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The morning sun streamed through the high school windows, but the hallway was a chaotic mess of students rushing to class. Jade kept her head down, her mind a thousand miles away, until a sudden force jerked her sideways.

​Before she could gasp, she was pulled into an empty classroom. The door slammed shut, cutting off the noise of the school.

It was Silas, He didn't give her a second to speak. His hands found her waist, pinning her back against the cool wood of the door. He leaned in, his lips pressing against the sensitive curve of her neck

Jade’s breath hitched. She tried to push against his chest, but it was like trying to move a brick wall he didn't even flinch.

For a heartbeat, her resolve crumbled. The familiar scent of him washed over her, and a traitorous spark of heat shot through her veins. She hated how much she still liked his touch. ​Gathering her strength, she finally shoved him back.

Jade felt her cheeks flush. She still had feelings for him deep, messy feelings but she couldn't let him see that. Not after everything.

She turned to bolt for the door, but Silas was faster. His hand shot out, his fingers locking around her wrist as he yanked her back. This time, he pulled her so close there wasn't a breath of space left between them.

The thought of her belonging to anyone else, or even looking at another guy, was enough to set Silas’s blood on fire. His grip on her waist tightened, turning possessive and bruising. Without another word, he crashed his lips against hers in a rough, desperate kiss that tasted of hunger and unspoken threats.

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Name - Jade Moretti ​Age: 20 ​Role: Daughter of the MorettiEmpire / ML younger sister. ​Personality: Fiercely independent, stubborn, and brave. Unlike Eli, Jade grew up knowing exactly what her family does, and she hates the "golden cage" they’ve built for her. ​The Conflict: She is torn between her lingering love for her ex, Silas, and the dark, suffocating possession her future mate, Roman.

Name - Silas (Jade’s ex) ​Age: 21 ​Role: Heir to the Vane Corporation (The Moretti family’s main business rival). ​Personality: Calculating, quiet, and obsessively possessive. Silas doesn't yell or show anger; he simply acts. He believes the Morettis stole Jade from him, and he is willing to dismantle their entire empire to get her back. ​The Conflict: He believes Jade broke up with him because she stopped loving him cause of Roman, not realizing she did it for him . This misunderstanding has turned his love into a cold, vengeful obsession.

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Back at the sprawling Moretti estate, the kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of spices and home-cooked warmth. Eli stood at the marble island, her sleeves tucked back as she focused on chopping vegetables.

She felt a sense of peace here, a brief escape from the shadows of the massive mansion.

Eli’s heart skipped a beat not out of excitement, but out of a lingering, cold fear. She nodded quietly, unable to find her words.

Maria just chuckled at Eli’s bashfulness, giving her a quick pat on the shoulder before leaving the room.

​Left alone, Eli stared at her phone as if it were a live grenade. She didn't want to disturb him. She knew how much he valued his work, and the thought of making him angry made her hands tremble.

​Finally, she forced herself to dial. ​The phone rang once. Twice. On the third ring, the line clicked open.

​Alexandro’s voice was like ice, sharp and impatient. Eli’s breath hitched, and she found herself stuttering before she could even get a syllable out.

​There was a long, heavy pause on the other end of the line. She could almost feel his cold gaze through the phone.

The line went dead before she could say another word.

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Name - Alexandro Moretti ​Age: 27 ​Role: The Successor of the Moretti Empire/ underworld Mafia ​Personality: Emotionally distant, authoritarian, and possessive. He views feelings as a weakness and treats his marriage like a business transaction at least on the surface. ​The Conflict: He is starting to feel a protective instinct toward Eli that he can't explain, and it makes him angrier and colder as he tries to fight it.

Name - Eli ​Age: 20 ​Role: The "Debt Bride" / Alexandro’s wife. ​Personality: She was sell by her father in Moretti Empire as Debt ,Sweet, submissive, and deeply empathetic. She was raised to be a "perfect daughter," but now she is a stranger in a house of lions. ​The Conflict: She is terrified of her husband’s coldness, yet she finds herself desperately seeking even a shred of his approval.

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The dining room was quiet until Jade stepped down the grand staircase. She took her usual seat, her expression unreadable. Eli moved gracefully around the table, serving Jade with a small, shy smile.

Jade returned the gesture, though her eyes seemed distracted, as if her mind were still trapped in that locked classroom with Silas.

The heavy front doors swung open, and the atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Alexandro walked in, his presence commanding and cold. Behind him followed Roman, the family’s most trusted ally and a man whose charm was as dangerous as his blade.

Jade happened to look up just as they entered. Her gaze locked with Roman’s for a split second, and she froze, her fork hovering in mid-air. Without a word, she dropped her gaze to her plate, suddenly eating with frantic speed before standing up and rushing back upstairs.

​Eli watched her go, blinking in confusion, but she didn't have time to wonder. As she reached for a plate to serve the men, a heavy hand landed on her shoulder.

​He leaned in closer than necessary, his touch a deliberate provocation. He knew exactly which buttons to push to get a reaction out of Alexandro

He smirked, glancing toward Alexandro to see if the cold mask would slip.

Just then, Maria swept into the room, breaking the tension with a bright smile. She pulled both men into a quick hug, though she lingered on her son.

Eli kept her head down, her fingers trembling slightly as she finished setting the table. In this house, even a simple dinner felt like walking through a minefield.

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Name - Roman ​Age: 26 ​Role: Underworld Mafia / Alexandro’s Right Hand / Jade’s "Future Mate." ​Personality: Brutally honest, fiercely loyal, and dangerously protective. Roman doesn't play games with words; he uses actions. He has a dark sense of humor and a deep, obsessive streak when it comes to Jade. ​The Conflict: He knows Jade hates him for the "monster" he is, but he doesn't care. To him, her safety and her hand in marriage are inevitable. He would rather have her hate him while she's alive and safe than love someone else while she's in danger.

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The morning sun filtered through the large windows of the estate, casting a golden glow over the breakfast spread Eli had meticulously prepared.

Dante stood by the window, his brow furrowed as he spoke low into his phone, handling family business. He only paused when a soft, gentle voice called out to him.

The hardened mafia boss immediately softened. He ended his call and offered her a rare, warm smile, petting her head gently.

The quiet moment was broken by the sound of frantic footsteps. Jade practically flew out of her room, rushing to the table and stuffing a piece of toast into her mouth while checking her watch.

Eli couldn't help but chuckle at her sister-in-law’s chaotic energy.

She grabbed her bag, ready to bolt for the door, but Maria’s next words stopped her cold

The room went deathly silent as Alexandro descended the grand staircase. His presence was like a cold weight settling over the room.

Eli instinctively looked down at her feet, her heart racing. She was always terrified when the siblings argued; Jade was the only person in the world who had the nerve to go against Alexandro’s word.

​Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked out, the air leaving the room with him.

Jade stood frozen for a moment, trembling with rage, before she spun around and stormed toward the balcony to wait for Roman, leaving the rest of the family in a tense silence.

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In the ruthless world of the underworld, only one man held the power to command Alexandro Moretti, and that was his father, Dante.

As the Great Don, Dante knew that Jade’s identity was her greatest vulnerability; to their enemies, she was the perfect target to bring the Moretti empire to its knees.

Assigning Roman as her shadow was a calculated move. Roman wasn't just a loyal soldier; he was the son of Dante’s oldest friend and as close to a second son as he could get.

Dante knew his daughter hated being told what to do, but in his world, a daughter's freedom was a small price to pay for her life.

Dante stepped out onto the balcony, the cool morning air ruffling his hair. He found Jade sitting there, her jaw set in a hard line of anger. He didn't approach her as a boss, but as a father.

Jade bit her lip. Her mind flashed back to the incident just a week ago the screech of tires, the smell of gunpowder, and the cold realization of how close she had come to death.

She knew her father and Alexandro weren't trying to cage her; they were trying to protect her.

​The anger drained out of her all at once. She couldn't stay mad at the man who had spent his life building a fortress around her.

​Without a word, Jade stood up and wrapped her arms tightly around her father’s waist. Dante hugged her back, leaning down to press a gentle peck against her forehead.

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