The Don's Captive Lover

"Abuse is not love, it's a chain that binds the soul." Ava slammed a piece of paper on his table with wrath boiling in her eyes. "Sign it!" She demanded, anger and rage beyond normal, both in her voice. The quiet setting in the office created an air of tension. Donatello Morano, known only as 'The Don,' sat still, his piercing brown eyes surveying the room which she had abruptly walked into, leaving his door wide open, with the secretary by the door. Definitely, she had tried stopping her, but it seemed futile. The woman pushed through the security only to get into his office, so early in the morning, demanding his signature. Morano's chiseled features and sharp jawline seemed carved from granite, while his slicked-back hair and tailored suit exuded an aura of power. A single cigarette dangled from his lips, the smoke curling upward like a challenge. He spoke to the secretary, having a low smooth voice, commanding authority, "Shut the door!." The woman immediately closes it, leaving the two couples to discuss what bothers them. Immediately the door had been shut, he gazed at her, eyes defiled peace, "Who drove you to my office." Ava didn't take the question as one which deserved to be answered. She only pointed her fingers at the paper, "Sign it!." She again demanded. Morano reached for a bottle of whiskey, "What should I sign? And what's making you so angry? Did anyone—" "Donatello Morano! Don't you dare test my patience! I said you should—" The sudden slam of the whiskey bottle on the table, ordered silence. Ava took a deep breath, she actually never knew what gave her the courage to march into Don's office, demanding something worse more than death. Morano closed his eyes, when he opened them, he turned the whiskey into a glass. Which he consumed in one gulp. "Woman! What should I sign?" Each word spoken had a pause, creating fear in her soul. However, she maintained her composure and stood firm, "The divorce papers!." He raised a brow, "Why?" Ava mirrored his look as well, at his sudden question, "Why? Well, I don't want to get married to you anymore." He asked again, "Why?," pouring another whiskey. This angered the young woman, Ava, who tapped her shoe on the ground, and again, she replied, "I want to live a free life. I don't want to have anything attached to you. I want a life that I can live where no one will notice that I'm connected to a disgraceful and shameful man like you." He drank the whiskey and again asked, "Why?" Ava angrily yelled out, "YOU'RE AN ABOMINATION!" Those words almost cost her life, as Morano took out a pistol and pointed it towards her, his eyes red with anger, and he yelled back, "Woman! Take this piece of trash and get out of my office. Or else don't force me or, I'll have to use this gun on you." Ava took a step back, she frowned, knowing fully well he meant what he had just said, but again, she asked, "So, you won't sign it?." After moments of silence, Morano darted the gun. He gave her a mocking look on his face. When suddenly, he pulled the trigger and fired the paper multiple times, destroying his table in the process. The gun sounds caused panic, leading to some other thugs who were armed rushing into the room. Immediately they had entered, "Good timing," Morano remarked, then he faced Ava, "Take this woman from my sight, and don't let her by any chance escape, or else, your head will be on the platter." Hearing this, the thugs rushed towards Ava, whose eyes remained on his and, after some minutes of an annoyed glance, she was taken away. Before she left the office, he added another word of fear to her heart, "And also, I want to tell you a word of advice: Don't you dare march into my office, demanding anything from me. I'll see you at home. And pray, pray! That when I return, I will be in a good mood, to be able to handle your madness." These were the final words he threatened, as the door closed behind her. Ava tightened her fist as she was led outside, to the white Lexus which she had used in getting to his office. The thugs gave her a questionable look, as the driver started the car. The morning was supposed to give her a chance, a choice of getting back to her normal life. But, what was she thinking? He would have killed her on the spot. And just like that, she could have been wasted. Tears swelled in her eyes. She tightened her grip on the hem of her red gown, and memories swelled within. If she had listened to her friend that night, none of this would have happened. Five years ago, Ava had owned a small business company, one which belonged to her father, before his sudden death from kidney failure. Her mother saw the opportunity for a growth through the struggle, and luckily, her father owed no soul a penny before he passed away. That night, on September 9th, she worked late. Initially, her friend invited her to come over, since it had rained that night and the time was eleven pm. But, her stubbornness caused her to stroll through the streets towards her home. The City would have been safe, just a few muggers passing through the dark allies, waiting to ambush a victim. But, those were the minor worries of the security agencies and the police. Their main interest was in gangs. The Mafia gangs, who were known to be in a terrible business of shipping drugs through the boarders of different countries, with their headquarters in the city. That night, she was about to encounter trouble. That which she never knew. She had kept some pepper spray in her bag and her practically loud voice would alert any soul around. But.... At that time, unluckily, there wasn't any soul around when the incident occurred. Her eyes darted sideways as she carefully ran from one streetlight to another. Her hands gripping her bag tightly and her ears listening to even the slightest noise. Then, at that moment, A mugger ambushed her. He had demanded her purse, with a small knife in his hand, poised as what he could use as a threat. Ava didn't think twice when this happened, before she raced through the streets. The mugger picked up the same pace as her, but after a few minutes, their legs ran into a forbidden alley. They had run into the alley where two Mafia bosses were exchanging drugs for money. The mugger and Ava both froze as they marched into the Den. The Mafia boss who she knew in particular, all thanks to him being in the news and worse, he was the most wanted in every country in the world. For intense crime, one being murder, the other, drug trafficking, impersonation.... These were just the minor listings. But his name is Donatello Morano. That night, as they both turned, wanting to run away, the mugger had been shot dead and Ava crawled down, escaping a bullet. She didn't know how, but she did. She never knew who the mob boss had shot, but her life was the first thing she thought about, when she raced through the streets. Her mind, at that moment, spun and turned. She didn't want to die. However, as Fate wanted it. The thugs sent had caught her, and presented her to the Don, Morano. The other mob boss present wasn't a citizen of the country, to say less, a resident of the town. He had told Morano to take care of his business, as he referred to her as. Morano could have shot her dead that night, but he soon realized it would be best to use her for business activities. That night, he told her they would fake a marriage, and she would pose as his wife throughout, until he marries by chance. This was his condition over death, and she had no other option, but to choose this. Her choice that particular day, changed her life forever. Not only that, it changed her fate. She was given a clear warning against betrayal and a slow death as the punishment. Ava had thought acting submissive would do the trick. But.... The Don had a bad temper. Sometimes, she would see him use some defaulters as a punching bag, especially when things didn't go his way. Through the years, he had been quite repulsive. Each time she went to a gathering or a meeting, he always warned her not to speak to anyone, follow him and be by his side. If she couldn't be there with him, then she had to stay by his right-hand man. She obeyed. She always did. But, there was a time, during a discussion, she sided with one of the Mafia bosses, whose words were right, even though their conversation spoke of nothing but crime and his plan made a lot of sense. The mob boss had taken a liking to her, and since every wife of any mob boss would always have a say in their discussions, but since she had arrived, her voice hadn't been heard, and when she spoke up, sitting beside Morano, he had given her a glance, one which she immediately knew the meaning of. That day, after getting home, Ava locked herself in an old closet in the basement. And she stayed there for days. In fear of what he would unleash on her, for disobeying his orders. She, however, didn't know that locking herself away from him multiplied her punishments. What would a woman do when engaged to a wrathful-tempered man? Who would give her continuous beatings? Definitely, she would run away from such an abusive marriage, but... This wasn't a marriage to run away from. It's one to be in and die in. With or without love, she's doomed to be by a man's side. A terrible marriage. A terrible fate. A sad happening. Ava didn't know that she was hiding herself away from him, causing tension in the house. Morano thought she had run away. He thought she had left the deal and chosen death. These were his thoughts after he had been again called to a meeting where he would need a wife. Now.... She had spoiled his entire plans. After thorough searching, he found her and that day, a bullet pierced through her skin, despite his grandfather's begging, to see why she spoke up during the meeting. Now, Morano's grandfather, Julius Donatello, had been one of her closest 'friends' who kept her alive through the dark stormy days in the house. He and some maids, including the gardener, went siding with her quietly, without their actions being shown. And this she was grateful for. Each passing day in the house had already caused her a percent of her fear, and, with how things had been going, she wished and prayed for a day when Morano would die, so she could escape and live the life she always wished for. Peaceful and filled with tranquility. Donatello Morano age and hers got a large gap as he topped it, and got a seniority of over ten years. He was thirty-two and she, twenty-two. And the dirty work which he did, he rarely had time to think about marriage and, after seeing Ava that night, he decided to give it a try. He, however, didn't know abusive love doesn't equal to ultimate submission. He had the misstep of how others gave him respect from the fear he had imputed in them. This wasn't how things were done. Presently, Ava wiped the tears from her eyes. She hadn't seen her mother in years and the driver would definitely not turn to the direction if she asked, probably. Her SIM had been blocked, no receiving call could get to her, and her life had been a whole mess. With just one chance, she decided to try her luck. One chance... "Driver, would it be possible to take me somewhere?" The man didn't reply immediately. Then after some minutes, he answered, "I can't just take you anywhere, Miss. If you use that opportunity and run away, I'll have to kill myself and the Don will find my family as well, and my entire generation will be ended." Ava slowly nodded, then bit her lower lip, "I don't want to escape. I want to meet a friend of mine." "A friend?" He asked. "Yes" came her reply. "A man or a woman?" He pressed on. "Must you know?" She angrily asked. "Just in case," he remarked. Taking a deep breath, she replied to the question, "It's an odd friend of mine. He's the owner of an entertainment industry in this city, it's not far from here." The driver tapped his gloved fingers on the steering wheel after some thoughts, he finally agreed, "Promise me you won't find that an opportunity to run off. Promise me you won't repay my kindness with evil." Ava smiled, tears of joy rolling down her cheeks, "I promise."