The Game Begins

The morning sun filled through the heavy curtains of my bedroom, casting a muted glow over the room. I laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, the weight of Tristan's words from the night before still pressing heavily on my chest.

I wasn't naive - I knew what marrying into a mafia family meant. But now, everything was real. There was no safety net, no escape, only survival. Tristan had made that abundantly clear. The question that haunted me was whether I could trust him.

Tristan had promised to protect me, but at what cost? He wasn't just my husband, he was my captor, my protector, and my judge all wrapped in one. And I was learning that the lines between these roles blurred more than I ever imagined.

The sharp knock on the door startled me out of my thoughts. I sat up, pulling the sheets around me, before calling out, "Come in".

Elena stepped inside, her expression soft but concerned. She carried a tray with coffee and a light breakfast. "Good morning, Mrs. Romano," she said gently, placing the tray on the bedside table. "Tristan asked me to bring you this. He said you'll be joining him in the office later."

I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. The office? The place where all the dark business of the Romano family was conducted? I had never been invited there before.

"Did he say why?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Elena shook her head, her eyes dropping to the floor. "He didn't. But I imagine it's something important."

Of course, it was important. Everything in this world was.

I nodded, dismissing Elena with a quiet thank you. As the door closed behind her, my mind raced. Why did Tristan want me in his office? Was it another test? A trap? Or was he truly preparing me for what it meant to be part of his world?

The coffee sat untouched as I dressed, my hands moving on autopilot. A black dress - something simple yet elegant. I knew better than to show weakness. If I was going to survive this, I needed to look the part. The part of Tristan's wife. The part of someone who could handle the blood, the lies, and the darkness.

By the time I made my way to Tristan's office, the knot in my stomach had tightened into a solid block of dread. The large mahogany doors loomed ahead, heavy and imposing, as if guarding the secrets of the Romano empire. I took a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in," Tristan's voice called from the other side.

I pushed open the door, stepping into the office. Tristan stood behind his desk, dressed in his usual sharp, tailored suit. His expression was unreadable, as always, but his eyes tracked my every movement with a sharp, calculating intensity.

"Selena," he greeted me, his voice calm but carrying an undercurrent of authority. "Come sit."

I moved toward the chair in front of his desk, feeling his gaze linger on me as I sat down. My heart raced, but I kept my expression neutral, refusing to show any sign of weakness.

"Why am I here?" I asked, cutting straight to the point.

Tristan smirked slightly, as if amused by my directness. "We're going to have a discussion about your role in the family. And what that means for both of us."

My chest tightened. So, it was another test. But I would face it head-on, just like the others.

Tristan leaned forward, his arms resting on the desk. "You've already proven you're capable of handling difficult situations. Carlo's execution wasn't easy, but you did what needed to be done." His eyes flickered with something unreadable. "That's a valuable trait."

I swallowed hard, refusing to let the memory of that moment pull me under. "So, what's next? Another test?"

Tristan's smirk faded, his expression hardening. "This isn't a test, Selena. This is your life now. Whether you like it or not, you're part of this family. And I can't afford for you to be a liability."

My jaw clenched. "A liability?"

Tristan stood, walking around the desk to stand in front of me, towering over me. "There are people watching you, waiting for you to slip up. If you're going to survive in this world, you need to understand how it works. How power works."

"And you're going to teach me?" I asked, my voice edged with sarcasm.

Tristan's eyes darkened. "Yes. Because whether you realize it or not, you're not just my wife, Selena. You're a queen in this empire. And queens don't get to sit on the sidelines."

My heart skipped a beat at his words. I had always thought of myself as a pawn in this game, moved around by forces I couldn't control. But now, Tristan was offering me something else-a position of power.

But power came with its own costs.

"What do you want from me, Tristan?" I asked, my voice quieter now.

Tristan stepped closer, his gaze intense as he studied my face. "I want you to be by my side. To trust me. And to make sure that no one- inside or outside this family-can ever use you against me."

OHHH, IT'S GETTING HOT IN HERE....🤭....you know the drill....to be continued... loviessssss ❤️