Contract Wife of the Cold Mafia

Chapter 4

An annoying dress and an annoying friend

* * * * * * * * * Merlí * * * * * * * * * *

I adjust my dress and then simply continue to stare out of the limousine window that he and I were sharing. After the wedding, only a very brief toast was made (according to him); however, for me, it felt like an eternity. All I wanted was to leave that place and run without stopping; however. I couldn't do it, no matter how much I wanted to. I left that den, a wolf's mouth, only to fall into the clutches of an even worse one.

"Where are we going?" I ask neutrally, and he looks at me for a few seconds. Then, he just ignores me and returns his attention to his phone. "Where are we going?" I demand, and that prompts him to put away his phone, cross his legs, extend his arms over the fine seat back, and finally look at me fixedly.

"You like asking a lot of questions," he says, somewhat annoyed. "It's the same one. Where are we going?"

"I don't have to answer you..."

"You must do it..."

"Watch how you address me," he warns.

"It's just a question. Where are we going?" I insist, and he huffs with annoyance, then looks away. "I'll keep asking until I get an answer. Where are we going?"

"To the place where we'll spend our honeymoon," he says relaxed, and that information takes me by surprise.

"W... what... what did you say?" I ask surprised, as I feel my body tense up and grow cold.

"Are you deaf?"

"No, I'm not. I... don't want to go. I don't want to be with you," I say with fear. "I want to get off here," I demand suddenly as I start trying to open the limousine door; however, it's impossible for me. "Stop! Open this door! I'm not going anywhere with you! Open! Open this door!"

"Shut up!" he orders, annoyed. "You're becoming an exasperating woman and... don't worry, I would never touch you," he says with absolute honesty. "You're not pretty to me, not attractive at all, not my type of woman. I would never sleep with you, even if I were what... crazy?" he says somewhat mocking, as he flashes a self-sufficient half-smile.

"Well, for your information, I don't believe you..."

"Well, that doesn't matter to me; NOW, SHUT UP AND STOP MAKING A SCENE."

"You don't give me orders."

"I've had enough!" he exclaims suddenly, getting up from his seat and coming towards me to grab my wrists tightly and corner me against my seat.

"What... what are you doing?" I ask fearfully, trying to free myself from his grip, but I can't.

"I don't know what you think you are, but let me tell you something, GIRL. I didn't marry you of my own free will. If it were up to me, I would have never chosen you as a wife. I don't like you. You're very unattractive, annoying, exasperating, and have a voice that annoys anyone. SO STOP TALKING ONCE AND FOR ALL AND BEHAVE!" he orders. "Or do you want my men to pay a visit to your friend?" he threatens suddenly; that annoys me.

"You're a... "

"Be careful what you say, girl; you might regret it."

"You brute! Coward! Jerk!" I insult him as I struggle to push him away from me. "You're a wicked man! You're worse than the pig who bought me!"

"Oh really? Is that what you think?... Well, in that case, if you want to go back to him, then I have no problem with that," he responds calmly, and that infuriates me. "Come on, do you want to go back to that old man?"

"You're just as bad or worse than him," I retort.

"Is that a yes?" he asks smugly, raising an eyebrow.

At that, all I could do was grumble because, to be honest, the other guy seemed a thousand times worse than him.

"That's what I thought..." he adds victoriously, then releases me to return to his seat.

"Yo..."

"Shhhh... Think carefully about what you're going to say because I won't tolerate another insult," he warns seriously, and then just picks up a newspaper from a table in the limousine and starts reading.

Meanwhile, I just silently insulted him and started thinking about all possible forms of revenge.

Time quickly slipped away as I envisioned each of my plans, and before I knew it... we were at the entrance of the enormous house where I had spent my last three nights.

"Well, didn't recognize the way," I say to myself silently, looking around the property (which, strangely, was filled with journalists).

"Happy?" he suddenly speaks to me, and I look at him with annoyance.

"Just... couldn't you have said we were coming here?"

"I already told you. I don't owe you any explanations," he reminds me as the limousine begins to pull into the huge mansion.

In the garden, I struggled to get out of the vehicle because the veil had gotten stuck somewhere.

"Damn it..." I curse as I pull it, but it won't come out. "Damn... just what I needed," I grumble even more, pulling harder, but without success, which causes him to mock me (I noticed he had smirked).

"Damn it!" I exclaim, and he scoffs as he comes back towards me. "Don't you dare! I don't need your help!"

"I'm not asking for permission," he responds seriously, freeing my veil and tossing it aside. "Now, follow me. Don't waste my time," he says, and then walks into the house.

I follow him and climb the stairs behind him, and then we reach the hallway of the rooms. Once there, I go straight to what was supposed to be mine.

"NO," I hear his demanding voice, and I turn to look at him.

"No, what?"

"I need you to come here..."

"I'm not going to be alone with you..."

"It's not a request; it's an order."

"I'm not..."

"Do you want me to threaten you, girl?" he asks, and at that, I can only grumble inwardly and follow him.

"Come in and sit there."

"I'm fine here..."

"Sit down," he emphasizes, pointing to a chair in the small lounge (which, initially, I thought was his room), and I obey.

"What do you want?"

"Sign these papers."

"What are these papers?"

"Annexes..."

"I won't sign anything..."

"Don't waste my time; sign them already..."

"Not without reading them first..."

"Just sign already!"

"Not without reading them!" I stand firm, and he seems to get agitated.

"You're so damn exasperating!"

"Then why did you marry me? You could have chosen someone else!" I raise my voice, and that causes him to come to me and grab my hands again, this time pushing me against a wall.

"What are you doing? Let go of me..."

"Let this be the last time you raise your voice at me," he warns furiously.

"Enough already; let go of me; you're hurting me."

"This is the last time, and I won't tolerate another one..."

"Let go, you're hurting me..."

"The last time," he emphasizes, then lets go of me. "Take the papers, read them, I don't care. You'll have to sign them anyway..."

"If I don't..."

"If you don't, there won't be any more warnings from me, just actions," he threatens, and I go cold. "Now, go to your room, take the papers, and get ready for our wedding night. What I want you to wear tonight is on your bed."

"You must be joking."

"I don't joke. Go to your room now," he orders. "When I return to the house, I want to see you wearing it," he concludes, then leaves the room without saying more.

Faced with this, I take the papers and head to my room to make sure what he said was a joke; however, it doesn't seem so, as there is a mysterious box on my bed.

I approach it and open it quickly, and... what I see surprises me, but in a strange way, as... I didn't imagine that inside would be a huge two-piece pajama.

"Well... after all, it seems like that thing about me not being attractive is real," I whisper, somewhat... strangely disappointed. "i***t. I know I'm not a top model, but I like my body; it's cute," I point out, and without further ado, I set aside his gift to think about what had been bothering me.

"GRANDMA..." I mutter sadly, and without stopping to think further, I change my clothes and put on a dress from the huge closet to leave my room and go in search of my grandmother. I was going to take advantage of the time when he wouldn't be in the house. I just had to outsmart his security, and... I already had a plan for that.

After a few minutes, I reach the living room, and two men block my way.

"Miss..."

"Mrs.," I correct them, and they seem embarrassed.

"We apologize, ma'am."

"Step aside," I order firmly, but they don't move. "Didn't you hear? Step aside."

"Ma'am... ma'am," one corrects himself, "The gentleman didn't inform us he was going out."

"Are you preventing me from passing? Me? Your mistress?" I inquire seriously, hiding all the nervousness inside me. "You better step aside from me, unless you want me to tell my husband to deal with you just because you acted like idiots and didn't let me out."

"Ma'am, yesterday you tried to escape, and the gentleman..."

"That was yesterday. Now I'm his wife, the lady of this house, and I can come and go as I please. I don't need anyone's authorization, so step aside at once unless you want..."

"Okay, okay, ma'am," one of them interrupts, and I inwardly rejoice to see them move aside.

"You," I point to one of them.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Do you know how to drive?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then you'll be my chauffeur today."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Are there any journalists outside?"

"Not anymore, ma'am."

"Good, then let's go at once," I say, and without further ado, I leave the mansion.

** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * Bayá * * * * * * * * * *

I get out of my car and head inside one of my bars. There, I can see my friend at the bar, so I walk over to him quickly.

"You took a while..."

"The woman is crazy," I respond annoyed, taking my whiskey glass and downing it in one gulp.

"Hey, calm down, Bayá."

"You have no idea how exasperating that woman is..."

"Well, in her defense, you're no saint. Besides, I still don't understand why you decided to marry a complete stranger."

"That's none of your business, Ramsés..."

"I know it's not my business, but as your best friend, I have to say I don't understand the reason behind that decision, although, to be honest, I've never understood a single one of yours," he says teasingly, laughing.

"Just shut up. I don't tolerate mockery."

"Well, well..., looks like marriage isn't suiting you..."

"Just stop teasing, Ramsés..." I warn. "Just tell me why you called me."

"I have important information for you."

"What's it about?"

"It's about Danaí," he says seriously, and hearing that name just makes my blood boil with anger, but I try not to show it.

I just pour myself another drink and down it just like the first one: in one go.

"It's not worth reacting that way for her..."

"Don't mistake it. What I feel is anger..." I clarify, annoyed. "What's going on with her?"

"She got married," he blurts out suddenly, and that makes my blood boil.

"What did you just say?"

"She got married..."

"Where did you hear that?"

"From my people."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because the person she married is... Cabanillas," he says without restraint, and that makes me grip my glass tightly, to the point of...

"Alright, enough of this," my friend says, taking the glass from my hands. "Looks like you're about to break it with your hand."

"Are you sure about what you're telling me?"

"Do you doubt my word?"

"No," I deny vehemently, looking at him. "What did you find out?"

"Well... I have people infiltrated around her."

"She doesn't matter to me. I just want to know why she married him."

"Power..."

"Explain."

"She's ambitious; she wants power and... she thinks she can get it from Cabanillas, that's why she married him and... that's why..., that's why..."

"That's why she left me on our wedding day," I complete, and my friend looks at me disappointed.

"Yes," he responds in the same tone.

"I already knew."

"You knew about Cabanillas?"

"No. I knew she was ambitious. All women are like that. It's the only thing that matters to them: power, luxury, money..."

"From what I understand, the woman you married isn't..."

"She's the same," I interrupt, "and, on top of that, exasperating," I specify, and my friend laughs. "What's so funny?" I ask, taking my glass again and drinking from it.

"Your words..."

"What's so funny about what I'm saying?"

"I don't know. Your snap judgments about a person."

"It's not snap..."

"Well, I think it is. I read up on the woman. Very hardworking..."

"That doesn't mean she's not ambitious..."

"She earns a living and takes care of her father, an alcoholic and addicted to board games, and her grandmother."

"She's just like all the others..."

"What if, at some point, you fall in love with her?"

"That won't happen."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I DON'T LIKE HER."

"She's very pretty; I've seen her photo."

"She doesn't seem that way to me."

"What if you fall in love with her? If you end up... loving your wife," he questions teasingly.

"Love doesn't exist, Ramsés..."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it's the truth, and even if it did exist, it's overrated."

"Just imagine the situation..."

"I don't have to imagine anything. The woman is exasperating, unattractive, talks too much, and... drives me crazy in every possible way; she's detestable..."

"Then... why did you marry her?"

"I was desperate. I needed a wife, and she showed up. I didn't marry that woman because I liked her or anything like that. I married her because it was the condition my father set for me to take full control of the mafia. If I didn't obey his orders, it would go to Abel. And it can be in anyone's hands, but not his. Besides, this empire is as much mine as my father's; I made it grow, so I wasn't going to lose it for lack of a wife."

"And how did you choose her?"

"She was desperate; she was going to accept without any drama..."

"And is that how it is? Hasn't she caused you any drama?" he asks teasingly, and I grumble.

"It's the worst mistake I've ever made. I thought that by marrying a stranger in a hurry, everything would be easier. She wouldn't complain because of the benefits I would give her, BUT NO. I JUST GOT A CRAZY WOMAN WHO SEEMS TO FEAR NONE OF MY THREATS," I specify with a lot of annoyance, and I hear my friend laugh a little too loudly. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?" I ask, annoyed, and he laughs even harder.

"Oh, Bayá... I don't know, but I feel like this is going to get very interesting..."

"Why do you say that?"

"For nothing, for nothing," he answers, very relaxed and smiling. Then, he continues drinking from his glass.