Arranged Marriage To The Mafia Don

Chapter 3:Dante Russo

He didn't believe in fate. Never had. Never would.

Men like him didn't wait for destiny. Rather, they carved their own paths, stained in blood and sealed with power.

And yet…

As the cathedral doors opened, his attention shifted.

Not because he was eager.

But because something… had changed.

The woman they had chosen for him finally stepped in. Her arms were wrapped around an older man, and the way her gaze darted around, there was only one thought that flashed through the Don's mind.

She was small, fragile, dressed in white which was a dark contrast to the dark suit he was putting on. She was like light, while he was darkness... not like he cared much about that.

For a moment, the entire cathedral seemed to dim around her, as though the world itself understood she didn’t belong here.

Dante's gaze hardened.

So this was the woman they had chosen for him.

As soon as her hands met his, something strange flickered in Dante's eyes.

This woman's hands... her hands were soft, delicate, fragile just as glass and could be easily broken. His eyes narrowed as he watched her pathetic act to evade his gaze.

He chuckled internally. She was like a chicken who was waiting to be slaughtered. He wondered how their marriage would be. Would it be interesting? His lips curled into a devilish smile just thinking about it.

"We are gathered here..."

The priest's soft voice snapped Dante out of his thoughts. The wedding officiation had finally began. In just a few minutes, he'd be married to a woman her had never met before.

The priest’s voice echoed softly through the cathedral, steady and measured, as though he were guiding a normal union. But nothing about this felt normal. A wedding between two mafia families was anything but normal.

Clearing his throat, he started;

"Do you, Dante Russo, take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

A brief silence followed.

Jade didn't dare look at him. Rather, she felt his unmoving presence beside her. It was unshakable, inevitable even.

"I do."

His voice was calm and deep.

This was the first time she was hearing his voice, and it caused something weird to pool in her belly.

Jade's fingers curled slightly at her sides.

The priest nodded, before turning to her.

"And do you, Jade Allegro, take this man as your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

Her breath caught in her throat.

The words echoed in her mind, as they replayed in a loop just like a broken radio.

Love. Cherish. Forever. These words felt foreign. She doubted that the Don was capable of these three words.

For a moment, she couldn't speak as her throat tightened.

Her eyes flickered downward, her lashes trembling as she tried to steady herself. She could feel every gaze in the cathedral pressing into her, waiting and judging.

And beside her, Dante waited. Not impatiently, but knowingly as though he already knew what her answer would be.

Jade swallowed hard, her fingers tightening against the fabric of her gown.

This was it. There was no turning back.

"I…" Her voice came out softer than she intended. She paused, forcing herself to breathe.

Her thoughts drifted to her grandmother lying in the hospital bed, connected to different tubes. Her eyes shut as a tear threatened to slip down from her eyes.

That was all it took.

"I do."

The words barely left her lips, but they were enough.

The priest gave a small nod, silently heaving a sigh of relief.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, Husband and Wife. You may now kiss the bride." The Priest announced.

Dante and Jade locked eyes as soon as the priest announced.

Jade held her breath instantly.

'Would I be losing my first kiss?' The thought left her stupefied, as her face instantly turned pale, lowering her head.

Dante didn't seem to notice the discomfort Jade felt. Or perhaps he did, but chose to ignore it.

He took a step forward causing Jade's attention to snap towards him.

Her breathing turned shallow as she gulped. Dante stopped only when there was no space between them. That was when Jade noticed the difference in their heights.

Dante watched her, and unconsciously, a twinkle appeared in his eyes. He held her by her jaw, forcing her to look up to him.

Caressing her jaw, he leaned in, capturing her lips with his.

Soon, the entire cathedral erupted in applause, seemingly oblivious to the way Jade's heart almost left her chest.

Her eyes widened as she gaped at him. After what seemed like an eternity, Dante finally let go of her.

Dante gazed at her and a look of interest flashed in his eyes.

Suddenly, an older man approached the newlywed company. He looked like the older version of Dante, but there were no similarities between them.

His hair was dark, and his eyes... those eyes carried danger that made Jade want to take a step back.

"Uncle," Dante called out with a calm smile.

The man nodded with a satisfied smile before he turned to look at Jade who was fidgeting with her dress.

"My name is Figlio, you can call me Fig. I'm Dante's only family." The man introduced himself.

"You are just as beautiful as your mother," he said, taking her hand and planting a kiss on the back of her hand.

Jade stared at him warily. She had heard of Fig. Dante's Godfather. The man was even more ruthless than Dante. But... he looked completely different from the rumours that spread in the underworld.

"It's great to have you as an additional member. Just know that you can tell me anything. If Dante hurts you—" he turned to Dante whose eyes were dark without any form of expression. "—you can always tell me."

"Uhm... t-thank you?" She stuttered, her voice filled with doubt.

Figlio nodded, before turning to Dante, his expression hardening.

"Those small fries tried to cause a problem at the wedding. I've captured them, but you need to deal with them." His voice was devoid of emotion, completely different from the way he kindly spoke to Jade.

This complete contrast caused a shiver to run down Jade's spine. This marriage would be long... extremely long.