"I'm so excited… Tomorrow is my wedding day. Finally, I'll bear his surname and be his woman."
Ariel whispered the words like a sacred prayer, her fingers brushing lightly over the silver band on her ring finger. The diamond sparkled against the pale moonlight sneaking through her bedroom window twinkling like the promises she believed in.
Two years.
Two years with Simon full of dizzy laughter, passionate kisses, late-night talks about future babies, a white picket fence, and forever.
The silence in her room was heavy, as if holding its breath. Ariel tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, unaware of the storm that had already begun to gather above her.
She picked up her phone and typed a message with trembling fingers:
"Bestie, tomorrow is my wedding day… I hope you'll be able to show up."
Fiona's response came instantly:
"Of course! I'll be there. I have a special surprise for you."
Laughing and heart emojis followed.
Ariel giggled, but it didn't last. Her gaze returned to the wedding dress hanging elegantly on the far wall. A halo of light bathed it, like it belonged to a dream she'd had since childhood. Her dream. Her fantasy.
And yet… something felt off.
A twinge in her gut.
A flicker of doubt.
But she shook her head and whispered again, "Tomorrow will be perfect. It has to be."
---
The Next Morning
Everything blurred into one frenzied, fragrant dream.
Rose petals, satin ribbons, delicate lace. Ariel stood in the center of a room filled with mirrors and bridesmaids. Blushes of color were brushed across her cheeks, lashes curled to perfection, lips painted the softest pink. Her heart thundered beneath the bodice of her gown, laced so tightly it felt like a cage.
Her reflection smiled back at her.
But the eyes…
The eyes didn't sparkle.
They searched for comfort. For peace. But there was none.
As her friends gushed around her, the unease deepened like a crack under polished marble.
---
At the Church
The church looked like a painting, gothic arches, flowered pews, candlelight glowing like stars. The scent of lavender and roses floated through the air. Ariel walked slowly down the aisle, each step a silent drumbeat, echoing in her chest.
Simon stood at the altar, striking in a black tuxedo. His honey-brown eyes locked onto hers. He smiled, boyish and charming, and she felt the doubt slide into silence.
This was her moment.
The ceremony began.
"Do you, Miss Ariel, take Simon to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Ariel opened her mouth, emotion blooming like fire in her chest.
But then—
BANG.
The church doors crashed open.
"STOP THE WEDDING!"
Gasps filled the air.
Every head turned.
Ariel froze mid-breath. Her eyes widened.
There, at the doorway, stood Fiona. Her red dress clung to her like sin, her lips curled in a cruel smirk, and her eyes, once familiar, now burned with venom.
"I'm supposed to be the one marrying him," Fiona hissed. "Not her."
The world tilted.
Ariel turned to Simon, searching his face for denial, for truth.
He said nothing.
"Simon?" her voice trembled. "What is she talking about?"
Fiona strutted forward, the heels of her stilettos clicking like a judge's gavel.
"Surprise," she sneered. "I'm three months pregnant… with your beloved fiancé's child."
The air whooshed out of Ariel's lungs.
No.
No, no, no—
"You're lying," she whispered.
Fiona grinned and held up her phone. On the screen were photos: Simon and Fiona wrapped around each other, mouths crushed together, half-dressed in shadowy hotel rooms. Messages. Promises. Voice notes oozing lust and secrets.
Every word, every image, a dagger.
The church fell silent.
Ariel's legs buckled beneath her, but she caught herself on the altar rail. Her bouquet tumbled to the floor.
Laughter bubbled from Fiona. "Didn't expect the surprise to be this good, huh?"
Simon still said nothing.
Ariel's heart shattered. There was no way to piece it back together.
She turned and fled.
The ivory gown dragged behind her, catching on the church steps as she ran barefoot into the cold.
---
Later That Night
Neon lights pulsed outside the club like a warning.
SEX AND NO LOVE.
Ariel stood at the bar, the chill of betrayal clinging to her like a second skin. She took another shot. Vodka scorched its way down her throat, but it couldn't touch the pain.
Nothing could.
Her makeup was smudged, her lips raw from biting back sobs, but she didn't care.
She wanted to disappear.
"Another round?" the bartender asked gently.
She nodded.
As the glass clinked down, a presence appeared beside her—dark, commanding, familiar.
"What's a beautiful woman like you doing here all alone?"
Ariel turned her head slowly.
The world stilled.
Alexander.
Years vanished. Her throat tightened.
"Go away," she croaked, half in shock, half in drunken disbelief.
He leaned in, his breath warm against her skin.
"Still as stubborn as ever," he murmured. "Should I take your pain away?"
His voice held danger. Darkness. And something else—something deeper.
"Alex…" Her lips trembled.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I came back for you, Ari."
---
The Next Morning
Ariel woke with a pounding head. Her body ached.
Confused, she turned and saw him.
Alex.
Shirtless. Asleep.
Her breath caught.
"Did we…?" she whispered.
His eyes opened. Guilt clouded them like smoke.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't want it to happen like this."
She sat up, arms wrapped around herself.
"I'm not a virgin anymore…" Her voice broke. "It was supposed to be after marriage."
"I know." He reached for her, but she flinched. "I would never hurt you on purpose."
She shook her head, hot tears spilling down her cheeks. "Why are you even here, Alex? Why now?"
He took a breath, the weight of years pressing on his shoulders. "I left to protect you. I had to disappear, to build something."
"What do you mean?"
He turned to her, his eyes now like steel. "I had to take over my mother's position."
Ariel blinked. "Your mother's…?"
"She's alive. She gave everything up for me. She handed me the throne."
"What throne?"
He stepped closer. "I'm the new leader of Hell's Mafia. And the CEO of Fountain Foundation."
Ariel's mind reeled. "You're… in the mafia?"
"Yes," he said, his voice soft but deadly. "And I'm here to protect you."
Her breath caught. "Protect me… from what?"
He clenched his jaw. "From Simon. From Fiona. From the man who ruined everything, my father."
Ariel stared at him. "Your… your father?"
Alex's eyes darkened like a storm. "He betrayed my mother. Left her for power. He ripped our family apart. And now…" His voice lowered to a whisper, "I will burn everything he built to the ground."
Suddenly, the door burst open.
A man in black rushed in, panting. "Sir! Your mother… she's been in a car accident."
Alex didn't blink.
He simply smiled, a cruel, cold smile that made Ariel's blood freeze.
"Then it begins."