Adrian's Pov

"Don't do this, man. You'll regret it."

I grabbed Marco's arm as he stumbled toward the neon-lit chapel doors. His shirt was half unbuttoned, his tie hanging like a dead snake around his neck, and his grin screamed trouble. He was drunk, and not the fun kind.

"Adrian, let me live!" he laughed, shoving me off. "She loves me."

"She's a stripper you met three hours ago," I snapped, yanking him back. "This isn't love. This is Vegas. Big difference."

Marco groaned, tossing his head back at the glowing sign: Forever After Weddings – Open 24 Hours. His glassy eyes softened. "Maybe this is what I need. Something crazy. Something real."

I sighed. I'd heard this tone before, every time he crashed into another bad decision and usually, I cleaned up the mess afterward. But tonight, I was already exhausted.

My mom's medicine was overdue. The bills were stacked higher than my fridge. I had two jobs and no future and instead of sleeping or working, I was babysitting Marco on the worst night possible.

I tightened my grip on his arm. "You don't even know her last name."

Marco smirked. "Neither do half the couples in there. That's the fun."

I wanted to argue more, but that's when the doors to the chapel burst open.

A tall man stormed out, tuxedo jacket undone, tie ripped from his neck. His face was all sharp lines and storm clouds, the kind of man you instantly recognized from magazines or billboards. His hair was dark, slicked back, but strands had fallen loose like he'd torn his hands through it.

He looked expensive, dangerous and broken.

I blinked. Wait, no way.

Soren Knight.

The name slammed into me before my brain caught up. Knight Enterprises. The empire that owned half the skyscrapers in Las Vegas. The heir to billions. The man my mother cursed whenever his company bought out another neighborhood block.

What the hell was he doing here?

His eyes were bloodshot, his steps uneven, like he'd drowned himself in whiskey. Still, even wasted, he radiated control. Like he could crush the whole world under his heel if he wanted.

He stopped at the edge of the curb, ripping at his bowtie like it offended him. "Unbelievable," he muttered, voice low but sharp. "She ran."

I froze.

Marco whispered, "Is that, holy shit, it is. Dude, that's Soren Knight."

I wanted to drag Marco away, but the universe had other plans. Because at that exact moment, Marco lunged forward, almost face-planting into the street.

I caught him, but the sudden shove made me stumble, right into Soren Knight.

His shoulder was solid as stone, and his eyes snapped to mine like daggers.

"Watch where you're going." His voice was gravel, deep and laced with venom.

"Sorry," I muttered quickly, steadying Marco.

But Marco, the idiot that he was, pointed and grinned. "You're Soren Knight! The billionaire whose bride ditched him!"

I swear the entire street went silent.

Soren's jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth might break. His gaze turned on me again, sharper this time, like maybe I was responsible for Marco's words.

I raised my hands. "He's drunk. Ignore him."

Soren studied me, his eyes flicking over my cheap shirt, the scuffed sneakers, the calloused hands. I could almost hear his judgment: poor, nobody, nothing and maybe I should've backed away. But instead, I stared right back. Because yeah, I was poor. But I wasn't invisible.

"Who are you?" he asked, his tone almost curious now.

"Adrian Vega."

That was it, no title no power. Just me.

He smirked bitterly. "Of course. Vegas." He tilted his head at the chapel. "Seems fitting."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Marriage," he said simply, almost mocking. "You're in Vegas, Vega. Isn't that what people do here?"

I rolled my eyes. "Not me."

"Why not?" His voice challenged me, testing.

I wanted to say because marriage actually means something to me. Because I'd grown up watching my parents fight, then my dad leave, and my mom struggle alone. Because I promised myself I'd only marry for love, not convenience.

But instead, I just muttered, "Because I'm not drunk enough to be stupid."

Something flashed in his eyes, anger, pain, maybe both. He stepped closer, his cologne sharp and expensive, and I realized he was the kind of man who crushed people for sport.

"Maybe stupid is what I need right now," he said softly.

Before I could reply, Marco stumbled between us, laughing. "Yes! That's what I'm saying. We should all just get married! What's the worst that could happen?"

I groaned, dragging him back. "Marco, shut up....."

But Soren's gaze locked on me again, not Marco. Me.

"You," he said, voice cutting through the night like a blade. "Marry me."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

He smirked, like he knew exactly how insane it sounded. "You heard me. One night. One mistake. You said you're not drunk enough to be stupid, so let's test that theory."

My heart jumped into my throat. "You're out of your mind."

"Maybe," he admitted. His voice dropped lower, dangerous and raw. "But I need this. Right now. And you're standing here. So what do you say?"

I stared at him, searching for a joke. But there was none. Just cold fury in his eyes, the kind you only get when your whole world collapses.

"No way," I said firmly, shaking my head.

But then Marco cheered, clapping me on the back. "Do it, Adrian! You'll be rich!"

I shoved him off, glaring. "This isn't funny."

Soren's smirk vanished. His expression hardened, turning icy. "You're right. It's not funny. It's necessary."

His words hit heavier than I expected. Like this wasn't about me at all, it was about him proving something, even if it was reckless.

I should've walked away. But something about the way he looked at me, like I was the only person in the world not afraid of him, made me hesitate.

And then the chapel doors opened again. The officiant popped his head out, smiling. "Another ceremony? We're open all night."

Soren's eyes didn't leave mine. "Well?"

My heart pounded in my chest. I didn't belong in his world. I didn't even belong in this conversation and yet... part of me wanted to see what happened if I said yes.

I swallowed hard. "You're serious?"

His lips curved into a cold smile. "Deadly."

And for the first time that night, I realized just how dangerous one word from me could be.

"Say yes, Adrian," Soren murmured, his voice a dare, his eyes burning into mine.

Soren's Pov

"Do you have the guts to marry me, or are you just another coward?"

The words left my mouth before I could stop them. I didn't recognize myself anymore. My head was pounding, my chest hollow, but my voice cut sharp. I wanted him to back down. I wanted him to walk away like everyone else did.

But Adrian Vega didn't move.

His eyes burned into mine, not with fear, not with greed, but with something worse, hesitation. As if he was weighing the cost, as if my life wasn't already wreckage.

The chapel lights flickered above us. The officiant, an old man with thinning hair and a cheap suit, leaned against the doorframe. He grinned like he'd seen this scene a thousand times before. "Well, gentlemen? We're open all night."

I turned back to Adrian. His friend Marco was practically falling over himself, laughing and cheering. "Do it, Adrian! Come on! You'll thank me later!"

Adrian hissed at him to shut up. Then his gaze locked on me again.

"You're serious," he whispered.

I took a step closer, ignoring the sway in my head from too much whiskey. "Deadly."

For a moment, I thought he'd walk away. But then something shifted in his face. stubbornness. A fire, The kind I knew too well because it lived in me.

"Fine," he muttered. "Let's do it."

The officiant clapped his hands. "Wonderful! Right this way."

I didn't think. I just followed, dragging Adrian with me.

The chapel smelled like roses dipped in cheap perfume. The carpet was worn, the walls lined with fake flowers. A plastic arch stood at the front, draped in fairy lights. It was pathetic, a joke compared to the empire I'd been raised in.

And maybe that was why I stayed. Because everything I knew, everything I was supposed to be, was already in flames. What was one more match?

Adrian shifted beside me, muttering under his breath. "This is insane."

"Back out, then," I said coldly, fixing my cufflinks even though I'd already ripped my jacket half open.

He shot me a glare. "Don't tempt me."

The officiant cleared his throat. "Stand here, please." He pointed at the altar.

I stood tall, as I'd been taught since childhood. Adrian fidgeted, his sneakers squeaking against the floor. We were polar opposites, side by side, under fake roses.

"Do you have rings?" the officiant asked cheerfully.

I almost laughed. "No."

Adrian shrugged. "Got a coin?"

We both dug through our pockets until Adrian pulled out a bent silver band keychain. He slipped the ring off and handed it over.

"Perfect," the officiant said, like this was normal.

My throat tightened. This wasn't normal. This was chaos. But I let it happen.

The officiant began his lines, voice monotone, eyes half-asleep. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here tonight..."

My mind blurred. I saw flashes of Celeste's cold smile as she walked out of the ballroom earlier. My father's fury burned into my skull. The reporters snapped photos. The whispers: The Knight heir abandoned, weak. A failure.

And now here I am. Standing beside a broke stranger who smelled faintly of soap and smoke.

"Do you, Soren Knight, take Adrian Vega.."

"Yes." My voice cut through before he even finished.

Adrian's head whipped toward me, eyes wide. "You could at least wait," he hissed.

The officiant chuckled nervously and turned. "Do you, Adrian Vega, take Soren Knight..."

There was silence. Adrian's jaw clenched. His eyes darted to Marco, who was swaying in the back pew, waving his arms like an idiot. Then his gaze met mine.

"Yes," he said finally.

The officiant smiled. "By the power vested in me by the great state of Nevada, I now pronounce you..."

I didn't wait. I grabbed Adrian by the back of the neck and kissed him.

It wasn't soft, wasn't romantic. It was a punishment.

His lips parted in shock, but instead of pulling away, he shoved back, kissing me with sharp anger. For a moment, heat flared, drowning the fury. His grip on my shirt tightened, and mine dug into his jaw.

The officiant clapped. Marco cheered. The world blurred and then it was done.

We broke apart, both breathless, both glaring.

"There you have it," the officiant said brightly. "Husband and husband."

The words hung heavy.

I turned away first, fixing my jacket with stiff fingers. Adrian's chest was rising fast, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Happy now?" he muttered.

I didn't answer. Because I wasn't. I wasn't happy. I wasn't anything but raw, hollow rage.

"Come on," I said, marching toward the door.

Adrian blinked. "Where are we going?"

"To deal with the fallout."

Because I already knew. The paparazzi, investors. My father.

This wasn't going to stay in Vegas.

When we stepped outside, the night air slapped me. Bright flashes exploded instantly, blinding. Reporters swarmed, shouting my name, cameras flashing.

"Mr. Knight! Who's your husband?"

"Why did Celeste leave?"

"Is this your revenge?"

Adrian froze beside me, eyes wide. "What the hell..."

I grabbed his hand without thinking, locking us together as the crowd pressed closer. "Smile."

He turned to me, panicked. "What?"

"Smile," I repeated, through clenched teeth. "If we don't, they'll eat us alive."

Flashes went off again, brighter, faster. Our joined hands, his face, my suit.

Adrian swallowed, then forced the weakest smile I'd ever seen.

It was enough. The reporters roared louder, the questions came out sharper.

I squeezed his hand tighter. My lips barely moved as I leaned toward him, whispering into his ear so only he could hear.

"You're in my world now, Vega and trust me, there's no way out."

Adrian's Pov

I wasn't supposed to be here. Just a guy with overdue rent and a sick mom. Yet here I was, shoved into the blinding circle of a billionaire's life.

Soren didn't flinch. His face was marble, his smile controlled, his posture perfect. He tugged me close, like I belonged at his side, even though we both knew I didn't.

A camera nearly smacked my cheek. I shoved it away. "Back off!" I yelled, but my voice was drowned out by more questions.

"This way," Soren muttered, pushing through.

"How the hell do they even know?" I hissed, stumbling to keep up.

He didn't answer. His grip tightened on me. The black car waiting at the curb opened as if on cue.

Soren shoved me inside first. I slid across the leather seat, my heart pounding. He climbed in after me, slammed the door, and silence fell.

My ears rang. My chest heaved.

"What the hell was that?" I demanded.

He didn't look at me. He poured a drink from the car's mini bar. "Welcome to my life."

I slammed my fists against my knees. "I didn't sign up for this!"

His eyes flicked to me, sharp and cold. "You said yes."

"That was a joke! A dare! Not....." My throat caught. "Not this."

Soren didn't argue. He just sipped his drink, staring out the tinted window.

My phone buzzed. I fumbled it out.

Twenty missed calls. All from one name.

Mom.

My stomach dropped.

I answered quickly. "Mom?"

Her voice came in shaky, breathless. "Adrian, what did you do?"

"It's not what it looks like."

"The news is everywhere," she whispered. "You're married to him. To Soren Knight. Tell me it's not true."

I glanced at Soren. He was watching me now, his face unreadable.

"It's complicated," I whispered.

"Complicated?" Her voice broke. "You brought the most powerful, heartless man in the city into our lives. Do you know what that means? What he can do?"

Tears burned, but I blinked them back. "I'll explain. Just, don't worry. I'll fix it."

Her silence hurt worse than her words. Then the line clicked dead.

I lowered the phone, my hands shaking.

Soren didn't speak.

"Don't look at me like that," I snapped.

He tilted his head slightly. "Like what?"

"Like I'm just another problem you have to manage."

His jaw flexed, but he didn't answer.

The car slowed. "We're here, sir," the driver announced.

I glanced out the window and froze.

Towering glass walls. It was the Knight Enterprises building.

"No," I muttered. "No way."

"You are," Soren said, adjusting his cufflinks.

"I'm not your trophy. I'm not part of your PR stunt."

"You're my husband," he said flatly. "Which means you are."

The word twisted in my chest. Husband. It didn't sound real.

The door opened. I didn't move.

Soren leaned close, voice low. "Stay in this car, the press tears you apart. Come inside, I can protect you. Choose."

I hated him, but I hated the cameras more.

So I followed.

The lobby gleamed with marble and gold. People in suits froze as we walked through, whispers trailing us.

"That's him..."

"Is that the husband?"

"Celeste is going to explode."

We reached the elevator. The doors closed, sealing us in silence. My reflection stared back at me, messy hair, wrinkled shirt, sneakers scuffed. A stray dragged into the wrong world.

And beside me stood Soren Knight, untouchable.

The elevator climbed. My stomach dropped with every floor.

When the doors opened, a man was waiting. Tall, sharp suit with a mocking smile.

"Father's waiting," he said to Soren, ignoring me.

I swallowed. "Who's he?"

Soren didn't answer. The man smirked. "Nathan Cross. A friend for now."

We walked past him into a wide office that felt like a throne room. At the far end, behind a massive desk, stood Victor Knight.

His eyes were dark and his presence filled the room.

"So," Victor said, voice heavy. "This is the mess you've made."

I froze. His gaze flicked to me like I was dirt on his shoe.

"This... person," Victor sneered, "is your solution? A stranger? A liability? Do you know what you've done to this family? To this company?"

Soren stood tall. "I know exactly what I've done."

Victor's lips thinned. "Then you'll fix it. You'll annul this farce tonight."

The word annul shot through me like ice. Hearing him call me a farce, like I didn't even matter, burned worse than any insult.

I opened my mouth, but Soren spoke first.

"No."

The room stilled.

"No?" Victor repeated, his voice low.

"There won't be an annulment," Soren said.

My breath caught. Was he serious? This wasn't a stunt anymore, it was a trap.

Victor's fingers tapped once against the desk. "You think you can defy me again."

"I think you don't control me anymore," Soren said.

Nathan chuckled, soft and cruel. "Careful. You know how he gets when someone pushes back."

Victor ignored him. His eyes drilled into me. "And you."

I lifted my chin. "What about me?"

"You have no idea what world you've stepped into," he said. "You think this is a game? A free ride? I could destroy you before the sun comes up."

I believed him.

"I didn't ask for this," I shot back, voice cracking. "I didn't ask to be dragged into your family's circus."

Victor's mouth curled. "Then leave."

Leave.

It should've been simple. Walk away. Pretend it never happened. Go back to being invisible.

But then I felt Soren's eyes on me and somehow, leaving didn't feel possible.

"She's already seen it," Soren said.

Victor narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

"His mother. She called him. If Adrian walks out now, he's finished. Which means you've handed me leverage."

Leverage. My stomach dropped.

Victor's glare snapped back to him. "You dare play this game with me."

"I'm not playing," Soren said. "I'm winning."

Nathan laughed. "Bold words, but even bold men bleed. Especially when their weakness is obvious."

I stiffened. I knew what he meant. I was the weakness.

Victor stepped closer, towering over me. "Listen carefully, boy. If you don't learn to survive in my house, you'll be gone before you realize it and when you're gone, no one will even remember your name."

My heart slammed.

Soren brushed my arm, steady. "That's enough."

Victor straightened. "Then prove it. Prove this isn't a mistake or both of you will regret it."

Silence filled the room with unspoken words.

Nathan finally broke it, smooth and cruel. "Perhaps we give them time. Let the press have their spectacle. If the boy crumbles, the problem solves itself."

Victor turned away, dismissing us with a flick of his hand. "Get out of my sight."

Soren didn't wait. He took my arm and steered me out. My legs felt heavy, my head buzzing.

We passed Nathan. He leaned close, whispering, "Welcome to the family, Vega. Try not to choke."

I shivered, but Soren didn't let go until we were back in the elevator.

The doors slid shut.

I exhaled, pressing against the mirrored wall. My reflection looked pale, wrecked.

"I can't do this," I whispered.

Soren turned to me, unreadable. "You don't have a choice."

Something inside me snapped. I shoved at his chest, anger spilling out. "Don't you dare say that. You're the one who trapped me in this. You kissed me, you dragged me into that chapel, you stood there like I was a pawn in your fight with your father and now I'm supposed to just, survive?"

His eyes burned, but his voice stayed calm. "Yes."

I laughed, bitter. "You're insane."

The elevator dinged. The doors opened to a hallway lined with cold portraits. Knight blood. Knight legacy.

I didn't move. My voice dropped, raw. "This will destroy me."

Soren stepped close, his shadow falling over me. His gaze locked mine.

"No," he said softly. "It will destroy you only if you let it and if you think you're walking away, Adrian..." His jaw tightened. "...then you really don't understand how dangerous my father is."

I swallowed hard. "And what about you?"

He leaned in, his breath brushing my ear, his words slow and deadly.

"Me?" His lips curved in the faintest smile. "I'm worse."