Chapter 2 Forced Marria

Adriana's POV

"This is ridiculous!" I snapped, my fingers curling into tight fists, knuckles going white. My voice was a raw mixture of frustration and disbelief as I turned to Massimo, my father's second-in-command. "You can't be serious. You want me to marry him?"

I pointed at Ivan, who stood across the table with that infuriating look of indifference plastered on his face. His eyes weren't even focused on me-he was too busy scribbling his name on the contract, his hand moving effortlessly as though he was signing for a business deal and not something that would tie our fates together forever.

"I'm not doing it," I hissed, slamming my palm down onto the table. The sound echoed through the room, the thud making the tension even thicker. "I'll go violent before I let this happen."

Massimo didn't flinch. In fact, he didn't even look fazed by my outburst. He simply leaned back in his chair, his eyes dark and unreadable. His usual calm demeanor only made the situation worse.

I could feel the anger boiling inside me, the heat rising in my chest. I wanted to scream, to throw something, to punch Ivan in his smug face until the smugness drained out of him. But none of that would matter, because I knew-deep down-that I had no choice.

"You will do this for the family, Adriana," Massimo's voice was stern, unwavering. "This isn't about you. It's about the survival of the Moretti name. Think about it. This alliance could strengthen us in ways you can't even begin to understand."

I shook my head, my breath coming faster, my pulse a relentless throb in my ears. "I don't care. I will never marry him. I'd rather die."

"Enough." My father's voice boomed from the doorway, sharp as a blade, and my stomach twisted. I hadn't realized he was standing there until he spoke. His presence filled the room instantly, suffocating me, as it always did. When he entered a room, everything else faded into the background.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Adriana. You'll do this. It's for the good of the family." His voice was colder than Massimo's, hard as stone.

I could feel the weight of his words pressing on me, pushing me down, and all I wanted to do was scream at him. I had been fighting for my freedom, for my right to choose my path. But all of that had been shattered in a single moment.

I turned away from him, unwilling to meet his eyes. I couldn't. If I did, I might break. I clenched my jaw, holding back tears of rage and helplessness. Every part of me screamed in protest.

This wasn't right. I was supposed to have a say in my life, in my future. I was supposed to choose who I married, not have it dictated to me by my father's cold, calculating desire to control everything.

But here I was, cornered. No one cared what I wanted. Not really.

"I'm not signing it," I growled, shaking my head furiously. "I will not marry him."

Ivan didn't even look up from the contract as he signed his name with a flourish. He didn't care. It was clear from the way he moved that this was just another task to him, another hurdle to jump over in his endless game of power.

"Your opinion is irrelevant," Ivan said flatly, his voice like ice, as though he were speaking to a child throwing a tantrum. "The deal is done, Adriana. Your father has made it clear. This is happening."

The words hit me like a slap to the face, and my anger surged again, white-hot and blinding. How dare he talk to me like that? How dare he treat me as if I were just some pawn in his family's game? My fists clenched at my sides, but no matter how badly I wanted to punch him, I knew it wouldn't change anything.

I was stuck.

"You think this is funny?" I spat, taking a step forward, my eyes narrowing into slits. "Do you really think I'll just roll over and accept this? Do you know how much I hate you?"

Ivan didn't even flinch. He simply set the pen down, his expression still unreadable. He stood, the chair scraping against the floor with a sharp sound.

My heart skipped in my chest, and I couldn't help but feel the unease crawling up my spine. Ivan Valkof was a man who knew how to remain calm under pressure, and that unnerved me more than anything.

"I don't care about your hatred, Adriana," he said, his voice low, cold, and emotionless. "Feel free to hate me all you want. But this marriage is a business transaction, nothing more. You're not the first woman I've been forced to marry, and you won't be the last. So save your drama."

I recoiled, my mind spinning, my thoughts a chaotic mess. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe he was treating this like some casual inconvenience. But the more I fought it, the more I realized it didn't matter. This wasn't a decision I could make. I didn't have that luxury.

Massimo's gaze flicked between Ivan and me, and I could see the faintest trace of amusement in his eyes. "We're done here. Sign it, Adriana. You're not walking away from this."

My father stepped forward, his expression hard and resolute, like the stone statue he was. "Don't test me, Adriana. I've been patient with you, but this is for your own good. You'll sign it, and you'll accept what's coming. This isn't just about us; it's about the future of our family. You know that."

The future of our family? What future? All I could see was a future where I was trapped in a cage, bound to a man I couldn't stand, living a life I didn't choose. A future where my every move was dictated by my father, my every breath controlled by the mafia.

I could feel the heat building in my chest again, the anger surging through my veins, but I was running out of options. My hands trembled with fury as I reached for the pen.

"You win," I muttered through gritted teeth, my voice barely above a whisper. My hand hovered over the paper, the sharp tip of the pen trembling as I prepared to sign my fate away.

The words felt like poison in my mouth, but I wrote my name. It was the only thing I could do. There was no escaping this.

When I set the pen down, I could almost hear the sound of chains locking around me, the weight of my decision pressing down on me with all the force of a thousand pounds. My eyes burned with unshed tears, but I held them back. I wasn't going to cry. Not in front of them.

"Good," my father said, his voice colder than I had ever heard it. "We'll make the arrangements. It's already done."

Ivan picked up the contract and handed it to Massimo, who took it without a word, his face impassive. My heart was pounding in my chest, but I didn't let them see it. I wouldn't show them how much they'd hurt me, how much this decision had broken me. I would keep my composure.

But inside, I was screaming.

This wasn't my choice. It was never my choice.

And now, I was bound to a future I could never escape.