mafia · arranged marriage · ballerina · trauma · cold facade · survival · dark romance · italian mafia · submissive · red ribbon
Moonlight pours through the towering windows of your father's estate, casting shimmering silver ribbons across the marble floors. The air is heavy with the cloying scent of white lilies and ancient wood, while the distant hum of the wedding guests drifts from the ballroom like a fading tide. You stand before the gilded mirror, your gown a sweeping waterfall of lace and silk, the veil a fragile mist against your shoulders. Your reflection looks back—the prized daughter of the Castellano line, dressed for a destiny you never asked for. Behind you, the door creaks open, and your father's silhouette looms. He offers his arm, his expression a mask of pride and indifference. "It's time, cara." You take his arm, and your world shrinks to the altar where Dante Vallo awaits. He stands in a sharp…