Niccoló's wife |✔|

8. Scared

he day was clear, as clear as the heart of the innocent girl playing in the garden of her house, the Rodríguez household, the small shrill cries of the twins could be heard from a distance, the girl with striking blue eyes clutched the stuffed bear into her arms tightly, as she nipped at the skin of her fist, contemplating, whether to touch the flowers or not, father said, the flowers were delicate, and if we love them we should cherish them.

She loved the aster flowers which she had in her garden, they were vibrant, not too smelly, and attractive.

Her mother had told her, blue is the color of loyalty, she wanted to be friends with the roses.

Without thinking, little Scarlett' little feet fell into the puddle which was due to the excessive watering by the sprinkles, to say that the sole of her shoes were coated with wet mud would be an understatement, but they won't scold her, right?

It was her sixth birthday after all.

Memories.

That's what it all was, a gaudy nostalgia. Vibrant, and sweet, but at last, a memory.

Scarlett' father loved her till he got to know about the sin her mother had done, but yet, by this day, she was never told that she was paying for a mistake, she didn't had a part in. Scarlett was treated differently, she had seen herself crumble, but once crumbled, always crumbled.

Saying that 'you will be okay', is so easy for anyone. But empathizing with someone is so hard, people give their condolences, in a word, but what a person goes through is only known by the moon, who witnesses the pain and cries of a person, Scarlett had crumbled bit by bit, at this point, she was shattered, mentally and physically.

With a soft gasp Scarlett got up as, she clutched her right side of the rib which hurt the most, the last thing she remembered was that man crushing her and her struggling through in his grip, after that, the pieces were faded, but the thing or more like smell, was prominent, it felt soothing, something dark, something musky, something homely... Scarlett rubbed the side of her temple which throbbed as she continued to think about the past event, she noticed the white handkerchief wrapped around her knuckles, it had dried blood in it, but the smell of the exact smell was there.

Scarlett clutched her fist to her chest as she internally thanked the savior who cared enough for her, this was enough for her, the linen was not just a piece of cloth, and it was reminder of the day that she was not worthless.

Clutching her fist to her chest, Scarlett got up slowly as she looked at the room, everything was neat and clean, like there was no one here. Looking at the clock Scarlett realized it was 4 o'clock already, she started to head home, and with the hard work she would have to do whilst going home, might even require extra time.

And it was her wedding tomorrow after all, she needed to rest.

True to the word Scarlett reached her home around one and half hours later, her normal time of arriving and starting her work at home. Without giving any other thought a chance to rest in her mind, and unsettle her more than she already was, she started to make food, Scarlett just wanted to be over with the day as soon as possible, she quietly made the food, and putting some for herself in a plate, she sat down at the porch of the back door through the kitchen.

Scarlett quickly ate her food, she wanted to be out of everyone' sight, she wanted to have rest. Everything was a mess. She was a mess, yet she clutched the handkerchief to her chest. After eating her food in peace, Scarlett washed up the dishes as she headed upstairs for her mother' room, that night she didn't talk with her mother like she usually used to do, after kissing her good night, Scarlett headed towards her room, as she changed out of her clothes and took a short shower, her ribs now had blue bruises, her wrist had angry red skin which was so easily visible on her pale white skin.

After a short shower she dressed up in her lose torn clothes and bandaged up her wounds, Scarlett had been told to pack her belongings by her sister, who was annoyingly cackling at something Scarlett didn't know. But that was just typical Mia to you. Scarlett was used to the insult by now, even if she was the eldest among the siblings, in stature she took after her mother, short with 5'3 height, and petite frame she didn't stood a chance against the twins who had solid stature with slightly broad shoulders and their acrylic claws.

Scarlett stooped down as she pushed the cloth aside and pulled out the box of her childhood. She took the box out as she blew the dust from it, it had been twelve years since she had opened it. It was her jewelry box. Knowing her family, she could only hope for a jewelry to wear on her wedding.

She pulled the box out as she took two bracelets and a snowflake pendant from the box, these were the things which her mother gave her as a reward of wining the 'game' the game of fake hatred.

Even with huge manipulation, Jon could never convince Diana to hate her child, to the world it was a sin, but Diana could never call her precious daughter that, after all she was the mother.

That night Scarlett thought of what her husband would be like, would he be the one she had always wanted as a husband? Or would he be like how her family was? Would he like her? And most importantly, is he gonna find that she has some worth? That she was not worthless.

Looks did not bothered her much, but as soon as she closed her eyes, the haunting obsidian eyes flashed before her, somewhere she wished the stranger to be her husband, like some novel. But life isn't a fairy tale, and even if it is, it's just an illusion for Scarlett.

**

The night passed too quickly as the alarm for the morning blared up, Scarlett groaned as she stood up and after brushing her teeth and taking a warm thorough shower she washed her hair with her favorite blueberry flavored shampoo and conditioner, she hopped out of the shower and re-bandaged her hand, but before Scarlett could move out of the room, her door was thrown open and came inside was her younger sister Tia.

Scarlett didn't encounter Tia often, but Tia was a much more bad news than Mia could ever be, when Mia was able to inflict just silly damage, Tia was more of a permanent damage person, she could inflict emotional damage more than physical damage, and emotional damage hurts more than physical ever could.

Scarlett avoided Tia like a plague, but never showed her distress, or her disapproval towards her, she always faced her, everyone with a smile, like everything is fine.

When it could never be fine.

Tia smirked as she dragged the white piece of clothing in her hand, the dress was stark white, but now the edges were slightly brown, Tia threw the dress on the floor before Scarlett as she motioned her to wear it, not understanding her motions, Scarlett softly muttered a 'what?' and stiffened as she saw an annoyed look cross Tia' face.

"Wear it, dumb." Tia hissed as she sat on the bed with her muddy boots rubbing onto the old blanket of Scarlett. Scarlett picked the dress as she saw how crumbled it was. It was not ironed. And Scarlett had to do something about it. Scarlett entered the bathroom as she thought of a solution, and she came up with an idea, she had only heard and read about it, but she never tried it.

She turned the water to hot water, and searched for the jewelry box which was apparently of metal, after emptying the box she washed it and dried it, and after filling the box with boiling water, the box was hot, but nothing Scarlett hadn't encountered before.

Scarlett placed the dress on the ground as she ironed the dress with the metal box, after feeling less than mildly satisfied, she took the dress and wore it, it was a smooth yet simple dress, but there was just one problem, the dress was sleeveless, which meant her bruises would not be covered, she thought of something to cover them and came up with nothing, after towel drying her almost dried hair, she combed her hair until they didn't had knots in them, she took her only lipstick she had and patted it on her lips, a blood red color on her pale white skin, it stood out.

She exited the bathroom as she stood before Tia who was snickering while looking at her.

"Nice tattoos you got there bruta." She kicked the strappy old and dirty looking heels towards her, they were not high, and they were just heels.

(Ugly.)

One strap of right heel was broken, Scarlett entered her bathroom as she fiddled with the jewelry sprawling on the counter. Before anyone could see, Scarlett placed the necklace from her mother in the layers of her dress. Hearing the rustling voice Tia came in as she looked at the jewels with pure evil glistening in her eyes, she lazily walked towards the jewels as she picked the small bracelets. After finding a broche Scarlett fixed the heels as she stood up, her wrist was held tightly in the hands, Scarlett looked up at Mia, who smiled smugly at her.

"Since, these are all cheap things, which we obviously don't want. You might as well take them with you." She took the bracelets although they were big for Scarlett when she was a kid, now they were definitely smaller, after struggling and Scarlett crying, Tia managed to click the bracelets lock on Scarlett' wrist, they were tight and the stars on them were digging into her wrist painfully.

A honk came from downstairs. Scarlett quickly pulled the necklace out of the layers and fisted it.

Tia grabbed Scarlett' hand as they descended downstairs. Everyone was in casual clothes. Scarlett' naturally rosy cheeks darkened as she blushed. Her father hissed as he looked at Scarlett in disgust.

As he motioned all of them to follow him to the cab, after settling into the cab, he ordered the cab driver to take them to the address, 12/B Sunflower Street. Scarlett shook as she looked at her father, she gnawed at her lower lip, and she could taste the strawberry flavor of her lipstick. Before Scarlett could say anything, her father hissed.

"You are lucky, Mr. Marcello is accepting such a bruta cagna like you. Bastard."

(Ugly bitch.)

And that's how shock turned into dread, fear and disgust.

Disgust that her father could marry her off to such a disgusting man who used innocent kids for his illegal business.

And scared, of what the day might bring.