The Mafia's Obsession

Chapter3

Anna’s POV

After my father’s cruel announcement, I was locked in my room till the day of the ceremony.

Richard Williams was persistent, and he made it clear that he wanted one thing. Me.

Sadly, my father saw me as a commodity, and now I am held against my will.

At times like these, I thought of the brief moment of freedom I had, even if it was accidental. I found myself dreaming of those amber eyes, but unlike before, I wasn’t going to be saved.

The fateful day came, and before, I was dressed in the chains of a white wedding dress. My stepmother and sister barged into my room.

“Here’s a little parting gift from us sis.” Rose snickered as she pinned me to the ground. I didn’t have much fight left in me, but I still struggled.

Unfortunately, I was too starved and weak to shake them off.

I had been holding on to Jayden’s business card since the last time we met. It was like a ray of hope in my dark future. But due to the scuffle, it slipped from my pocket.

Rose spotted it and picked it up. Her eyes widened momentarily, then she scoffed.

“Jayden Rivers?” She showed the card to Vivian before tearing it into pieces. “As if you would ever meet a man like him, it must be fake.”

“Please stop...” I stopped struggling, but they were far from done.

“We’re grateful for your sacrifice, Anna,” Vivian mused, pulling out a syringe from her coat. My eyes rounded in horror as I realized they were going to drug me again.

“This isn’t fair…” I sobbed, but they ignored me. I winced as the needle pricked my skin, already feeling lightheaded as the drug flooded my system. A lone tear slipped down my cheeks as their laughter filled the surrounding space, mocking my very existence.

After I was dressed up, resembling a docile doll up for sale, my father walked me down the aisle.

The drugs had already taken effect, weakening my muscles. Rose had to use her body to keep me upright. The world spun, and the faces of the guests looked blank to me.

Richard smirked in victory, and I could barely hear the vows the pastor recited. From the corner of my eye, I saw my father smiling widely. He wasn’t proud but content, and Vivian mirrored his expression, like they had finally gotten rid of the thorn in their side.

It was my wedding, and everyone celebrated my misfortune. I had never felt more alone.

“If anyone here believes these two should not be joined in marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace.” The pastor's voice drifted through the fog in my mind, and the silence that followed was deafening.

“I now pronounce you…husband and—”

“Not so fast.”

A voice cut through the hall like a sword.

Gasps erupted as everyone turned their heads to the source.

My vision blurred, but I blinked hard to gain focus. That was when I saw those amber eyes through my haze.

Jayden Rivers stepped into the ceremony, flanked by men dressed in black. They moved with quiet, lethal precision, spreading out across the room.

The air in the room shifted instantly, his presence commanding attention.

Rose’s jaw dropped. “That’s….that’s Jayden Rivers…”

Vivian turned pale in her seat, “The multi-billionaire??”

Even my father stumbled back, his eyes wide as he sprang to his feet. “No…it can’t be him. What would he be doing here?”

Richard’s smirk faltered, his eyes twitching.

Jayden let his gaze sweep over them, his expression unreadable. When his eyes locked on me, a flicker of emotion crossed his features.

His sharp jaw was tense, his brows drawn.

“This wedding,” he started calmly, “is over.”

My father found his voice first: “A-And who the hell are you to decide that?!”

Jayden simply raised his hand. One of his men stepped forward and placed a sleek black briefcase on the table.

It snapped open with a click, revealing clean stacks of money. Too much for my father’s eyes to comprehend without going wide and greedy.

“That’s triple what you were originally offered,” Jayden continued. “I’ll take Anna.”

His tone was firm, leaving no room for arguments.

My father’s resistance faded in less than a second. “Yes….Of course—”

“What?!” Richard sputtered, his face twisting in disbelief. “She’s mine! You can’t do this—”

Jayden looked at him.

With one look. Richard swallowed his words, turning red with embarrassment.

“Get him.” Jayden flunked his fingers, and two of his men moved without question, grabbing Richard by both arms.

“What is this?! Let go of me! Do you know who I am—”

“We have footage of you assaulting Anna at the hostel.” Jayden cut him off, his lips quirking into a sinister smirk. “Losing your bride should be the least of your worries.”

“No! No! Please…” Richard trembled like a tumbleweed, his screams echoing as he was dragged out of the hall.

Silence fell again, heavy and suffocating.

Jayden glared at my family, his gaze as hard as steel. “If any of you ever contact her, threaten her, or attempt to take her back…” he trailed off, letting the wordless threat settle in their bones.

My father hung his head low, clinging to the suitcase like it was his lifeline. Vivian hid behind him, wringing her shaky hands together.

Jayden turned to me, and Rose jerked back, tripping on her dress as she let me go.

I swayed as the drug tugged at my consciousness. My vision split in two. His figure blurred, then sharpened, then blurred again.

“Jay….” The words drifted off my tongue as my legs gave out.

He caught me, steadying me against him. His strong arms slid under me, lifting me effortlessly off the ground. Princess style. Just like before.

At that moment, everyone else faded into the background. My cheek fell against his chest, his scent familiar, overwhelming, pulling me away from the pain and the noise.

That was the last thing I registered. Then…..darkness.

*****

My eyes fluttered open, my gaze bouncing around the room.

This wasn’t my house.

I groaned as I sat up, my head throbbing painfully. The room was simple yet lavish, holding a sophisticated aura that made me panic. I was still in my wedding dress, and my muscles ached from the side effects of the drug.

Where was I?

My memories were jumbled, and the last thing I remembered was being dragged to the wedding venue.

Does that mean….

My pulse thudded in my ears as the harsh realization dawned on me.

“I married Richard…” I whispered in disbelief.

Swallowing a sob, I squeezed my eyes shut as tears threatened to fall, my heart crawling up my throat.

“Why are you crying?”

I flinched at the sound of a new voice, turning sharply to see a little boy leaning against the side of the bed.

He casually sucked on a lollipop, his green eyes glimmering with curiosity as he stared at me.

The boy cooked his head to the side, brows arched.

“Are you my new mommy?”