THE HEART OF DECEIT

"What do you mean I am getting married?" Chiara ran down the staircase with wide eyes still not believing what she just heard. She was still sleeping when her father came to her room to announce the marriage without even explaining anything to her. After processing the words, she ran down the staircase to confirm what she just heard. "Yes and you better be prepared because the wedding date is already set" Antonio replied casually like he was telling a child to come and eat. "You mean, I have to marry someone I haven't met before, I don't know what he looks like, you did not even ask for my opinion before you concluded " Chiara said trying to control her temper, her chest heaving heavily. She stood in front of Antonio who was wearing his wristwatch and heard him say " You don't need to worry about all that, all you need is to get married to him, and about meeting him" he opened his briefcase and brought out a document and dropped it on the center table, and continued "All you need to know about him is there and you guys are to meet around four o'clock today". With that, he left for the door when Chiara who had been looking at him In disbelief said " What if I don't agree to this proposal" "I'm afraid you have no choice," Antonio replied and left, closing the door behind him. Chiara slumped to the couch, she has always been a strong-willed young lady. She has a cheerful temperament and a beauty like a painting that came to reality, with a jade-like skin. She has always been stubborn and rebellious since she was young, only doing what she wants to do. But she is afraid that things might not go her way this time around. With these thoughts, she felt a chill down her spine. She looked at the document and brought out a piece of paper, she saw the name and sighed. She trailed her thin but perfect hand on the document and found out that she only needed a week to prepare for the wedding and there was no picture. She dropped the document on the center table and looked around the house; they were not lacking anything because the interior decoration was of high quality and not what ordinary people could afford. She left the room and freshened up; she got on her power bike and sped off. FIRST CITY HOSPITAL Chaira drove her power bike to the First City Hospital, she packed her power bike and got down. She entered and went to ward three on the second floor, it was just a regular ward. There, a girl of five years was lying on the hospital bed; she was in a hospital uniform, an IV was passed to her hand, and she was looking pale. Immediately she saw Chiara she beamed with smiles. "Sister" she called and sat on the bed. Upon hearing her, Chiara smiled and hugged her. Anna was her adoptive sister, who she found near the garbage on her way home from work when she was two years old. She has been taking care of her and Is now addicted to her. "I'm here; what do you want to eat?" she asked as she sat down on the chair beside the hospital bed. "Anything," Anna replied, still beaming with a smile. "Okay silly girl" Chiara called one of the nurses who helped her call a messenger to help her get the food. She stayed with Anna and didn't even realize the time had gone when a doctor came in. "Excuse me, Miss Chiara" the doctor called her. Immediately Chiara saw her, she knew what she was there for and went out with her. "I'm sorry to disturb you," the doctor said looking at Chiara, and then continued" I only want to remind you of the surgery, she only has a week left, and if delayed could be incurable " Chiara looked at the female doctor who should be in their forties and smiled sincerely "Thank you, doctor, I promise to bring the money before the one-week ends" "Okay then if you need anything, don't forget to call the nurses," the female doctor said and left. The female doctor has been friendly with her ever since she took Anna to the hospital. With her father's current situation, she should be able to afford the hospital bills but her father not only stopped giving her an allowance but froze her account and made sure she did not see a well-paying job since she took Anna in. Sometimes she wonders if her father is really her father. She returned to Anna's ward and saw some nurses checking up on her; she did not bother to disturb them; she allowed them to continue their jobs. After they've left, she finds out that Anna is asleep already. She checked her wristwatch and saw it was almost 5:30 in the evening. She decided to go to her workplace when she got a call. She looked at the ID caller and sighed before picking up. "Why aren't you there yet?" Antonio's voice could be heard from the other side and it was clear that he was pissed off. "I said I am not interested, can't you understand?" Chiara replied with an indifferent expression. "I don't bloody care, it is either you have to go or Anna..." "Don't you dare call Anna's name," Chiara interrupted, clearly losing her patience. Antonio knows Anna is her button line and he always threatens her with that. "If you still want to see her healthy, then you better do as I say; I only like hearing good news," Antonio said with a calm and authoritative voice, which Chiara hated the most. The call was hung up with no extra words. Chiara looked at Anna's ward and sighed. She could have done some shady work but restrained herself because of Anna. Antonio has cut all ways she could use to secure a decent job. She got out, hopped on her power bike,, and drove off. The Salvatore mansion is not hard to locate. She got there in no time and she was stopped by the gate. "I'm here to see Leonardo," she said with a hint of impatience in her tone. She already hated coming here, and these guards were even ruining her mood more. The guards looked at her and found out that they had never seen her before; coupled with her clothes, which looked ordinary with no brand, they concluded that she may be one of the petty ladies who had some crush on their boss. "Miss, I don't know who you are, but first you can't call our Capo in his direct name, and two, you have to show us your pass, because anybody who has an appointment with the capo must have a pass," one of the burly guides said scrutinizing her with his eyes. They were up to four at the gate. Chiara looked at them and felt a headache coming up. "I don't have a pass, all I know is that I was asked to see Leonardo," she said calmly. She didn't even know they had to use a pass to see their capo and she didn't check the document thoroughly. She only knew the name and knew it was the Salvatore family. "Then I am afraid you can't pass," the burly guides said. Chiara smiled, at least she wouldn't have to see the ugly face. She thought. An idea suddenly pops up in her head, she opens her bag and brings out a notebook and a pen. She scribbled some words on it and tore the sheet. As she was about to give the guards, a Maserati drove to her side and stopped. The guards bowed and lifted the gate when Chiara knocked on the window glass and the glass was rolled down. A fine muscular face showed, with eyes like the spring sunshine. His eyes are gold, which adds to his kind and innate aloof temperament, making people unable to resist. Chiara stood there in a daze; she had seen different men who were handsome but hadn't seen one with a parallel beauty.