The Forced Vows

MARIN Pov

The music in the nightclub was pounding so hard it vibrated through my chest, but the only thing deafening me was the sheer terror of being caught.

I clutched my phone with trembling fingers, staring at the chat screen that remained cold and unyielding. The message I had sent my father hours ago was marked as 'read,' yet there was no reply.

"Father, mother is starting to fade from my memory... I'm forgetting her face, so please send me her photos."

Nothing. Not a single word. A wave of bitter agony washed over me, but I didn't even have the luxury to weep. I was standing in the most dangerous, restricted bar in Istanbul with a fake ID-a place my family would literally kill me for stepping into.

"Why is your face so pale, Marin?" Elfida's voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts as she leaned in, shouting over the loud bass. "Is it because of your brother? I took care of everything! Your parents think you're safe at home!"

"Are you insane, Elfida?!" I hissed, my heart hammering against my ribs as I scanned the dark, flashing lights around us. "This isn't a joke! If my father or brother finds out I'm here, I won't just be grounded-they will destroy us both!"

Elfida let out a nervous laugh, trying to brush it off. "I'm too young to die, Marin! Your brother wouldn't actually-"

"He WOULD!" I cut her off, my voice shaking with raw emotional tension. "You don't know my family! I'm Marin Alakan-I'm not even allowed to use my own surname in public! My brother's shadow covers every move I make, even from hundreds of miles away!"

The heavy weight of my reality squeezed my throat. At twenty-three, I was a prisoner to a prominent family that hid me away like a shame, a daughter ignored by her father and hunted by her brother's rigid rules.

Before Elfida could reply, the atmosphere in the VIP section directly across from us violently shifted.

The air turned razor-thin. People suddenly began backing away in a panic as a towering figure stepped out of the shadows. The sheer presence of the man radiated pure, lethal authority. Broad shoulders, dark hair, and a pair of intense, sharp eyes that cut right through the dim lighting.

It was Karan Milan.

The moment his hazel eyes locked onto mine, time stopped. A dangerous, suffocating charge passed between us-a recognition so intense it felt like a collision of fates.

Suddenly, a loud crash shattered the music! Oguz, Elfida's brother, lost his temper and lunged blindly toward Karan's men, shouting threats that made my blood run cold.

Chaos erupted.

"Oguz, NO!" Elfida screamed, but it was too late.

In a fraction of a second, Karan moved with terrifying speed. Before Oguz could even land a strike, Karan caught him by the collar and slammed him violently against the bar counter. The sound of glass shattering echoed over the music as people scattered in terror.

I gasped, backing away until my spine hit the wall, completely paralyzed by fear.

Karan didn't even look out of breath. He let Oguz drop to the floor, wiped a smear of blood from his knuckles, and turned his gaze directly back to me. The room fell into a suffocating hush as his heavy steps echoed toward where I stood trembling.

He leaned down slightly, his dark, commanding presence swallowing me whole.

"You're standing in the wrong territory, little sea..." he growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble near my ear. "Get out before your family's enemies realize whose blood you carry."

He turned and walked away, leaving me frozen in place, my pulse racing as the realization hit me: My secret was out, and my nightmare was just beginning.