My Sister Ran, Her Mafia Groom Chose Me

I spent years paying for my sister's mistakes while everyone called Sienna the beautiful Bellini daughter.

On her wedding day, she vanished before the ceremony and left our family debt hanging over my flower shop.

My mother shoved me into Sienna's gown and told me to keep the Mafia groom calm until they could invent a better lie.

I planned to confess the second I reached the altar.

Nikolai Volkov lifted my veil, looked straight at me, and said my name.

He knew.

Then he took my hand and finished the vows anyway.

When my parents tried to blame me, he stepped between us.

When a guest called me a cheap replacement, Nikolai had him removed from the reception.

For one reckless hour, I thought the most dangerous man in the room had chosen me when no one else ever had.

Then I slipped into the corridor and heard him speaking to his security chief.

“She isn't Sienna.”

“I know.”

“Then why did you marry her?”

“Because Sienna ran to the Rusk family, and Aria is the one thing guaranteed to bring her back.”

****

"Sienna is gone."

The brass deadbolt slid shut with a sharp snap. My mother, Celeste, grabbed my wrist, her manicured nails digging into my skin. The floral shears slipped from my grasp and clattered against the vanity.

"What do you mean she is gone?" I asked. I stared at the half-trimmed white roses meant for my sister's bridal bouquet.

Celeste shoved a mountain of tulle and silk against my chest. "Put this on. Now."

I stepped back, letting the heavy fabric pool on the Persian rug. "Absolutely not. I am here to fix the flowers, not play dress-up. Find her yourself."

My father, Enzo, stepped out from the shadows of the dressing room corner. He adjusted his tuxedo cuffs, his expression stripped of warmth. "The Volkovs are sitting in the front row, Aria. If this wedding falls apart today, Nikolai will call in our debts by sunset. And the first asset they seize will be Bellini Blooms."

A cold knot tightened in my stomach. Eleven months ago, Enzo had mortgaged my shop to cover another failed investment. I sold my grandmother's sapphire pendant to keep Bellini Blooms open.

"You cleaned up after her for years," Celeste said, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "Hold the fort for half an hour. Just get through the vows."

"I am not marrying a mafia heir to cover her tracks," I shot back. "Tell them the truth."

Enzo took a step closer. "Then hand over the keys to your shop. Because it is gone. The Volkovs will strip this family down to the copper wiring in our walls."

They cornered me. The only thing I owned, the only place I belonged, hung by a thread.

Ten minutes later, I stood frozen inside Sienna's custom gown. Celeste zipped up the back, tearing the delicate lace in her haste. I shoved my hands into the hidden pockets of the voluminous skirt to keep them from shaking. My fingers brushed against cold metal. Sienna's backup phone.

The screen illuminated the dark fabric inside the pocket. An unsigned message flashed across the glass.

Wait for his vows, go to Dock 17.

Before I could process the words, Celeste threw the heavy veil over my head and pushed me toward the double doors.

The organ music swelled. I marched down the white runner, deciding my next move with every step. I would tell Nikolai Volkov the truth the second I reached the altar. We had sat across from each other at three different tasting dinners. He knew my face. He would not be fooled.

I stopped in front of him. Nikolai stood tall in a tailored black suit, his dark eyes fixed on the lace covering my features. The officiant opened his mouth to speak, holding the leather-bound book of vows.

Nikolai raised a hand, silencing the man. He reached forward and flipped the veil back over my crown.

The murmurs in the cathedral died instantly. Silence stretched across the pews.

"Aria," Nikolai said. His voice was steady.

"Sienna ran away," I whispered, bracing for his fury.

"I know."

I blinked, trying to step backward. His hand shot out, his fingers locking around mine with a grip that offered no escape. He did not pull me closer, but he leaned in, pitching his voice so the first three rows could hear every syllable.

"You can leave right now, or you can finish these vows," Nikolai stated. "But someone has to pay your family's debt tonight."

I snapped my gaze to the front pew. Enzo stared at the floor. Celeste looked away. Neither of my parents moved a muscle to intervene. They were sacrificing me to save themselves.

I looked back at Nikolai. "I do."

The ceremony ended in a blur of vows and rings. At the reception, Celeste dragged me into an empty antechamber.

"Listen to me," Celeste demanded, her face flushed with panic. "When the press asks, you will tell them you were jealous. You stole the dress and took her place. That way, when Sienna comes back, she can reclaim the marriage."

"Are you insane?" I asked, pulling my arm free. "I just saved you from ruin, and you want me to publicly humiliate myself so Sienna can waltz back in?"

"It is the only way to protect the family reputation," Celeste hissed.

"You mean Sienna's reputation," I corrected her.

The door swung open. Nikolai stepped into the room, his presence instantly shrinking the space. He reached out and brushed Celeste's hand away from my sleeve.

"This marriage stands," Nikolai said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "A vow made before the Volkov family is not something you can annul for your own convenience, Celeste."

A Bellini cousin sneered from the doorway that I was only the second-choice bride. Nikolai had security remove him without dignifying the insult with an answer.

Celeste shrank back against the wall, finally realizing she had lost control of the narrative. Nikolai pointed to the door, a silent dismissal she did not dare ignore. She scurried out, leaving us alone.

"Am I your hostage?" I asked, crossing my arms.

Nikolai pulled a sleek black keycard from his inner pocket and placed it on the table between us. "This is temporary access to the Volkov estate. You are coming home with me tonight."

"And tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, you can call whatever lawyers you want," he replied, adjusting his tie. "But I received word of Sienna's disappearance twenty minutes before the ceremony. I married you because I need the Bellini assets under my control, and I will not let anyone take you away until I find out exactly where your sister went."

He turned on his heel and exited the room.

I needed a moment to breathe. I slipped out the side door, heading toward the secluded hallway near the restrooms. As I rounded the corner, a hushed voice drifted from the shadows.

"She isn't Sienna."

I stopped, pressing my back against the patterned wallpaper. It was Mikhail, Nikolai's right-hand man.

"I know," Nikolai's voice answered, smooth and unbothered.

"Then why finish the wedding?" Mikhail asked. "We could have crushed Enzo right there."

"Because Sienna ran to Rusk's side," Nikolai said, the name hanging heavy in the air. "And Aria is the one thing she will definitely come back to claim."

My pulse pounded against my ribs. I was not just a replacement bride to cover a debt. I was bait.

I hurried back to the dressing room for my purse. I needed to protect my shop without becoming a pawn in their war.

I picked up my clutch from the vanity. Inside the heavy wedding skirt, the hidden pocket vibrated.

I pulled out Sienna's second phone. The screen glowed in the dim light, displaying a new message. This time, the sender's contact name was fully visible at the top.

Damian Rusk.

The message read: Sienna, wait for Nikolai to say I do, the Eastside Casino is ours.