The twilight filtered softly through the tall pines, painting the woods in gold and silver hues. It was supposed to be their wedding day — a quiet ceremony hidden from the chaos of the city, away from the enemies that lingered in shadows. He, the feared head of the mafia, stood outside the cabin where his bride had disappeared moments ago. The scent of pine and rain filled the air, but something colder lingered — fear.

Inside, she was pacing. Her wedding dress shimmered faintly in the dim light, trembling hands clutching the fabric as her thoughts spiraled. Too much had gone wrong. Too many dangers waited beyond the trees. The world she was about to marry into felt like a storm.

He could hear her breathing from behind the door — shallow, uneven. Normally, his voice was edged with command, with danger. But now, it softened. “Hey,” he murmured, resting one hand against the wood. “You don’t have to hide from me.”

“I don’t want you to see me,” she whispered, voice cracking.

He almost smiled at the irony. The man who inspired fear across cities now stood helpless behind a door, trying to calm the woman he loved. “Then I won’t,” he said quietly. “Just… breathe. Everything out there — it can wait. Right now, it’s just you and me. And I’m not going anywhere.”

For the first time, the forest felt still. The danger, the power, the blood — all of it faded beneath the soft twilight, replaced by something he didn’t often feel. Something human.