{Naomi POV}

I stumbled to fall but the man didn't move, it was almost as if he was made with stone. He shifted slightly and I fell to the ground, my heart falling along with me. I could hear it thumping in my ear as I asked myself these questions.

Have I been caught? Will I get killed?

I rubbed by hand against my forehead, pretending to be high on alcohol not to be able to see properly. "Jeez, who the hell are you?" I winced, looking around confusedly. "Can't you help a lady up."

"A lady?" He muttered, his voice as cold as ice and I sluggishly looked up to see the face of the man. His pair of black stared at me suspiciously and I looked away facing the ground hoping he didn't see my face.

He stepped closer to me and I scrambled on the floor like a lost cat drenched in rain. I moved backwards and he scoffed. "Who the hell are you?"

I gulped the bile in my throat and push my hand hair to the front still on the floor. "Oh shit, I'm so drunk. And I only had two drinks. I tried to look for the restroom l must've miss the way." I mumbled burying my face in my palm.

The man stayed perfectly still with one hand burying in his pocket exposing his expensive black waistcoat. "I asked a question, I don't care if you're drunk or not." He said flatly.

A cold chill ran down my spine as I think of what next to do. With the sound of his voice and the way he acted I tried to think if I've heard Chloe talked about someone of his status, the only person she had describe with such cold words was Enzo and no one had seen him rather than few people.

I didn't know what to do, words got caught in my throat as I still sat on the floor with my face buried in my palm. I felt a shadowing figure enveloping me and I lifted my hand off my face slowly to have a peek and was shocked when I saw the man crouched beside me.

"Are you getting up that floor or should I get security?" He asked, codly.

I lifted my hand up and shook it, giving him the sluggish look again, thinking he would help me up but he didn't. From this close, I noticed how delicate his features were. His lashes were thick, his nose perfectly straight. And his pitch black eyes had an intensity that would make any girl weak.

"No need for security," I slurred, helping myself up and I staggered about falling thinking he would help me, but he just stood there watching me make a fool out of myself.

"I don't tolerate guest at my party getting drunk," he said coldy. "If you need to go to the restroom, go down the hallway and out of this building."

With that, he turned and walked away leaving me standing there with nothing but my heart beating faster than a sport car. I took in a deep breath and brushed off the fold in my dress before walking away and then I was out of the Vitale mansion, thanking good riddance that I had the cufflinks and wasn't caught.

Once I was far away from the mansion, I brought out the cufflinks from my purse staring at the beauty. It was small but cost more, in triumphant I kissed it softly.

"I can't believe this turn out to be easier than I thought," I mumbled and put it back in my purse before picking out my phone to call Chloe. She picked it up almost immediately.

"Naomi, are you okay? Did you change your mind?" She asked hastily and I rolled my eyes.

"No drama queen," I looked at the cufflinks once more. "I got the sugar."

She laughed. "Oh, really. Like you expect me to believe you successful stole a fifty million dollar worth cufflinks without getting caught?"

I didn't reply her immediately and she spoke up. "Wait are you serious? Naomi?"

I grinned softly. "Meet me in Kirby park let's go sell this baby."

"Woah," Chloe exclaimed and the call ended. With a smile I put my phone back to my purse breathing in the cool evening breeze.

Not long after Chloe stepped out of a car, dressed in a brown shirt and black pant with her hair pulled up in a bun. She rushed to meet me looking side by side.

"Are you serious, Naomi. You got the cufflinks?"

"Yes," I replied. I gave her my purse and she stared into it and gasped like her breath had left her lungs. "Jeez, how did you do it."

"Let's just say, I had the universe backing me up," I replied. "Now enough of the drama, let's go sell this. My mom only have two more hours to her death if I don't pay for her surgery."

Chloe nodded hastily and we took the next cab to the boutique, Chloe who knew the man excorted me inside but about entering the place where the man men are, I held her hand stopping her.

"You've done enough Chloe, let me go alone," I told her. "Incase this turn out bad, I don't want you to be dragged along with it."

Chloe gave me a worried look. "Okay, but please be safe, don't let him cheat you on this."

I smiled and nodded before stepping forward into the colder room, a man dressed in black approached me. "I'm here to see Venta Andres, to discuss business."

The man looked at me assesively before speaking. "He's been waiting for you, follow me."

I followed him into the interior part of the boutique until I was standing before a brown door, he opened it and indicated for me to go in.

Warm light spilled over rich wood shelves as I walked in. My gaze fell on the tidy desk where Venta Andres sat with a smile that never reached his eyes.

I walked up, set the cufflinks on polished oak. The cufflinks glimmered like trapped sunlight.

Venta lifted one with gloved fingers, whistled softly. "Forty million," he said.

I folded my arms. "Make it forty-five. They're rare, and you know it."

His smile tightened. He turned the cufflink, studying the tiny Vitale crest. "Forty-two."

"Forty-five," I repeated, locking eyes with him. My knees quivered, but I held the stare.

A long moment. Then he sighed. "Fine. Forty-five. No receipt."

"Fine."

He typed on a sleek tablet. A ping from my phone confirmed it, forty five million dollars, sitting in my account. My breath hitched.

Venta picked up the cufflinks and slid it into a drawer, before waving me off.

Chloe was pacing outside when I got out of the office. She turned towards me and grabbed my shoulders. "You did it?"

I showed her the bank alert. Tears shone in her eyes as she hugged me. "Now go save your mom," she whispered.

{Naomi POV}

A wave of relief washed over me as I stepped out of the hospital, staring at the remaining balance of the money on my phone. With the thought of what to do, I waved my hand to signal a cab, but a cold voice from behind me distracted me.

I turned hastily to see three men dressed in black. Dark shades covered their eyes, making it hard to read their expressions.

"Miss Naomi Ray, my boss requests your presence," one of the men said in a stern voice.

My heart skipped, and beads of sweat gathered on my forehead as I stared at them in horror. "I'm sorry," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I can't follow you. I don't even know who your boss is or why he wants to see me."

The men scoffed and stepped closer to me. "That's not necessary, Miss Ray. I believe you know why we're here."

I blinked innocently, even though I could hear the thumping of my heart in my ears. My palms were clammy, my mind racing, but I forced my face to stay straight and calm. "I don't know what you're talking about," I muttered softly, trying to make eye contact with him. "And I'm not following you anywhere."

The man looked away from me and nodded at the other two. I tried not to think about what might be their next move, but before I could gather my thoughts, my gaze flickered over the man's shoulder.

The door of a black Mercedes parked not far from us slowly opened.

My breath hitched when I saw a man dressed in a black turtleneck and trousers step out and walk toward us. My legs threatened to buckle beneath me as I recognized him, the same man I had bumped into at the Vitale mansion.

He walked toward me, calm and cold, like the world would pause for him if he asked it to. When he stopped in front of me, he looked me dead in the eye.

"You have something that belongs to me, Miss Ray," he said. "Something you stole."

I swallowed hard. My pretense shattered instantly, replaced by fear.

"It's simple," he continued. "You can come with me now, or I can hand you over to the cops. Either way, you're coming."

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He gave a slight nod, and the two men flanked me again, no force needed. My legs moved on their own as I slid into the back seat of the waiting car.

The door shut behind me with a soft but final click.

I placed a hand on my chest, as if trying to hold my heart in place as the car pulled out of the hospital parking lot and into the road. I didn't even get the chance to call Chloe. My thoughts were a mess, a storm spinning around what my fate might be.

I didn't even realize how much time had passed until the door opened again. I looked around and saw that we were at the Vitale mansion.

The three men escorted me inside. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor of the same study where I had stolen the cufflinks.

The coldness of the marble-tiled floor seeped into my skin, a painful reminder of Chloe's words.

"I'm sorry. This must be a misunderstanding," I pleaded, completely clueless about how to survive this situation.

"You're sorry? And what misunderstanding are you talking about?" a stern voice said from behind me.

I looked up and saw the man on turtleneck walk in and stop in front of me. "I have evidence that yesterday, during the Vitale annual party, you snuck into this study and stole a pair of cufflinks worth fifty million dollars." He paused and looked at me in disgust. "Where is the cufflinks? I want it now."

I gulped down the lump rising in my throat. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," I said, forcing a voice I barely recognized as mine. I was sure no one had seen me take the cufflinks. Maybe he was only suspicious because I bumped into him.

The man scoffed and signaled to the guy next to him. The man picked up a tablet from the table and tapped the screen. A video began to play.

It was me, pressing in the code and opening the glass box containing the cufflinks.

I froze. Tears stung my eyes, and I lowered my gaze.

"Where is the cufflinks?" he asked again, his voice lower this time but more threatening.

"I don't have it," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I sold it... I used the money to pay my mother's hospital bill."

"I don't care what you used the money for," he snapped. "It's either you return the cufflinks or you pay me fifty million. And because you stole it, that adds another fifty million. One hundred million total. Try anything smart, and I won't hesitate to throw you in jail."

My heart raced, and my breathing grew shallow. How could I pay back one hundred million? All I had left in my account was fifteen million.

Even if I gave him that, it would be like tossing a pebble into the ocean. Tears spilled down my cheeks as panic gripped my chest.

"You have a third option," he finally said, taking a step closer. "Wait here while I call the cops. You'll be taken to prison for theft."

"No-please," I blurted, falling to my knees and grabbing his trouser leg. "Please, don't do that. I can't go to prison. My mom is all I have. No one will take care of her if I'm gone. She needs me... please."

He looked down at me, stone-faced. "You should've thought of that before stealing from me."

I sobbed silently, my face pressed against the cold floor, shaking from fear and helplessness.

He leaned down suddenly, his face inches from mine. His voice was cold and slow. "I'll give you one last option."

He signaled to one of his men, who disappeared for a moment and returned with a thin white folder. The man took it and handed it to him.

He opened it and took out a paper, then stretched it toward me.

"Your last option is this-" he said, his eyes narrowing. "Sign this marriage contract. Become my wife... until you pay off the debt."

My heart nearly stopped. I lifted my gaze slowly, staring at the paper in his hand as if it were poisoned.

"W-what?" I whispered.

{Naomi POV}

"You heard me," he replied. "You want to stay out of jail? Then sign it. Be my wife. That's the only way you'll work off one hundred million under my control. Otherwise-" he stood tall again-"the police are a phone call away."

I stared at the paper, my tears soaking into the corners of my lips.

MARRIAGE CONTRACT AGREEMENT TO ENZO VITALE

I felt a rush of nausea rise in my throat as I slowly looked away from the paper and met his eyes. The coldness in his gaze was enough to freeze me solid, talk less of staying under the same roof with him.

I tried to imagine the horror, but my brain refused. I shook my head quickly. "No, please. I can't."

He turned from me and walked over to his chair, sitting down like a king about to give judgment to a criminal. "Then you'll go to jail," he said flatly. "I'll make sure of that."

My head ached so badly I thought it would split in two. I didn't know what to do. My heart screamed for help, but no one was coming. I suddenly wished Chloe was here... no. It was better she wasn't. If she was, this whole thing could have been worse.

I bit down hard on my lower lip and looked at the paper lying beside me on the cold floor. My eyes scanned the page, and I paused when I saw a line written in bold.

FULL RESPONSIBILITY OF A WIFE

"Full responsibility of a wife?" I whispered to myself, lifting my gaze slowly.

The moment our eyes met, a chill ran through my spine. Enzo's stare was so intense, so sharp, it felt like it could slice right through my skin.

I had never met anyone whose presence could suck the air out of a room. His face was unreadable, not a flicker of warmth, not even a hint of mercy.

"What... what does that mean?" I asked, my voice shaky. "Full responsibility... what does that mean?"

He leaned forward, his eyes still locked on mine. "You don't know what it means?" he asked, his voice laced with mockery. "Do you want me to explain it to you?"

He didn't wait for my answer. Instead, he picked up his phone from the desk, lifting it slowly as his finger hovered over the screen.

"You know what? Forget it. You're going to jail."

"No!" I shouted quickly, my voice cracking. I pushed myself up from the floor, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "I agree! I'll do it-I'll be your wife."

He paused, lowering the phone with the same cold expression.

One of the men in black handed me a pen. My hand trembled as I took it, my fingers damp with sweat. My legs barely held me up as I walked to his desk, leaning on the surface for support.

My eyes stared blankly at the contract. My vision blurred, not just from the tears, but from fear. I had never imagined this... never imagined my life turning this way. But I had no choice.

I scribbled my name at the bottom, right next to his, and the moment I lifted the pen, I felt something inside me break.

My hands dropped to my sides. My whole body went cold. I was now the wife of Enzo Vitale.

Feeling helpless, I backed away slowly from the desk, the pen still clutched in my fingers. I tried not to fall apart again, but the tears came rushing back, blurring everything once more.

I had no idea what kind of world I had just walked into.

My eyes landed on a line I hadn't noticed before, my name written in bold next to another chilling sentence.

"Naomi Ray is to be the legal wife of Enzo Vitale until Enzo no longer wants her. She is to fulfill all marital duties, including his sexual desires."

I gasped quietly.

My chest tightened, and the room began to spin. I couldn't breathe. My hands shook as I pressed them against the desk, trying to steady myself.

Sexual desires?

I stared at the words again, horrified. What would it be like to lie next to a man so heartless? So cold? My stomach twisted at the thought.

Enzo took the paper off the table and looked at it before handing it to one of the men in the room. He stood up from the chair and walked past me, signaling for one of the men to step forward.

"Take her to one of the rooms," he ordered his men, his voice low but firm. "And tell the maids to get her ready for the evening party."

With that, he walked away. I stood there for a while, lost in my thoughts and regret. Why didn't I listen to Chloe? What have I gotten myself into?

"Miss Ray, please follow me to your room," a manly voice broke into my thoughts. I sniffled and wiped my tears, trying to steady my racing heart as I followed the man.

We made our way out of the study, with the man leading the way. I wrapped my arms over my chest, following him obediently. We stopped at a door with a knob similar to the one in the study. The man pushed it open, revealing a lavish bedroom.

The room looked like something out of a palace, soft cream walls with gold accents, velvet drapes that touched the floor, and a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A king-size bed sat in the middle, with carved wooden posts and royal blue sheets that looked untouched. A gold-trimmed vanity stood in one corner, and across from the bed, mounted on the wall, was a black security camera blinking faintly. Another one sat at the top corner near the entrance door, silently watching.

"This is your room. The maid will be at your service soon," the man said in a stern voice.

I stepped into the room, my eyes locking on the camera near the bed before turning to the man, who was already starting to leave. "Why is there a security camera in the room?" I asked, my voice soft but uneasy.

The man looked at it briefly, then looked back at me. "If you have any questions, I'll suggest you ask Enzo." With that, he walked away.

I stood there for a while, staring at the room, wondering why everything felt like it had already been set up, like it was all waiting for my arrival.