The storm outside raged with a fury that mirrored the tension crackling inside the Blackwood estate. Wind howled against the windows , and lashed the stone walls, but inside the study , an even darker force stirred.
Ryan leaned against the desk with a calm too still to be trusted . His lips was still bruised from the fight . A faint smile curled his mouth as he tosses a thick envelope onto the desk between them.
Soren stared at it . The air was heavy .
" What is this?" He asked , his voice hoarse.
" A contract ," Ryan said smoothly . " A chance . For all of us ."
Vivienne stood a few feet behind Soren , arms wrapped around herself. Her eyes didn't leave Ryan's face .
" You're insane ," Soren snapped , pushing the envelope away . " This ends here . You lay another finger on her and l'll-"
"You'll what?" Ryan interrupted . " Fight me again? In front of your precious staff? In front of the board?"
He stepped closer voice low and deadly .
" Let's drop the charsade , brother . Iam not just some heir playing rich boy in designer suits .I'm more than that . I've built something of my own . something powerful . Underground."
Soren narrowed his eyes. " What are you talking about?"
Ryan smiled , pulling back the sleeve of his coat . A tattoo of a serpent coiled around a dagger marked the inside of his forearm.
" I run the Noir Syndicate. You're very heard of it , I'm sure . Most people think it's a rumor ".
Soren's blood ran cold .
"You're mafia ," he breathed.
Ryan nodded . " Inheritance are boaring . I made my own kingdom."
Vivienne staggered back a step , stunned." You ... You lied about everything."
" I never lied ," Ryan said , his gaze on her . " I simply never told you . I wanted you to like ,e for who I was . But you didn't . You chose him."
He turned back to Soren.
" So here's the deal : You sign this contract. I will take Vivienne with me for two months and live in my mansion. If , at the end of that time , she chooses me- she becomes my real wife. Truly . Not under force. If she doesn't, I'll return her to you . And l'll disappear . No one will ever heard a words about your little arrangement."
" And if I refuse?" Soren asked, his fists clenched.
Ryan's smile vanished.
" Then I blow it all up . I leak the truth - about your fake marriage. About your manipulation. The media will eat it up . You'll lose everything. Your name . Your company. Your legacy with shame ."
Soren's jaw trembled with fury .
" You're d drag your own family down?"
" You're not my family ," Ryan snapped. " You never were . You're a title. A shadow I had to crawl out from ."
Silence settled again . Only the rain could be heard .
Vivienne stepped forward.
" I'll go," she said quietly.
Both men turned to her.
" What ?" Soren said, shocked .
Vivienne looked into his eyes . " For your mother. If she finds out the truth now, it's ll break her . We can't risk it . And Ryan knows that."
" Vivienne , no . He's dangerous -"
She shook her head.
" I can handle him . Two months . That's all."
She turned to Ryan , her chin lifting.
" But understand this: I'm not yours . Not now . Not ever unless I choose it. You try to force me again - and I' ll destroy you myself."
Ryan smirked." There's the fire I fell for ." " No one can destroy me baby gurl!" He said .
He opened the envelope, sliding the contract out . " Sign it , Soren . Make it official."
Soren's hand shook as he took the pen .
He looked at Vivienne one last time .
" I'm sorry", he whispered.
She smiled faintly . " Don't be . Just wait for me ."
He nodded.
The pen touched the paper .
And just like that , Vivienne's freedom was no longer her own.
The next day night, a black car waited outside the mansion.
Vivienne stood at the entrance with a single suitcase .
Soren stood beside her , face hollow .
" You don't have to smile , " she whispered.
He brushed her hand with his fingers. I'm ll come for you . If he hurts you-"
" I know".
Ryan was already inside , dressed in black formal , his face unreadable.
" You did the right thing," he said as the car pulled away .
Vivienne didn't reply . She looked out the window , watching the Blackwood estate grow smaller behind them.
Mrs Blackwood, saw her going somewhere. She called Soren and asked him that where did Vivienne go . He hesitated and said , " She was missing her mom so I sent her there for a few days ." Mrs. Blackwood was calmed and said , it's okay if she is missing her and good thing that you understood her feeling and took her there . She left .
But Soren, was still thinking about Vivienne.
He started developing some feelings over her and her absence made him think more about her .....
Two months.
She had to survive worse .
Vivienne didn't knew that she would be leaving in hell for these two months.
Ryan was just a fine looking man for the outside world but for the underworld he was the nightmare of every child. He was a deadly mafia and this secret is not known to all .
Blood showers everywhere.
And Vivienne is still unaware of these things . And what will she do? She is too weak to do anything. But he is very muscular and his body is huge , and the most powerful man . He is very much taller than Vivienne.
But this time , she wasn't just going to endure . She was going to fight.
Even if she had to burn Ryan's empire to the ground....