183 Days with My Fake Fiance

Valarie POV

I glanced at myself in the mirror as my mother kept showering me with praise. It was supposed to be a compliment and yet, I wasn’t happy. Nothing hurt more than being forced to be engaged to someone I never loved, never wished to love. But as the only daughter of the De Lucas clan, my father hadn’t hesitated to give me away like a bargaining chip for a business alliance.

They all worked together, slipping me into the wedding dress, laughing and chatting like this was a celebration. Then the door flew open.

Silence.

The air in the room turned to ice as my father stepped inside. His heavy gaze never left mine as he closed the distance between us.

“You finally came to your senses, Valarie,” he muttered, a smirk curling on his lips.

“Don’t rejoice just yet, Father. I haven't said my vows.” My voice was low, steady, my eyes locked on his with defiance.

The smirk fell from his lips. His hand shot out and grabbed mine, his grip cruel, iron-like. Pain shot up my arm and I groaned, refusing to look away.

“You will only ruin us all. You’ll go in there and marry Noah that’s final. It’s not a request, Valeria. It’s an order.” His rage was raw, unmasked, vibrating through every syllable.

He knew I wasn’t someone who backed down easily. The only reason I had even considered obeying was because he had threatened to kill my mother if I didn’t marry Noah Boneman.

“What if I don’t, Father?” I asked, my voice cold, unyielding.

A vicious laugh ripped from his throat, sharp and merciless. He shook his head slowly, as though I were a foolish child. “Don’t test my patience,” he muttered, his tone dark with promise.

I watched him go, my heart pounding against my ribs. And then, relief. Cold, fleeting relief washed through me, bitter as it was.

I turned toward the mirror, toward the blinding gold dress clinging to me like a shroud. My chest burned with fury. Without hesitation, I grabbed the delicate fabric and ripped it apart, the tearing sound loud in the empty room. It felt violent, liberating every shred that fell to the floor felt like a piece of my father’s control crumbling away.

I was left standing in the slip beneath, trembling with adrenaline, when my gaze landed on the window.

That was it. My way out.

I rushed to the bed, yanking the sheets free, my fingers moving fast, desperate. I tied one end to the heavy table near the window, tugging it hard until I was sure it would hold. My hands were shaking, sweat slicking my palms, but I didn’t stop.

Climbing onto the windowsill, I swung one leg out into the open night air. My breath came fast, my heart a drum in my chest, but I pushed myself over, gripping the makeshift rope with all my strength.

The fabric burned against my palms as I slid down, the ground still too far beneath me. Then suddenly, the sheet ended.

I was dangling halfway down the wall, nothing but air below me. Panic clawed at my throat.

I shut my eyes. Took a deep breath. And jumped.

The impact jolted through my body, pain shooting up my legs as I hit the ground. I bit back a cry, forcing myself to stay silent.

I had done it. I was free, for now.

Just when I was about to flee, a strange yet familiar voice spoke up.

“ Where are you going?” He asked as I turned towards the voice I froze in shock. The only thing I could do was to mumble his name.

“Luciano Rocco.”

The name burned like acid on my tongue. Rage shot through my veins so fast my whole body trembled with it as his blue eyes spared into mine. Standing in front of me was the man who had been my rival since childhood, he man whose very existence felt like a curse I had to carry.

The memory of that night came unbidden, like a knife twisting in my gut.

One moment that spun out of control, and his mother was gone but Luciano had never forgiven my family.

He made sure I never forgot. Every triumph of mine was cut short by his interference.

Every dream I had ever dared to chase, he had crushed under his boot. Years of hatred had turned my grief into something black and venomous.

And now here he stood in my father’s garden, of all places. As if he owned the ground beneath his feet.

My gaze darted around, searching for his men. Luciano was never alone, never unguarded. But no one was there. Just him. Just me. The tension between us was so sharp it felt like the air could slice my skin.

“You know how much I hate your face,” I hissed, every word vibrating with fury. “And you dare show up here? Do you have a death wish?”

Luciano smiled slowly, like a predator savoring its prey. His hands slid casually into his pockets, his posture infuriatingly calm.

“Relax, Valeria. I didn’t come here to kill you at least not today I only came to witness my friends engagement.” His gaze shifted toward the balcony I had just jumped from. His lips curved into a cruel smile, his dark eyes glinting. “But it looks like I interrupted something. Trying to run away from your perfect engagement?”

My blood ran cold.

“Oops,” he said softly, almost mockingly, as if the word itself was a dagger he was pressing into me. “I guess I just ruined the party before it began.”

I stepped closer, my fury boiling over. “How do you wish to die, Luciano? Slowly or quickly?”

His laugh was low and dangerous. “You should be the one answering that question, Valeria. Look around you, no guards, no witnesses. I could end you right here, right now, and no one would stop me.”

My gaze flicking toward the direction I had come from. Damn him. Damn his timing. Of all the people who could have caught me in this moment, it had to be him.

If I let him leave, he would tell Noah. He would make sure everyone knew how desperate I was to escape this engagement. My humiliation would be far from what I thought.

But then like a spark in dry grass a plan flared to life in my mind.

Luciano was dangerous, but danger could be useful. If I couldn’t get out of this by myself, maybe I could use the devil himself to burn everything down.

I forced a cold, mocking smile onto my lips and met his gaze. “Be my fiancé. For one hundred and eighty-three days.”

He froze, then turned slightly, as if he wasn’t sure he’d heard me correctly. Then he laughed a deep, cruel sound that made my stomach twist.

“Begging for your life already? I haven’t even started with you yet. Is this what desperation looks like on you, Valeria?”

I swallowed hard, fighting to keep my composure. “What do you want? I can give you fifty percent of my shares in Tyson Group.”

He tilted his head, amused, his grin widening like a wolf scenting blood. “You think that’s enough to buy me? I’m a businessman, Valeria, and your little bribe isn’t worth half of what I own. But if you’re not ready to talk business” He turned as if to leave. “Perhaps I should go tell Noah how you planned to run away tonight.”

My nails dug into my palms as I clenched my fists. “Wait.”

He stopped. Slowly, he turned back, his expression unreadable.

I took a deep breath, the words tasting like poison. “I’ll give you my body.”

He froze, then walked toward me, closing the distance until there were only inches between us. His eyes burned into mine, sharp and unreadable, and for a moment I thought he might actually touch me.

“Your body,” he whispered, almost mockingly. His hand lifted toward my face, then stopped halfway, before falling back to his side.

“I’m not interested in your body, Valeria.” His tone was ice-cold, but the cruel glint in his eyes made my breath hitch. “I’m interested in watching you suffer. I’m interested in making your life a living hell.”

The garden felt suddenly too quiet, too still, as he leaned closer, his words a venomous whisper against my ear.

“I’ll grant your request. But when the time comes, I will make my request. And you will not refuse me. You just made a pact with the devil, Valeria.”