Chapter 7 – The Unexpected Groom

Chapter 7 – The Unexpected Groom

Five Years Later…

Raven Castillo had become a name whispered in both admiration and fear. An enigma. The world's deadliest assassin. Governments and underground organizations alike sought her skills, yet none could catch her. She was the predator in the dark, the executioner of the guilty.

Her best friends had carved their own paths to success—Julian, a renowned designer dressing the elite, Valentina, a business mogul shaking the industry, and Sophia, a top surgeon saving lives daily. They had all flourished.

Life was perfect. Until it wasn't.

She had just returned from a mission, her body aching but her mind sharp, when her Nonna and Nonno summoned her to the Castillo estate's grand study. The air smelled of rich wood and aged cigars, a sign that serious matters were about to be discussed.

She barely had time to sit before her Nonna spoke, voice calm but firm.

"Raven, it's time."

"Time for what?" she asked, pulling off her gloves, still damp with blood.

Her Nonno leaned forward, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "The wedding arrangement set by our ancestors. The first daughter of the Castillo family must marry the heir of the Valenti family."

Raven stilled. Marriage?

Then she laughed. A cold, sharp sound. "You're joking."

Her Nonna's expression didn't waver. "No, we are not."

"I kill people, Nonna. I don't bake cookies and play housewife," Raven scoffed, leaning back in her chair. "Find someone else."

Her Nonno sighed, rubbing his temples. "You don't have a choice, Raven. This marriage is not just about tradition. The mafia needs this union."

Raven's eyes narrowed. "The mafia?"

Her Nonna nodded. "Yes, Raven. You're not just a Castillo. You are the heir to one of the strongest mafia bloodlines. And the Valentis… their heir is the current mafia king. This marriage will unite two of the most powerful families."

Raven clenched her jaw.

The mafia king.

She knew the Valentis were powerful, but she hadn't paid much attention to who was currently leading them. She had always stayed out of mafia business, working as a lone assassin.

"I refuse," she said coldly.

Her Nonno's expression hardened. "This is not up for discussion."

Fury boiled inside her. "I don't care if the mafia is at war, or if some ancient ghosts demand this marriage. I don't need a man to protect me, and I sure as hell won't be used as a pawn."

Her Nonna's lips pressed together. "Then you will be at war with your own bloodline."

Raven sucked in a sharp breath. "You'd go that far?"

"This is bigger than you, Raven. We need this alliance. The Valenti heir has already agreed."

"Oh, so the bastard just gets to decide?" she spat, standing up. "Who is he, anyway?"

Silence.

Then her Nonna spoke carefully. "Kai Valenti."

Her mind went blank.

The name sent a strange jolt through her, an eerie sense of familiarity, but she shoved it aside.

Without another word, she stormed out, grabbing her phone the moment she was in her room. If anyone could talk sense into her, it was her besties.

The moment Julian picked up, she snapped, "My grandparents are insane."

"Oh, sweetie, we've been knew," Julian teased, then paused. "Wait, what happened?"

"They want to marry me off."

"WHAT?!"

Valentina and Sophia joined the call, their voices overlapping in shock.

"To who?" Sophia finally asked.

"Some Valenti heir."

Silence.

Then Sophia laughed—a slow, knowing sound.

"Rav… the Valentis are my family."

Raven froze.

"What?"

"The heir… my cousin. Kai Valenti."

Raven nearly dropped her phone.

No.

No. No. No.

The same Kai Valenti from years ago? The one she had met in an elevator? The one she had never seen again but could never quite forget?

It had to be a coincidence.

Right?

Before she could fully process it, the business meeting was arranged. Both families would meet to finalize the engagement.

She arrived at the luxurious Valenti estate, dressed in black, her face cold as stone. Julian, Valentina, and Sophia were at her side, whispering about the insanity of it all.

The meeting room was filled with mafia elites, her family, his family. She didn't care about any of them.

Then the doors opened.

And in walked him.

Kai Valenti.

The air shifted. The room blurred.

He had changed. Taller, broader, sharper. The quiet intensity in his eyes had only grown, his suit tailored to perfection, exuding power and danger.

His gaze locked onto hers, and for the first time in a long time, Raven felt truly stunned.

Then he smirked.

"So… you're my bride?"

A slow, mocking tone.

Her fingers twitched, itching to throw a knife at his stupidly handsome face.

Julian leaned over and whispered, "Oh, this is gonna be fun."

And for the first time in years, Raven felt the weight of fate pressing down on her shoulders.

This was war.

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