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Prologue
Time.
It was a funny thing. Confusing and scary, dreadful.
For some, it was much more positive than that. They found hope in time.
"Time heals all wounds."
They looked forward to the next day ⏤ the next week ⏤ month ⏤ year, and so on.
They anticipated getting older and the change that time would bring them. The wisdom and knowledge ⏤ the experiences they would have in that time, the ones you're told to enjoy because they happen in the best years of your life and time flies, so you're supposed to enjoy it while it lasts.
Liviana never knew what the hell those people were talking about.
"Time flies," yet her days dragged on until she gave up and ended them early, crawling into her bed at merely 6pm just to make it feel like the day was over and she had made it.
"Time heals all wounds," but why hadn't it healed hers? She still sat in pain, waiting for it to lessen with each passing day, but it never did. If anything, it only hurt worse.
Time is something Liviana hated. She loathed the whole idea of it. The fear, the hope, the pressure of it. Everything.
It wasn't until she met Blaze Castelli that she understood what everyone talked about, how they warned her to not waste time, as it's something you can never get back.
She wished she had listened.
Now, as she sat in this cold, empty room, bloodied and broken, she wished that she hadn't wasted that year on things that, looking back, seemed so minor compared to what she was going through now.
She wished that instead of arguments, she would have just apologized and held him close, like everytime was the last.
Instead of ignoring his existence, she would have told him how much she appreciated him, and how much he had done for her in their short time together.
She wished that instead of 'I hate you', she could tell him how much she loves him, that there was nothing he could ever do to make her truly hate him.
But she didn't, and now it was too late, because she never knew if she would see him again.
Time was something Liviana hated, but it was also something she took for granted.
And now it seems as though her time is running out.
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Re-Arranged Chapter One | Sacrifice
"I can't do it Livi. I have to go ⏤ I have to run." "No, you can't!" "I do." Emilia says, cupping her little sister's cheek, a sad smile gracing her lips. "And I need you to let me." "But what about me? A- And Tino?" Liviana stutters out excuses, trying to find a reason for her sister to stay. "You can't leave us here. We won't make it. We need you." "You don't need me." Emilia assures. "You never did. You're strong Livi, you always have been. The only thing I did was remind you." "And I need you to keep reminding me." "You don't." She shakes her head, pulling the girl into a hug when the tears start to fall. "You don't need me, Livi, you never have. If anything, I needed you." "Then why are you leaving me?" Liviana cries, burying her face into her sister's shoulder as she holds onto her tightly, as if it was the last hug they would ever have. As far as she knew, it was. "I'm not leaving you. I'm leaving them." She corrects. "I can't marry a man I've never met. I can't marry s
Re-Arranged Chapter Two | To Start A Life Built On Lies
"He's here." The words Liviana Santora had been anticipating all week, ever since she made the deal of marrying Blaze in place of her sister, just so Emilia could be free. Livi had spent the past seven days preparing for this moment, the moment she would meet the man she was to spend the rest of her life with. But despite all the time she took to in convincing herself everything would be fine, she still couldn't help but panic at her brother's words. He was here. Blaze Castelli ⏤ her fiance ⏤ the man she was marrying in only a few days, and the one she hadn't met yet. How was she supposed to marry a man she's never even met? Well, she figured they had the rest of their lives to get to know each other. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe Emilia was wrong and this wouldn't be the thing to end her life ⏤ maybe it was the thing that would finally start it. "Take a deep breath." Tino advised, placing his hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her in any way he could, though he wasn'
Re-Arranged Chapter Three | The First Dinner
The two families sat at the large dining table together, Liviana placed between Leona and Tino, sitting across from Blaze, who still refused to acknowledge her existence. Silence surrounded them and so far, no one dared to break it. Liviana sat nervously in her seat, lip pulled between her teeth as her eyes traveled over the new faces surrounding her, anxiously awaiting to see who would speak first. She didn't have to wait long. "The food is lovely." Elara compliments, looking over the Santora's in question. "Who made it?" "The chef." Alonso answers. Elara nods. "Well, they did a wonderful job." Drusilla nods with a smile, quietly agreeing with her, though says nothing else ⏤ about to allow the silence to return. But Elara wouldn't let that happen. "So, Liviana, tell us about yourself." She says, asking a question when Livi draws a blank. "How old were you again?" "I'm twenty-four." Comes Liviana's answer, still clearly uncomfortable as she only glances up at her, focusing her
Re-Arranged Chapter Four | Officially Engaged
Dinner ended soon after that, when Elara brought up the possibility of Liviana becoming the next mafia queen.Conversation died down and as soon as their dishes were empty, everyone rushed off in desperation of getting away from the tension that just kept getting thicker with each passing second, suffocating them all slowly.“Blaze, Liviana, could you follow us up to the office, please?” Alonzo requests, his respectful side coming out for their guests. It was a tone rarely heard within the four walls of the Santora’s home, not unless there was someone Alonzo and Drusilla wanted to impress.Liviana ducks her head, giving a curt nod as she pushes out of her seat, following her parents and the three Castelli’s out of the dining room, leaving the rest behind to mingle.“You have a lovely home.” Elara compliments as they walk the halls leading to Alonzo’s office.“Thank you, Elara. We try our best to keep it perfect.” Drusilla says, glancing back at her daughter with a judgemental glint in
Re-Arranged Chapter Five | Nearlyweds
One night. Ten hours. Six hundred minutes.The amount of time left before Liviana would be walking down the aisle and into the arms of her new life, when she would say “I do” and kiss the lips of the stranger she would spend her life with, building a life together for nothing more than their parents’ businesses.A marriage being built on lies.But it wasn’t just the marriage, it was her whole life. How was she supposed to live in a world where nothing was real? Nothing is true or significant. Not even now.Her entire life she had been hiding behind a curtain of perfection, hung by her parents, who would flash their pretty smiles to deceive everyone and distract from their flaws and the secrets hidden behind their dazzling eyes.That has always been her life, and she was tired of it. Tired of living behind the curtains and witnessing all the horror they’ve managed to hide for too long. She was tired. And she wished she could have escaped the false world they painted, but instead, she t
Re-Arranged Chapter Six | A Night Of Worry
The evening was spent sipping on fancy champagne glasses and complimenting the expensive booze while picking at the platters of fruits, vegetables and cheese the waiters carried around to serve the room full of people who were practically famous, and not all just for business reasons.It was a room full of dangerous people, one’s known to be involved with crime and others simply suspected, but there were very few guests with a certain innocence, who were either clueless or reckless enough to have befriended these people. It was hard to spot a guest with that title of innocence, though. Next to impossible, really. Which is why a good number of people in the room were also dressed in uniforms that read “security”, standing out from the sea of women dressed in lavish dresses with faces full of makeup and jewelry to match, and the men in dapper suits who sported just as expensive accessories as watches and rings.Everyone was trying to outdo the next person, showing off how much they had,
Re-Arranged Chapter Seven | This Morning Marks
Today was the day.The day that everyone has been looking forward to all month ⏤ that was everyone expect the bride and groom, who couldn’t possibly dread the day ahead of them anymore. The day they would join their lives and tie souls together forever, giving their hearts away and promising “till death do us part”, as if they had a choice.The morning was pure chaos. Liviana, who hadn’t slept a wink, was forced out of the safety of her bed at merely six in the morning to get ready, welcoming Leona and Violet into her room after they had nearly taken the hotel door down with their fists, pounding until they woke the whole floor and succeeded at getting inside to Livi, who was less than pleased at their arrival, despite how fond she has grown of the two women.“Well,” Leona whistles, taking in the girl’s zombie-like demeanor. “Someone is not a morning person.”“You are not a morning person.” Violet points out, giving her a look before turning to Liviana. “What’s wrong, hon? And I mean,
Re-Arranged Chapter Nine | Here Comes The Bride
“This is bullshit.”Blaze Castelli curses as he storms back into his dressing room, his brother and father in tow. “Blaze-““I thought we would be able to get through this as fast as possible, but instead, I’m stuck waiting for her.” He scoffs. “What kind of bride is late to her own wedding?”“One who doesn’t wish to be married.” Lucius says, taking a seat and looking up calmly at his son as he gives a reminder. “It would do you well to remember that you are not the only one opposed to this arrangement. Liviana wants this no more than you do.”“I don’t care what she wants.” He says. “I care about our reputation, and she is putting that in jeopardy right now. What will they think when the wedding is pushed back an hour, or two ⏤ however long it takes for her to get a hold of herself? They’re going to think she’s tried to run, just like her sister. What then? What will they think of us? Of me? Having chased off two brides? They’re going to start questioning our capabilities to hold dow
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- Re-Arranged Chapter Sixty One | Good Girls Don't Get Arrested
