2: the charity ball

"Dad can be so unbelieveable." Bianca tsked on the call as I got ready for the stupid Charity Ball.

"He is." I replied as the make-up artist, continued to transform me into someone else. I freaking hated make-up but I had to wear it for just today.

"Is there no way you could run away with Julian?"

My heart sank at the mention of Julian. He was boyfriend, maybe we had broken up already but not formerly. For the past few months he had been actively strangely, barely picking my calls and responding to my texts.

"I have to go." I spoke into the call. I loved Bianca but I knew she could never fully understand the complexity of what was happening here.

"No wait, Aurora talk to me." Bianca urged in her calm voice. "You've always been there for me, I can't imagine you going through this tough phase alone sister."

I sighed. "It's just that there's nothing I can do about this now. You know Father, once he sets his mind on a goal, no one can talk him out of it.

Bianca was quiet for a second. "Family means nothing to him."

"You can say that again, Bianca." I hissed. "How about I call you later for real?"

"Okay okay, please let me know if anything bad happens." My lips spread into a sad smile at my sister's reassuring words.

"The marriage is already a nightmare."

We both laughed.

-

When the make-up artist finished her work, she took her leave.

I stood in the mirror, detesting every fibre of my appearance.

The make up, shoes and clothes all aimed to make me look someone else — the perfect daughter of a Mafia associate who was all glammed up and ready to meet her husband. There was no way I'd have worn a gown as tight as this, revealing my curves.

This was all Father's plan and it was carefully mapped out. From the look of things he had had this plan for a very long time, no wonder he never approved of my relationship with Julian. He knew when it was time he'd choose a husband for me.

Sure, he wanted this marriage to happen, I had already accepted this to save Bianca.

But I wasn't going to wear a gown as tight as this, it made me uncomfortable.

I dabbed a little of the make up away and selected a much longer and lighter gown.

"Ready?" Father asked with a stupid grin that disappeared from his face upon inspecting my look.

He banged the door behind him. "This wasn't the plan, Aurora."

"Okay, but how do I act according to a plan I know nothing of?" I smiled, playing by his game. He thought he could get me angry today? I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. I'd smile while taunting him and driving him crazy. It's not enough to take away my freedom from me but he also wanted to transform me into something else.

"Don't play dumb, Aurora." He warned, gritting his teeth.

I took a shot of alcohol in front of him. Something that would annoy him more because he warned me to stop drinking, an habit I had taken up after my mother died.

"I'm sure we'll be late already." I replied, walking past him.

-

On my way to Hotel Elegant, I kept mute as Father glanced with a frown at me from time to time.

"Aurora, I told them you're a virgin."

My eyes bulged at him. "You did what?"

I was not a virgin in the slightest bit.

"I'm sure I didn't lie or did I?"

"I'm not a virgin, Father-"

Before I could finish my sentence, Father's hand came down on my face, eliciting a cry from me.

"stai zitto cretiono, shut up fool," Father rasped in Italian. "I don't know how you're going to do this but you will not ruin the plan I've made. On your wedding night, you're going to show a proof of your virginity. It's part of tradition."

This was being more complicated than I thought. What the hell was happening here?

"But Father-"

"Silence!" The car came to a halt and as I looked out the window, we had gotten to our destination.

A sense of foreboding clogged my nostrils, my heart pounding with fear and anticipation. "Now hold my hands as we walk in."

-

"Now smile as you sit near your husband." Father whispered as soon as we located a private section of the event, pulling out a chair for me. My whole body grew stiff as I forced myself to obey his command.

My heart thrummed against my chest as I tried to steal a glance at Alessandro.

Our eyes locked onto each other, his green irises pierced through me, observing every inch of me with an intense gaze.

I found myself thinking I should have worn the other tight gown Father had selected for me. I didn't know why.

I remembered Father's command as I slowly opened my lips and tried to smile.

Awkward.

His eyes glazed through my outfit briefly. Without an expression, he took his gaze off me. I wanted his eyes to rest on me a little longer. He was definition of a beautiful man. His attire, black crisp suit added an air of ominous presence which made me feel uneasy yet I couldn't get enough of him because he was attractive.

He was the kind of man that would make my knees weak-

"As mentally unstable as Aless is, he was able to get a beautiful woman." A girl probably sixteen years commented, nodding her head and the everyone except Alessandro and I fell in laughter.

"So what's stopping you Lorenzo?" She continued. She sure had a sharp mouth.

"I don't want to go to jail again, so be careful, Beatrice." Lorenzo warned.

"Maintain some quietness here." A man spoke with calm authority and I assumed he was their Father figure.

Oh wow. This was something.

From the conversation that later went on the table. I got to learn that Alessandro lived with his Uncle who took care of him after he was accused of his killing his parents. He didn't go to jail because the reports shown that he was mentally unstable. Lorenzo and Beatrice are both siblings and cousins to Alessandro but they all didn't seem to get along.

Father worked with Alessandro's father whom he called Don. Don of a Mafia, I think.

As I began to piece the information together, I got fed up. My throat began to feel dry so I stood up.

"I think I need some fresh air."

I excused myself to the restroom, intending to properly catch my breath even though it is just for a few minutes.

-

I placed my hands on the counter, sucking a deep breath the moment I closed the door behind me.

It wasn't even up to two minutes before the door opened and clicked shut, causing the hairs on my body to stand.

"Hello wife." Alessandro's voice reached my ears and he moved closer to me. I caught sight of the his hauntingly attractive reflection from the mirror.

I swallowed an invisible gulp. "What are you doing here?" I stuttered, still not facing him directly as my hands became shaky on the counter.

"Me?" He asked, pointing to himself. "Just checking on you, isn't it obvious? Yeah." He asked a question, to which he answered and burst out laughing. He threw his head backwards, his laughter reverberating through the walls.

Was he truly a maniac. How can someone so attractive be sick in the head?

"What's funny?" I asked, still unable to leave that position, lowering my gaze. I couldn't afford to stare at his piercing gaze. It made me uneasy, sick with desire and uncomfortable.

With a quick stride, he was now close to me, whispering directly into my ears, shivering down my spine, making me wet down there as he placed his hands on the counter.

"I need something from you."

"What?"

"Go out there and tell them you hate me, you can't get married to someone like me. Call off the marriage." He spoke, slowly and menacingly, the words oozing a dark warning.

"I can't…" I whimpered, my breath hitching.

"Why uhm? You want me that bad?"

"No!" I shook my head, he was getting on my nerves. Who did he think he was? I wouldn't cross path with him if not for my father. "That was never the case, I'm doing this for my family."

I wriggled free from his hold and took steps backwards as my back hit the wall. He took determined strides, like an hunter following its prey as he was now standing in front of me, towering over me. How do I escape him? The most annoying thing was that I was freaking stuck with him in this stupid arranged marriage.

"Your family forced you into an arranged marriage and you didn't refuse?"

"I didn't have a choice in this," I replied, proceeding to walk away when his strong arm gripped my wrist, putting me back in place.

"A pawn in your father's game of power, hmm?" He chuckled darly. "You have no idea how much I hate your father."

His words made my body cold with fear but I wasn't going to show him I was scared. "Then why did you agree to this?"

"It is a requirement to a fortune."