Chapter 1: The Beginning

WARNING:

This book contains violence, abuse, rape, mental health issues and anything that may be triggering to a person. If you're sensitive to this stuff, I would recommend you very kindly go find another book to read as there are many people triggered by this sort of content.

Thank you!

Maria's P.O.V

The obnoxiously loud ringing of my alarm sings through my ear as I dreadfully force myself up in bed. As soon as I pick up my phone from the bedside table, though, I see that it's Saturday today and, well- I've been graduated for nearly a month now. Pre-med here I come...

My phone buzzes me a reminder when I unlock it, notifying me that I'm supposed to be ready by now and that my best friend, Dana is here to pick me up for our day at the mall. AKA the day we spend all our grad money.

"Shit. Of course, I forget the day I've been looking forward to for the past month now. Typical.

With a grunt and groan, I roll myself out of bed and hurry all the way over to my closet where I begin rummaging through the many shirts and pants. So many clothes, but just not enough outfits here for a day like this. I want something that says: I'm an independent woman, not just some teenager anymore who doesn't have a hot fucking clue what she wants to do with her life. I'm going to be Dr. Andre. Doctor Maria Andre.

After a large pile of clothes on the floor, I finally decide on a pair of light blue skinny jeans, a black wrap around top a fleshy-pink long coat and a pair of laced, calve-high boots to top it off. I quickly brush out my hair, wash my face and brush my teeth before flying out the door and nearly go crashing down the stairs I'm in such as rush.

"Took you long enough." Dana crunches down on some honey nut cheerios as she gives me an up and down. She smiles, "Tryna impress someone are we?"

I give her a nudge in the shoulder and head over to the pantry and grab myself a breakfast bar, then a smoothie from the fridge. "Let's go before everyone else gets there alright?" I tell her and snatch up her car keys. "I'll drive!"

She rolls her eyes and munches on the last bit of her cereal. "Sorry, didn't realize we were in such a rush."

I too give off another infamous eyeroll and we leave out the front door.

After the mall...

"Cya loser!" Dana calls out from the window as she zooms off from my house. I wave her off begrudgingly and begin hauling my bags into the house.

When I walk through the front door, both my parents are sitting on the couch beside each other, hand-in-hand with two of the most serious looks on their faces I've ever witnessed. "Who died?" I immediately question. "Is Grandma alright?"

My mom, Sofia stands from the couch and nods. "Yes, your grandmother is fine. It's something else we need to talk to you about, Sweetie."

My dad follows her move and takes a stand with a hand on her shoulder and a sorrowful look plastered on his face that has somehow just aged a decade from the sadness he's showing. "There's really no easy way to say this, but, Honey, we've signed a contract for you- for us."

I chuckle nervously and sit down uneasily on the couch behind me, setting down the bags still in my hands. "C-contract?"

They both nod, but it's my mom who really breaks the news this time. "There's a man, his name is Luke Sanchez. His father is a powerful, Italian mafia lead and he is stepping down but, his son needs a wife to gain power. We made an offer that if we give you to the Sanchezs, our debt would be cleared and our company would gain more revenue."

Mafia.. Did they say?

"You're joking, right?" I say to them through angry, gritted teeth. Who are these people and what happened to the parents that cared and loved their daughter so much they'd give their life for me.

The two simply shake their heads at me and break any eye contact we had. "B-but why?" I cry out through hot tears beginning to sting my emerald green eyes. "I-I'm y-y-our daughter.. I'm not just something you can sell!" Mom tries to bring me into a hug, but I stand up and push out of the way from the both of them.

I don't dare look back when I run as fast as I can up to my room and start packing up my things.

I'll move, but I'm not falling in love with some Mafia boss. I'm going to run away and become a doctor, even if that means I have to be a whole new person while I'm at it.

Luke's POV

"Her?" I point towards my father's phone of a beautiful woman who has dark, reddish chestnut coloured hair, the brightest green eyes I've ever seen and the sharpest little curves. Her skin is all peachy and tanned from the summer days, making me just want to reach out and touch her gorgeousness.

"Her," my father, Cristian confirms and closes his phone, stuffing it back into his pocket.

I sigh and drink down the remains of my rum then slide the glass across the table towards the bartender for a second. "When do we meet?" I retrieve the newly poured glass and sip on it in anticipation. Surprisingly, this is the only woman I've ever been excited to get so close to. So so close to.

He grins at me and holds his drink securely between his palms. "Tomorrow, Son. Your mother would be proud, you know."

I smile at the thought of her, then decide I no longer need to drink anymore tonight: she always hated when my father offered me up a beer as a teenager. I know why now. "She would be." I pause and look down. "God, I wish she could be here for the wedding. That's all she ever wanted to do was to plan my wedding and make sure I was happen, even when I'm marrying someone I barley know."

My father stands from his chair and pats me on the shoulder. "She's always here, Luke. Always. Just remember that." And without another word he leaves in to the abyss of people.

You're likely wondering what ever happened to my mother. Well, it was a while ago now, but it feels like only yesterday it all happened.

It happened before I was even born. My parents had just gotten married and they needed to start a family- for the sake of the mafia like usual. They had tried for months to get my mother pregnant, but she never did. Sadly, once she had first became pregnant she had a miscarriage a week later. She was so devastated that she had tried to harm herself to make up for the fact she lost the only chance she had. My father loved her, though and didn't let that happen. Instead, they continued to try and after another two miscarriages, I was finally born. I was their little miracle; the Sanchez's miracle. They had been happy and accepted the fact that they had their own little family. But after I had turned two, my Grandparents noticed they never spoke of having another child and demanded they do as I could be killed and the throne could be left unattended. Out of fear, the two went to the doctor for IVF, but once my mom's blood was drawn and tested, they found out the worst.

Flashback to over 21 years ago..

Narrator

"Please take a seat." The doctor gestures to the empty hospital chairs in front of his messy, paper-filled desk.

Luke's mom, Samantha takes a seat quickly, her entire body jittering with nervousness. Cristian follows be he's so much different: so calm it's scary. It's as though he knows what's coming.

The doctor ruffles through some of Samantha's blood work and comes to the latest file on her. "I have some bad news, Samantha. It seems here that there are cancerous cells in your blood stream. The lab and your team have diagnosed you with ovarian cancer. We're so sorry."

Samantha sits there in utter shock as the words hit her, brick by brick by brick by brick. The weight becomes so heavy, her only response is when she collapses from the chair and heaves out a long cry. "n..n-no.." she cries out. "How could I have let this happen?"

The doctor leaves both the two alone. Cristian ducks down to her level and holds her tightly in his arms, like it's the last time he'll ever be able to hold her. He kisses her head softly against her dark skin and pushes the dark hair from her face. "Everything's going to be fine, amore. I love you and that's never going to change."

Back to present time

Luke's POV

Now it's time to make my family proud. I've been training for the throne my entire life and I was lucky enough to have my mother's support all throughout, up until she passed.

Her role may have been to have the children and take care of them her entire life, but I'm so grateful my father loved her and kept her here. I would've never survived this cruel life without her. She was my best friend... My only real friend.