I hear loud noises and shouting coming from downstairs. Who is papi arguing with so late at night? I decide to go outside to check. I gently go downstairs and peep to see him shouting at some men wearing black suits. They were four, an older man that looked as old as papi. He was probably their don then another man at the back who looked like a guard. The remaing two looked like younger versions of the don so probably his sons. What are they doing in our house? Papi never brings work home. He said he was protecting me from the ugliness of what he had to do. I try to listen to their conversation then I hear papi say
“You can take anything you want but not her” he pleads with them. My father never begs. Then one of the Dons sons speaks “if she is what you cherish most then that is what I want. I want you to feel the suffering we faced. Prepare your daughter” I gasp when I hear his statement and cover my mouth with my hands. Stupid, stupid Maria, now they’ll know I heard them. I quickly rush back to my room and pretend to sleep.
The noises continue for what feels like eternity and I sleep off. I see those men tie me up in a deserted location, my body soaked with sweat, I’m in immense pain, crying and begging for help. One of the sons looks at me “daddy isn’t here to save you principessa” he says mockingly and laughs a cruel mocking laugh. I keep begging for help but no one answers.
I bolt out of bed panting, realization dawns on me that it was just a dream. I hear a soft knock on my door and I panic. I ask gently “who is it?” my father replies “it’s me my love, open the door” I obey. Opening the door slowly I see my father. He looks tired and I’m sure he barely slept.
“I need to talk to you” he says tone serious I nod and lead him to my queen-sized bed. He sits by the edge. “I need you to do something for me, something I’d never have asked if it wasn’t necessary”
I suspect what he wants me to do isn’t going to be easy “anything for you papi” which is the complete truth. Whatever my father wants me to do I’ll do with no complaints. He has given me absolutely everything. Ever since My mother died it has just been him and I through everything. He protected me and spoiled me beyond measure, I know the work he does is dangerous that’s why I never go out and friends don’t come over, whatever he tells me to do I listen. When he stopped me from going to school and I became home schooled I didn’t object, when he stopped me from visiting friends I didn’t object, even if he told me to kill someone for him I would not object. He is my only real family.
He takes a deep breath “I need you to work as a spy for me” I look at him shocked by his request
“How? I have zero training and limited social skills, you said you didn’t want me even close to that side of the world” I moves closer
“I know mi principessa but I need you to do it for me” I think about it for a few seconds but the expression on my dad’s face made me give in
“What do you need me to do?” I relent. His smile widens which makes me feel slightly better
“You are going to marry Leonardo Sanchez, pretend to be forced into the arrangement, prove stubborn but keep in contact with me. Whatever information I ask for you will give me” I take in everything he is telling me. This is not going to be easy.
“I will try my best Papi” he gives me a big hug
“that’s my sunshine, I must warn you. The Sanchez’s are cruel people, they have put me through so much and we are sworn enemies, I have suffered greatly and the person that hates me the most is Leonardo he wants to completely ruin me and accuse me of things I know nothing about so please be careful. Can you do this for me?” I nod and he smiles again.
He tells me I am to be married in five days and he leaves me to think about everything. If someone told me I’d be marrying an enemy mafia member id have called him crazy. I just turned 24 and I know nothing about life.
….
It’s the day of my arranged marriage already, I don’t know how but everything happened in a blur. I look at my room for the last time. This was where I spent most of my life, filled only with memories of escaping reality through reading and imagining a life where mama didn’t die. A life with a normal father. I’mleaving a part of my life into uncharted territory. I look at the mirror and I can’t recognise myself, my face full of heavy makeup, a long white wedding gown I’m not comfortable in and my hair in an updo with a veil. When we get to the church, not a lot of people are there which I’m thankful for. This wedding is a sham so it doesn’t matter, I look at the Leonardo properly for the first time. I hate him for being the reason I am in this stupid situation. I don’t care if he has a well-defined jawline, full pick lips, hazel eyes and a little facial hair and makes him look rough in an attractive way, I don’t care about how tan his muscular body is, I don’t care how tall he is, I don’t care how soothing his deep voice is as he takes his vows and most importantly, I don’t care how good our first kiss as a married couple felt. I felt like heaven, delicious yet dangerous, Leonardo wasn’t gentle he kissed me almost as if he cared about me. I felt electricity course through me. After everything he didn’t even give me a sideway glance or look the slightest bit affected.
We get to the Sanchez house and everything happens so fast I barely have the time to feel anything. I get there exhausted and enter the room that was arranged for me.
Leonardo enters my room without knocking and I groan in annoyance “don’t you knock before entering? I thought we had separate rooms” he looks at me with disdain, the feeling is definitely mutual “I enter wherever I want, daddy isn’t here to save you so I’d advice you keep your mouth shut bambolina” I hate him so much
“Follow me I need you to do something” I look at him confused. What does he want?
