CHAPTER 1

Nicole stood trembling behind the tall double doors that seperated the living room area from the dining area of her father's luxurious mansion.

Her breathing had fallen into an uneven rhythm and she feared that her legs might give out from underneath her if she didn't find a way to stabilize herself.

"No, no, no...This can't be happening." She lamented to herself, not after everything she had done for him. He couldn't do this to her, not after everything she had sacrificed for him, he simply couldn't. It was simply not fair. And yet here she was.

Nicole had realized early in life that she didn't mean much to her father. To him, she was nothing but a sure means to an end and although she had long since reconciled herself with that fact, there were certain things she never assumed her father could do to her, certain lines she never once assumed he could cross and making plans to marry her off to an old bastard who could father her two times over if he damn well tried was one of those lines.

It was never her intention to eavesdrop, her father hated when she did that...She learnt that the hard way.

In fact, she had only been passing by to get herself a glass of water when the sound of her name wifted through the air and had her stopping dead in her tracks.

She tiptoed back towards the source of the sound and placed her ear carefully against the keyhole of the door, an action she knew could land her in some serious trouble but she couldn't help herself. Her curiosity had gotten the best of her and apparently, she was weak against its devices. Besides, she was the main subject of their conversation so in her opinion, it was only fair that she got a little hint about what they were talking about. Fortunately or unfortunately though, She didn't end up getting a hint. She ended up staying through the entire conversation and the things she heard during made her blood run dry.

"This is the only way. I wouldn't have suggested it if it wasn't." She recognised the voice that spoke. How couldn't she when it belonged to DON Matteo, one of her father's oldest friends and trusted confidants and a man she had done well to avoid all her life.

The man had been in and out of their house ever since she was a little girl but that was not the reason why she could recognise the sound of his voice from miles away. It was rather because of the disgusting manner in which he always looked at her ever since she was 13 years old. it might have gone on for much longer but it waa only after she turned 13 that she fully understood what it meant. His stares were always suggestive and disgusting and The man never passed up a chance to put his hands on her. His very presence always made bile rise in her throat, and a sense of nausea always washed over her whenever he was near.

For this reason, she had learned to recognize the sound of his voice to avoid coming in contact with him. She remained bound to the confines of her room and would not leave until she could no longer hear his voice. This was how she was able to protect herself from his disgusting advances and she had done this successfully for the past nine years or so. But now, with what she was hearing, she didn't think she would be able to escape for much longer and that terrified her.

"But the Bratava already respects you. They trust you to lead them, they said so themselves. So why is this even necessary?" It was her father speaking and she felt a little spark of hope ignite in her heart at the thought that her father was still a little reluctant to ship her to her doom.

"Its true that i have the majority of the Bratava behind me, but for how long?" Don Matteo replied grimly. "Besides, there are a few members who are still not in support and would do anything their power to see me fail, and in case you have forgotten, let me remind you that my failure means trouble for you as well."

"I haven't forgotten." Her father replied with a sigh. "It's just that this...what you are asking..."

"Sacrifices must be made for the greater good my friend." Don Matteo chimmed in, interrupting her father's chain of thoughts. "All it takes for this plan to fall apart us one tiny loop hole and that is what we are trying to prevent. By marrying your daughter into the family, you are openly declaring your loyalty to us, and by so doing you identify as one of us."

"Haven't I done enough to prove my loyalty already?"

"You have indeed my friend. But you know how inclusive the family is. They won't just award a contract worth billions to a complete outsider. Now what better way is there to prove that you are not an outsider than having your own daughter on the inside. Except of course you have changed your mind about wanting the contract."

"What? of course not!" Her father replied, starting to get defensive.

"Then brace up and do what you gotta do. Besides, who else can you trust to ensure your daughter is safe and well catered for than me? Would you rather place the fate of your only child in the hands of a complete stranger whose intentions are probably not honourable? You of all people should know that i would lay down my life and let my soul get trampled into the dirt before i let anything happen to your girl. I would protect her with my life, if not for anything but because of our decades of friendship. I would never do anything jeopardize that."

Lies! Lies! And more Lies!

It was all lies and Nicole wanted to scream in her father's ears and beg him not to fall for the snake's deception.

"I guess you do have a point." Her father replied instead and her hopes crumbled.

"There is no one in this life that I trust more than you to ensure that my baby girl is protected and well catered for."

Nicole had had enough. She was going to burst in there and shove the lying bastard's lies back in his face. She was going to tell her father that he had only been playing the long game by pretending to be a kind man when he was rather a predator who was simply waiting for the right moment to pounce.

"In that case, I'll be leaving now." Don Matteo declared just before Nicole could make her move. "Just keep in mind that the handing over ceremony is in a month's time and it is best if the wedding takes place before that.

"I understand. I'll prepare towards that."

Those were the last words Nicole heard before the double doors swung open and a satisfied looking Matteo strolled out. He wore a sick smile on his face and the moment his face landed upon Her, it widened even more to expose his crooked and rotten teeth that had decayed due to years of neglect and abandon. He was a gruesome looking and Nicole swore that she could never marry the man. She had lost the nerve to go in and challenge her father but she knew that sooner rather than later her father would bring up the issue with her and that was when she would make her stand known to him.

It was evident that Don Matteo thought he had won and the victorious smirk he shot her way as he walked out made that all the more evident, but Nicole couldn't afford to give up hope, not if she didn't want to spend the rest of her life in perpetual sorrow and suffering. She was going to implore to her father's love for her---if at all there was any at all left. He had to save her from the hell he was about to throw her into. He was her only salvation and if he chose not to save her then she was lost.