Catherine’s pov
My eyes widened as my father’s words echoed around the insides of my head.
“What?” I whispered. My hands which had laid motionless in my thighs has began to tremble.
“You’d be getting married to the Mafia Don, in exchange for the help he’d be rendering our family, Catherine.” Dad repeated himself without missing a beat and my mouth fell open.
His words were just starting to sink in and I could feel my heart start to pound harshly against my ribs.
Marriage?!
“But… but, I’m not up to nineteen yet.” I whispered in a shaky voice, in case he had forgotten that tiny detail about me like he always does.
Here in Italy, daughters from prestigious families are given out in marriage once they’re nineteen. I wasn’t up to nineteen yet, so I had always thought I was safe for now.
“Yes, I know that. But you’re already over eighteen, which is all that matters.” He said and then he began to flip through a document on his desk.
My heart was still thumping harshly and it was getting hard for me to still hold in my tears.
“I don’t wish to get married to the Mafia Don yet, Dad.” I forced the words out of my throat after a few seconds, with my head racing.
The shock on dad’s face was expected and I watched as he slowly glanced up from the document he was scrolling through to level me with a glance filled with disapproval.
“It’s not a request, Catherine. It’s your duty as a daughter to help your family out in situations like this.” Dad began to speak, the disapproval in his tone was very obvious.
Perhaps if my supposed family members were people whom I really cared about, I might be more willing to help them with my entire existence.
“I know it’s my duty as a daughter, but I don’t think I’m ready for marriage yet, I’m sorry, Dad.” I offered after a few moments.
“Catherine, since when do people get married in our world on our own accord and for their own personal preferences?” Dad’s voice was starting to get angry and I gulped emptily and squirmed in my seat.
I sighed a little. “I still don’t want to get married.”
“How then do you suggest we find your mother and brother?” He demanded furiously.
“Any other way but this.” I responded with a shrug, biting at the inside of my cheek, because I knew Dad was going to lose it any next moment.
“How selfish can a child be? Not only are you selfish, you’re also very self centered!” Dad accused me in an angry voice and I flinched, choosing to remain silent.
I got to my feet and folded my hands on my chest as I argued, knowing that I was already automatically crossing a line. “I’m not selfish, Dad. I just don’t want to do this.”
“You have to. It’s for your mother and brother’s life.” He reminded me and I shrugged.
“I’d suggest you find another way… in order to rescue them, or to offer the mafia Don something else in exchange for his help–”
“Enough!” His voice was loud and angry as he cut me off abruptly. I jolted and instantly slapped my mouth shut, with my heart beating erratically against my chest.
“I’d like to think I brought you up to be more respectful than this.” He thundered out angrily. I gulped and averted my gaze, staring down at my sandal clad feet.
“You don’t talk back to me, or question my decision. Ever. Is that understood?” He demanded.
The vein on his forehead was fluttering when I glanced up at him. I swallowed emptily and shifted my weight around as I nodded my head robotically.
“Yes, Dad.”
“Good. You’re getting married to the mafia Don and that’s final.” He added almost immediately after that, and once again, I felt my heart sink all the way to my stomach.
“I won’t.” I responded without thinking. I regretted my response almost immediately and wished I could take it back, because the look on Dad’s face morphed into a really furious one.
“What did you say?” He asked, voice low and filled with so much threat.
And of course, since I was already in deep, I might as well go in all the way… which was why my next response was just as worse.
“I said I won’t marry him. I don’t want to, please don’t make me.” The words flew past my lips in a blur while the erratic pounding of my heart increased drastically.
I registered the shiny globe flying my way at the very last moment, but I was able to duck at the last minute, making the glass globe to shatter behind me after connecting sharply with the wall.
Dad charged towards me and grabbed me, a firm slap connecting with my face was what I registered next and him screaming about how ‘selfish and self centered’ I was.
“You insolent child.” He spat out as he tugged me towards his table and threw me against it. My side connected with the table and I let out a loud cry. Tears were sliding down my cheeks at this point.
He threw a pen before me and I didn’t need to be told twice before picking it up and signing on the spot on the document which he had shown me.
“Your elder brother… your two brothers are more important than you are, never forget that. Your elder brother is going to take after me, while you’d end up still getting married off, so you might as well be married off for this reason.” He paused, without sparing me a glance.
“Now, get out.”
~~~~
I’ve never had a good relationship with her mother– her biological mother. She had always been emotionally detached from her children since I could remember.
I tightened my hand around Zander’s and tried to return his reassuring smile, but my face probably got morphed into a grimace instead as more tears slide down my cheeks.
After I had left dad’s office, I made my way into my bedroom and sobbed my eyes out, until Zander had come to find me.
After I broke the news of my arranged marriage to him, he had instantly once again wished the mafia Don won’t be able to find our mother and elder brother, and I instantly agreed with him.
“It probably makes us into really bad people, but I don’t want them to ever be found. I can’t lose you, I don’t want to lose you yet. I’m not ready.” Zander’s voice cracked at the end and I let out another sob as I engulfed him into a hug.
“I don’t want to lose you either. I hope they don’t ever get found.” I whispered fiercely against his shoulders and his arms tightened around me firmly.
Catherine’s pov Life has never been on my side, ever since I could remember. That was the reason why it wasn’t a shock to me that My mother and elder brother ended up getting found, the very next day.As soon as dad came to announce the supposedly good news to my younger brother and I, we had both tensed up and as soon as we were alone once again, I had instantly busted into tears.“No, no, it can’t be. Why is life always against me?” I whispered in a ragged voice as I sobbed into my pillow. Zander was perched on the edge of my bed, and he could do nothing but try to offer me comfort.Which was of no use, because nothing could make me feel better at this point.“Now that the stupid Mafia Don has found them, I’m going to be married off like the sacrificial lamb that I am.” I pointed out as I pushed myself up into a sitting position, with my legs folded beneath me.“Stop it, you’re not a sacrificial lamb.” Zander argued feebly.“I am. That’s what dad said. You and Ethan are the onl
“Damien is…” Mum began to speak, her long, manicured fingers patting a bonquet of flowers.“Damien is dangerous. That’s it.” Dad cut into the sentence with a grim look on his face. He was cleaning his gun and shoving it in their respectful spots on his body.“He’s more than dangerous.” Mum paused for a moment. “He’s ruthless, lethal and really, really powerful. When he came into the hideout where the kidnappers had taken Ethan and I to, they had instantly dropped to their knees, that’s how much he’s feared by people.”My skin crawled as I listened to my parents talk about how dangerous the person I was going married off to was, as the hair stylist did my hair up in my bedroom.I was already dressed up in my wedding dress, and my makeup had already been done to perfection by professionals. “He’s the most powerful mafia Don ever to walk the earth. Every other mafia here in Italy knows he has the final say.” Dad continued and I felt fear clog my throat once again.“And you’re gett
Catherine’s Pov ‘You’re stronger than this, Catherine.’I said to myself for the hundredth time as I stood before the mirror in the bathroom, which I had been locked in for over an hour.My cheeks were wet with tears and I could see my chest heaving with how much breath I was sucking in at each passing minute.Regardless of that, I was still feeling out of breath.I stared down at my naked body and wondered what he’d think once he sees them tonight.This morning, while I had been taking my bath, mum had walked in to go over the basics of what was going to be expected of me from my husband in the bedroom.I had began to cry, because I couldn’t even bring myself to imagine myself in that kind of situation with me being willing and onboard. I had instantly hid the tears from mum though, that was something she’d never catch me doing.Not since that one night.I breathed out a sad sigh as I eyed myself up in the mirror once again.After I had locked myself in here since the moment D
My eyes widened and my heart lodged itself straight into my throat as the car I was currently in, gradually began to slow down.Dead bodies of guards were over some spots on the ground and a few were badly injured. The huge gates of the house had was wide open and some onlookers were balanrly staring into the compound.Dad wasn’t going to be happy about that, I thought as the car finally stopped. I pushed the car open before one of my two guards could come get the door for me, hurriedly making my way towards the house.My heart was in my mouth, it was obvious that an attack had befallen our territory while I had been out hanging out with my best friend.I made my way into the house and was blocked by a guard before I could get to the sitting room.“Let me through.” I wheezed out, taking a little step backwards in order to create some much needed space between the guard and myself.“You can’t go in ma’am.” I knew arguing with one of my father’s personal guards was literally u
Catherine’s Pov ‘You’re stronger than this, Catherine.’I said to myself for the hundredth time as I stood before the mirror in the bathroom, which I had been locked in for over an hour.My cheeks were wet with tears and I could see my chest heaving with how much breath I was sucking in at each passing minute.Regardless of that, I was still feeling out of breath.I stared down at my naked body and wondered what he’d think once he sees them tonight.This morning, while I had been taking my bath, mum had walked in to go over the basics of what was going to be expected of me from my husband in the bedroom.I had began to cry, because I couldn’t even bring myself to imagine myself in that kind of situation with me being willing and onboard. I had instantly hid the tears from mum though, that was something she’d never catch me doing.Not since that one night.I breathed out a sad sigh as I eyed myself up in the mirror once again.After I had locked myself in here since the moment D
“Damien is…” Mum began to speak, her long, manicured fingers patting a bonquet of flowers.“Damien is dangerous. That’s it.” Dad cut into the sentence with a grim look on his face. He was cleaning his gun and shoving it in their respectful spots on his body.“He’s more than dangerous.” Mum paused for a moment. “He’s ruthless, lethal and really, really powerful. When he came into the hideout where the kidnappers had taken Ethan and I to, they had instantly dropped to their knees, that’s how much he’s feared by people.”My skin crawled as I listened to my parents talk about how dangerous the person I was going married off to was, as the hair stylist did my hair up in my bedroom.I was already dressed up in my wedding dress, and my makeup had already been done to perfection by professionals. “He’s the most powerful mafia Don ever to walk the earth. Every other mafia here in Italy knows he has the final say.” Dad continued and I felt fear clog my throat once again.“And you’re gett
Catherine’s pov Life has never been on my side, ever since I could remember. That was the reason why it wasn’t a shock to me that My mother and elder brother ended up getting found, the very next day.As soon as dad came to announce the supposedly good news to my younger brother and I, we had both tensed up and as soon as we were alone once again, I had instantly busted into tears.“No, no, it can’t be. Why is life always against me?” I whispered in a ragged voice as I sobbed into my pillow. Zander was perched on the edge of my bed, and he could do nothing but try to offer me comfort.Which was of no use, because nothing could make me feel better at this point.“Now that the stupid Mafia Don has found them, I’m going to be married off like the sacrificial lamb that I am.” I pointed out as I pushed myself up into a sitting position, with my legs folded beneath me.“Stop it, you’re not a sacrificial lamb.” Zander argued feebly.“I am. That’s what dad said. You and Ethan are the onl
Catherine’s pov My eyes widened as my father’s words echoed around the insides of my head. “What?” I whispered. My hands which had laid motionless in my thighs has began to tremble.“You’d be getting married to the Mafia Don, in exchange for the help he’d be rendering our family, Catherine.” Dad repeated himself without missing a beat and my mouth fell open.His words were just starting to sink in and I could feel my heart start to pound harshly against my ribs.Marriage?!“But… but, I’m not up to nineteen yet.” I whispered in a shaky voice, in case he had forgotten that tiny detail about me like he always does.Here in Italy, daughters from prestigious families are given out in marriage once they’re nineteen. I wasn’t up to nineteen yet, so I had always thought I was safe for now.“Yes, I know that. But you’re already over eighteen, which is all that matters.” He said and then he began to flip through a document on his desk.My heart was still thumping harshly and it was get
My eyes widened and my heart lodged itself straight into my throat as the car I was currently in, gradually began to slow down.Dead bodies of guards were over some spots on the ground and a few were badly injured. The huge gates of the house had was wide open and some onlookers were balanrly staring into the compound.Dad wasn’t going to be happy about that, I thought as the car finally stopped. I pushed the car open before one of my two guards could come get the door for me, hurriedly making my way towards the house.My heart was in my mouth, it was obvious that an attack had befallen our territory while I had been out hanging out with my best friend.I made my way into the house and was blocked by a guard before I could get to the sitting room.“Let me through.” I wheezed out, taking a little step backwards in order to create some much needed space between the guard and myself.“You can’t go in ma’am.” I knew arguing with one of my father’s personal guards was literally u