Chapter 4:Rebel?

I watched the steam rise from my unfinished cappuccino while I sat in the rear of the café. The outside world seems so typical. People were passing by, having fun, and going about their daily lives as if nothing had happened. As if they weren't stuck in a nightmare from which they couldn't escape.

As though I wasn't.

Gia was eyeing me with that expression in her eyes as she swirled her drink across from me. When she sensed I was going to break, she always had the one.

She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, saying, "Spill it." "You're suppressing something, and I won't let you go until you tell me what's happening."

With a sigh, I combed through my hair. Even though the sun was streaming through the café windows and giving everything a lovely glow, it didn't make the pit in my stomach go away.

What was I meant to say about this? How could I explain something to her that even I found difficult to comprehend?

With a sour tone, I blurted out, "I'm getting married."

Gia blinked, surprised. "Hold on, what? How on earth did this occur? I had no idea that you were seeing someone.

I gave a headshake. "I'm not. That isn't the case.

Her fingers remained motionless on her cup while she scowled. "So, how is it like?"

With a hollow laugh, I took up the coffee cup to give my trembling hands something to do. "Gia, it's business. Mafia enterprise. My father made the decision that I should be married. To Leonardo Ricci.

Her expression of amazement reflected the incredulity that was still circling around in my head. "Leonardo Ricci?" As if she couldn't believe what she was hearing, she repeated. Like the leader of the Ricci clan? The Ricci Leonardo?

With a constricted throat, I nodded. "The one and only."

"You can't be serious, Isabella." Her voice was urgent but subdued as she leaned forward. "This individual is a monster." Everyone is aware of that. He's—

"Perilous," I concluded for her. Yes, I am aware of it. Believe me, I know.”

Gia gave me a long look as if she was still processing what I had just told her. "How is your father able to harm you like this? How is he able to simply give you to someone like that?

Feeling the sting of tears that I was unwilling to shed, I bit my lip. "Because that is the way things operate in our world. What I want is irrelevant. It has never done so.

The words were the truth, even though they made my mouth taste bitter. Every choice I had made in my life had been predetermined by someone else. In a game I didn't want to play, I was merely a pawn.

Gia shook her head and muttered, "I can't believe this." "There must be an escape route. Isabella, you can't get married to him. You are unable to.

I wish things were that easy. I wished I could simply walk away, get away from this life, and start afresh in a far-off place. However, Leonardo's voice kept echoing in my head whenever I allowed myself to envision it. Like a noose around my neck, the threat hung in the air.

I'll find you if you flee.

I murmured softly, looking down at the table, "I can't leave." "He'll track me down. And my family will suffer if I flee.

Gia's face was pale as she gazed at me. Well, what are you going to do? Simply... carry it out?

I shrugged, but it was a heavy action. "What am I supposed to do? He made this agreement with my father. There might be a conflict between our families if I say no. People might suffer harm.

Even my dad. Even though I detested him for making me do this, I couldn't be held accountable for his passing. Or anyone else caught in the crossfire dying.

With her fingers drumming uncomfortably over her cup, Gia remained mute for a long time. Isabella, you don't have to do this. There must be an alternative. You could defend yourself, you could—

I interrupted her by shaking my head. Defend yourself against Leonardo Ricci? Are you serious? Gia, he is untouchable. That's not how you fight a man. You make it through him.

The weight of my words hung in the air between us, and for the first time, Gia didn’t have a response. What could she say? She didn’t understand what it was like to live in this world, to be trapped in a cage you couldn’t escape from. I leaned back in my chair, staring out the window as a group of teenagers laughed and walked by, carefree and oblivious. “I wish I could just disappear,” I murmured. “Start over somewhere far away where none of this matters. Where I’m not the daughter of a mafia boss. Where I’m not about to marry a monster.”

Gia reached across the table, squeezing my hand. “We could do it, you know. I’d help you. We could figure something out.” I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that there was some magical solution, some way out of this nightmare. But deep down, I knew the truth. There was no escape. Not for me. Before I could say anything, my phone buzzed on the table, and the sound sent a jolt of anxiety through me. I glanced at the screen and felt my heart drop into my stomach. It was my father. My hand shook as I reached for the phone, and for a moment, I considered not answering it. Just let it ring and pretended that I hadn’t seen it.

But I knew better than that. Ignoring him would only make things worse. “I have to take this,” I muttered, pulling the phone to my ear. Gia watched me with wide eyes as I answered. “Hello?” “Isabella.” My father’s voice was calm, too calm. The kind of calm that sent a chill down my spine. “You’ve been quiet. I trust everything is going as planned?” I swallowed hard, my mouth dry. “Yeah. Everything’s… fine.” “Good.” His tone shifted, harder now. “Remember, this marriage isn’t just about you. It’s about the family. You will do what’s necessary.” I clenched my jaw, biting back the retort that burned on my tongue. “I understand.”

“Good girl.” He hung up without another word, leaving me staring at the phone in my hand, my heart pounding. Gia was still watching me, her eyes full of concern. “What did he say?” I slipped the phone back into my bag, trying to shake the lingering fear. “Nothing. Just a reminder of what’s at stake.” “Isabella…” Gia began, but I shook my head. “I don’t have a choice, Gia. I can’t run, I can’t fight. This is my life now.” The words felt final, like the slamming of a door. And with every passing second, that growing rebellion inside me felt more and more suffocated.