Chapter 1

Sierra

“The boss sends word for you to get dressed for the event tonight ma'am.” I was by the garden when one of the servants came to me with the news. I wasn't surprised by this as it had already become the norm in our one year of marriage but today I was feeling a bit uneasy as my mind wandered the same about how long I had survive in this marriage.

Today marked my one year anniversary with Mason and even though for every wife of how today was to be celebrated for accomplishing this milestone, I was different. I was indifferent to this marriage of mine as to me it was just a marriage of convenience to pleasing both families. I placed a tight smile on my face before turning around to the servant with a nod before he gave a slight bow and walked away. I took a walk along the garden for a little while enjoying the serenity of the afternoon breeze hitting my face as I took in the surrounding scent.

I was now the wife to the Italian Mafia family who were known as the De Luan. Mason was in charge of his family's companies and businesses all around the country as well as his Mafia's family dealings and underground businesses. I did dream of becoming a wife to the Mafia world not to Mason but Christian but right now I believed he wasn't meant to be in my destiny. One whole year had passed and my life didn't seem to change one bit. My husband Mason was always indifferent with me and wasn't interested in our sham of a marriage like me but I did want a little respect which he also deprived of me. I had to act like a little doll obeying his every order. I had to for the sake of my father as he made me promise to give my all into this marriage and never once dare to ask for a divorce.

I kept my word for a whole year and didn't ask for divorce but I did hope that Mason would oblige for a divorce but he never did. I always wondered why he never did because I knew he wasn't happy in our marriage but didn't ask him either and kept to myself. I got back into the mansion and met two of my personal maids lined at either sides of me with their heads slightly bowed. They were in charge of getting me ready for tonight's event that was to be held at my in-laws villa to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary.

They tagged behind me as I walked up the stairs and heading towards my own room. Mason and I never shared a room in all our one year of marriage and that was the only comfort and space I got from this marriage. Everything else I had to do according to my husband's wishes. As expected, a large rectangular box was waiting on my large bed the moment I got to my room.

“I'll prepare your bath ma'am,” I heard one of them but my attention was focused on the large box on my bed and knew it could only contain one thing. I walked over to my bed and carefully took the transparent wrap off the box before taking the lid off to reveal a black gown with shades of grey colour on the sides. “It's pretty ma'am.” The other maid spoke in awe with her mouth hanging open. I took out the dress and took a closer view. It was backless with a cut at the left side of the gown. The neckline was shimmered in tiny diamonds forming a neckband. It was also sleeveless and a little exposed at the cleavage area. I gulped in trying not to become weak at the moment.

I didn't want to shed yet another tear pondering on how my life had turned to this. Living a life like this was never what I dreamed of living when I got married one day but I was living the life of a worldess wife who had no say in her life but to be married to a dictator who saw women as only tools meant to stick to the bed. My body was now shivering with anguish but I pulled myself together as not to cry in front of the servants that were in my room.

“Both of you leave...” I said biting my lips not to let out a small sound. “Ma'am? Am...” My hands tightened the gown when I raised my voice higher. “I said Leave!” Both of the servants left my room and the moment the door closed, I immediately bust into tears feeling my life slipping away from my control. My husband didn't respect me nor allowed me to have my wishes heard. In short I was his wife to the public and media but behind closed doors, I was only an addition to his household. I saw myself as only a commodity to add to his life that had no value. That was the definition of my life as the wife of Mason De Luan.

It took me thirty to forty minutes to pull myself together. I recalled how I needed to prepare for the event. I got up and passed the large mirror only to halt in my tracks and took two steps back to stand in front of the mirror. My eyes were both swollen and red. I knew Mason would be furious if he arrived home to see me in this state and not ready for the night. I sniffled and threw the black dress back on the bed before walking straight to the bathroom.

I got into the bathtub that was already prepared with my favorite bath soap that had my favorite fragrance. I inhaled the fragrance that was similar to his. His favorite fragrance from which I had memorized ever since Mrs Ines told me. Ever since then citrus had become my favorite fragrance to use. I smiled as only the thought of him was enough to lift up my dying spirits to be able to carry out my life and duties.

I spent little time in the bathtub as I didn't have much time left to get ready. I sent for my personal maids back into my room and they immediately got to work in decking me up for tonight's event. Along with adorning the black gown, a small packed box came along with it which contained a complete set of jewelries that matched my black dress. The gown did feel tight around my breasts but also carried them properly as well. A black with gold pearls necklace adorned my pale neck along with a gold band on my wrist and paired with black shiny earrings.

My hair was straightened and moved to fall gracefully on one side of my neck. I had a light makeup on before one of my personal maids placed a small mirror in front of me in order for me to inspect their work on me. I smiled slightly and gave them a nod before I heard the sound of the car pulling into the driveway. My body immediately got tensed because I knew that was the sound of Jeff, Mason's driver car which meant Mason was already home.

I sent my maids out immediately before rising to my feet and walking fastly to my bed in order to wait like a doll for him to call me downstairs. I waited with bated breaths and diverted my eyes towards the open window that showcased the setting of the sun gradually. Yet another day was passing by and my life was still the same for over a year.

I sighed a long one before hearing a knock on my door. A male servant peeked his head once he opened the door and spoke. “Sir is asking for you ma'am.” I heaved out another sigh before getting up and heading for the door. I passed a look to the mirror one last time before putting on my character as the perfect wife. The lucky woman to become the wife and daughter in-law of the De Luan family. If only they knew what was happening in my life and the price I had to pay in order to have the title of Mason De Luan's Wife.

I walked down the stairs with my head slightly lowered but raised my head a bit to have my eyes now settled on my husband. On the man who never valued my respect nor cared for me. It made me still return back to my wondering about why he accepted to marry me in the first place. I had a reason to marry him and it was for my parents but didn't know his reasons for marriage. He stood by the hallway close to the living room pacing a little bit of distance.

He checked his wrist watch and the dimmed light dawned on his perfect gelled black hair. He was dressed in a black suit and he looked handsome but his behavior over the past one year made him less appealing in my eyes. I focused back on my walking before having to trip or miss my step. I guessed he heard my heels clicking on the stairs because he turned to face me. He wasn't smiling but only had his normal face on.

The only time I had seen him smiling a little was on our wedding day and I guess that was to seem happy in front of the media and relatives. I reached his side and didn't respond nor did he care about what I was to say either. I knew he didn't get ready at home but at some other place that was like his second home and no matter how much I try to shrug it off, it still hurt my pride and did disturb me a bit.

“Jeff! We're leaving now.” He announced before walking towards the exit and I didn't need to be informed to know my cue. I walked behind him and he got into the car while I rounded to the other side of the car. Jeff opened the door for me to which I mounted a thank you before getting in.

The moment I sat down, I found him busy on his phone before getting a call. He answered the call and was speaking with someone. His brows got irritated the moment the person on the other line started talking. “Then fucking kill him. That journalist won't mess up my work. Understand! I don't need to tell you all these. My project shouldn't suffer because of that scoundrel! Take him off the map. Fuck!” He yelled at the top of his lungs which made me jump on my seat.

He threw his phone angrily and I hissed the moment the phone hit my foot. He turned to me with an angry look but didn't say anything and looked out of the window like my well-being didn't matter to him in the slightest. I gulped and only rubbed my foot slightly to ease the small bruise on it before picking up his phone to return it to him.

He glanced at me when I tapped his shoulder with his phone and in return gave me a hard look which made my body tremble within. I feared he would hit me or something even though he had never done so before but there was a first time for everything.

“What's the matter! Can't you see am angry and don't need your silly help?!” He basically roared at me making my breathing to pause for a second. “I... was just...” I flinched when he raised his hands to stop me from talking. “Don't try to do anything! Got it! Don't try to act like my wife in private because we both know this marriage is nothing more than a punishment for both of us. We neither wanted this marriage but we are stuck in it nonetheless!”

I was shocked by his outburst and his harsh words were making me count how much of a big mistake I made to sell myself to a horrible man like my husband now. His silver eyes glared at me with some profound hatred that pierced my heart and his next words made me to accept more of my harsh reality.

“You are only my wife to the public and to my family as they arranged this sham of a marriage and don't want to accept the word Divorce. And that is all you are to the world but to me, you are nothing but an added object to my house. That is all you are to me Sierra!”