The Mafia's Arranged Bride

003

EVANGELINE

The double snaps of the leather whip on my skin, coupled with the force used by Mr Louis was enough to make me scream out my lungs while my body quivered.

I had come back hours ago from my date only to be met with such gruesome treatment from the same man I called a father.

“Stop. Please.” I begged as tears flowed down my eyes.

I was being whipped with a strong, hard cane which tore through my skin at every strike. I was definitely going to have serious injuries, that I was sure of.

“Stop? Did you just say stop Evangeline? Do you have any idea what you’ve cost us? Me?!.” Louis yelled at the top of his voice.

His act of caring for me or my mother was just a charade. I could care less about him but for the sake of my mother, I was still here.

“I panicked! You don’t understand what it's like. You would not know because you’ve never cared!.” I yelled back upset.

That earned me a slap across the cheeks as my father stood heaving like a wild beast, towering over me as he grabbed a fistful of my hair, threatening to drag my hair out of my scalp.

“Do you know that this man you walked out on has the power to keep your mother alive if he wished for it? Have you sat to think about that? Or you’re just a selfish bitch.” Louis said, releasing my hair as he threw me on the floor.

At the mention of my mother, my blood went cold. I would never forgive myself if any harm came to her. My mother was all I had and I would do anything and everything just to make sure she was doing better once again.

“I..I’m sorry.” I stammered out, balling myself in a corner on the floor as I watched Louis pace back and forth.

He still had his glasses on as he paced around, his hand tapping on his chin as he did so. Without being told I knew he was thinking, probably devising a plan to correct my mistakes.

My father flared up, hands in stretched out in the air as he yelled out for no reason.

“You’re going to be the end of me but I promise you I’ll make sure you’re married to him before I let you succeed. Now listen carefully to me Evie and be attentive too because I won’t be repeating myself.” My father said,

I nodded my head at him, too scared to talk because I didn’t trust my voice at that moment.

“You’ll go back to Leon and apologize to him for the way you had walked out on him and I really hope and pray you haven’t f****d this up because your mother’s life depends on this.” My father, Louis said before leaving me on the floor, not caring about the bruises he had left on my body.

It wasn’t news that my father was a first class asshole and sure it would be news if anyone came to know about how he mistreated me but for the sake of my sick mother’s life, I kept my mouth sealed.

I would do anything to see her get better. Even if it meant talking to that obnoxious bully.

I was still on the floor when Carlotta came to help me get up. She took me to my room and ran a bath for me, after which she began to apply ointment on the bruises the cane had left on my body.

One thing I admired in Carlotta was how she never asked questions or judged me for still taking my father’s abuse. On most times when the beatings would leave me incapable of doing nothing, Carlotta would stay with me till I was perfect fit.

She cared for me just like a mother would care for her child and I was grateful for that.

“Forgive me Evangeline, but I think your marriage is in your best interest. At least, it takes you away from all this.” Carlotta said.

I gave her a small smile knowing that wasn’t the truth. She had no idea who I was marrying. The man I was going to say I do to is the same man who had taken it upon himself to crush my self esteem year after year till I began to hate every part of my body.

There was no way living with Leon was better than living with her father.

Both men were absolutely horrible! And I was just going to have to woman up and go see Leon, after all, he was my husband to be and I was his bride.

“Please Carlotta, can you make me pretty? I have somewhere to be at.” I said staring at my reflection in the mirror.

LEON VOLKOV

I swirled on the chair at my office as I looked out through the large glass windows to see the beautiful view of the city.

It was refreshing in the least since my bride had walked out on me.

There was no way I could forget that face and those eyes as they stared at me, shocked and scared. She had been scared of meeting me again and it hurt my heart. I knew exactly why she had reacted like that.

I had hoped her father must’ve told her already who I was but from her reaction, he had not done that!

My guard walked into my office as I straightened up to attend to him.

“Is there a problem?.” I asked.

“No sir, but her father had come around earlier. He wanted to see you.”

I grimaced at the thought of having a conversation with Louis. He was the type of man that bored me with the things he said and I had no intentions of speaking with him. Just Evangeline.

“I’ll see when I can have an appointment for him. In the meantime, have you had any news concerning my wife?.” I asked

The guard shook his head and my heart squeezed painfully.

I had wanted to go after Evangeline at the restaurant but knew there was no need trying, I doubted if she ever wanted to see me again but I needed to see her again.

“Not quite sir but I’ve been doing some digging about her like you requested.” He replied.

My eyes lit up at this news. It had been too long and I didn’t know anything about Evangeline.

“Well then hurry up and tell me!.” I said, glaring at my guard.

Whoever told him he could hoard information from me?

“I’m sorry sir. So, I was able to find out that she’s been letting her father abuse her physically.” The guard said.

I had not imagined that Evangeline’s father was capable of such. To his knowledge, Evangeline was beautiful and intelligent. The type of woman any father should be proud of.

I nodded my head attentively as i listened to my guard give me details about everything concerning Evangeline.

“Alright. I need a date set up with her. You’ll find a way to contact her and get her to have a date with me. Copy that?.” I said.

“Yes sir. I’m on it.” My guard replied dialing his phone as he walked out of my office.

It had not been up to five minutes since my guard walked out, he walked back in cooly after knocking on the door.

“And?.” I asked impatiently.

“I’ve just been informed that Miss Evangeline is at your house sir.” Connor replied to me

I Wasn't surprised that she's come back, Mr Louis was so desperate to take a hundred million dollars from me. He shouldn't mind giving his daughter to me as well. And I knew Eva so well, she was dead frightened of her father.

“Boss, what should we do with her?” Connor asked, interrupting my thoughts.

“Keep her in the guest room, I'll join her soon” I said immediately, not wanting to waste time but to get these all done with.

I was a little nervous about meeting Evangeline but I knew I had to put myself together.

After all these years, would she ever be able to forgive me and accept me? I had hurt her and the scars showed in the way she had looked at me.

I didn’t want to ever see that look of disdain in her eyes ever again. I took a quick glass of cognac before leaving the office.

It was time to see Eva after so many years, and this time, she was no longer the little girl I bullied but my woman.