CHAPTER ONE
Leora's POV
“I will not marry him!” Isabella's voice was so sharp it made me freeze in my steps, the tray in my hands rattling to the sound.
I paused at the hallway, leaning closer to my father's heavy study door and wondering what was going on to make Isabella lose control this way.
“Lower your voice, little girl!” My father matched her tone with the same intensity that always made my skin crawl, and my fingers tightened on the tray, some part of the hot tea spilling inside it.
“Father, please,” Isabella's voice cracked. “You can't do this to me. You can't, Father. He killed all his wives, father. In cold blood!!! You can't send me to that monster.” She was whimpering now, and I could tell that tears were already streaming down her cheeks even if I couldn't see her right now.
“Those are just the rumors, sweetheart.” My mother tried to soothe her gently, and I could picture her arms around my sister, drawing her close into the warm embrace I had always longed for.
My heart ached at the thought of that, but I blinked away my tears because I was already used to it now. Bella could be expressive with them, talk all she liked, and they would show her all the love and care in this world, and when it came to me… even if I coughed in a corner, it was a big problem. They said it always reminded them of my weak health.
“Then why are they dead?” The argument from inside continued, and I tried to grasp what the situation was by eavesdropping as usual. I didn't mean anything to this family that they would let me in on what was going on.
They all went quiet, and no one seemed to have an answer for Bella's question, which was quite surprising.
“Sweetheart,” my father's voice softened in a way I had never heard before. “I want to promise you something as your father. I will always protect you regardless of where you are. No matter where you go or who you're married to. I will make sure all my men protect you, and I will—”
"No, Father!" Isabella was beyond reasoning now, and she was heaving and crying loudly. “I would rather not take any chances with that man. Who knows how his wives died? Can your men protect me from poisons or even assassins? Can they protect me from Lucian Cavalli himself?” She was sniffing hard now, and when she said that name, my blood ran cold.
Lucian Cavalli was looking to marry my sister? I thought he had gotten married a year ago after his second wife died. The third wife died again? I swallowed hard and pressed my ear against the door, my heart drumming in my chest.
“The Cavalli family asked for the eldest daughter of the Bellucci family, sweetheart, and it is you. If you don't marry him, we're risking a war we can't win.” Father sighed heavily, trying to patronize Bella. "Each one of us will be wiped out for going against him; besides, he saved us a few years ago when I almost died.”
“I don't care!!!” She raised her voice again. “You can tell him I'm sick or say I ran away. Send me to Aunt Milan, and I swear I'll keep my head low for the rest of my life. Please, Father… I beg you, please.”
“Bella…”
“Send someone else, not me!!!” She was bawling her eyes out now, and my mother's attempts to calm her were futile.
“There's no one else and—”
Then, I heard a voice whisper my name in the study, and I didn't know who it came from. Was it my mother or Bella? I felt my heart sink in my stomach.
“Leora?” Isabella sounded shocked, which meant she wasn't the one who suggested my name. “That thing can barely climb the stairs without wheezing! The Don will know she's a fake!!!”
“No, he won't.” Father, who was silent for a while, finally spoke in a strong voice. “We only showed him photographs of you, and no one knows that you have an identical twin sister. They believe it's only you and your brother that we have.”
“She will be dead in a week if she goes.”
“Better she than you.” Father answered quickly without sparing much thought to it, and I waited for anyone else to argue with that statement, but no one did. Yes, this was how much my family hated me just because I was sick. “We will give her to him, and he wouldn't know. At least, the birth certificate shows that one of the twins died at birth. She doesn't have any record of life, so she will be the best alternative. She's been a liability since she was born. Lucian Cavalli will be taking a burden from our hands.”
“She owes us for the life she is living. For all the money we have spent and wasted on her health. Now is the time she can repair us for all the good we've done for her.” My mother was saying as if she was speaking about an entity, rather than a child she labored to bring into life, and just when I thought my heart couldn't break any further, it did.
My throat tightened, and the tears threatened to spill from my eyes as I listened to them conversing.
“But… I also heard he wants a clean bride.” Isabella's voice was smaller after Mother had spoken, and I wondered what she meant by that. “Both of you know I'm dating Matteo, right? And we have… you know…” She didn't need to complete the sentence, and I already knew.
“You're lucky you're in love with that boy; if not, I would have killed him a long time ago.” I could hear the restraint in my father's voice at the mention of a boyfriend. “As for Leora, I believe she remains untouched since she always stays indoors. Carla, what do you know ?” He threw the question to my mother.
“She is clean…” My mother concurred with him. “Her virginity is the only thing Leora owns that is worth something.”
“Then, it is settled.” My father's voice was firm and final.
