PROLOGUE
Everyone was tense about the upcoming wedding. The bride was inside her car, while the groom was already inside the church.
The bride sighed heavily due to her current situation. She's about to marry someone she barely knows, a complete stranger. She hasn't even met the groom in person yet. Her father arranged this marriage, and she had no say in the matter.
A knock on her car window startled her. She opened it and saw her younger sister, who was wearing a sad smile.
"Millie," her younger sister, Sienna, greeted her. She sat down beside Millie and held her hand. She noticed that Millie's hand was cold. "The wedding is about to start. Are you ready?" She asked.
Millie forced a weary smile and took a deep breath. "No, Sienna, I'm not ready, but I know I have no choice, right? This is what Papa wants, and if I refuse... he'll hurt me."
Sienna hugged her sister. "I wish it were me instead, sis. I would gladly sacrifice myself. You deserve to be happy after everything you've been through with our father, not like this."
"It's fine, Sienna. If we defy Papa, you might get caught in his anger towards me. I'll be okay. I just need to be a good wife to my future husband."
Sienna pulled away from her sister, concern etched on her face.
"But, sis, we've heard so many rumors about your soon-to-be-husband. He's ruthless and heartless. There's nothing good said about him. They say he's the cruelest among all the generations of Locatelli. I'm afraid that if Papa doesn't hurt you anymore, your husband might." Sienna held her older sister's hand tightly.
"I hope not..." Millie's voice trailed off, sounding less sure as time went on, as if she was starting to realize what her sister was saying.
Their conversation was cut short when their stepmother appeared "Sienna get out of the car because the wedding was about to begin." She said to the younger one before facing the bride. "Don't forget to smile and pretend to be happy. We both knew that any mistake would incur the wrath of your cruel father." She reminded them as if living with their father would deprive them of that fact.
In this wedding, Millie will see her future husband's face in person for the first time. She's usually only seen him in photographs because she knows he's very busy with work. There are times when he's even in another country. The only people she's interacted with regarding the wedding are the groom's parents.
She felt a mixture of nervousness as she walked down the church aisle. Her father and stepmother accompanied her, both guiding her towards the altar where she would hand her hand to her future husband.
"Be a good wife, Millie. If your husband divorces you-you already know what will happen. Obey everything he tells you. Don't displease him, and don't bring shame to our family name. Your marriage will have a significant impact on our business ventures, so be a proper wife," her father told her, his smile directed at the wedding guests, but his words filled her with fear.
Millie glanced at her father as he spoke, and despite his smiling demeanor toward the guests, she couldn't help but feel apprehensive about his words.
Then, Millie saw her future husband. It seemed as if she wanted to retreat as their gazes met. Even though she was veiled, the man's intense stare penetrated through.
Fear and a chilling sensation coursed through her body. The man's presence exuded a sense of ruthlessness and danger. Moreover, his cold, seemingly emotionless eyes fixed on her were enough to make her knees tremble.
"Gio, take care of my daughter, alright?" Millie's father said with a smile as he extended his daughter's hand to the man.
Millie's hand turned cold as Gio held it. She glanced at the hand of her soon-to-be-husband before meeting Gio's gaze, which seemed to pierce through her veil.
"I will, sir," Gio replied formally to Millie's father. They then walked together to the altar to begin the wedding ceremony.
Millie was anxious throughout the wedding ceremony, only realizing the gravity of her situation when Gio responded with the words, "I do."
The priest looked at her, and she swallowed hard, knowing that there was no other option but to proceed with the marriage, even though tying herself to a man who seemed to bring danger into her life was far from what she desired.
Gio glanced at Millie, seemingly impatient for her response. Millie took a deep breath, remembering the consequences if she didn't answer in accordance with her father's wishes.
"I-I do, Father," she managed to say, even though tears threatened to flow. The weight of her emotions was kept inside, bottled up within her chest.
When the priest announced that the groom could now kiss the bride, they turned to face each other.
Gio removed the veil that covered Millie's face. With the veil gone, Millie could now see the cold expression on her new husband's face more clearly.
Gio approached Millie slowly as she closed her eyes tightly.
Gio quickly kissed Millie on the lips. The audience applauded, seemingly delighted with the wedding. Perhaps, only one person regretted everything that had transpired-Millie.
Now, Millie stood before a large mirror in a grand room, brushing her hair. She was preparing herself for what would happen on the first night of her marriage.
As Millie was brushing her hair, the door to the room opened, and she saw in the mirror her husband approaching her.
Millie put down her hairbrush and turned to face Gio, who was standing with pride and honor behind her.
"You can refuse if you don't want me to do this," Gio said, his tone cold and formal.
Millie lowered her head. She didn't want this. She didn't want to be touched by a man she didn't love. She didn't want anything to happen between her and a man she barely knew, except for their wedding day. But what could she do? She had to fulfill her husband's needs. If he wanted something to happen between them, she couldn't refuse. That's what her father had drilled into her mind.
Gio sighed, and Millie raised her gaze to meet his. Her eyes widened when she saw Gio undressing.
"If you're not going to say anything to stop me, I will take it as permission to have sex with you," Gio stated.
Millie firmly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She stood up and slowly removed her nightdress.
Gio's lips parted in surprise at his wife's actions. Nevertheless, the desires of his flesh overpowered his other emotions.
He quickly pulled his wife into a deep kiss, catching Millie off guard, leaving her with no time to close her eyes. The next thing she knew, she was lying on the bed with Gio on top of her.
Gio's movements were swift. He removed Millie's underwear and looked at her one last time before speaking again.
"You can still stop me," Gio said in a hoarse voice.
Millie took a deep breath and shook her head. "This is my obligation as your wife. You don't have to ask me again. Do it."
Gio retrieved a condom, put it on, and then positioned himself before slowly entering Millie. She screamed in pain and discomfort as she accepted her husband's entirety.
Millie involuntarily pulled Gio's hair as he continued to penetrate her slowly.
Tears streamed down Millie's face as she felt Gio's fullness inside her. She gradually began to feel Gio's movements.
That night, Millie experienced a mix of desire and bitterness. She surrendered to her husband's actions, but she cried and felt bitter because she was unsure if this was the life she truly desired.
They shared a passionate night, and Millie barely remembered the details due to exhaustion.
She woke up the next morning to find her husband no longer by her side. She later discovered that he had left the country early that morning, leaving her alone.
