CHAPTER FIVE

Romero stood at the corner of his office as he waited for his father who had sent for him. Romero and the older man weren’t always on the same side and maybe being very similar caused it. He had a whole lot of things to do, like go early to his own wedding and maybe get drunk later with a bunch of old friends. The door opened and closed and Romero stood tensed. He readjusted his posture and he kept his eyes glued to the ground.

Being in the same room with Lucio Vaughan would do that to you. Five times the world's best mafia don and the undefeatable king of the west mafia zone. He was a man of lesser words and more action. He would rather show you what he is capable of than say it with his mouth. This was part of the reason he was undefeatable in the mafia world. 

Lucio walked briskly to the window and he stared out at the estate layout, the city he had spent years building. Now very soon, Romero would be taking over soon, it seemed surreal but that was the truth. He would soon be retired and all of the affairs of this estate would no longer give him headaches. He would be passing the headache to Romero. 

“Did you check the prisons today?” He asked before turning back to his son, getting married was important but making sure the affairs of your estate were running smoothly trumped all of that. Romero nodded shortly and his father nodded too.  No other words were exchanged between them and they all sat in silence for a while. 

“Today reminds me of when I was getting married to May, it was a summer evening like this and everything else in the estate agreed to our union. I was a young lad in love and not even the fear of my father would stop me, I loved her that much. Love you see is a beautiful thing and it would give you the right push. 

I wanted to marry her and start life afresh with her, I was willing to forgo my right as the heir to the estate for all of that. My father thought I was crazy and I was indeed crazy for Maya. I would do anything for her. My brother Luca wasn’t cut out for the mafia, he was made for the white-collar jobs and he knew how to keep his hands clean unlike us. My father knew that too and you know what he did?” Lucio asked turning to Romero who shook his head. 

“My father killed the only woman I ever loved on the morning of our wedding. I walked into the quarters waiting to see my bride and the sight ruined me for life. May was hanging by the thread and the only thing not covered in blood was the curtains. The white dress my father spent a fortune to get turned crimson and my fiancé's eyes, were gouged open. That day, he taught me a very valid lesson. Love was for the weak and men like me do not deserve love.”

Romero’s blood ran cold because somehow he could feel something was wrong. His father was built the same way as his grandfather and the man raised him. For some weird reason, he could sense some kind of threat at the back of his father’s story. He had always known his father fell in love once but he thought she died after the wedding and by the hands of the invaders. Not once did he think his grandfather would be responsible for it. Hearing about it now was crazier than he thought. 

“Your sneaky link with Arianna, we won’t want a repetition of my story. I know of everything happening and I’m advising you openly to put a stop to it now because you already heard what would be the end. If you’re getting married to Imade, you better not disrespect her. A true man would never ridicule his wife at the expense of a mere aide that’s used to sacrifice midnight erections.” His father continued in a very low voice that brought jitters to Romero’s body. 

His father wasn’t a man that threatened without any reason, he would go ahead with the threat and you’d not do anything to him because he’s untouchable. Romero nodded and he swallowed hard. He had no idea his father was really serious about his wedding to Imade, now he has to cut off Ariana. 

“I’d leave you to get ready for your wedding, don’t keep us waiting. The reception would be done here so the new Luna of our empire would get used to her environment very soon. Love is a myth, treat your wife right. That woman is a gem, I can’t wait for you to unravel her yourself.” His father added before patting his shoulder and he walked out of the study leaving Romero with mixed feelings. 

_____

“Do you take Romero Vaughan to be your lawful wedded husband? In good health and sickness, in wealth and more wealth, to be his backbone and the structure of your home, to bear him strong males and beautiful females, bring him peace and be his home?” The officer asked and Imade nodded. Her throat was clogged and she was unable to process any words. 

More like her anxiety was setting in and the fact that she would be married to the man whose face was barely showing any emotion scared her. This was not the kind of life she had envisioned for herself. What happened to her dream of getting proposed to on the bank of a beach and being swept off her feet. All of that is gone down the drain and what’s left is the reality of being married to a man who would never love her.

She wanted to be more than a doll wife, that’s all she would be reduced to now. Now her whole life would be revolving around danger and she would have no choice but to fully participate in his world if she wanted to stay alive and healthy. The thoughts of it alone made her sicker than she could imagine. Sadly, this was her reality now.