Airella, my father's voice was firm, it's a great honor that Don Luca has chosen you. You will marry him and do your duty to this family. No more arguments.
My mother's expression didn't change, but her eyes seemed to bore into me, warning me to comply.
I felt like I was suffocating, my heart racing with fear. Don Luca Russo, the ruthless mafia king, was going to be my husband.
I tried to speak, but my voice was barely a whisper. "But…. No but my father shouted
His father's expression turned cold. "Your future is to be a good wife to Don Luca, to support him and bring honor to our family. That's all that matters."
I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I realized I had no choice. I was a pawn in a game I didn't understand, and my life was about to change forever.
I felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair . The thought of being married to Don Luca, a man known for his ruthlessness and brutality, was terrifying. I was just a fragile flower, and he was a raging storm that would destroy me.
I looked at my mother, hoping to find some comfort, some sign of empathy, but her expression remained cold and unyielding. She was a product of this world, a world where women were expected to be subservient and obedient, where their own desires and dreams were irrelevant.
I turned back to my father, my voice a little stronger now, fueled by desperation. "Please, Father, don't do this. I don't want to marry him. I can't marry him."
My father's expression hardened, his eyes flashing with anger. "Airella, you will do as you're told. You will marry Don Luca and you will make our family proud. No more arguments."
The room fell silent, the only sound was the ticking of the clock on the wall. I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare, and I couldn't wake up.
My father's words cut through me like a knife, "He's ruthless because he has to be, Airella. A man like Luca is what you need, to teach you to do as you're told without questioning his orders or being stubborn. To teach you to be an obedient wife, to always agree with him and not act out. You females are always so stubborn, always asking useless questions. It took me years to make your mother as obedient as she is now… she used to be as stubborn as you are now."
so he wants a slave not a wife? And he throws the glass he was holding where I was standing a few seconds ago if I didn't Dodge.. now go to your room and don't come out till I say so my father shouted..
I stood there, frozen, hoping against hope that he'd change his mind. I looked at my mother, pleading silently for her to intervene, but as always, her expression was a mask, giving nothing away.
Defeated, I turned and walked to the door, my legs carrying me on autopilot as I ran out of the office. I headed upstairs, ignoring my brother's curious gaze as he stood in his room doorway. I slipped into my room, locking the door behind me with the key, knowing my father had duplicates.
I leaned against the door, my breath hitching as I tried to process everything. A slave, not a wife… that's what he wanted for me. I cried and cried.
I slid down the door, my back against the cool wood, and buried my face in my hands. The tears I'd been holding back finally broke free, streaming down my cheeks as I let out a silent sob. How could my father do this to me? How could he want me to marry Don Luca?