The Unwanted Vows

Chapter One: Two Strangers

Marco Romanav

The Romanav mansion sat on top of a hill, looking down at the city like a king watching his kingdom. From his office window, Marco Romanav could see everything—the cars moving like tiny ants, the lights starting to blink as evening fell, and the smoke rising from the factories that he owned.

But today, he saw nothing.

His mind was somewhere else. Somewhere dark. Somewhere angry.

"Sir, your father is asking for you," a voice said from the door.

Marco turned around. His assistant, Alex, stood there with a worried look on his face. Alex had been with Marco for five years. He was more than an assistant. He was the only friend Marco had. The only person Marco trusted.

"Tell him I'm busy," Marco said, his voice cold like winter wind.

"I can't, sir. He says it's about the... marriage."

Marco's jaw tightened. His hands curled into fists. The word hung in the air like poison.

Marriage.

He was twenty-eight years old. He ran a business empire that stretched across three countries. He also ran things that no one talked about—the underground world of deals and power that happened in shadows. He was a man who answered to no one. Except his parents.

And today, they had forced him to do the one thing he never wanted to do.

Marry a stranger.

Leo Rivera

The small apartment on the east side of the city was quiet. Too quiet.

Leo Rivera sat on his worn-out sofa, staring at the wall. His hands were shaking. His heart was beating too fast.

On the table in front of him was a letter. A letter that told him his life was about to change forever.

"Mr. Leo Rivera, you have been chosen to marry Mr. Marco Romanav. This is not a request. This is an order."

Leo was twenty-three years old. He had no parents. No family. He had grown up in orphanages and foster homes, moving from place to place like a suitcase no one wanted. He had learned early that life was not fair. He had learned to survive.

But this?

This was something else.

A knock on the door made him jump.

"Leo! Open up!"

It was Mira. His only friend. The only person in the world who cared about him.

Leo opened the door. Mira rushed in, her eyes wide with worry.

"Tell me it's not true," she said. "Tell me you're not really going to marry that monster."

Leo swallowed hard. "I don't have a choice, Mira. The orphanage... they said if I don't do this, they'll take away everything. They'll take away the little money I have. They'll—"

"They can't do that!" Mira's voice was angry. "It's not legal!"

"Nothing about this is legal," Leo said quietly. "But what can I do? I'm alone. No one is coming to save me. This is my life now."

Mira grabbed his hands. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Then I'm coming with you. I'll be there. I won't let them hurt you."

Leo wanted to tell her no. He wanted to protect her from this mess. But looking at her face, he knew she wouldn't listen.

So he just nodded.

"Okay," he whispered. "Okay."

The Parents

The Romanav family had a long and dark history.

Viktor Romanav, Marco's father, was a man who had built his empire from nothing. He had started as a poor boy on the streets, fighting for every scrap of food. He had clawed his way up until he owned half the city.

But he had made enemies along the way.

One of those enemies was a man named Dmitri Volkov. Years ago, Viktor had owed Dmitri a debt—a big one. A debt he couldn't pay. To save his family, Viktor had made a promise. A promise that one day, his son would marry someone from the Volkov family.

But things had changed.

Dmitri Volkov was dead now. But his son, Ivan, had taken over. And Ivan had no interest in the old promise. He wanted something else. He wanted Marco's business. He wanted his power.

So Viktor had made a new deal. Leo Rivera was an orphan. He had no family, no connections, no power. He was the perfect person to marry into the Romanav family—someone who could be controlled.

Someone who would give Viktor and his wife, Natalia, the chance to save their son from the real danger.

"We have to do this," Natalia had told her husband. "Ivan Volkov is dangerous. He wants to destroy Marco. If we give him a reason to back off... if we show him that Marco is already married and loyal to someone else..."

"But Marco loves Andrei," Viktor had said. "You know he does."

Natalia shook her head. Her eyes were tired. "Andrei is not good for him. Andrei is greedy. He only cares about Marco's money. Don't you see it? Ivan is using Andrei. Andrei is the one feeding Ivan information about Marco's business."

Viktor's face went pale.

"That's why you chose the orphan?"

"I chose someone innocent," Natalia said. "Someone who needs us. Someone who will be grateful. Marco will see it someday. I know he will."

The Wedding

The wedding was held in the Romanav mansion's grand ballroom.

It should have been beautiful. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Flowers covered every surface. Guests in expensive clothes filled the room.

But no one was smiling.

Marco stood at the altar, his face made of stone. He wore a black suit that cost more than most people made in a year. But he looked like he was going to a funeral.

Leo walked down the aisle alone. No one walked with him. Mira was in the back, watching with tears streaming down her face.

Leo wore a white suit. It was simple, but it made him look young. Vulnerable. His dark hair was neatly combed, but his hands were shaking.

When he reached the altar, Marco didn't look at him.

The priest began to speak. His words floated over them like distant music. Marco didn't hear any of it.

His mind was with Andrei.

Two weeks ago, Marco had been in his office when Andrei had come to him.

Andrei was beautiful. Golden hair, sharp blue eyes, a smile that could charm anyone. Marco had been with him for two years. He thought Andrei loved him.

"Marco, darling," Andrei had said, wrapping his arms around Marco's neck. "I heard about the marriage. I'm so worried about you."

Marco sighed. "I don't want it either. My parents are forcing me."

"Of course they are," Andrei said, his voice dripping with fake sympathy. "But Marco... I've heard things. About the boy they're making you marry."

"What kind of things?"

Andrei's eyes narrowed. "I heard he's a gold digger. He's been planning this for months. He wants your money. He'll do anything to get it."

Marco frowned. "He's an orphan. How could he plan something like that?"

"Oh, sweetheart," Andrei said, stroking Marco's face. "That's how they get you. They pretend to be helpless. They play the victim. Then they take everything."

Marco wanted to believe Andrei. He loved him. But something felt wrong.

Then Andrei showed him the "proof."

He pulled out his phone and showed Marco a picture. It was Leo, standing outside a fancy restaurant with a man in an expensive suit. The man was Ivan Volkov.

"He's been meeting with Ivan," Andrei said. "They're planning something. Ivan is going to use him to destroy you."

Marco's blood turned cold.

He didn't know that the picture had been staged. He didn't know that Andrei had paid someone to take that photo. He didn't know that Andrei was working with Ivan to destroy him.

All he knew was the betrayal he felt.

And he took it out on the only person he could.

(Now)

"Marco Romanav," the priest said. "Do you take Leo Rivera to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Marco stared at the priest. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

No one moved.

Finally, Marco spoke.

"I take him," he said, his voice flat as a stone. "But not because I want to. Because I have no choice. Because my parents are forcing me into this. Because—"

"Marco," Viktor hissed from the front row. "Enough."

Marco ignored him. He turned to look at Leo for the first time.

Leo's face was white. His eyes were wide with hurt. He looked like a small animal caught in a trap.

Marco felt nothing.

"Look at him," Marco said to the crowd. "Look at the innocent orphan. So helpless. So pitiful. I know what you really are. I know about your meetings with Ivan Volkov. I know you're just like everyone else—greedy and fake."

Leo's mouth opened. He tried to speak, but no words came out.

"I didn't—" he started.

"Don't," Marco cut him off. "Don't pretend. You're a liar. You're a manipulator. And I will never, ever love you."

The room gasped.

Mira was crying openly now. She wanted to run to Leo. She wanted to take him away from this nightmare.

But she couldn't. She was just as powerless as he was.

The priest cleared his throat nervously. "Please, continue with the vows."

Leo took a shaky breath. His hands were trembling so much he could barely hold the ring.

"I—" he started. His voice broke. "I promise to be faithful. To honor you. To support you. Even if..." He stopped. A tear slid down his cheek. "Even if you hate me."

He put the ring on Marco's finger. Marco didn't even look at it.

Marco grabbed Leo's hand roughly. His grip was too tight. His eyes were ice.

"I promise nothing," Marco said. "I will be your husband in name only. Don't expect anything else."

He shoved the ring onto Leo's finger. Leo winced.

The priest quickly declared them married. No one clapped. No one cheered.

Marco walked away without looking back.

Leo stood alone at the altar.

His new husband had just told the whole world that he was nothing.

The reception was a nightmare.

Guests whispered behind their hands. They looked at Leo like he was some kind of criminal. They had heard Marco's words. They believed every word.

Leo sat at a table alone. Mira came to sit next to him.

"Leo, you need to eat something," she said softly.

"I'm not hungry," Leo whispered.

"Please. Just a little?"

Leo looked at her. His eyes were red from crying. "He hates me, Mira. He said I'm a liar. He said—"

"He's wrong," Mira said firmly. "He's a fool. A blind fool."

"But what if he's right?" Leo's voice was barely audible. "What if I am bad? What if I'm just... everything they said?"

"No!" Mira grabbed his shoulders. "Don't you dare believe that. You are the kindest person I know. You're innocent. You didn't ask for this. None of this is your fault."

Leo started to cry again.

He had grown up with nothing. He had dreamed of a future where someone would love him. Where he would feel safe.

But this? This was worse than being alone.

This was being trapped.

Across the room, Marco stood with Andrei.

"I did good, didn't I?" Andrei whispered in Marco's ear. "I warned you about him. You saw his face when you said those things. He couldn't even deny it."

Marco nodded slowly. "You were right about him."

"Of course I was, darling. I'm always right. Now, let's get out of here. I want to celebrate our victory."

Marco turned to leave with Andrei.

But something made him stop.

He looked back. Across the room, he saw Leo. Leo was crying. Mira was holding his hand. They looked so alone. So broken.

For a moment, something stirred in Marco's chest. Something that felt like guilt. Like regret.

I am not my father, he thought. But look what I've become.

He pushed the feeling away.

Andrei was waiting.

Marco walked out of the room.

He didn't look back again.

The End (For Now)