THE DON’S FORBIDDEN MARRIAGE
The Don’s Forbidden Marriage – Chapter 1
©Joy Cindy
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Elena Moretti had always known her family was hiding something.
She just never imagined the secret would end with her getting married.
The grand dining room was silent.
Her father sat at the head of the table, his face pale and tense. Across from him stood a man Elena had only ever heard about in whispers.
Alessandro Romano.
The Don.
He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, his expression cold and unreadable. He didn’t look like a man who needed to raise his voice to command a room.
He simply looked at people.
And they obeyed.
Elena stared at him.
“Why is he here?”
Her father didn’t answer.
Alessandro did.
“Because you’re going to marry me.”
The room fell silent.
Elena thought she had misheard him.
Then she laughed.
It was a nervous, disbelieving laugh.
“Excuse me?”
Her father finally looked at her.
“Elena—”
“No.” She stepped back. “No, absolutely not.”
Alessandro didn’t move.
“You don’t get to walk into my house and announce that I’m marrying you.”
His dark eyes met hers.
“I just did.”
Anger replaced her shock.
“Who do you think you are?”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“Your future husband.”
Elena looked at her father.
“Tell him to leave.”
Her father remained silent.
That silence frightened her more than Alessandro’s words.
“Father?”
He lowered his eyes.
“Elena, there are things you need to understand.”
“What things?”
Before he could answer, Alessandro placed a black folder on the table.
Elena stared at it.
“What is that?”
“Your family’s debt.”
Her heart stopped.
“My family doesn’t owe you anything.”
Alessandro’s gaze remained fixed on her.
“Not me.”
He opened the folder.
“The Romano family has protected your family for years. Your father made a deal with my father long before you were born.”
Elena looked at her father.
“Is this true?”
He said nothing.
Her hands began to tremble.
Alessandro continued.
“The agreement was simple. When the time came, our families would be joined.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
“By marriage?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head.
“That’s insane.”
“Perhaps.”
“You can’t force me to marry you.”
For the first time, something dangerous entered Alessandro’s expression.
“No,” he said quietly. “I can’t.”
Elena’s breath caught.
“Then this conversation is over.”
She turned toward the door.
Alessandro’s voice stopped her.
“But if you leave this house tonight, your family loses its protection.”
She slowly turned back.
“What are you talking about?”
“Your father’s enemies know about the agreement.”
Her father stood abruptly.
“Alessandro.”
The Don didn’t even look at him.
“They are coming.”
Elena’s heart began to race.
“Who?”
Alessandro looked directly at her.
“The people who want your family destroyed.”
A sound suddenly came from outside.
A loud crash.
Everyone in the room froze.
Then another.
Her father rushed toward the window.
Alessandro moved faster.
He grabbed Elena’s arm and pulled her behind him.
“Stay here.”
She stared at his hand around her wrist.
“Let go of me.”
“Not now.”
The lights went out.
Elena gasped.
Somewhere in the house, a door slammed.
Then came the sound of shouting.
Her father’s men.
Running.
Alessandro stood perfectly still in the darkness.
Elena could feel the tension in the room.
“What is happening?”
He leaned closer.
His voice was low.
“Your wedding just became a matter of survival.”
Elena’s heart pounded.
“You expect me to marry you because someone attacked my house?”
“No.”
He turned toward her.
“I expect you to understand that the world outside this house is far more dangerous than you realize.”
A sharp sound echoed from the hallway.
Elena flinched.
Alessandro immediately placed himself between her and the door.
For one brief moment, she saw something she hadn’t expected.
Not tenderness.
Not kindness.
Protection.
Then the door opened.
A man rushed inside.
“Don Romano!”
Alessandro’s eyes narrowed.
“What happened?”
The man looked at Elena.
Then back at Alessandro.
“They found her.”
The room went silent.
Elena’s blood ran cold.
“Who found me?”
No one answered.
Alessandro looked at her.
And for the first time since he had entered her life, the cold mask on his face disappeared.
“You’re coming with me.”
Elena shook her head.
“Where?”
“Somewhere they can’t reach you.”
“And my family?”
His gaze darkened.
“I’ll deal with them.”
She stepped back.
“You can’t just take me.”
Alessandro moved closer.
“No.”
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“I can’t.”
He reached for her hand.
“But if you stay here, you may not live long enough to regret refusing me.”
Elena stared at him.
The man she had spent her entire life fearing.
The man she had just been told she was supposed to marry.
The man who might be the only person capable of keeping her alive.
Alessandro held out his hand.
“Come with me, Elena.”
She looked at his hand.
Then at the darkness behind him.
And finally, she made the worst decision of her life.
She took his hand.
Alessandro’s fingers closed around hers.
His expression remained unreadable.
But somewhere deep inside, the Don knew one thing.
The moment Elena Moretti became his wife…
She would become his greatest weakness.
And his most dangerous secret.
