Chapter 2

The bells kept ringing throughout the palace.

Lysander Valemont breathed deeply as the maids finished arranging his clothes.

The white fabrics fell softly around his body, embroidered with silver threads that gleamed under the candlelight. His reflection in the mirror looked like someone out of a dream.

Beautiful.

Elegant.

Perfect.

And yet...

He knew this wedding wasn't a celebration.

It was an obligation.

"My lord Lysander..." said one of the maids nervously, "all the guests have already gathered."

Lysander nodded slowly.

His heart was pounding.

"This is the beginning of the story..."

He remembered perfectly what happened in the novel.

The marriage between Lysander Valemont and Duke Kael Aetherion had been arranged for political reasons between two great families.

There was never love.

Not even respect.

Only rumors, pride... and a distance impossible to cross.

He took another deep breath.

"But this time... things will be different."

The great doors of the ceremonial hall opened slowly.

The sound of music filled the air.

Hundreds of nobles were present, dressed in elegance, watching with curiosity as the omega walked toward the altar.

Their gazes were full of silent whispers.

Rumors.

Judgments.

"There he is..."

"The capricious omega of the Valemonts."

"Poor duke..."

Lysander heard some of those voices, but this time he didn't lower his gaze.

In the original story, the real Lysander would have reacted with arrogance or anger.

But not him.

He kept walking calmly.

Then he saw him.

At the end of the hall.

Tall.

Imposing.

Dressed in a black and gold uniform that accentuated his figure.

His presence dominated the entire room.

Duke Kael Aetherion.

His dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and his cold eyes surveyed the hall with a distant expression.

He looked more like an ice sculpture than a groom at his own wedding.

Lysander felt a small chill.

So this is him...

"The villain of the story."

The man who in the novel never came to love his betrothed.

The same man who, according to court rumors, was so feared that few dared to even look at him directly.

When Lysander reached the altar, Kael finally directed his gaze toward him.

Their eyes met.

It was only a second.

But it was enough.

There was no hatred in that look.

No affection.

Only coldness.

A clear distance.

As if he were looking at a stranger.

Lysander felt a small pang in his chest.

"This is how it all started in the original story..."

A marriage without feeling.

An omega ignored.

A tragic ending.

The priest began to speak, pronouncing the traditional words of the union between alpha and omega.

The voices in the hall became a distant murmur.

Lysander could barely hear them.

His attention was on the man before him.

Kael Aetherion.

Even up close, his presence was overwhelming.

There was something about him that commanded respect... and danger.

The priest concluded the ceremony with the final words.

"From this moment, you are united as destined mates."

A silence swept through the hall.

Everyone waited for the duke's reaction.

In the original story, Kael had barely looked at his betrothed after the ceremony.

He'd been cold.

Distant.

Indifferent.

And this time...

Kael finally spoke.

His voice was low and firm.

"I hope we can maintain a... quiet coexistence."

It wasn't an affectionate phrase.

Not even a kind one.

It was more of a warning.

But Lysander wasn't surprised.

He knew this man still believed all the rumors about him.

That he saw him as a capricious, troublesome omega.

Instead of reacting with pride as the original Lysander would have...

He simply inclined his head slightly.

"I'll do everything I can not to cause you any problems, Duke Aetherion."

A brief silence formed between them.

Something changed in Kael's expression.

Just for an instant.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

As if that response wasn't the one he'd expected.

But the moment passed quickly.

Applause began to fill the hall.

The wedding was over.

Now the real marriage began.

And as the nobles celebrated the union, Lysander couldn't help thinking about one single thing.

This time...

"I won't let our story end the way it did in the book."

Even though the man beside him still looked at him with coldness.

Even though his destiny was written in tragedy.

This time...

Lysander Valemont intended to change everything.

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