Chapter 19: The Reward

Chapter 19

Anna’s back straightened as the Don’s eyes scrutinized her. They sat together alone in a spacious room, a glass of wine on her lap, which she held with both hands.

Her toes curled inside her shoes; her handless top made it easier for the cold air from the air conditioner to leave goosebumps.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t been expecting this talk—she had, ever since she shot the butler to save her neck. The guilt pressed heavily on her heart, birthing the growing urge to rip her own heart out.

Each second that passed, she felt even more guilty than the last. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. She badly wanted to ask how the butler was doing, but she didn’t even know who to ask.

The Don suddenly let out a chuckle, making her blood run cold.

“You know, before, I was apprehensive about whether or not you’d make a good wife for my son, Domenico.”

She took a deep breath, wondering where this was going.

“But now, Anna, you’ve proven your worth,” he smiled proudly. “Your wise and precise judgment makes me believe you will not only make a good wife for Domenico but a good lady of the empire.”

Anna released the breath she had been holding. Her muscles felt relieved after the earlier tension.

“Thank you, Don Enzo,” she smiled politely.

Anna hadn’t seen this aftermath coming after making that decision. She had made it in seconds, but thankfully, it would work out for erasing the Don’s suspicion of her. This way, it would be easier for her to make her escape.

However, the smile fell from her face at his next words:

“For this, I’ve arranged the date for your engagement with Domenico for next month. The engagement would be a good way to end the year.”

Her heart dropped, her feet became cold at the news—engagement!?

“Your family will be here soon. Francesco has sent word that he and the rest of your family miss you a lot and would like you to spend a week with them before the engagement.”

Anna’s face paled even further at the striking news. What he thought was a reward for her was actually the worst punishment anyone could give her.

She had felt a bit relieved. She had tried to push everything to the back of her head. She thought there was enough time to get a good grip on things, little by little, but she had been wrong.

The engagement was fast approaching, and soon they would be married. This would only tighten the chains around her; it would make it even harder for her to leave the clan. If the world knew she belonged to the first son of the Don of the Vicenzo mafia empire, it wouldn’t just make escaping hard—it would make it impossible for her.

She wasn’t ready to see her father, to see his consigliere, his wife, nor her sisters. The thought of what they were capable of made her shudder. She knew their plan was to torture her, to keep her mind focused on the mission.

The mission to poison the Don along with his sons and end their mafia clan.

Anna forced a smile.

“Thank you, Don.”

With that, he dismissed her.

That night, sleep felt more than impossible for her. She was wide awake, lost in thoughts.

The harder she tried to run, the faster her problem chased her. She wondered if this was her karma for shooting the butler.

Her heart felt so heavy, like a huge stone was on top of it, stopping her from breathing. Now that things had taken this sour turn, she had to escape from here as soon as possible. But even if she found a way to escape, what about Philomena?

Her father would direct his rage on her. She felt so lost, tired, and confused. Everything was too much for her to take in. She wished she had someone. She missed Rocco, and she wished she could hug him right this moment.

Her eyes had become swollen from how much she had cried. Now she couldn’t cry anymore; her eyes hurt way too much to let more tears out.

She got out of bed, pacing round her room. She tried to ease the tension she felt. Her so-called family hated her to the core. Her sisters were not just thorns but daggers in her flesh, and Francesco’s wife—a devil’s spawn.

All these years, she had been living her life in total misery. She had been screaming, but no one was hearing her. She was tired of this suffering. She just wanted to be free from all of it.

Her movement paused when she heard a noise on her balcony. Her heart raced, her breath caught in her throat.

Her feet padded slowly against the floor, inching closer to the door. Her hands reached for the handle. She pulled it open, only to see Leone’s back to her.

Why the hell was he here? She currently had a lot of problems to handle, and she didn’t need him tonight—or any other night, in fact.

He wore a loose white shirt, black pants, and black boots.

“Why are you here?” Anna asked, her voice cracked from how much she had cried.

He turned, facing her. A golden chain with a cross pendant dangled on his neck. His usual taunting smirk stuck on his lips as he stared at her. That was her reminder that she looked horrible—with her swollen eyes and dull face. Even her hair was scattered all over her face.

Leone began walking towards her. His boots made dull thuds as he covered the distance between them. He stood in front of her, only inches away.

His larger frame towered over her completely, and like usual, she felt like a child in his presence. Her eyes widened when he crouched down, one of his knees now on the floor. His thumb caressed the wound on her knee, making her shudder.

“Seems better,” he muttered. Anna looked down at him in shock, but all she could see was his midnight black hair, which now fell across his handsome face.

He raised his head, staring up at her, his gaze holding hers, his voice now softer than usual:

“Are you okay, Peach?”