Chapter 10 : A Game Of Shadows

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Chapter 10: A Game of Shadows

The wedding was everything a Valenti-Castillo union was expected to be—grand, elegant, and laced with power.

Hundreds of guests filled the hall, their eyes glued to the newlyweds. Some whispered about the strength this alliance would bring, while others admired the sheer beauty of the pair standing at the center of it all.

Raven, clad in a breathtaking lace gown, looked untouchable. Kai, in his tailored black tux, stood tall beside her, exuding the kind of dominance that sent shivers down even the most seasoned men's spines.

But beneath the surface of perfection, the war had already begun.

The Last Dance & Her Father's Apology

As the night wore on, the wedding neared its final moments. The traditional last dance between a father and his daughter had arrived.

Victor Castillo held out a hand to his only daughter, his usual stern expression softened by something Raven couldn't quite place. She hesitated for just a second before slipping her hand into his.

The music slowed, and they moved in sync, the world around them blurring.

Then, her father sighed—a heavy, burdened sound.

"I was wrong," he murmured, his grip tightening just slightly. "I should've listened to you more, figlia mia."

Raven blinked up at him, surprised. Victor Castillo did not apologize—not to anyone. But here he was, her father, the man who raised her to be untouchable, apologizing in front of a crowd of powerful men and women.

"I should've protected you more," he continued. "I should've let you choose."

Raven swallowed hard. Her father was strict, cold, unyielding—but deep down, she had always known he loved her. And now, in this moment, she saw it clearer than ever.

So she gave him something rare. Something she barely gave anyone.

A small smile.

"You did what you thought was best," she said softly.

Victor exhaled, pressing a kiss to her forehead—an act of love from a mafia leader who rarely showed it.

And just like that, the dance ended.

But the night wasn't over yet.

The Brothers' Warning

Before Kai could take his bride away, they came.

Luca De Santis. Enzo Cavalli. Julian Caruso.

Three men who weren't just her friends.

They were her brothers in everything but blood.

The moment Kai stepped away from Raven, they cornered him, their expressions cold, unreadable.

Luca, ever the strategist, was the first to speak. His voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. "Let's get one thing clear, Valenti."

Enzo stepped forward, his usual playful demeanor nowhere to be found. "If you hurt our sorella—if you so much as make her shed a single tear—"

Julian, the least violent of the three, narrowed his eyes. "We don't care about your Mafia King status."

Luca's next words came out as a promise.

"We will kill you."

A lesser man might have tensed. A fool might have taken it as an empty threat.

But Kai Valenti was neither.

Instead, he smirked. Slow. Amused. Unbothered.

"You think I don't know that already?" he replied smoothly.

The three men exchanged glances, as if silently communicating.

Then, to Kai's surprise, Luca nodded. "Good."

Because this wasn't just a warning.

It was a test.

And Kai had passed.

The Family's Joy & The Wedding's End

While the silent war raged between Raven's protectors and her new husband, elsewhere, their families were nothing short of ecstatic.

Lucia Valenti dabbed at her eyes, smiling at the sight of her son and his new wife. "Oh, Alessandro," she whispered to her husband, "he looks just like you did at our wedding."

Alessandro Valenti chuckled, taking a sip of his wine. "Let's hope he listens to his wife better than I did," he murmured under his breath.

On the Castillo side, Raven's nonno and nonna looked on proudly.

"She's going to be just fine," her nonna whispered, squeezing her husband's hand. "She's strong. And he—" she glanced at Kai, "—he already loves her more than he lets on."

Her nonno only chuckled. "A Valenti falling hard? Dio, che sorpresa."

And just like that, the night ended.

Raven hugged her mother, her friends, her cousins—saying goodbye to the world she had known before stepping into a new one.

And then, as the final farewell was said…

She turned to him.

The Drive Home

Kai opened the sleek black car door, waiting.

Raven hesitated for half a second, glancing back at her family, her friends, the life she was leaving behind.

Then, with a deep breath, she turned and gracefully entered the car.

Kai slid in beside her, the door shutting with a final click.

Silence settled between them as the driver started the engine.

As the car pulled away, leaving behind the glowing wedding hall and the family who had protected her all her life, Raven stared out the window.

Kai watched her for a moment before finally breaking the silence.

"No regrets?" he asked, voice unreadable.

Raven turned to him, her lips curling into a slow, dangerous smile.

"None."

Kai smirked. "Good."

Because this wasn't just a marriage.

This was a game.

And neither of them planned on losing.

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