Chapter 2

Catherine’s pov 

       My eyes widened as my father’s words echoed around the insides of my head. 

“What?” I whispered. My hands which had laid motionless in my thighs has began to tremble.

“You’d be getting married to the Mafia Don, in exchange for the help he’d be rendering our family, Catherine.” Dad repeated himself without missing a beat and my mouth fell open.

His words were just starting to sink in and I could feel my heart start to pound harshly against my ribs.

Marriage?!

“But… but, I’m not up to nineteen yet.” I whispered in a shaky voice, in case he had forgotten that tiny detail about me like he always does.

Here in Italy, daughters from prestigious families are given out in marriage once they’re nineteen. I wasn’t up to nineteen yet, so I had always thought I was safe for now.

“Yes, I know that. But you’re already over eighteen, which is all that matters.” He said and then he began to flip through a document on his desk.

My heart was still thumping harshly and it was getting hard for me to still hold in my tears.

“I don’t wish to get married to the Mafia Don yet, Dad.” I forced the words out of my throat after a few seconds, with my head racing.

The shock on dad’s face was expected and I watched as he slowly glanced up from the document he was scrolling through to level me with a glance filled with disapproval.

“It’s not a request, Catherine. It’s your duty as a daughter to help your family out in situations like this.” Dad began to speak, the disapproval in his tone was very obvious. 

Perhaps if my supposed family members were people whom I really cared about, I might be more willing to help them with my entire existence.

“I know it’s my duty as a daughter, but I don’t think I’m ready for marriage yet, I’m sorry, Dad.” I offered after a few moments.

“Catherine, since when do people get married in our world on our own accord and for their own personal preferences?” Dad’s voice was starting to get angry and I gulped emptily and squirmed in my seat. 

I sighed a little. “I still don’t want to get married.”

“How then do you suggest we find your mother and brother?” He demanded furiously.

“Any other way but this.” I responded with a shrug, biting at the inside of my cheek, because I knew Dad was going to lose it any next moment.

“How selfish can a child be? Not only are you selfish, you’re also very self centered!” Dad accused me in an angry voice and I flinched, choosing to remain silent.

I got to my feet and folded my hands on my chest as I argued, knowing that I was already automatically crossing a line. “I’m not selfish, Dad. I just don’t want to do this.”

“You have to. It’s for your mother and brother’s life.” He reminded me and I shrugged.

“I’d suggest you find another way… in order to rescue them, or to offer the mafia Don something else in exchange for his help–”

“Enough!” His voice was loud and angry as he cut me off abruptly. I jolted and instantly slapped my mouth shut, with my heart beating erratically against my chest.

“I’d like to think I brought you up to be more respectful than this.” He thundered out angrily. I gulped and averted my gaze, staring down at my sandal clad feet.

“You don’t talk back to me, or question my decision. Ever. Is that understood?” He demanded. 

The vein on his forehead was fluttering when I glanced up at him. I swallowed emptily and shifted my weight around as I nodded my head robotically. 

“Yes, Dad.”

“Good. You’re getting married to the mafia Don and that’s final.” He added almost immediately after that, and once again, I felt my heart sink all the way to my stomach.

“I won’t.” I responded without thinking. I regretted my response almost immediately and wished I could take it back, because the look on Dad’s face morphed into a really furious one.

“What did you say?” He asked, voice low and filled with so much threat.

And of course, since I was already in deep, I might as well go in all the way… which was why my next response was just as worse.

“I said I won’t marry him. I don’t want to, please don’t make me.” The words flew past my lips in a blur while the erratic pounding of my heart increased drastically.

I registered the shiny globe flying my way at the very last moment, but I was able to duck at the last minute, making the glass globe to shatter behind me after connecting sharply with the wall.

Dad charged towards me and grabbed me, a firm slap connecting with my face was what I registered next and him screaming about how ‘selfish and self centered’ I was. 

“You insolent child.” He spat out as he tugged me towards his table and threw me against it. My side connected with the table and I let out a loud cry. Tears were sliding down my cheeks at this point.

He threw a pen before me and I didn’t need to be told twice before picking it up and signing on the spot on the document which he had shown me.

“Your elder brother… your two brothers are more important than you are, never forget that. Your elder brother is going to take after me, while you’d end up still getting married off, so you might as well be married off for this reason.” He paused, without sparing me a glance.

“Now, get out.”

~~~~

         I’ve never had a good relationship with her mother– her biological mother. She had always been emotionally detached from her children since I could remember.

I tightened my hand around Zander’s and tried to return his reassuring smile, but my face probably got morphed into a grimace instead as more tears slide down my cheeks.

After I had left dad’s office, I made my way into my bedroom and sobbed my eyes out, until Zander had come to find me.

After I broke the news of my arranged marriage to him, he had instantly once again wished the mafia Don won’t be able to find our mother and elder brother, and I instantly agreed with him.

“It probably makes us into really bad people, but I don’t want them to ever be found. I can’t lose you, I don’t want to lose you yet. I’m not ready.” Zander’s voice cracked at the end and I let out another sob as I engulfed him into a hug.

“I don’t want to lose you either. I hope they don’t ever get found.” I whispered fiercely against his shoulders and his arms tightened around me firmly.