Chapter 4

Ava

The clock on the wall ticked away in the heavy silence, each second stretching out like forever. I sat rigidly on the cream couch in my dad's study, the lingering smell of his cigars hanging in the air.

Mama was next to me, her hands neatly resting in her lap, her face giving nothing away.

Richard leaned against the wall, arms crossed, but the tension in his jaw showed he was not happy about being called here.

"What's the big deal?" Richard asked, his tone sharp, slicing through the quiet.

Papa, sitting behind his grand oak desk, didn’t flinch at his tone. His dark eyes moved between us, heavy with authority. "Let’s get to the point," he said, his voice steady but firm. "We need to strengthen our alliances, and the best way to do that is through marriage."

My stomach dropped. Marriage. That one word sucked the air right out of the room.

I looked at Mama, hoping for some reaction—some hint that this was just a bad joke. She sat still, her eyes glued to the floor. Of course, she knew. She always did.

"You can't be serious," Richard snapped, pushing off the wall. His protective instincts flared up, and for once, I didn’t mind his anger.

Papa raised a hand to quiet him. "This isn’t up for discussion. The De Lucca family has been allied with the Parker family for generations. This marriage will secure our power, not just in America but throughout Europe."

Marriage. The word hit me like a punch. My mouth went dry, but I forced myself to speak. "So, by marriage, you mean me." My voice was low but sharp, shaking with barely contained rage.

Papa's gaze locked onto mine. "Yes. You will marry Riccardo De Lucca."

The room felt like it was spinning, my vision blurring at the edges. I jumped up from the couch, the soft rustle of my dress breaking the silence.

"You can't do this!" I yelled, my voice cracking. 

"I'm not some pawn in your power games!”

Mama flinched at my outburst but stayed silent. Richard, on the other hand, moved in closer, fists tight at his sides.

"She's right, Dad. This isn’t the 18th century. You can’t just hand her off like she’s some kind of property. Did you forget he was once engaged to our sister?"

Papa stood up, his imposing figure casting a long shadow in the room. "Enough!"

His voice thundered, cutting us both off. "This isn’t about feelings. It’s about duty—your duty to this damn family. The decision is made. You owe us! Madelyn would have made us proud, but here I am stuck with you."

I felt like I was drowning, his words weighing heavily on me. "Duty?"

I shot back, my voice trembling. "What about my life? My choices?"

"Your choice doesn’t matter," Dad replied coldly, as if my protests were just a nuisance.

I opened my mouth to respond, but a sharp sting hit my cheek, and I stumbled back. I knew I should have kept quiet.

Tears threatened to spill, but I held them back. I turned to Mama, pleading.

"Mama, please. You have to say something. Don’t let him do this."

Her lips moved, but no sound came out. Finally, she whispered, "Bella, your father just wants what’s best for you, sweetheart. Besides, it’s your duty to never let Riccardo forget about Madeline."

I nodded stiffly, feeling the weight of everything crashing down. I didn’t look back at Dad. My chest felt tight. I could hardly breathe.

I stormed out of the study, my heels clicking sharply against the marble floor, echoing in the stillness of the hallway. My heart raced, a mix of anger, helplessness, and fear swirling inside me.

Richard’s footsteps followed closely. "Ava, wait." His voice was soft but urgent.

I didn’t stop. I didn’t want to. My hands balled into fists as I kept walking, not caring where I was headed. I just needed to escape—escape from him, from this stifling house, from the constant reminder that she was always better than me, from the future they were trying to force on me.

"Ava, come on," Richard said, his voice getting closer as he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Let me help you. You don’t have to deal with this by yourself."

I turned to him, tears streaming down my face. "There’s nothing you can do, Richard. It’s already been decided. They’ve made choices about my life without me. I’ll never be enough for him. It’ll always be perfect Madelyn!"

He wrapped his arms around me, his strong, familiar hug giving me a sense of stability. "I won’t let them do this to you, Ava. We’ll find a way. You’re not alone in this."

I held onto him tightly, craving the comfort he provided, even though I knew deep down that nothing could alter what was ahead.

But in that moment, Richard was my lifeline. He always had been, and I couldn’t imagine facing this without him.

As we stood there in the stillness of the hallway, a tiny spark of hope flickered within me—no matter how faint—because I knew I wasn’t alone. And for now, that was enough.