Chapter 1

AVALINE

I imprisoned myself inside my study room the whole day. Everyone in this house knows never to barge in while I’m here because I take my studies seriously. Even though it’s unnecessary, given the world I’m in, I still pursued a master’s degree. Papa supports my enthusiasm. For him, it’s better than me going out, working, or dating around.

But right now, studies are the last thing on my mind. I don’t care if I never make it to class again or if my professor fails me. My main priority is to get out of here. If I don’t leave, I’ll live my life forever as the wife of a man I barely know. Someone to parade around at events, someone to carry and give birth to his heir to continue his lineage. That’s all women are in our world.

Magnus De Greco, my father, is capo dei capi of the De Greco criminal organization. And he decided to marry me off to Pascal Monteval, the capo of the Monteval brotherhood. For peace. A truce in exchange for my body, my freedom, my whole life.

And now it is up to me to steer my fate in another direction.

“Goodness, Avaline Kaena, are you planning to destroy that laptop?” enters Morana, the only one who seems oblivious to instructions.

No matter how many times I stress that she should never come in here, she still does. She’s just a maid. But she seems to have this illusion that this household is under her control.

I rolled my eyes. She’s the only maid that my papa notices. Such a sycophant! I’m almost certain that in her head, she fantasizes about being the capo’s next wife. I will never give my blessing for their marriage if it comes to that.

My hands have been punishing the keyboard for the past few hours. Thankfully, Morana is somewhat ignorant. She won’t have any idea that I’m doing something suspicious.

It was quite difficult to access the Islas funds. Their security is very tight. I’m experienced in hacking, but this time it took me several hours. The engagement party is happening in two days, and I have to leave before that happens. Since I’m not allowed to work, I have no choice but to steal from them.

I did not find out about the engagement directly through my father.

“Papa, why can’t I be involved in this business? I was born into this anyway; might as well be useful. Do I really have to be an heir just for you to allow me?” I stopped the conference room door from closing. They will lock me out again and leave me oblivious.

“Princess,” he tried using that soft tone on me—as if I'm the pampered daughter too delicate to deal with the brutality of our world.

“That won’t work on me, Papa! I’m the daughter of the capo dei capi, and yet this is the kind of image you want everyone to see? That I’m only worthy because of the name I carry? Aren’t you happy that I want to honor this name? That I'm embracing this?”

Papa held my cheeks. “Princess, you will be honoring our name by doing your duties.”

“And what duty? To marry?”

“Yes. To marry,” he said in a tone indicating that this is non-negotiable. Then he closed the door.

"I had no choice but to bug their conference room. I don’t know whether to lament or rejoice that they consider me incapable of these things.

They locked me outside as they decided my life for me inside that conference room.

“If you want something new, just tell your dad, not ruin things intentionally. That laptop has been with you for less than a year, and you already want a replacement.”

She was leaning in while trying to peek at what I was doing. I closed my laptop and glared at her.

“Don’t you know the word privacy? We have a library, Morana! You clean there every day. Maybe you should try reading one of the dictionaries.”

I walked toward the door. I pulled it forcefully and pointed to the sign I had placed on the door: Do NOT Enter.

“Which part of do NOT enter do you not understand? Even my dad doesn’t distract me.”

“Because he doesn’t have time to disturb,” she retorted.

“And you, do you have so much free time? Maybe I should tell Dad that you have too much free time to roam around the house, entering rooms where you’re not welcome as if you own it! You’re a maid here!”

Her mouth tightened as she glared at me. I smirked, knowing that I had offended her. As much as possible, I don’t waste my time arguing with people... But she’s an exception. I don’t care about how she feels about me. For all I know, she’s backstabbing me in the maid’s headquarters.

But triumph tastes sweeter when I’m reminded that almost everyone in this house hates her. The maids will surely defend me because I treat them well.

Her hardened expression was replaced with a vain one. “Even if I’m just a maid here, I still contribute something. I’m of use to the people here. You’re just swimming in your father’s wealth and surname.”

I didn’t show her any reaction, but she knows it affected me.

My mouth twisted. “Well then, that’s nice. Luxury comes free for me. This is your dream, right?” I spread my arms to emphasize my point. “That’s why you’re trying so hard to impress my dad. It only happens in fairytales, Morana. My dad will never marry you. You’re free to look while I live your dreams, though.”

I winked at her while she was burning with irritation. I stuck out my tongue and then left her inside my study. I laughed like an evil stepmother who slapped Cinderella with reality.

Our house looks so empty. I’ve been here most of my life, but it feels like almost no one lives here. The living room is beautiful, with black floor-to-ceiling windows covered by white linen drapes. Rich layers of furniture and decor fill the room. The colors are along the palettes of white, brown, and black. It looks like somewhere a normal family would sit and laugh about the most mundane things.

But we are not a normal family.

I feel like when I roam around our house, I'm just walking through a showroom. This is just a model house—not occupied.

What would it have been like if I had a mom? For sure she’d be the one to try and bring everyone together.

Or not.

Maybe she’d be the silent and obedient wife. If Dad doesn’t want something, she wouldn’t complain. Sometimes I wonder if I should look for a mother or not. On one hand, I hope she’d be the one to hear me out and oppose Dad’s decisions about my life."

"But the other thinks she won’t do anything either. What can she do? She’ll just tell me to follow. So it's also a blessing that I never got to know my mother. I'm free to have my own image of her. I don't know what she would do in this situation, so I'm free to imagine that she's a headstrong woman who will fight for her daughter.

If I had met my mom, I might have just been disappointed if she wasn’t like the product of my imagination.

“Avaline,” my father’s second-in-command called me. When I turned around, he was already striding over to meet me in the middle of the house.

I furrowed my brow. “I’m sorry. What’s your name again?” I only did that to spite him. Men like him don’t have time for petty childishness. I just wanted to give them a little taste of torment.

“Sirius,” he replied coldly.

“Oh, Serious!” I said. “Is that your alias? It suits you, though; you are a walking chaos every day with my father.”

He only grunted and snubbed me.

“Are you mad at me, Sirius?” I called out his name when I noticed he seemed annoyed.

He gave me a brief glance, but it looked like he had figured me out in an instant. He shook his head.

“I’m not angry, Ms. Avaline,” he said with indifference.

“Really?” I peered at his expression even though it didn’t matter. Men in this world are trained to neglect emotions. They will never show sympathy or vulnerability.

“Yes, Ms. Avaline,” he said.

I nodded. He probably isn’t easily annoyed by things like this. Surely there are more situations where his patience is tested, like when enemies taunt him or something. I don’t know if that actually happens.

“Your father is calling for you,” he announced, finally revealing why he was here.

My stomach flipped because I knew what was coming. If this were another occasion and I didn’t know about the planned engagement, I would be happy. I would assume that Dad has recognized my potential and will finally allow my involvement in this business.

Hesitantly, I nodded and went with him. He accompanied me to Dad’s office as if I didn’t already know our house well enough.

There was an uneasy feeling in my stomach as we approached Dad’s office. I tightly clasped my hands behind my back, searching for warmth because my hands were cold.

I didn’t even notice if Sirius knocked on the door. I only became aware that we were in front of Dad's office when the door clicked open.

When I entered, the door closed behind me. When I looked back, I couldn’t find Sirius; he gave Dad and me privacy.

My gaze returned to the front. I tried to look for any trace of hesitation on my father’s face. That’s how fathers should feel when they are about to give their daughter to another man, right? I looked for a hint of reluctance from him.

But I was met with disappointment when I saw him sitting confidently in his chair. A calm aura surrounded him, as if I were just another soldier he would give commands to.

“Papa,” my voice trembled."