1.

"Everyone is waiting for you at the dinner table, Adriano."

"Everyone is waiting for you at the dinner table, Adriano."

"Everyone is waiting for you at the dinner table, Adriano."

"Everyone is waiting for you at the dinner table, Adriano"

"Everyone is waiting for you at the dinner table, Adriano."

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I revised this sentence a million times in my mind until I started feeling dizzy as I meekly entered the dimly lit room. The scene in front of me turned me pale.

How can I forget to knock at the door before entering??

Yeah, maybe cause I am a bit jittery and nervous as hell.

A manly figure tied from his legs, hanging upside down, covered in his own blood greeted my eyes. All I could hear was his weak whimpers that came out from his busted lips, while getting beaten with a rod, by a 6 feet tall muscular man, who was Adriano's personal bodyguard.

As my eyes travelled across the room they landed on the man I came seeking here. In one corner stood the devil himself.

Adriano Romano.

As soon as our eyes met I lowered my eyes, out of respect.

Out of fear.

Looking him straight into the eyes was not something I was capable of.

The room went pin drop silent.

Everyone stared at my direction, curious to know who came in. On seeing me they also lowered their deadly gazes.

Who would even dare to look at Adriano's future wife?

"Everyone......Din-Dinner." I failed to find words.

What the hell am I even babbling?

I didn't have to say more.

He nodded, then murmured something to the 6 feet guy.

The tied up guy is going to die, I can feel it deep in my gut. Seeing violence is nothing new for me.

Reaching at the door Adriano pushed it open for me to leave first, then he followed and accompanied me to the dining room.

Everyone was simply waiting at the dinner table for Adriano, no one had dared to take even a single bite. That's the respect everyone shows him.

Nobody eats before Adriano. It's considered disrespectful to eat before the head of the family.

Adriano took his seat and nodded for 'everyone' to start eating.

This 'everyone' included all men, not women.

While men of the house eat, all the women are expected to stand near them, ready to serve anything they might want. Women in my world are not allowed to sit at the same level as men, unless told otherwise and eating before their husbands/ future-husbands is considered equal to any crime.

"Bring us water, Emilia." Marcus, my pain in the ass of an elder brother ordered me and I complied immediately.

I lose it when men order women to do these kind of basic stuff, that their grown up asses are fully capable of doing by themselves.

But who am I to say? Neither do I have such courage nor do I have a death wish. And I am powerless too because men in front of me not only have great power and money, they are influential too.

Since the day my brother betrothed me to Adriano, it became a tradition, to visit Adriano's mansion every Sunday for dinner.

It's compulsory.

I remember once I was suffering from a high fever and was barely able to stand, even then Marcus, my elder brother, dragged me to the dinner, threatening me that if I don't go to the dinner I would be severely punished and he will tell Adriano that I was simply making excuses to not show up.

I am just a pawn for my brother to gain more of Adriano's favours.

We all are just Adriano's puppets in the end.

And very soon I will be married to him.

7 years ago when my brother committed a murder and was on run, Adriano saved him from police as well as he cleared all the charges on him and pulled him out of debts too.

I lost my father the same year.

But nothing comes for free in this selfish world. In return of all the favours he showered upon my family, he demanded for my hand in marriage. My brother and mother happily agreed. I was just 18 then.

When Adriano, his uncles, his cousins and my brother finished their food, left the table, we ladies had to eat in the same dishes and bowls that our respective husbands/future husbands have eaten in, without cleaning or wiping them. Tradition says this shows the affection and dedication of a wife towards her husband.

It has been 7 years since I was forced into this bond with the devil himself, nobody asked for my will, like it mattered.

I too, didn't utter a single word, knowing better than going against Adriano.

Soon we are to marry and Adriano still scares the daylight out of my 25 years old self.

I have barely talked to him in these 7 years. I don't even know a thing about him except for his name and his 'work'.

But he knows everything about you Emilia, I reminded myself.

How can I be with someone who is the devil himself and has a heart as cold as ice? How can I ever love him?