The Mafia's Arranged Bride

EVANGELINE “If you want to see your mother again, you have to agree to my terms” My father's words echoed in my head as Carlotta brushed my hair behind my ears, I stared at the mirror in front of me, thinking about the life that was waiting for me when I finally get married to Leon Volkov, the man my father had sold me off to. “Miss, you look very beautiful” Carlotta said as she applied the last shade of cosmetic of my face, leaving me looking so elegant, I could barely even recognize myself as I stared into the mirror. “Thank you, Carla, I trust your hands to make me beautiful, and you did. The makeup looks very good on me” I said, but she shook her head immediately. “I think you look beautiful even without the makeup,” she explained. I stood up, walking towards the bed where the pink dress my father had prepared for me to wear was, picked it up and sized it on my body. The dress was my perfect size but it was too short, my father had been away for so many years, he didn't know that I hated clothes which exposed my legs. It was irritating to show off so much skin. I recalled my mother's words, she said then to me the night I was going for a prompt date with my crush. Although I disobeyed her and learnt the lesson of my life when I was mocked for being chubby and had thick thighs. However, it's been so many years and things had changed. I'd grown up into a beautiful young woman, slim legs, oval face, pink lips, chestnut brown hair and sexy thighs. I was a totally changed version of myself. I wonder how he looked now. I said to myself and I sighed. Leon Volkov, my childhood crush who made fun of me in front of the whole crowd after inviting me for prom, mocked my looks and told me he could never be with a woman like me. In front of hundreds of people. I was so ashamed, the event was captured on camera. I sometimes see the video on the internet, and it stopped me from pursuing my career as a model. I finished putting on the dress and then I called the hospital to see if I could speak to my mother. Since I didn't have the money for her treatment, I had to agree on going for this date and getting married to the strange man my father had chosen. Someone I didn't even know or was in love with. I feel so disappointed and scared for what might happen to me in the future. Will he even like me? I asked myself as I stared at the image of my mother on my hands. “Mum, I'm getting married on father's terms, I'm doing this for you, for us. I have to save your life” I muttered to her picture, knowing fully well that I wouldn't get a response, I just nodded my head and placed her picture back into the drawer. “Alright, enough of the chitchat, it's time to leave” the door behind me bashed open and I heard my father's voice speak. I turned quickly, facing my attention to him. He looked at me, his eyes filled with admiration, or should I say, disgust. “Who would've thought that you'd become this beautiful as an adult, Eva?” He asked me, my father had abandoned me with my mother when I was four years old. He despises me for being obese and ugly. He asked my mother to send me off to an orphanage and even to get rid of me but she'd declined because of her love for me. I loved my mother so much, she'd been there for me for long, how can I just let her die of cancer when I could get married and she'd get well if my father pay for her treatment? “Good day, father” I greeted him calm and politely but his face twitched into a gruesome frown. “What's good about the day, Eva? You're a few minutes late, Don Volkov would be so angry with us” he stated. “Well, I didn't plan to get married to a man I barely know, so he should be able to bare with me” I stated. But before I could utter another word, my father grabbed my chin tightly and pinched it. “Shut it, Eva. And do this for us. Do this for your mother and our family” he said, pinching my chin tightly. “Let go of me!” I yelled out defiantly, pulling my face out of his grip. “You should be ashamed of yourself to call yourself my father, and yet, you do not even hold any regards for me. You hated me before, didn't you. Why do you now need me to slave for your new family?” I asked. “I asked you to shut up!’’ he yelled out. “No, Mr Louis. I won't shut up. You have two beautiful daughters who are much more elegant and well mannered than I am. Why don't you just force them into marriage like you're doing to me? Why must it be me?” I questioned him in rage. “Lower your voice you fool. I gave birth to you, I gave you and your mother the life you both have today, you should be grateful to me.” he declared. “No you didn't. You abandoned us both when we needed you the most, you thought that I was ugly and didn't deserve to become your daughter, right? Well, look at me now, I've changed so much you couldn't even recognize me when you came by few days ago to ask me for this favor” *Slap* His cold palms landed on my cheeks the moment I finished uttering those words.. “If you do not obey me and get married to don Volkov, I will make you regret your life, Eva!” He declared. I stared at him speechlessly until he grabbed me by my arms and pulled me away with him. “Guards!” He yelled out loudly, sending me to them. “Yes boss” two guards appeared immediately outside my bedroom. “Take her away, Don Volkov is waiting to receive her” he said, and the guards grabbed me forcibly downstairs..