لوكان

In the heart of the Old Continent, specifically between Germany's historic castles and modern towers, two families sit upon the throne of wealth and influence: the Cross family and the Michel family. They are the richest and most powerful, but also the bitterest of enemies; a historical conflict spanning decades, fueled by grudges and fierce competition for power.

On a winter night that seemed calm, a simple quarrel broke out between members of the two families at one of the high-society gatherings. But the small sparks quickly turned into an extending hell. Aphrodite, the heroine of our story and daughter of the Cross family, was sitting quietly at the dining table in their palace, before the silence was suddenly shattered. A group of gunmen affiliated with the Michel family stormed the place, and bullets began flying everywhere. Screams echoed, glass shattered, and fortunately, no one died that night, but the insult ran deeper than the wounds.

The Cross family did not accept defeat. Driven by revenge and the need to reclaim their pride, they planned to pay them back twofold and launched a similar attack on the Michel palace. But the game spiraled out of control; the attack resulted in the death of the great-grandfather, the head and symbol of the Michel family. The scales tipped, and the ruthless grandson, Luca, took over the leadership of the family. Luca was a cold young man, sharp-witted and merciless.

To stop the sea of blood and impose a forced truce, it was decided that one of the Cross daughters would marry the new president, Luca. As soon as the news was announced, the girls of the family rushed forward, preparing themselves with enthusiasm and passion, craving influence and marriage to Europe's powerful man. Except for Aphrodite. She harbored a blind hatred for him because of a previous encounter they had—a situation where she dared to slap him across the face after he crossed his boundaries with her, a slap his pride never forgot.

But the shocking surprise played right into her fears; Luca bypassed all the eager girls and chose Aphrodite specifically. On the wedding night, under the lights of the luxurious chandeliers, he approached her and whispered in her ear with coldness and detachment: "Do not think of yourself as a queen. I do not want you, and your presence doesn't interest me at all. You are here for another reason."

The next morning, the family gathered at the lavish breakfast table. A heavy silence prevailed, broken by the voice of one of Luca's female relatives who loved him and was jealous of Aphrodite to the point of death. The girl stood up arrogantly and looked at Aphrodite, saying in a tone dripping with poison: "Today, the servants will not wash the dishes. Instead, the killer's daughter is the one who will do it!"

Gazes froze in the room. Slowly, Aphrodite raised her eyes, filled with pride and hurt, glancing quickly at Luca, but he did nothing; he simply looked at her with coldness.