The Emotionless Bride

Chapter 8

The man looked straight to the Spanish Don. He started squirming under the mans gaze. Maybe this charity ball won’t be a waste of time. I wonder if he is going to be my target.

Looking his face to memory I kept watch as the man told everyone to mingle and enjoy themselves as soon, he has another announcement to make. This lit up Sophia’s eyes. I stayed in the shadows just watching the Spanish Don, keeping an eye on his every move so I do not lose my target.

Another hour had gone by and still nothing, no note, no one looking for me. Nothing. I guess the Godfather has changed his mind. I went to a secure hiding spot and pulled out one of my burner phones, messaging the Godfather. I hacked into his accounts and found his number yesterday for this reason.

*Who is the target? *

Waiting a moment watching from my hiding place I see him pull his phone out and a small tug of his lips almost a smile.

*You will know very soon. *

*When? * I was in no mood for games anymore, I wanted out of this place. Looking at the Godfather again, I see his lips twitch more, then he put his phone away got up and went to the microphone again.

Everyone stopped what they were doing immediately and looked to him. The man had his cold face on again looking at the crowd and then looked to the shadows near where I was as if he knew I was there.

‘’I have a very special announcement to make tonight, I would like to say I have finally decided to marry and have met the woman of my dreams. My prayers for the perfect woman have come true.’’ The man said and Sophia started walking to the stairs of the stage, so she could just breeze up.

‘’She is hiding from me at the moment.’’ This stopped Sophia from walking, a look of confusion on her face. This had got my attention as well. Did he decide to pick someone else.

‘’I would like to introduce my new wife and hopefully she will come on this stage to greet me. Her name is Elisabetta McCarthy.’’ When the Godfather said my name, I froze.

Why my name and how the hell did he know my last name. To everyone that finds out about me knows me under the Gatti family.

A scream of WHAT pierced the air. Sophia had morphed again. The shock had worn off and now she was pissed. A lot of people was looking at her seeing her mask slip. Never does Sophia let her mask slip in front of people and she has just messed up. Caterina ran over to her and hid her face giving her a chance to compose herself again.

‘’ Ruslan, I thought I was to marry you, but you said my sisters name by accident.’’ Sophia said with a small giggle after getting her face back to the doe eye doll. It seemed she was trying to work the crowd doing damage control. I was glad to come here now for the entertainment, just not liking my name being said.

‘’No, I got the right name, she will be my wife. You better get you father here now, as I do not take kindly to people using my name.’’ The man Ruslan said. No nonsense. If I wasn’t in shock I would clap, someone has actually put Sophia in her place.

‘’But, but Rus-‘’ When she went to say his name again the sharp look, he gave her shut her up, her mouth snapping shut. Sophia started with the tears, I wasn’t sure if they was crocodile or genuine.

My father walked over to Sophia, wrapping his arms around her. The look of shock on his face was priceless. I can now see what people meant, a picture-perfect moment. My family all huddled together in shock, anger and embarrassment was worth a picture indeed.

I made my way slowly towards the stage keeping to behind the scenes, I just wanted to listen more. Ruslan was telling my dad he better shut up his daughter and teach her manners or she will end up with a bullet in her head. This frightened her fear taking up her face, blood draining making her pale under the fake tan she had on. They really thought they could wrap the Godfather around their finger, and it has backfired.

I heard the people whispering, asking about the marriage as Sophia has gone round telling everyone she is to be married to Ruslan, a contract between both families some said.

I wasn’t sure what I was feeling right now, but it was bubbling inside me, my lips wanting to copy Ruslan when he was reading my messages. My lips wouldn’t move in that position as they have never done it before. But this feeling inside it confused me. I have only ever known anger as I had to learn how to control it, it is one emotion that will get you killed. Anger can fog your brain from thinking clearly and all training or planning out the window. I learned to harness it and keep it inside and not let it take over.

My uncle was a good teacher and very harsh, he was the best killer until one day he let his guard down and got killed. His drink was drugged, and he drove off a cliff. I was 16 when he died.

Someone in the crowd caught my attention with the words he said.

‘’Did he say McCarthy, as in the McCarthy family, the ones under him as the second most powerful family?’’ I do not know what he meant, but by my uncle then I could see what he meant as uncle was feared.

Ruslan went back to the microphone, and everyone slowly stopped talking, wondering who I was.

‘’Will my wife come out of the shadows and talk to me at least?’’ Ruslan said looking straight to where I was standing. I wasn’t fully in the shadows so I could be seen if you knew I was there and who you was looking for.

I wasn’t sure what to do. I felt frozen to the spot. Put me in a shoot-out, give me a target I can handle, hell I will do knife to knife fight, but this, I have never been trained for this. I don’t know what my next step would be. Ruslan pulled out his phone and typed a message, my phone vibrated with the message.

Looking at the screen I read it. *I will give you a job if you come on the stage. *

So, he is using blackmail now.

I was still thinking about it when suddenly he was in front of me. I didn’t see him move. This man is making me slip and not knowing what to do. I looked him dead in the eye, waiting for his next move. He put out a hand and stood waiting. What does he want, my phone or something?

‘’Your hand, Elisabetta, you need to place your hand in mine.’’ Blinking at him, not sure what he meant. Does he want me to cut off my hand? Before I could pull out my knife to cut off my hand, he picked up my hand and put it in his.

Then he walked me to the stage. I was still masked up so no one could see me on what I looked like. I just stood staring at the crowd, hearing Sophia repeating the word no, everyone staring at me. I felt my heart rate pick up. This was new.

‘’You didn’t wear the stuff I sent you to wear.’’ Ruslan said to me. He looked disappointed with this in his eyes. His face still a mask of the coldness.

‘’You expect me to kill someone in a dress standing out in front of everyone.’’ I snapped back, my heart rate slowing back to normal, this I could handle. Talking about work was easy.

‘’No, you are right darling. I hope one day you will wear it for me.’’ This was going down a route I had no clue on, what do I say or do in this moment. Especially with him looking at me funny.

‘’Would you at least take your hood down and mask off so people can see you?’’ Again, this was dangerous territory. If I take this all off, they will know what I look like. But he has given the game away on who I was with my outfit.

Thinking about it I felt his hand on my hood slipping it down slowly, then he took my mask off slowly. Gasps could be heard and a lady cried out my mum’s name. I looked to her, my grey eyes on show. A lot of people done a step back as soon as I looked at them, scared of how dead I looked in them.

‘’Everyone my wife, Elisabetta McCarthy.’’