"Come in, come inside!" She pointed to a small door.
"What do you want?" "Just come in, my daughter!" I realized they could arrive at any moment and catch up with me. Without thinking, I stepped inside and found myself in the back of a small bakery, where wood was burning to heat a brick oven, just like the one at the convent. "Take off that wedding dress." "What?" My eyes widened at the unexpected command from the woman. "Do you want to escape or not? The dress attracts too much attention. Hurry, take it off! I'll help you." I turned my back to her as she unbuttoned the pearl buttons. I stepped back, feeling exposed in just my underwear. Thankfully, I was at an angle where I couldn't be seen through the windows. The woman took what remained of the immense, luxurious wedding dress and tossed it into the clay oven. It was quickly consumed by the flames and reduced to ashes. "Thank you, but I can't run in the street like this." "Come with me. You're thin, but I should have some old clothes of my daughter's that might fit you." She grabbed a plastic bag from a counter and guided me toward a spiral staircase leading upstairs. "Remove your tiara, let your hair down, and put it, along with your earrings, in this bag. They look very valuable; you might try to sell them." "Thank you." I followed her advice and took off the jewelry. We reached a narrow hallway, and I quickly realized the house was very humble. From up above, I saw Antonella and several men pass by on the street. They were still looking for me, and I didn't think they would rest anytime soon. "Stay away from the window." The woman pulled me aside and handed me a floral dress. "Thank you." "Get dressed quickly." I nodded and slipped the clothes over my head, pulling them down until they fit my body. My heart was still racing, but as my breathing steadied, my limbs began to ache. I had pushed them too far. "These shoes should fit you." She opened a trunk and handed me a pair of ballet flats. "Thank you so much, but why are you helping me?" "To escape a marriage, you must have a very good reason." "Yes. I'm immensely grateful, but I need to leave before they find me here. I don't want to cause you any trouble." "Who?" "My marriage was with Marco Bellucci." "The mafia." The woman paled and took a step back. I couldn't blame her for being afraid, because I was too, even though I knew I was born into a family involved in illicit activities as well. "You really need to go. Soon, they'll start searching houses for you." I nodded, doing my best to suppress my trembling. Inside, I wondered if fleeing this marriage was the most foolish decision I could have made in my life. However, only time would reveal the answer.MARCO'S POINT OF VIEWThe church was packed. A massive circus was about to take place, and a suitable audience was essential. I was getting hot in this suit and feeling restless, anxious to be precise, but I maintained my composure. It had always been crucial for someone in a dominant position like mine. Great leaders could never appear desperate, as everyone depended on them to remain calm.Though I tried to keep my gaze fixed on the altar, I could still see a few heads turning toward the enormous double doors at the entrance. Like me, they must have been wondering when the bride would walk through. This was one of the highlights of the wedding, and impatience was becoming increasingly evident on everyone's faces.I tried not to check my watch to avoid showing any discomfort. She was late, but I couldn't tell exactly how late.I noticed Afonso, my fiancée's father, was also growing impatient. I wanted him to hold it together, but he didn't. When he stood up from the pew and approache
LAÏS'S POINT OF VIEWThe woman pulled back the curtain of the room and looked out onto the street. She surveyed everything very carefully before turning to face me."They're no longer on the street. You need to leave. I don't even want to think about what could happen to me if they find out I helped you." She ran her clammy hands through her thinning, almost white hair."Then why are you helping me?" I couldn't contain my curiosity, even in such a desperate situation."I know very well what it's like to spend your life married to a man you don't want."I looked at her expression and felt sorry for her, even though my situation wasn't the best either. I wanted to ask what had happened to her, to hear her story, but I didn't have the time. As the woman herself had said, the mafia could punish her severely if they discovered she was sheltering me."May I know your name?""Ana.""Thank you so much, Ana. My name is Laïs.""Let's go!" She motioned for me to follow her down the stairs."I'll
MARCO'S POINT OF VIEWI slid the glass across the table before bringing it to my lips and taking a few sips of the strongest single malt whisky I could find in my bar. This was certainly not how I expected to end my evening. I would be lying if I said I was looking forward to this wedding, especially since it was merely a pawn in the political game I was playing. The frustration that everything wasn't going exactly as I had predicted was immense.Ten years ago, I had made a commitment to marry Laïs Barbosa. I had left her in a convent and waited until she turned twenty-one. It should have been a circus, but an easy one to manage. What I hadn't anticipated was that Laïs would be capable of turning the tables and escaping me. If there was one thing I hated, it was losing control of a situation."Are you very angry?" I heard Mateo's voice.I took another sip of my whisky and looked out the window before placing the glass back on the table and turning to face my brother."I'm not angry; I
"Have a good night, my friend." He hung up, but his laughter lingered in my mind for a few moments. "Damn son of a bitch!""Who was that, Marco?" My brother closed the door and approached me."Benjamin Costas.""What did he want?""To remind me how fragile our relationship with the Barbosas is, especially now that Lais left me at the altar.""What a jerk!""They're after Lais, and they're going to kill her.""He said that?" My brother's green eyes widened in shock."Not directly, but he emphasized how advantageous it would be for them to do business without her. He even offered me an obedient wife. If they eliminate Lais, they could take the port and ally with us.""But we don't have much to lose. We could still smuggle our contraband through Portugal.""Just our reputation and a deal we made ten years ago.""And what do you plan to do?""Get that idiot before the Costas put a bullet in her head.""I hope we're the first to find her.""For the girl's sake, I hope so." I scratched my c
**Ten Years Ago...**The sun burned fiercely on the car's windshield that summer morning. If there were several things I hated in life, heat was one of them. It was irritating, made me sweat, and gave me a headache. However, it was a day when I couldn’t let something as trivial as the weather bother me.It had been a week since my father was killed in an ambush by a rival family, and I had quickly had to take over the family business. Even though I had been prepared for this my whole life, as a prince trained from childhood to take charge of a kingdom, nothing was quite like practice. A traumatic event, like the death of a parent, suddenly thrusts you out of the shadows and makes you an emperor.Fortunately, I had my younger brothers by my side. They might say it was foolish, but I entrusted them with my own life. Theo and Mateo were with me when I got out of the car in front of a large mansion in Almada, a town near Lisbon.I slammed the door, hearing the impact before my strength, a
"Have you finished your morning prayers yet?"The sister asked, pulling me out of my daydream and making me look at her."Yes, I have.""You seem distant, my child.""It's just your impression, Sister." I lied. I didn't want to tell her that I was thinking about my inevitable marriage. I was tired of being told that it was God's will and that I should do it with joy. How could God want me to marry the head of the largest mafia family in Italy? Not that anyone had told me directly, but I had always been listening and eavesdropping on conversations, especially those concerning my life."Come on, you need to have your breakfast and help the others clean the convent." I just nodded and followed the sister down the hallway to the refectory where the other novices were gathering to eat a mushy and unappetizing porridge.I moved away from the sister and sat in the open space between Felicia and Nina."Good morning!" I smiled at both of them, alternating my gaze from one to the other."Three
# The Viewpoint of LaïsI felt my stomach churn, and my mood was very different from the sunny spring morning. They would come to pick me up, and I would finally leave the walls of this convent to go to my wedding. However, contrary to what my novice friends thought, I was not freeing myself; I felt like I was leaving one cage only to enter another—I would never be able to fly freely like a bird. I didn’t know what awaited me at this wedding, and I feared it would be worse than the endless days of prayer and fasting. I heard a knock at the door and got up from the bed.“You can come in.” I swallowed hard, but the lump in my throat didn’t go down; it just stayed there, making my breathing anxious and difficult.“Hello, Laïs.”“Hello, Sister Antonella.” I rubbed my hands together, trying to rid myself of the cold sweat.“You can just call me Antonella.” She removed her veil, and I was astonished to see beautiful, well-kept blonde hair, very different from the short hair or shaved heads
# Laïs's Perspective"Get up, my dear." The hairdresser tugged at my hand shortly after placing the veil on my head. I nodded and moved toward the mirror, stopping to gaze through the sheer fabric at my beautiful hairstyle and princess-like gown. The dress was voluminous, adorned with lace and gemstones. The crystals sparkled like mermaid scales. A stunning tiara rested on my bun, matching the heavy earrings that dangled from my ears. I had no idea how much they cost, but I imagined they were very expensive given their weight and the number of stones."You look magnificent," Antonella commented beside me. It still shocked me that this woman had been watching over me for ten years, but I tried not to dwell on it since it was all coming to an end, and there was nothing I could do.In truth, I had never been able to do much in my life. Every step I took was monitored, and I didn’t expect that to change now. I suspected many women would be immensely happy on their wedding day, but I was n
"Have a good night, my friend." He hung up, but his laughter lingered in my mind for a few moments. "Damn son of a bitch!""Who was that, Marco?" My brother closed the door and approached me."Benjamin Costas.""What did he want?""To remind me how fragile our relationship with the Barbosas is, especially now that Lais left me at the altar.""What a jerk!""They're after Lais, and they're going to kill her.""He said that?" My brother's green eyes widened in shock."Not directly, but he emphasized how advantageous it would be for them to do business without her. He even offered me an obedient wife. If they eliminate Lais, they could take the port and ally with us.""But we don't have much to lose. We could still smuggle our contraband through Portugal.""Just our reputation and a deal we made ten years ago.""And what do you plan to do?""Get that idiot before the Costas put a bullet in her head.""I hope we're the first to find her.""For the girl's sake, I hope so." I scratched my c
MARCO'S POINT OF VIEWI slid the glass across the table before bringing it to my lips and taking a few sips of the strongest single malt whisky I could find in my bar. This was certainly not how I expected to end my evening. I would be lying if I said I was looking forward to this wedding, especially since it was merely a pawn in the political game I was playing. The frustration that everything wasn't going exactly as I had predicted was immense.Ten years ago, I had made a commitment to marry Laïs Barbosa. I had left her in a convent and waited until she turned twenty-one. It should have been a circus, but an easy one to manage. What I hadn't anticipated was that Laïs would be capable of turning the tables and escaping me. If there was one thing I hated, it was losing control of a situation."Are you very angry?" I heard Mateo's voice.I took another sip of my whisky and looked out the window before placing the glass back on the table and turning to face my brother."I'm not angry; I
LAÏS'S POINT OF VIEWThe woman pulled back the curtain of the room and looked out onto the street. She surveyed everything very carefully before turning to face me."They're no longer on the street. You need to leave. I don't even want to think about what could happen to me if they find out I helped you." She ran her clammy hands through her thinning, almost white hair."Then why are you helping me?" I couldn't contain my curiosity, even in such a desperate situation."I know very well what it's like to spend your life married to a man you don't want."I looked at her expression and felt sorry for her, even though my situation wasn't the best either. I wanted to ask what had happened to her, to hear her story, but I didn't have the time. As the woman herself had said, the mafia could punish her severely if they discovered she was sheltering me."May I know your name?""Ana.""Thank you so much, Ana. My name is Laïs.""Let's go!" She motioned for me to follow her down the stairs."I'll
MARCO'S POINT OF VIEWThe church was packed. A massive circus was about to take place, and a suitable audience was essential. I was getting hot in this suit and feeling restless, anxious to be precise, but I maintained my composure. It had always been crucial for someone in a dominant position like mine. Great leaders could never appear desperate, as everyone depended on them to remain calm.Though I tried to keep my gaze fixed on the altar, I could still see a few heads turning toward the enormous double doors at the entrance. Like me, they must have been wondering when the bride would walk through. This was one of the highlights of the wedding, and impatience was becoming increasingly evident on everyone's faces.I tried not to check my watch to avoid showing any discomfort. She was late, but I couldn't tell exactly how late.I noticed Afonso, my fiancée's father, was also growing impatient. I wanted him to hold it together, but he didn't. When he stood up from the pew and approache
"Come in, come inside!" She pointed to a small door."What do you want?""Just come in, my daughter!"I realized they could arrive at any moment and catch up with me. Without thinking, I stepped inside and found myself in the back of a small bakery, where wood was burning to heat a brick oven, just like the one at the convent."Take off that wedding dress.""What?" My eyes widened at the unexpected command from the woman."Do you want to escape or not? The dress attracts too much attention. Hurry, take it off! I'll help you." I turned my back to her as she unbuttoned the pearl buttons. I stepped back, feeling exposed in just my underwear. Thankfully, I was at an angle where I couldn't be seen through the windows. The woman took what remained of the immense, luxurious wedding dress and tossed it into the clay oven. It was quickly consumed by the flames and reduced to ashes."Thank you, but I can't run in the street like this.""Come with me. You're thin, but I should have some old clo
# Laïs's Perspective"Get up, my dear." The hairdresser tugged at my hand shortly after placing the veil on my head. I nodded and moved toward the mirror, stopping to gaze through the sheer fabric at my beautiful hairstyle and princess-like gown. The dress was voluminous, adorned with lace and gemstones. The crystals sparkled like mermaid scales. A stunning tiara rested on my bun, matching the heavy earrings that dangled from my ears. I had no idea how much they cost, but I imagined they were very expensive given their weight and the number of stones."You look magnificent," Antonella commented beside me. It still shocked me that this woman had been watching over me for ten years, but I tried not to dwell on it since it was all coming to an end, and there was nothing I could do.In truth, I had never been able to do much in my life. Every step I took was monitored, and I didn’t expect that to change now. I suspected many women would be immensely happy on their wedding day, but I was n
# The Viewpoint of LaïsI felt my stomach churn, and my mood was very different from the sunny spring morning. They would come to pick me up, and I would finally leave the walls of this convent to go to my wedding. However, contrary to what my novice friends thought, I was not freeing myself; I felt like I was leaving one cage only to enter another—I would never be able to fly freely like a bird. I didn’t know what awaited me at this wedding, and I feared it would be worse than the endless days of prayer and fasting. I heard a knock at the door and got up from the bed.“You can come in.” I swallowed hard, but the lump in my throat didn’t go down; it just stayed there, making my breathing anxious and difficult.“Hello, Laïs.”“Hello, Sister Antonella.” I rubbed my hands together, trying to rid myself of the cold sweat.“You can just call me Antonella.” She removed her veil, and I was astonished to see beautiful, well-kept blonde hair, very different from the short hair or shaved heads
"Have you finished your morning prayers yet?"The sister asked, pulling me out of my daydream and making me look at her."Yes, I have.""You seem distant, my child.""It's just your impression, Sister." I lied. I didn't want to tell her that I was thinking about my inevitable marriage. I was tired of being told that it was God's will and that I should do it with joy. How could God want me to marry the head of the largest mafia family in Italy? Not that anyone had told me directly, but I had always been listening and eavesdropping on conversations, especially those concerning my life."Come on, you need to have your breakfast and help the others clean the convent." I just nodded and followed the sister down the hallway to the refectory where the other novices were gathering to eat a mushy and unappetizing porridge.I moved away from the sister and sat in the open space between Felicia and Nina."Good morning!" I smiled at both of them, alternating my gaze from one to the other."Three
**Ten Years Ago...**The sun burned fiercely on the car's windshield that summer morning. If there were several things I hated in life, heat was one of them. It was irritating, made me sweat, and gave me a headache. However, it was a day when I couldn’t let something as trivial as the weather bother me.It had been a week since my father was killed in an ambush by a rival family, and I had quickly had to take over the family business. Even though I had been prepared for this my whole life, as a prince trained from childhood to take charge of a kingdom, nothing was quite like practice. A traumatic event, like the death of a parent, suddenly thrusts you out of the shadows and makes you an emperor.Fortunately, I had my younger brothers by my side. They might say it was foolish, but I entrusted them with my own life. Theo and Mateo were with me when I got out of the car in front of a large mansion in Almada, a town near Lisbon.I slammed the door, hearing the impact before my strength, a