Chapter 143 A Vow in the Shadows
\[Lilia\]
This must be the happiest day of my life. The man I want most in this world loves me back and is kissing me as if I am the only thing that matters. I didn't care how he managed to infiltrate my ball or how he bypassed the plethora of guards Pa had dispersed. I didn't care, as long as he was with me.
“Would you care to have a dance with me?” Kael whispered against my lips. His nose brushed mine, and he pressed my palm firmly against his chest so I could feel the rhythmic, racing cadence of his heart.
I loved this. I prayed this moment could last forever, but reality strikes hard. Soon enough, we would be facing our bigger problems. There was Ronan, claiming his stake on me, and then there was Pa. Vittorio would never let Kael and me be together. It would be like mixing water and gasoline, an explosion waiting to happen.
“I would love to, but my feet hurt from dancing with a bunch of assholes nonstop,” I said, pulling back slightly. My voice dropped, heavy with the weight of our situation. “And Pa would be furious if he saw you with me.”
A low, guttural growl erupted in his throat. He was as annoyed as I was. We were two people standing in a room full of thousands, yet we were trapped by the invisible walls of our families' legacies. Why couldn't we just be normal? Why did every profession of love have to feel like a declaration of war?
Kael captured my hand and squeezed it gently. He brought it to his lips, kissing my knuckles. His eyes were fixed on me, but his brows were knotted deeply as if he were calculating a thousand moves ahead. He drew a long breath and held both my hands before asking the most unexpected thing.
“Will you marry me now?”
Instinctively, my eyes went wide. My mouth hung open, but no words came out, only a sharp, staggered intake of air.
“W-what?” I stammered. “Are you insane?”
The corner of his jaw clenched. I could tell his mind was set. There was no changing what he had decided. He wanted to marry me, and I wanted to say yes so desperately it made my chest ache. But the risk was astronomical. Ronan’s voice echoed in the back of my head—that snake-like threat of the chaos he could unleash if I didn't play my part.
“I might be,” Kael said, taking my face into his large hand. “Look, doll. I love you, and I want nothing more in this world than for you to be my wife. Don’t you love me too?”
“Of course I do,” I blurted out. I couldn't let him doubt me, even for a second. But the anxiety was a lump in my throat. “I love you, Kael. With all my heart. But what about Pa? He’ll have your head if he knows we got married.”
Kael shook his head, his thumb tracing the line of my cheekbone with agonizing tenderness. “He won’t know, for now. I’ll take you out. Find an excuse to stay away from prying eyes, then meet me outside. I know a judge who can wed us right away with just one call. It won’t be long. After we say our vows, I’ll take you back here.”
It sounded so simple. Yet, I knew better. I couldn't just waltz out of a palace teeming with guards and curious guests. At this very moment, every eye was likely searching the room for the "De Luca Heir." But the prospect of being Mrs. Aslanov... it sent tens of millions of butterflies into a frenzy in my stomach.
“And after that?” I asked, seeking some anchor of logic in his impulsive plan.
“There are things I have to take care of. Business to settle between the old bastard and me. Then, I’ll come for my wife. You don’t have to worry, doll. If it means having you at my side, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
His wife.
“Will you marry me, doll? I promise to put you first and never hurt you again.”
The tip of my tongue wanted to scream yes. I wanted to throw every worry out the window and follow him through hell. But he had promised me things before—back when I almost died. He said he’d never hurt me, then he broke my heart with that engagement to Sabina.
“You promised me once before, Kael.”
His face fell dejectedly. “I know, and I broke it. But everything I did was to protect you.”
“Protect me?” I was confused. How was hurting me a form of protection?
“It’s a long story,” he sighed, his hand dropping.
“What about Sabina?”
“I don’t care about her. The engagement was a necessity at the time. I have it under control. She will never bother us again.”
I stared into his face, memorizing the angles of his jaw and the intensity of his mossy eyes. I could see the sincerity there. I didn't have proof, but I didn't need it. I could feel it. A smile finally lifted my lips as I reached up to smooth the crease between his brows.
“Yes, Kael...” I whispered. “I will marry you.”
“Really?” I nodded, and a bright smile transformed his face. He leaned down and kissed me again, his hands gripping my hips. He leaned his forehead against mine. “I’ll be waiting outside.”
“I love you,” I breathed.
“I love you, kukla. More than life itself.”
Kael let go of me and nodded, signaling me to move first. I swallowed my apprehension and turned around. I didn't dare look back; if I did, I’d never leave his side. I had to execute this perfectly.
I stepped back into the crowd, feeling exposed without my mask. I headed toward the buffet, reaching for a cocktail to steady my nerves, but the smell hit me—rancid, sharp, and sickening. I put it down immediately, opting for a glass of water instead. I emptied it in one go, my thirst as unquenchable as my anxiety.
“Cara, there you are.”
I fought a groan. I turned to face the man walking toward me.
“Pa.”