.
Men and women dressed in dark formal clothes.
Some looked at Elena with curiosity.
Others looked at her ring.
A woman with silver hair stepped forward.
“So this is the bride.”
Elena smiled politely.
“I’m Elena.”
The woman examined her.
“Beautiful.”
Elena’s smile disappeared.
“I didn’t ask for an opinion.”
The woman raised an eyebrow.
Alessandro almost smiled.
“This is Signora Bellini,” he said.
“She represents the old council.”
Elena looked at her.
“Are you the person we’re looking for?”
Bellini laughed.
“No, child.”
“Then why are you here?”
“To see whether the Don chose wisely.”
Elena glanced at Alessandro.
“He didn’t choose me.”
Bellini’s eyes moved to the ring.
“Perhaps not.”
The words made Elena uncomfortable.
Before she could answer, a loud sound came from beneath the floor.
Everyone froze.
A deep metallic удар echoed through the villa.
Alessandro turned toward Leo.
“What was that?”
“The lower level,” Leo replied.
“Check it.”
Two guards moved toward the stairs.
Then the lights went out.
The room became dark.
Someone screamed.
Elena felt Alessandro’s hand find hers.
“Stay close.”
“I’m here.”
The emergency lights came on.
One by one.
The hall was silent.
Then Elena noticed something.
The engagement ring was gone.
She looked at her hand.
The ring had disappeared.
“What?”
Alessandro turned.
“What happened?”
“My ring.”
He looked down.
“Where is it?”
“I don’t know.”
“You had it a second ago.”
“I know.”
The lights flickered again.
Then came a loud crash.
Everyone turned.
A large mirror had fallen from the wall.
Behind it was a hidden doorway.
Cold air moved through the opening.
Alessandro stared at it.
“That wasn’t there.”
Elena stepped closer.
“Maybe it was.”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because this villa was built by my grandfather.”
He moved toward the doorway.
The guards followed.
Elena walked beside him.
The passage was narrow.
Old stone walls surrounded them.
They descended several steps.
At the bottom was a large underground room.
Elena stopped.
The walls were covered with symbols.
Black roses.
Dozens of them.
“This is the council,” she whispered.
Alessandro studied the room.
“No.”
“What?”
“This is older.”
He walked toward a stone table.
A large map was carved into it.
Five family symbols surrounded the center.
Romano.
Moretti.
Bellini.
And two names Elena did not recognize.
At the center was a single word:
HEIR.
Elena stared at it.
“What does that mean?”
Alessandro’s father entered behind them.
His expression changed immediately.
“You found this room.”
“You knew about it?” Alessandro asked.
“I knew it existed.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought it had been destroyed.”
Elena pointed to the word.
“Who is the heir?”
No one answered.
She looked at Alessandro.
“Tell me.”
Before he could speak, a voice came from the darkness.
“The heir is you.”
Everyone turned.
A man stepped forward.
He wore a black mask.
In his hand was Elena’s engagement ring.
Alessandro moved in front of her.
“Who are you?”
The stranger laughed.
“You already know.”
He removed the mask.
Elena gasped.
It was one of Alessandro’s trusted guards.
Marco.
The man who had stood outside her door every night.
The man who had driven her to the monastery.
The man who had promised to protect her.
Alessandro’s expression became cold.
“Marco.”
Marco smiled.
“You trusted me.”
“Why?”
“Because Vittorio told me you would.”
Elena stared at him.
“You work for Vittorio?”
“I work for the future.”
Alessandro stepped forward.
“Give me the ring.”
Marco held it up.
“The ring belongs to the heir.”
Elena frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Marco looked at her.
“You are not only the daughter of two families.”
He pointed toward the symbols.
“You are the last person who can control the council.”
Elena shook her head.
“I don’t want control.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“I do.”
Marco smiled.
“Not anymore.”
He pressed the ring against the center of the stone table.
The black rose symbol began to glow.
A hidden section opened beneath it.
Inside was a small metal box.
Marco removed it.
Then looked at Elena.
“Your father has been waiting for this.”
Alessandro’s eyes narrowed.
“What is inside?”
Marco smiled.
“The proof of who betrayed the Romano family.”
Elena stepped forward.
“Open it.”
Marco looked at her.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He opened the box.
Inside was a photograph.
Elena recognized the people immediately.
Her mother.
Her father.
Alessandro’s father.
And Vittorio.
But there was one more person.
Alessandro.
He was younger.
Standing beside Vittorio.
Elena stared at the photograph.
Then she noticed the date.
It had been taken eight years ago.
The night Alessandro’s father disappeared.
She looked at Alessandro.
“Why were you with Vittorio?”
His expression became unreadable.
“Elena…”
She stepped back.
“You knew him.”
“Yes.”
“You worked with him?”
“No.”
“Then why are you in this picture?”
Alessandro didn’t answer.
Marco smiled.
“The bride will betray.”
Elena looked at the message in her mind.
Then back at Alessandro.
For the first time, she wondered whether Vittorio had been warning her.
Or whether the person she should fear had been standing beside her all along.
