I watched the wedding dress hang in the closet with a cigarette against my lips, and I was tempted.

Very tempted.

It was an hour to the wedding, and I was seated in the comfort of my study, watching the dress like a newly found game I had yet to figure out. But what if I already had?

I picked up the scissors and tilted my head while walking toward the dress, and a wicked grin spread across my face.

I began the work of Leonardo da Vinci, just with a dress, a pair of scissors, and a bit of red paint I had wasting in the back. Good thing I hadn't thrown it away.

"Oh my God!" I turned to look at the woman who brought the dress.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I looked at my satisfied work. She looked like she had seen a ghost from her past life.

"That's worth $400,000! What is wrong with you?!" She walked to the dress and held it out before turning to me. "You are an ungrateful woman, and I'm certain it's because your father did not put a leash on..."

I slapped her across the face with the scissors, and she fell to the ground.

"You talk too much, Mira," I looked down at her. Her body shook. "Here." I tossed a cheque at her. "Fill it up with any amount and feed your family. I don't want to see you working with Javier ever again or anyone in this society. Do you understand?"

She looked at the blank cheque like she had finally seen the gold she'd been mining for. I glanced at the clock before slipping into the dress I now named Ruins.

I pushed my feet into a pair of black-heeled boots and left my hair in a ponytail before painting my lips deep red, just like the devil.

"Your blood is staining my floor," I frowned at her, and she immediately began to wipe it clean.

"Get out." She ran out, and I picked up my gun to strap upon my thigh.

I glanced up. I had ten minutes left. My phone buzzed.

"You might need to come down to the station." The hair on my nape stood. Without thinking, I grabbed my badge and drove to the station as fast as I could.

My mind raced as Kamal sent in a document on the possible person behind the agency. Turns out, there is an agency after all.

My boots clicked against the floor as I walked with my phone in my hand and a Bluetooth in my ear.

"Jenny, report."

"A woman called 911 out of the blue, reporting how she had witnessed a man kill an entire family last night by 4 a.m. She followed him without calling the police and overheard this..."

She played a recording on her phone.

"All of them are dead, but I'm afraid the police are fast on our tail. Albert was caught and killed by Boss because he foolishly left a handprint, hold on..."

There was sudden silence, then a gunshot. The recording stopped.

"Is she alive?" I looked at her, then turned to Kamal, who had little to no information on Javier's identity nothing on the murder map or the laptop.

"As of two hours ago, yes, she is alive."

"Keep her household under protection while I get married to my proposed husband." They both turned to look at me.

"What?" Kamal questioned. Then he realized what I was wearing. "You've got to be kidding me?"

"Does it look like I'm joking? Get back to work. I'll be back soon."

I was walking out when a phone call reached my ear, and I stopped in my tracks.

"Stop searching, Isabela Jimenez." A chill went down my spine, and I held on to the phone, listening. "You're digging your own grave."

"It's a good thing I love the feel of soil." I hung up and handed the phone to Jack.

"Find the voice." I headed out and drove to the church.

Was I late? Yes.

Was it considered bad luck? Yes.

Would my mother be acting up? Yes.

Would I care? Absolutely not.

Just like I assumed, everyone was waiting for the bride herself. Papa's smile fell from his face when he saw what I was wearing.

Oh, how I love being able to turn heads.

Sometimes for the wrong reasons.

"What are you wearing?" he growled. "I will not stand for your stupid behavior..."

"Hush! Do your job and walk me, or I'll do it myself. And your ego? Gone with the wind."

I gave him a bored look, and he grabbed my hand tightly and pulled me, gently yet roughly.

"If you mess this up with your stupid attitude, Dolores will be at the receiving end. Your sister is to marry a good man. If you ruin that, I'll smother you."

I laughed into the silent church. All eyes were on me and my dress.

"'Good' is not what you find in a man," I paused, digging my heel into his foot. I leaned in.

"Be nice, Papa, or I'll show the world just how bad of a decision the almighty Alvaro Jimenez has made."

His hand softened against my arm, and we continued to walk.

He cared too much about his reputation far more than his family.

I stepped upon the altar and suddenly became too aware of the man standing silently beside me.

The sermon, the vow, and everything else went by fast except...

"You may now kiss the bride."

I finally turned to meet his eyes. They were so dark, they could be mistaken for the night sky. And in a split second, a gunshot rang in the hall, and everything went into chaos.

So much for a wedding.

"Mario, take her to the car!" Javier yelled.

I smacked Mario with the back of my hand so hard and pulled the trigger on his head.

"You send one more person to get me into a car, and I will blow your head up!" He glared at me.

"Do not be stupid, I have no time for you games..."

"And I thought you were a made man." I pushed him out of the way and shot straight into the eye of a sniper upstairs. "Get in the car, Javier, and let me do my job."

I pulled my phone and picked up the second gun from the floor.

"How many are they?" I asked Kamal after stepping out of the church.

"Eleven. Two dead, and the rest in the vehicle. They'll be taken to the station, arrested, and questioned." He smiled at me weirdly, and I glared. "...Go and enjoy your honeymoon."

I smacked him playfully on the head with the gun, and he laughed.

"Take care of things while I'm gone or I'll kill you." He put his hands up in surrender before I walked to the car.

After I asked Javier to leave, I hadn't seen him again. So much for a made... My thoughts came to a halt when I met his eyes through the rear window of the car. I swallowed. Husband or not, I hated this man's guts.

"So you did go to the car afterwards." I shut the door, not taking my eyes off him, then started the car and hit the road.

Tension radiated from every corner of the car, and my hands were glued to the steering wheel like my life depended on it well, truly, it did, considering my husband had a gun pointed at my head.

"The gun is very unnecessary." I rolled my eyes. But the anger that glimmered in his eyes made me fear he might actually pull the trigger and that's not the headline I was looking forward to.

"I have tolerated your stupid and careless attitude, and it is enough. You are now my wife, and you will listen to every word I speak..." I opened my mouth to respond, but he beat me to it. "...It is not up for debate. And if you dare go against my orders, you won't like what you'll see."

I could taste his cockiness at the tip of my tongue. I licked my teeth.

"I should have let that sniper do his work. My bad, your highness."

I rolled my eyes and stepped hard on the accelerator, turning sharply and taking him by surprise but I really didn't care.

He was getting on my nerves. Who the hell was he to give me such orders? I pulled up in front of the house that was assumed to be where I should live from now on.

Curse you, Papa.

I threw the keys to the guard at the gate.

"If there's a single scratch on my car, I'll make sure you meet the Grim Reaper in person." I smiled and walked to the gates before pushing them open.

I have to admit, the house was nice and comfortable, but I needed a release any form of release.

Without thinking, I pushed a room door open and locked it. A scream escaped me. I pulled my gun out and pointed it at the wall, shooting like it was my target.

He had auctioned me. Where people auction properties. He made me a slave to a made man, knowing I was not in for the bullshit of the lawless. He forced a marriage, knowing I hated it.

The idea of marriage was ridiculous, and he did it all for money.

Just money.

He sold his daughter for money.

The door flew open, and I almost put a bullet in my husband's head.

"Can't you leave me alone for just a few minutes? I know you're obsessed, but seriously, give me some space," I frowned.

"You're putting holes in my wall."

"That can be repaired."

"What's your problem?"

"You. How have you not figured..." I was suddenly pinned to the wall, the space between us just inches.

His hot breath showered my face. I knew I needed to let out some steam but not like this, and definitely not with him. A jolt went through my body as I became suddenly aware of his fingers grazing my neck.

This should be an assault, but hell, it didn't feel like it.

I needed to get laid and not by this bastard.

"Let me go," I hissed and pushed him. He didn't budge, which made me shut my eyes.

"How are you, Isabela?" My name rolled off his tongue so smoothly, a chill went down my spine.

I stared into his eyes, and a dark shadow resided deep within those orbs. It almost seemed... devilish.

I wouldn't be surprised if he was the devil's child.

His eyes grazed upon my lips as I bit it and used the moment of distraction to hit him so hard he stumbled back.

"Stay the hell away from me."

"You are my wife."

"And I know you'd gladly never call me that for the rest of your wholesome life, so let's make this much easier. Stop interfering with my business, and I'll stop interfering with yours!"

I snapped, and he glared at me like he knew that was the only option I was giving him and I was not going to cower.

"No."

"Fine."

I moved away and walked toward the door. He moved, almost catching me, but I kept my distance and aimed my gun at him.

"...Stay the fuck away, or I might just be the first woman to send you to your grave. I'm sure you've sent a lot of them." His eyes darkened, like I had touched a memory. Disgust filled my tongue. "You have, then."

My voice was low. I chose not to entertain this godforsaken man. I left the room and walked into one with my name on it.

I guess he already knew I would find it.

My things were scattered everywhere. I picked my work bag and began creating a murder map on a wall corner.

Too many murders in the span of a few days and not just from the serial killer also from my supposed wedding

This had to be linked to something.

If each murder was targeted within a specific time frame, then it couldn't possibly be random. At the end, I was always close by when it happened.

This wasn't just some random killing. These were specific people. They were killing them for absolutely nothing because they were after me and they couldn't get to me, so they killed people in my proximity.

My phone rang, making me jolt. I picked up immediately.

"Kamal, I figured this out."

"It's high time you did, officer." A chill went down my spine as I heard a foreign voice and realized it was an unknown number

"What the hell do you want?"

"It's simple. Nothing." He hung up.

I tapped repeatedly on the number, but it went to voicemail every single time. This was a problem, a huge one. I was being targeted for something I had absolutely no idea about. I needed a drink and a clear mind to think.

Ignoring the condition of my room, I grabbed my key from my bag and headed out. I ignored the number of guards in the house. It doesn't help that I still didn't know who my husband was. I hadn't heard his name, not even by mistake, and here I was, a target for something I didn't even know.

"Where are you going?"

"This is not the time, Javier. I have more important things to deal with. Do not come between me and my work. My father tried and failed." To my surprise, he let me pass without saying a single thing.

Seems he was finally accepting his fate with this. I was not leaving my job for anything. I got into the car and dialed the number I never thought I would, gripping the wheel tightly.

"Isa?"

"Never call me that, brother," I growled.

"Calm down with the aggression, even though I know you love it." My body stilled, and a flash of memory crossed my mind, but a horn behind me snapped me out of it. "Are you there?"

"I have a task for you. I don't give a shit whether you and Father choose to keep me away from your business, but I want in."

"Get rid of your job."

"I know Father has something to do with the people trying to kill me, and now I know you knew he auctioned me to Javier Delgado. So you might as well let me in or I'll tell the entire society what you did." Even if he wasn't here, I knew there was deliberation clearly on his face.

"Are we seriously heading that way?"

"Don't tempt me, Matteo," My fingers tightened around the wheel but I wasn't joking, and he knew that too well.

One sentence, and everything they had dreamed about would crumble to the ground in an instant. And it might just be bloody. To make it better, I really didn't give two fucks if they lived or died.

"I'm running out of time."

"Fine! There's a party happening this evening, and I'm certain your darling husband will bring you. I'll tell you what you want." I hung up before he said anything else.

I took a turn toward the downside of town. Even if my father was a well-known man, no one truly knew I was related to him. Dolores and Matteo, yes, they knew. But me? I've always been the shadow of that hellhole of a family.

The car came to a halt as I parked opposite a bar and sat there for ten minutes. I knew there was no way I was getting information if I didn't get in, and it was just a matter of days before I started pushing my husband truly for answers.

I walked into the bar with my hands shoved into my pockets, then took a seat at the bartender's.

"Good to see you again, bela," the bartender grinned before I slammed my hand against his in a tight handshake.

"I do hope you haven't been getting into trouble?"

He passed me a glass of mixed whiskey, and I began to wonder why in the world I'd stopped drinking in the first place.

"You know I wouldn't break the law... or am I under arrest?" He raised his hand in surrender, and I let out a laugh.

"Good to see you again, Deen." I grabbed another glass before downing it without blinking.

Just as I pulled out the pencil, a hand touched my back, I jerked. I immediately turned to meet eyes with a drunk man.

"Hey, pretty face."

"Get your filthy hands off me before I make your face truly pretty," I glared, and he laughed, throwing his head back.

"Feisty. I love her." He trailed his finger to my waist, and without thinking, I reached for it and twisted it so fast.

"You little bitch!" I punched my ring into his face, breaking his nose in the process.

"See? Looking pretty already." The bouncers pulled him away from me before things could escalate but I wanted things to escalate.

"Let go of me!" He struggled with the bouncers, and I held onto my glass, staring down at him.

"Cheers to a new pretty face." I clinked glasses with Deen but refused to take my eyes off him. I could see the clear smoke of anger steaming from his ears.

After five more glasses, I was ready to go back to my murder board. Picking up two bottles, I began heading toward the door when I saw a shadow and in a span of two seconds, the glass windows and door shattered right before me. Just like in the movies, I was in the middle of it.

Gunshots began, and without thinking, I threw both bottles at them.

"There she is!" I heard someone yell, and realized I was the one being pointed out.

Six against one. Or more like four. But I didn't like my chances here.

Without thinking, I pulled a table next to me and blocked three bullets fired at me. That was close. I reached for my gun, and realized it wasn't there....The hell?

My gun is never... Javier. That bastard!

This was bad.

I moved left, and a hand caught me, but I didn't let it pull me back. I stood my ground, grabbed a bottle, smashed it against his head, and punched his face.

My fingers were going to be numb after this.

Screams echoed in the room. I grabbed the gun from the unconscious man before I pulled the trigger on one of them. I looked to make sure there were no civilians in danger, and to my luck... that was too fast.

"Goodness... Deen!" I screamed, and a gun was thrown from the bar. I pulled the trigger on the bastard and pulled the little girl behind me immediately. "...Where's your mother?" I spoke softly without looking at her.

"I don't know."

"Honey, I need you to turn around and head toward that corridor. Do not turn around and run fast!"

She ran, and I blocked any path to her. I heard a gunshot and I was too late as the bullet pierced my rib. A grunt left my lips.

My vision blurred for a split second, but I blinked it away and ignored the stabbing pain.

"Let's go quietly, and I don't have to put more blood on your hands." I turned to look at the last man standing with a woman and a gun pressed against her head. "...Drop the guns."

I kept them down immediately while putting my hands up in surrender.

"Let go of her, and I'll follow you."

"Drop every weapon." I pulled my dagger and dropped it.

"There's nothing on me."

"Get up." I did as I was told, keeping my eyes trained on the woman who was in tears. Pain stabbed at my ribs, and dizziness hit me, but I stood, I needed to stand. "...Hands behind you and walk to me." I carefully walked, knowing any slight movement could kill her. But I could barely stand.

He grabbed me forcefully, and I watched the woman run for her life. But my heart launched to my throat as he shot her while she ran and she fell to the floor.

"How could-" My head felt dazed from the blood I had already lost, and I couldn't see clearly. But then I heard a crash.

My world began to spin, and I felt my body falling to the floor.

"Who dares to touch my wife?"