The Mafia's Bride

PROPOSAL OR PROTECTION? Isabella's POV "No, Luca. This cannot be possible." My father yelled and I paused, my hands still on the door knob as I was about to twist it open. 'My dad sounded pissed, so was this a good time for me to go in?' I pondered before finally deciding and opening the door to walk in. My father, Antonio Moretti sat behind his massive desk, the phone pressed against his ear as he clenched his hands into fists. He wasn’t speaking, He was listening and whatsoever the voice on the other end was saying had drained all the colors from his face. I shifted slightly, trying not to make a sound as I furrowed my brows in confusion or could it be curiousity? Because I had never seen my dad this pale and trembling. My father was a powerful man in the Mafia underworld as our family specifically dealt in firearms. One of the keys ingredients in the mafia business, so he was someone both respected and feared and I have never seen him, this startled, despite his negotiation with ruthless investors and stubborn politicians, until now. "P-please, t-that’s not n-necessary,” he stammered and I paused again as I watched him unbutton the first, few buttons on his shirt. Now, who could that be? “I told you,” he began. “the Moretti family has no intention of interfering with Valentino territory.” Just then, I froze as a shiver ran down my spine. Did I just hear him mention Valentino? As in the same one that I know of? The great Terror of the whole city? "I am not sure, she would agree." my father said into the phone as his eyes flickered towards me. For some unknown reason, an ominous feeling brewed in the air as I wondered why he would look at me like that, as if he was apologizing for what he was about to do next, but what could that be? For a moment, we simply stared at each other, then his expression hardened, and he turned away quickly, lowering his voice even further. "Fine then, I would handle it." he told the caller and then hung up the call. An heavy silence followed afterwards as I waited for my dad to speak, to explain whatever was going on because he didn't look great. But after waiting for minutes and he didn't say anything, I tapped my foot against the ground impatiently and then proceeded. “Dad?” I called out to him but he didn’t answer right away. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, pressing his palm against his forehead as if trying to hold back a headache. “Who was that?” I asked, unable to contain my curiosity any longer. 'Moreso, why was he silent?' I pondered, not liking where this seemed to be heading to. My dad, finally lowered his hand and looked at me. Fear flickered in his eyes, before changing into something else, more like desperation. “Our problems just became much bigger,” he said quietly and I frowned, setting the folder on the desk. “What problems?” My father stood up and walked toward the window, to stare out at the city, beyond the glass. “A deal went wrong with the Valentino family." I stiffened as soon as the words left his mouth. "W-what?" "Yes." He replied as he folded his hands behind his back. "It's a deep disaster now." 'Oh my God.' I thought within, wondering how this happened. No one messed with the Valentino or dared to even f**k up with them because they weren’t just Mafias like us. They were one of the most dangerous crime families in the city. Luca, the current leader of the family was the head boss of all Mafia leaders in the city so how could Dad have had something to do with him? “What happened?” I asked and my dad sighed, walking away from the window to the table, to light a cigar. As the heavy smoke filled the air, he continued. “They think we double-crossed them with a deal they introduced to us. Somehow, there are evidences, false ones, because I am innocent." My dad said and I narrowed my eyes at him, completely lost because I felt like he wasn't truly telling me the Truth. I wanted to ask further but the warning gaze, my father threw at me, made me stop. "Their head, Luca is beyond pissed and is promising not to take things lightly with us." My father told me and I took in a deep breath. Luca Valentino. I had heard stories about him my whole life. Not only did he run the most powerful, empire in the world but he was also a man who rarely appeared in public but somehow controlled half the city’s underground operations from the shadows. "At this rate, we are going to run out of business, unless..." my father hesitated and I licked my bottom lips, having a feeling whatever he was going to say next, wouldn't be pleasant. "Unless...." "There is a marriage alliance between you two, it's the only way to guarantee our safety." My father dropped the bomb that shattered my whole world. "Hell no." my heart began to pound. “You can’t be serious.” I shook my head sideways, refusing to believe he would agree to something like that, from those monsters. I mean, apart from Luca being a terror, my father and I agreed, after my mother's death, that I was never going to get involved with the Mafia or be forced to marry one of them, so what was all of these now? “Dad...." I tried to remind him of his promise, when he raised his hand up, silencing me. "It's already been arranged, Bella. You are being promised to him." His words felt like a punch to the guts. Was my father really trying to plan my funeral in the name of a wedding? Luca could kill me or worse, his enemies would now be after me, once I become his bride. Wasn't my father thinking about this? “Tomorrow morning,” he said, his tone heavy with finality, “you’ll be leaving for the Valentino estate.” My mouth instantly went dry as a huge lump formed in my throat. This man was truly not Joking. “No,” I whispered, taking a step backwards but he was having none of it. “You will marry Luca Valentino.” Dad insisted and my legs wobbled. My future, my choices and freedom, were all being crumbled and replaced by a single terrifying reality. I was now about to become the bride of the most dangerous man in the city, a man I didn't want to have anything to do with. "I can't believe you are agreeing to this, without even asking me." His jaw tightend at my words as he glared at me. “There is no luxury of asking.” “That’s not an answer.” I yelled, now feeling frustrated. “It’s the only one you will be getting, Bella." Rage burned through my veins at his words. “No,” I said again, louder this time. “You don’t get to decide who I marry. Not like this because I am not some bargaining chip you can trade to criminals." My father went pale again before his eyes darkened. “You need to be very careful how you speak about Luca Valentino,” he said quietly and I scoffed. “Why? Is he going to hear me from across the city?” My father didn’t answer but he seemed to be shaking and that was when I noticed it. The small black device sitting on the corner of his desk, beeping quietly. It hadn’t been there before. A phone, not his usual one and on it, a call was still connected as my stomach dropped. “Is someone l-listening?" My voice became unstable as I pointed at the phone and my dad nodded. Just then; “I was wondering how long it would take her to notice.” A deep voice resounded in the room, sending goosebumps all over my body. My father straightened beside the desk. “Mr. Valentino,” he said carefully and I almost passed out. No. No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. The voice continued, completely unfazed. “You should have warned your daughter she had an audience,” he said. “I do enjoy honesty, but calling me a criminal during our first conversation feels… slightly impolite.” Heat rushed to my face as I realized that he had heard everything. Every, single word. I stared at the phone like it might explode. “You listen to private family discussions now? That's rude, you know.” the words came out before I could stop them and my father's jaw dropped. A quiet chuckle came through the speaker. “Technically,” Luca began. “this discussion stopped being private the moment your father offered you as my bride.” My heart slammed against my ribs as I hated how calm he sounded. How completely in control he was. “You don’t even know me,” I said, my voice tight. “How can you agree to marry someone you’ve never met?” There was a brief pause on the line. For a second, I thought maybe I had pushed too far or perhaps he was reasoning my words but how wrong I was. “I know enough, especially with what is going on." He laughed again and something about the way he said it made my stomach twist. “What does that mean?” I asked and there was another pause. Longer this time. When he finally answered, his voice had changed. "You didn't tell her?" he seemed to be talking to my dad now, his voice raising as I went still. Tell me what? Was my father hiding something? "I haven't had the chance to." My father said as conflicting emotions appeared on his face and I dug my nails into my palm. "Can someone please explain what is going on?" I questioned. “Well, you seem to th ink this marriage is a proposal, when it's infact, a protection." Luca responded and my blood turned cold. “P-protection? From who?” I asked again. “The people who ordered a bounty on you."