The room settled into a heavy silence as the patriarchs of both families rose to their feet.
Takeda Nagasaki, stern and composed, stepped forward. His voice was calm but carried the unmistakable authority of a man who had inherited centuries of tradition.
"Today marks more than just a meeting between two great families," Takeda began, his eyes briefly flicking toward Zhenya and Viktoriya seated opposite one another. "It marks the forging of a new alliance — one that will unite the Nagasaki and Volkov clans through the sacred bond of marriage."
Sergei Volkov, tall and poised in his deep blue three-piece suit, nodded solemnly in response. His voice, deep and measured, echoed across the chamber.
"This union is not merely a merging of names or fortunes," Sergei said, his piercing blue eyes mirrors that of Zhenya but more wiser. "It is the joining of legacies, the promise of strength and loyalty for generations to come."
