A Marriage with the Mafia Prince

Chapter 9 - Getting acquainted.

A L Y S S A

My heart thunders as the words register in my mind...

I will marry her...

Stephano has agreed to marry me... just like that...

I watch as Mrs Valentino releases a breath she has clearly been holding, her shoulders relaxing slightly, while her husband nods once, satisfied, both of them glancing at each other before they both look at their son, then at me.

I stand there, stunned, my mind struggling to catch up to what has just happened. I have not agreed to anything out loud, yet my future has been decided in front of me like a business deal concluded without my signature.

"Spendid. We will begin with the preparations immediately." Mrs Valentino lets out, and that's when confusion forms on her face as I stare back at her, forcing me to take a short, timid step towards her.

"But... Mrs Valentino..." I begin nervously. "I-I thought you said I had till the end of the week..." I let out, remembering what they had told me when they both brought this offer to the table. I then watch as Mrs Valentino's smile falters slightly, just as she exhales deeply and slowly makes her way over to me.

"Alyssa, my darling..." She begins, placing her hands on my shoulders as she glances between my eyes.

"The sooner we get this over with, the easier it will be for all of us. You wouldn't want anyone delaying your mother's recovery, no?" She suddenly says, and that's when I get a flash of my mother in the hospital, of how she suffers every day, and now I may actually have a chance to get her the help she needs.

I stare at Mrs Valenitno warily before exhaling lightly and eventually shaking my head.

"Wonderful. Then everything will carry on as planned. The two of you will be married tomorrow... And tomorrow, you'll officially become a Valentino..." Mrs Valentino says excitedly, but before her husband can say anything in response, her son decides to speak up instead...

"Only on paper..." Stephano adds, his voice cold and immediately sending chills through my body as I slowly glance over at him, already finding him staring back at me with his arms crossed in nothing but pure irritation.

"She will never truly be a Valentino." He says coldly, and even though I agree with his words, I feel a sharp pang in my chest regardless.

Mrs Valentino pays him no mind and instead turns back at me.

"Tomorrow, you both will sign the papers. After that, you will begin preparing to move in with Stephano. Eventually, word will get out of your marriage... but we will handle that as soon as the time comes... for now... You both have a great responsibility falling on your shoulders." She explains, the excitement on her face forcing me to feel uneasy rather than to share her eagerness. I don't understand how anyone could be excited to have their son marry a stranger, all for the sake of producing a child to further a bloodline...

I am truly yet to understand the Valentinos and their ways...

"We will leave you two to get acquainted. Alyssa, tomorrow, a car will come and pick you up at 10 AM sharp, then from there, we will arrange to move your things and have them taken to your new home..." She then explains, and I feel my head spinning, seeing as this is all happening so fast, too fast for me to even take a moment and process it all.

"Okay..." Is all I can manage to say. Because there's nothing else I can really say. I have already agreed to this... they already handed me $5000 in cash just for agreeing to speak to them... and we haven't even spoken of how much I'm to expect for doing this in the first place... All I know is that right now? It's too late to turn back.

Mrs Valentino gives me a small nod before she turns and walks back to her husband, staring up at him with a smile before they both turn to their son, meeting his cold, detached expression.

"Goodnight, son." Is all his father says, and Stephano doesn't bother giving them a response; instead, all he does is watch as they both leave the room... Leaving him and I completely alone... together...

Once they're gone, Stephano's eyes travel back to me just as he slides his hands into his pockets, his face once again distant as his cold, grey eyes bore into mine. He remains silent for a moment and begins walking towards me, his steps purposefully slow as he walks around me, as if he is analysing me, taking in every detail of the woman he's about to marry. Once he's done, he stops right in front of me, staring down at me with a slight frown on his face. He towers over me, forcing me to look upwards just so I can meet his gaze, and being in front of him like this makes me feel small and insignificant... like he could simply crush me and no one would even do this...

"I understand you're only doing this because your mother is sick." He begins, and that's when I blink a few times, trying to muster the courage to answer him.

"Y-yes..." I eventually answer, my voice coming out in a timid whisper.

“Do not expect anything else from me,” he says. “This is nothing but a long-term business investment.” He says to me, his tone devoid of warmth, leaving me feeling heavy at the realisation that he barely has any emotion and simply treats me as if I'm an inconvenience or a nuisance...

“I understand,” I say softly, nodding my head in response as my voice comes out more coherently.

My voice draws his attention back to me, his brows lifting slightly in brief surprise before his expression smooths again.

“You are here only because my father wants a successor, and is in no mood to wait,” he says. “I want neither marriage nor companionship, and I do not want you. Am I clear?” He then says, and that's when I hold his gaze, trying my best to read him. And the more I do, the more it makes me question how someone like him, young, rich, successful, drop-dead gorgeous... doesn't want to settle down yet and find a wife... or even just a girlfriend... It makes me wonder exactly the kind of man he is...

“Yes... and I'm glad we're on the same page. I don't want you either. I'm only doing this for my mom,” I retort, trying my best not to be fazed by his attempts to break me. Despite the calmness of my words, they somehow still carried a venom that can now be felt by him. It forces him to raise his eyebrows at me, before a slow smile forms on my face.

"Is that so... You know most women would be losing their minds at the opportunity to even be in the same room as me... and here you are... telling me you don't want me..." He says, a light chuckle even leaving his lips, but despite his reaction, my expression remains the same.

"Yes, exactly... and... I'm not like most women..." I answer casually before I watch as his smile slowly fades, until it's gone completely. That's when he takes a threatening step forward, forcing me to take a fearful step back, leading me to feel like now... I might've just crossed the line...