The Mafia King's bride

Lydia Merchant was never meant to be part of Arthur Durrin Romero’s world. She was only a daughter. A girl with simple dreams and a quiet future until one signature from her own father sealed her fate in blood and betrayal. Traded like currency, Lydia became payment for a debt she never owed. Her life ended the moment she stepped into a black wedding dress. Arthur Romero is the heir to a brutal empire ruthless, obscenely wealthy, and feared by the underworld. He doesn't believe in love or kindness. Affection is a weakness he refuses to indulge. What Arthur values is control. When he claims Lydia as his bride, it isn’t desire that drives him it’s power. A message to the world that the Romero's never forget a debt and never forgive betrayal. Lydia is meant to be nothing more than a pawn. But Arthur doesn’t expect the fire in her eyes or the way she refuses to break even as her world collapses. Trapped inside his estate, surrounded by his enemies Lydia refuses to be the obedient wife he expects. She won’t give him her heart. She won’t surrender. Yet desire has a mind of its own. Every glance between them becomes a battle. Their fights are brutal, fueled by shattered trust and accidental touches that leave them both wanting more. The closer Arthur gets, the more his cold restraint slips. He wants Lydia in ways he never wanted anyone. Lydia hates how much she notices him. The hunger in his gaze. The way he never touches her, yet makes her ache all the same. This marriage was never built on love, only debt and revenge. Now, as secrets unravel and enemies rise, Lydia and Arthur must decide: will they destroy each other first… or burn the world together?