CHAPTER ONE

I knew I looked beautiful; I could feel the heavy make up on my face as I struggled to hold back the drop of tear that had been meaning to fall. As I stood in-front of Michael and the priest, I eagerly scanned the nearly empty room, my heart pounding loudly in my chest, hoping secretly that my parents or at least my brother would be present on my wedding day. I could feel Michael’s heavy gaze on me as my feet grew colder.

I tried to clear my throat to get rid of the huge lump I could feel forming from disappointment and then opened my mouth to answer the priest’s question, but before I could form any words, the huge gates of the church flung open and about seven heavily armed men barged into the room.

“Everybody down” One of them ordered.

I went down immediately with Michael hovering over me to form a protective shield. The priest hid behind the pulpit and the few people in the auditorium mostly from Michael’s family and friends group quickly hid under their chairs. I could hear silent cries of fear across the room.

One of the men came behind me and grabbed me by the arm. “Up” He commands.

I couldn’t see his face or that of any of his counterparts as they all wore some kind of mask that covered their entire face leaving only their eyes visible.

“I said get up now” he commanded again, this time at the top of his voice jerking me off the ground and out of Michael’s arms.

I heard a whimper somewhere in the congregation as I was roughly pulled up.

“Everybody stay calm and no one gets hurt” One other masked guy shouted from one corner of the room.

I started walking towards the direction my captor propelled me. The tear that had been threatening to fall finally rolling down my cheeks. Why is this happening on my special day? I thought to myself.

“Marcella!” Michael cried out helplessly.

“Shut the fuck up” my captor said hitting my fiancé with the back of his gun.

I turned in an attempt to rush to him but the man quickly swept me off the ground and threw me easily over his shoulders.

I started screaming at the top of my voice using up all the air in my lungs. I flapped my feet aggressively kicking the man repeatedly.

“Stop it” he ordered but I wouldn’t listen, I kept moving aggressively to free myself from his grip hitting his back as hard as I could while still throwing my feet.

One other man suddenly comes up behind the man that was carrying me, causing me to raise my head to look at him just before I felt the hard knock from the end of his pistol hit my face.

“Why the fuck did you hit her?”

I heard someone query as I drifted into unconsciousness.

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I could hear gentle sobs and also feel someone stroking my arms. It felt nice, a smile formed on my face as I awoke into reality.

My vision was still quiet blur and I rubbed both eyes with the back of my hand causing a female figure to form right in-front of me. She sat at the edge of the bed wiping her tears quickly and beaming with a smile.

“Mom?” I called as my vision cleared fully. She smiled weakly and blew her nose.

“I told you she would be fine” came a familiar voice.

I turned my head to that direction “Dad?” I jerked off the bed with a start. “What is going on here? Where am I and what are you doing here?” I asked all at once

“You’re home my love” My mom managed to say. I looked around, finally taking in the environment and embracing the familiarity of my own room.

“I’m in Italy?” I shouted at no one In particular.

Mom nodded as dad wheeled his chair closer to the bed and attempted to grab my arm.

“Don’t touch me” I said with a frown, causing dads arm to freeze mid-air.

“Now, can someone please tell me this is a dream? What’s going on here?” I continued, looking at my parents in anticipation.

“Sweetie, calm down please” my mom urged.

“I will not be calm till somebody tells me what the hell I’m doing fourteen hours away from my wedding venue” I kept screaming and at this point my throat had already become dry and sore, and as if she could tell, mom handed me a glass of water from the bedside table which I gulped quickly, then I sat at the edge of the bed near mom without necessarily looking at her.

“Can you say something to your daughter?” Mom asked dad worriedly, the wrinkles on her face becoming more eminent. She wore make up but it didn’t do a good job at hiding the fact that she is aging gradually. The thought sent shivers down my spine, I shock it off instantly and turned to dad for some explanation.

“What’s there to explain woman, your daughter is just stubborn, and we have talked about it severally. I have told you the importance of this alliance, he said to me. You must marry Alphonse Salvador and there’s nothing that is going to change that” He yelled slamming his fist against the wheelchair alerting me he was angry.

“Alphonse?” I asked ignoring his anger completely. “A man I don’t know? A man whose ruthlessness and sadistic traits precedes him? This must be some kind of a joke ha ha ha” I laughed mockingly.

“You must think of this family for once Marcella,  every single  person in this family has sacrificed one thing or the other all these years and this is the only time we demand something of you. He said, as if to appeal to my conscience but not losing the authoritativeness in his voice.

“You demand my happiness papa!” I exclaimed equally trying to appeal to his conscience. “You demand my soul and my entire joyful existence”. I sat at his feet, please don’t sell me off into marriage papa, I do not want to marry someone I don’t love” I cried.

But my father is not one to be moved by tears.

“My words are final! The wedding is set for next week Friday.” “Woman”, he turns to my mom, “Make sure your daughter is ready to be wed” and with that he wheeled his chair out of the room. I stretched out fully on the soft cozy carpet allowing it to soak my tears.

My life is over. I am doomed. I just wept.​