Page 19 of Ruins
My eyes fall back to the photo.
Santo Amato.
The man I’m supposed to marry.
He isstrikinglyhandsome.
The kind of man who looks like he was sculpted for power—broad shoulders, sharp angles, deep gray eyes that seem to see right through me. His jawline is strong, defined, a silent promise of determination.
His dark hair is a perfect balance of control and chaos—the sides neatly trimmed while the top is left just a little longer, styled in a way that looks both deliberate and carelessly tousled.
It’s unfair, really. The kind of effortless suaveness that makes it look like he never has to try at anything.
The expression in the photo is blank.
Not warm. Not cold. Justcomposed.
I wonder what kind of man he is behind that stoic facade.
He looks perfect.Too perfect.
Men like him don’t need arranged marriages.
Whatever reason Maksim had for choosing him, it wasn’t because he lacked options.
My gaze flickers to the information sheet beside his picture—details about his family, his education, his career intechnology. That explains the alliance.
A man in search of power.
Just like every other man in my world.
A sharp knock at my door pulls me from my thoughts.
I blink, wiping at my cheeks, forcing myself to breathe as I straighten. “Come in.”
The door creaks open.
Mimi.
She lingers in the doorway, her expression hovering somewhere between concern and curiosity.
Dressed in sleep shorts and an oversized shirt, she looks evenyoungerthan fifteen—especially when she smiles, her braces flashing, making her seem more like the kid she used to be.
She steps inside, shutting the door quietly before padding over to me.
I sit up, the folder still clutched in my hands.
Mimi doesn’t hesitate—she never does.
She just hops onto my bed like she belongs there, like she always has, giving me a small, apologetic smile.
“I heard Mom and Dad talking… are you okay?”
Mimi’s voice is quiet, hesitant, and it cracks something inside me.
She still hastime.
A year, maybe less, before Maksim starts arranging her future—lining up potential matches, setting her up with the sons of powerful men.
