The contract marriage

NIKOLAI'S POV

"What? What have you done?" I heard my mom say in a loud voice from against the table. She looked at my dad as she waited for him to reply but my father, looked totally unbothered.

"I bought 20 percent of the Alessandro shares and have decided to work together." He said with no emotions at all and carried on with digging his spoon in his plate. I did the same with my food and kept looking down not wanting to be a part of this.

"Was involving my daughter in the contract marriage necessary?, Is my innocent daughter worthy that?", I froze when I heard my mother's words. Did our father just sell my twin sister to the ruthless mafia?!

This now explained why I called her to have supper with us and she refused to join us. She was probably crying in her room.

I gripped my fork tightly, my appetite vanishing instantly. My father had always been ruthless, but this… this was beyond anything I had expected. Selling my sister... my innocent, kind-hearted twin sister to the Alessandro family?

My mother stood up, slamming her hands on the table. “Answer me, Dmitri! Did you really give our daughter away like some business transaction?”

Father sighed, finally looking up from his plate. His dark eyes were as cold as ever. “It was necessary,” he said simply. “The Alessandro family is powerful, and we need them as allies. This deal benefits us all.”

I clenched my jaw. “How does it benefit her?” I demanded, barely keeping my voice steady. “You’re handing her over to a monster. The Alessandro heir is ruthless. They call him ‘The Phantom’ for a reason.”

Father leaned back in his chair, watching me with a calculating gaze. “Nikolai, you of all people should understand. In our world, marriage isn’t about love. It’s about power. And your sister’s sacrifice ensures our family’s survival.” My father explained but his words only angered me more.

I could feel my pulse hammering against my skull, my grip on the fork tightening until my knuckles turned white. My sister, my sweet, innocent sister was being used as nothing more than a pawn in my father’s twisted game of power.

“This is wrong,” I hissed, shoving my chair back as I stood. “You’re throwing her into the hands of a man who has blood on his hands. Do you even care what happens to her?”

My father’s expression remained stoic. “She will be taken care of,” he said flatly, as if that was supposed to reassure me. “Alessandro does not harm what belongs to him.”

Belongs to him? My stomach churned in disgust. My sister was not some possession to be handed over like a business deal.

My mother’s eyes were glassy with unshed tears. “She’s not strong enough for this,” she whispered. “You know that, Dmitri.”

My father finally set his utensils down, his gaze sharp. “Then she will learn to be. Just like all of us had to.”

I couldn’t listen to this anymore. Without another word, I stormed out of the dining room, my fists clenched at my sides. I had to see her. I had to find a way to stop this.

As I approached my sister’s room, I could hear muffled sobs through the door. My heart twisted painfully. I knocked once before pushing the door open.

She was curled up on the bed, her face buried in her arms. When she looked up at me, her eyes were swollen and red. “Niko…” she choked out.

I sat beside her, wrapping my arm around her trembling frame. “I won’t let this happen,” I promised, my voice firm. “I’ll find a way to stop it. Sabrina",

She shook her head. “It’s already done. The contract is signed.",

"The wedding is going to take place tomorrow", She cried more and became more speechless as rage burned through me like wildfire. Our father surely did this without informing us.

I held her tighter as she sobbed against my chest, my jaw tightening with determination. No. I refuse to let this happen.

“I’ll find a way,” I swore, brushing her hair back as she trembled. “Even if I have to burn the Alessandro family to the ground.”

She pulled back slightly, her red-rimmed eyes searching mine. “You can’t, Niko, you know it too” she whispered. “They’re too powerful. If you try to stop this, they’ll come for you. For all of us.”

I knew it but I didn’t care. I had spent my whole life living under my father’s rule, obeying his orders like a loyal soldier. But this? Selling my sister like property? That was where I drew the line.

“Stay here,” I said, rising to my feet. “I’m going to fix this.” Before I could leave, she gripped my hand.

"I have a request Niko", She spoke and I turned my attention on her to listen to her.

"I know the wedding is tomorrow but at least do me one favor, drive me to club and I drink myself away",

I gritted my teeth at her request. Getting drunk the night before her forced wedding? It was reckless. But looking at her tear-streaked face, I couldn’t say no.

"Fine," I sighed. "But I'm staying with you the whole time."

Sabrina gave a small, broken nod. "Just for tonight, Niko. Let me forget."

I led her out of the house, keeping my head down as we passed our parents' study. If they saw us leaving, I knew they'd try to stop us. Or worse, lock her up until tomorrow.

The drive to the club was silent, the tension between us thick. She stared out the window, lost in thought, while my grip on the steering wheel tightened. I had to find a way to stop this marriage. But how do you go against a family as powerful as the Alessandros without bringing hell down on your own?

We pulled up to The Inferno, one of the most exclusive clubs in the city. The neon lights flashed against Sabrina’s pale face as I parked.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked one last time.

She exhaled shakily. "Yes."

I sighed and got out, opening her door. As we stepped inside, the pounding bass and flashing lights swallowed us whole. The place was packed—bodies moving in sync to the heavy beat, the air thick with alcohol and cigarette smoke.

Sabrina wasted no time. She pushed past a group of people and made her way to the bar.

"Vodka. Straight," she told the bartender.

I stood beside her, arms crossed, watching warily as she knocked back the first shot. Then another. And another.

"Sabrina, slow down," I warned, placing a hand on her wrist.

She laughed, a hollow sound. "Not tonight, twin brother."

As I debated forcing her to stop, something—or rather, someone made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. A presence. A predator in the room.

I turned slightly, but before I could say anything, a sharp crack of a gunshot tore through the heavy bass of the club, freezing everything in place for a split second before chaos erupted.

Screams filled the air. People ducked, ran, shoved past one another in panic. My instincts kicked in instantly and I ran towards Sabrina but it was too late.

She was already down on the floor, bleeding to death.