CHAPTER ONE

*Bound By Lies*

© Parchments and Quills

The night smelled of rain and gunpowder. Somewhere beyond the balcony of the Romano estate, thunder rolled like a warning, but Cassian didn’t flinch. He’d grown up in the kind of silence that came after violence — the kind that taught him storms were only loud when they had nothing left to destroy.

 He poured himself a glass of white wine and watched the amber light catch in the reflection of the window. Naples was spread out below, glittering, deceptive — a city that worshipped beauty and hid its rot beneath marble and money. Just like his family. Just like him.

 His father’s voice still echoed in his head. “You’ll marry the Sandler girl. It’s time we merge the families, Cassian. No questions.” Cassian had asked none. He’d learned long ago that questions didn’t change orders. But that didn’t mean he accepted it.

 He’d seen a picture of her once — Maria Dominic Sandler. Calm eyes. Soft lips. The kind of beauty that looked like a mistake in his world. Her file said she was Eighteen years of age, educated in Florence, with no criminal affiliations. That made her dangerous. Innocence always was.

He turned the glass in his hand and took a sip. An arranged marriage. The words were older than sin, dressed in modern suits and bloody contracts. It wasn’t about love. It wasn’t about money. It wasn’t even about peace. It was leverage — and the Romanos never shared power without getting something back.

 Cassian didn’t want a wife. He wanted solitude. And the irony burned in his chest because solitude was exactly what he was about to lose.

 A soft knock came at the door. Tristan Felix, his right-hand man, stepped inside. His dark suit was tailored, his expression sharper than usual. “Your father’s waiting in the study,” Tristan said. “The Sandler’s confirmed arrival in three days.”

 Cassian nodded, setting the glass down with a muted clink. “Good,” he said. “Let them come.”

 Tristan hesitated. “You’ve read her file, right? She’s not—” Cassian cut him off with a look. “I don’t care who she is.”

That was a lie.

As Tristan left, Cassian’s phone buzzed. A message from his father. Dinner. 8 PM. We arrive at Sandler's place tomorrow–Behave.

 Cassian exhaled slowly, the word– behave, tasting like a warning.

  ****** The Sandler's Mansion *******

"Go to your room Ria" Dominic and Maria were having a chat while fleets of black cars appeared in the Sandler's Mansion.

"And why should I go to my room father"

"Just listen to me, I have guests"

"So you expect me to go to my room, when there are fleet of cars, which obviously carries dangerous people– I mean what if they came to attack you, I can't be an orphan yet, I'm not even 18 yet" The father and daughter kept bickering as usual, while fleet of cars kept coming in, occupying the Sandler's mansion space.

Maria finally made her way to her room, as a tall, well-built man in black suit directly came into the Sandler's Mansion with a few bodyguards while the rest were outside. He didn't even need an invitation to sit like a king on one of the gold framed arm chairs.

"You're welcome Mr Romano" Dominic– Maria's father greeted the seated man with full respect

"Let's just go straight to the point" he gestured to Dominic with his hand showing that his greetings had been acknowledged.

"Of course, You and my daughter had been engaged right before her birth. She was supposed to get married on her 18th birthday, and fortunately she's turning 18 in two weeks" Dominic explained as he forwarded the contract agreement made before Maria's birth.

"I believe she's tamed, because I wouldn't mind sending her dead body back if there's any probl–" Cassian Romano couldn't even complete his words as he was interrupted by the eavesdropping Maria who couldn't control her mouth.

"What? Hey Mr Mafia man, you should be happy that I am considering agreeing to this marriage, but now, you are threatening to send my dead body, who do you think will die first, huh?"

"SHUT UP MARIA SANDLER, you should be begging for your life for eavesdropping on an important conversation like this and here you're confronting Mr Romano" Dominic shunned his daughter quickly. From the way Cassian looked at her, no emotions it was almost like she had challenged him– it was at that moment she knew she fucked up and the only thing ringing in Maria's head was; “Did I just confront the Don of all dons, God I'm sorry for pouring insects into step mother's shoes, I'm sorry for cutting the sleeves of stepbrother's meeting suit, please save me this once.”

TBC

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