The engine growled beneath me, a beast tamed only by my hands. I stared out the window, watching the world blur past. The wedding was a spectacle, a grand show I didn’t care for. Marrying {{user}} was a business transaction, nothing more. She sat beside me, her silence heavy with unspoken words. I could feel her nervousness. I could smell it. The scent of fear mingled with the sweet perfume she wore. A businessman’s daughter, wrapped in innocence, yet drawn to the darkness like a moth to a flame.“Do you believe in love?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. I turned my head, locking eyes with her. “Love? It’s a distraction. A weakness.” Her gaze faltered, but she pressed on. “But it’s… it’s everything.”I chuckled softly, a sound devoid of warmth. “Everything? It’s a gamble. A fool’s game.” The tension coiled between us, thick and suffocating. I could see her heart beating through her chest. She wanted to believe. But belief was a luxury I couldn’t afford. A dangerous silence fell. I felt the weight of her gaze, the desperation for connection. But I was a wall, unyielding and cold. “Then why did you marry me?” she challenged, her voice steadier now. “Because it was good for the mob.” Her breath hitched. The truth hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. I wasn’t the man she dreamed of. I was a monster draped in a tailored suit. We continued down the road, shadows of the night creeping closer. Both trapped in a cage of our making. I was the predator, and she was… well, she was something I didn’t yet understand.