01- The Vow That Never Was

The stained glass of the St. Aubrey cathedral flooded the entire interior and pew in bright red and golden light giving space an ethereal feel. Everyone was silent as they waited listened in anticipation to the priest officiate the marriage.

Rosana Marcello stood quietly before the altar, a picture of poised perfection. Her wedding dress fanned out around her from the waist down. Her fingers gripped the bouquets with perfectly still hands but deep within her, she was trembling, trying really hard to calm her nerves. She was quite sure the pounding of her heart was almost as loud as the cathedral bells though thankfully no one seem to be paying her any attention.

She closed her eyes and spoke to herself, giving herself the strength she needs. The groom whispered something soothing in her ears and she felt herself growing calm till the pounding of her heart was now almost back to normal.

She slowly opened her eyes and returned Luca’s smile. She forced herself to pay attention to what was going on around her.

“…Luca De Rossi, do you take Rosana Marcello as your lawfully wedded wife?” she heard the priest ask the groom and she held her breath I anticipation.

Luca De Rossi looked sideways at Rosana and smiled sweetly at her and she felt her heart flutter in her bosom. He stretched out a hand to her and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before looking back at the priest, nodding slightly.

“Yes, I do.” He responded clearly and time began moving again for Rosana. She had heard cases of the groom abandoning the bride at the altar and for some reason she had feared she might suffer a similar case.

She blinked several times to hold back the tears that threatened to spill and ruin her mascara, promising herself she wasn’t going to spoil the moment by crying like a little girl. To her, getting married to Luca and being loved by him was a dream come true.

The priest cleared his throat discreetly, drawing her attention and she gave it to him, knowing what was coming next. Once more her heart began beating loudly in her ears and she became nervous again, her fingers wrapped around the bouquet trembling slightly.

You can do this, Rosy, she encouraged herself.

“Do you, Rosana Marcello___”

The priest began to address her but a sudden loud explosion interrupted him mid-sentence as the heavy double cathedral doors imploded inwards, the force of the explosion tearing them off their hinges and spewing splinters of woods and bits of cements about.

The entire congregation looked towards the entrance, everyone curious to know who was audacious enough to use explosives in a cathedral.

Twelve men clad in black turtle neck and suits rushed in and arranged themselves in two lines along the aisle, standing at attention and facing each other.

Not today, Rosy thought in dismay. From the looks of the men, she was almost sure they were part of the mafia or a crime syndicate.

Why were they at her wedding? She wondered to herself.

Loud approaching footfalls moved echoed around the cathedral.

A tall man dressed in black like his men stepped through the ruined doorway, pausing briefly to look around. His eyes scanned the faces leisurely, stopping at the couple before the altar. His eyes travelled the full length of the groom, smirking and shaking his head in slow disapproval.

Deliberately, he shifted his eyes to Rosana and his expression grew hard as he made eye contact with her. Not breaking the contact, he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked casually through the rows of his subordinates towards her.

“How dare you, Sergio?” Luca roared in anger, veins popping out on his neck. “What are you fools waiting for? Deal with this.”

Some men in suit stood up and rushed towards the new comer. They never made it close to their target as hands suddenly held them back, restraining them much to their surprise. More people, both men and women stood up from the pew and also lined the aisle, completing the walkway.

“HOW DARE YOU?” Luca screamed at the top of his lungs. He ran forward towards the man who dared to interrupt his wedding, swinging his hand to punch Sergio but Sergio ducked, driving a fist into Luca’s midsection.

Luca doubled over in pain, hugging his stomach as he dropped down on one knee. His face and neck turned red.

“You will regret this, Sergio…” he managed to say between moans, staring up at Sergio through blood red eyes.

Sergio squatted before Luca and grabbed the lapels of his suit. He glared at him.

“There’s nothing to regret.” He growled out. “You shouldn’t have gotten greedy and gone after what rightfully belongs to me.”

Rosana couldn’t understand what she was hearing. What gives him the right to claim her as his? She was sure she had never in her life met such a brute, let alone enter into a relationship with him.

Luca opened his mouth to speak but shut I back, his gaze shifting to Rosana.

Why aren’t you saying anything? Rosana asked under her breath.

After a while, Sergio let go off Luca’s lapel, the suddenness depositing him on his backside. He stood and spat at Luca before facing Rosana.

“Let’s go.”

It was an order not a request.

“Why should I?” Rosana shot back, eying Luca on the ground briefly before locking gaze with Sergio.

“Isn’t it clear already? If you didn’t understand anything from my conversation with this loser, then I guess you are simply dumb.” Sergio remarked.

Rosana eyes flashed angrily as she fumed at him.

“Take that back.” She warned him, squinting at him with her hands on hips.

Sergio patience was wearing thin.

“I don’t have time for this. Lets go.” He repeated making a grab for her wrist but she snatched it out of reach.

“I’m not moving an inch.” she told him, looking up into his face.

The muscles in Sergio’s cheek worked violently as he gritted his teeth together, fighting hard to control his rising anger.

He regarded her for a moment then grinned at her.

“Do you think he loves you?” he suddenly threw his head back and laughed dryly.

“He loves me.” Rosana said, his laughter grating on her skin.

He clucked his tongue at her shook his head in disapproval.

“I see that you are gullible as well as being dumb.” His tone was biting and insulting.

“You__”

She was about to insult him back but he interrupted her.

“This won’t do.”

“What?” Rosana was confused.

“I don’t have time for this. I like my women submissive and meek.” He informed her.

She made to slap him across the cheeks forgetting she was in a cathedral but he deflected it, holding onto her wrist.

Still grinning at her, he scooped her up and swung her his shoulder, walking towards the exit.

Luca held on to his pants legs but Sergio kicked him roughly out of the way.

“No, please. Don’t hit him.” Rosana cried out in panic.

“Don’t concern yourself with the likes of him.” He dismissed her protest.

“I will because he is my husband.” She told him and once again he laughed.

“You really don’t know anything, do you? You aren’t who you believe you are.” Sergio went on, carrying to a cluster of SUVs outside the cathedral.

“What do you mean?” Rosana enquired, confused.

He chuckled and dumped her through the open car door into the back. He brought his face on the same level with hers.

He spoke to her in low soft tone.

“You were never his. You were promised to me before you were born.”