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“I am going to marry Aurora. Now it depends on you, Lorenzo. You can give her to me willingly, without a fight… or I will take her as my spoil of war.”

I look from him to the other men, letting the threat settle. “So, which is it going to be? The easy way… or the hard way?”

The room falls deathly silent.

Chapter 4

Aurora

The tears won’t stop.

No matter how many times I wipe them away, they keep coming, blurring my vision until everything around me becomes a watery haze.

I curl tighter into myself on the bed, my knees pressed against my chest, while Audrey sits beside me with one arm wrapped around my shoulders.

Roman's words keep replaying in my head, “I'm going to marry Aurora.” He sounded so certain. As though the decision had already been made.

When Roman told me over the phone that he was marrying me instead of Audrey, a part of me had dismissed it as some cruel joke. Maybe he’d lost his mind. Maybe he was trying to scare me because of Luca.

But after I saw him look my father in the eye, and calmly announce that he no longer wanted Audrey. I'm now realizing how serious the situation is.

I squeeze my eyes shut as another sob escapes me. How can this be happening?

Only a few hours ago, I was the one comforting Audrey, asking how she could possibly marry a man like Roman.

Now, I’m the one being forced into her place. The irony is almost laughable.

“Aurora.”

Audrey gently brushes my hair away from my face. “Don’t think the worst.”

I let out a broken laugh. “How can I not?”

“Father isn’t going to allow this.”

Sitting up, I look at her through tear-filled eyes. She speaks with far more confidence than I feel.

“He won’t let Roman make fools of our family by switching brides at the last minute.” She rubs circles on my back. “I’m still the one who’s going to marry him.”

I search her face. My voice trembles. “You really believe that? Didn’t you see him? The way he spoke with so much certainty?”

I shake my head. Another sob catches in my throat. “He wasn’t asking Father. He was telling him!”

I bury my face in my hands. “Oh, God…” The words come out muffled. “I’m going to marry Roman.”

The thought alone is enough to make fresh tears spill down my cheeks. With every tear comes another stab of guilt.

Because if I don’t marry Roman, then Audrey has to. It’s almost as though I’m wishing this nightmare onto my sister instead.

The realization makes my stomach twist. No. Neither of us deserves this. Neither of us deserves to become another bargaining chip.

Audrey cups my face. “Hey, stop crying.”

A knock sounds on the bedroom door. Audrey calls for them to come in, and one of the maids steps inside, lowering her gaze respectfully, hands clasped in front of her apron.

“Miss Aurora, Don Lorenzo has requested that you come to his study.”

My heart sinks. This is it.