5

My brother and Adriano sat at the dinner table while me, mother, Lily and Giana (my sister-in-law) served them food.

"Adriano" I hear a faint voice that came out of my sister's mouth.

"May I speak?" Adriano didn't even lift his head from his plate, instead he simply nodded. He usually prefer silence on the dinner table.

What does she want now?

"Emilia told me today that she doesn't want to get married, she said she is going to run far away from here soon." Hearing her words my eyes popped out of the socket due to the shock.

Adriano's hand, that held the spoon filled with food, stopped in the mid air, leaving his mouth half open.

Whatever my ears heard left me unsettled. Has she gone crazy? Does she really want me dead so bad?

Don't cry. Don't cry. I bit back my cheek as I tried to stop myself from shivering under Adriano's presence.

I looked at my sister and saw that wicked smirk lurking on her face again, the one she gave me in the kitchen. So this was all that she was planning to do.

If Adriano is going to kill me today, I will not die alone. I will kill my sister first and then greet my death.

I tried to face my brother first, he was red with anger, then my mother who was as pale as a corpse and then Giana, the only one who actually looked concerned for me.

"Lily, stop this nonsense, go to your room. I am training Emilia to be a perfect wife, she feels the happiest to be married. She will never take such a step that angers her future husband." Mother moved towards the Adriano and started to cover up for me.

Please handle the situation mom, I prayed.

"I have evidence too, I recorded it all, while she was confessing her true intentions." My sister interrupted my mother. I will kill Lily, I swear to god.

I finally gathered courage to look at Adriano and found him already staring in my direction, but he didn't utter a single word.

Instead he pushed out a chair next to him and gestured me to sit down.

My legs started to wobble as I walked over to him, to sit on the chair that he wanted me to sit over.

I had no option but to take the seat Adriano offered.

Thumping of my heart became louder and louder as I sat beside him.

I had no idea what to say. I had no idea how to react or what to speak.

I suddenly lost all the words that I had learnt since childhood.

"Emilia" I got pulled away from my thoughts.

My name feels so foreign to hear coming out of his mouth.

"There is a fine line between foolishness and courage. And I think you know that. Don't act foolish or do anything wrong, that might anger me." He commented.

I kept my head as low as possible.

"Start the preparations, we are getting married tomorrow." He pushed his chair back to get up and leave.

It took me a moment to realize what he just said.

What?

This was one of the rarest moments of my life when I heard Adriano speak directly to me. And he spoke something that is going to turn my life upside down.

Adriano got out of his chair and strode away from me towards the exit, leaving his plate of food untouched.

It felt like the hell broke loose and started swallowing me up.

Because I know I am not ready for the marriage. I also know that the decision Adriano took is not going to change. I also know that even if I try and talk to him he won't change the decision.