Chapter 3: I will marry him

Alessandra

Father is gone, as promised, he is meeting with Enzo Valenti but he has been gone way too long for my liking.

It's two days since Enzo Valenti was in our home and Father let the first day go by hoping his anger would subside but I doubt it, Enzo Valenti looks like he is always pissed. Luna has been subjected to checkups with the family doctor to prove her fertility is viable and virginity intact. Mother heard me telling Luna it's hypocritical considering Sofia could be pregnant and that upset her. She subjected me to a few tests too, and the anger on her face when the doctor told her I tested negative for drugs and my hymen was intact could burn a hole through me.

“Sasha bear, I don't want to marry that man.”

“Why not? You think he's handsome.“

“Are you kidding me? He would eat me alive, Sasha.” she nearly yells, and I swear she trembles each time she mentions him but I'm not one to judge, he gives me the creeps. I ignore her, flipping the gossip magazines she brought to prove how bad Enzo Valenti is even to the outside world.

Luna is right to fear him, I have never said more than three words to him despite him being engaged to Sofia for over two years. I do know he's cruel, calculating, and a sadist with an enormous ego but despite all his flaws that man has the face of a god, so handsome that if you're not careful you're be taken by his charm and delude yourself into thinking he is an angel.

“Why isn't he back yet?” Luna slams my magazine shut.

She's the one person I can truly call my own in this crazy house. I care for her, and I will protect her from evil like Enzo Valenti. “Maybe he is picking out your wedding dress.” I feign a gasp.

“Alessandra,” she whines, pausing when the library door opens, revealing Father.

Luna scrambles to leave, giving Father a nod when she passes him. My gaze lingers on his broken wrist, a warning from thee Enzo Valenti no doubt.

“Sasha my dear.”

Bile rises in my throat at the calm of his tone, the forced affection he is trying to portray.

“I take it your meeting went well?”

“No.” he strenuously sighs, taking Luna's seat. “He is a mad man, he broke my wrist and threatened to break the rest of me if I don't leave and when I don't deliver my end of the contract.”

I nod, waiting for him to say more. Enzo fulfilled his end months ago thinking no mishaps would arise. “If I may?”

“Yes, Sasha?”

“What are you going to do?”

“You marry him.”

I what?

The laugh I swallow down after his comment could shake this room. He can't seriously expect me to marry that ice-cold man or any warm man. I don't possess the capacity to be anyone's wife, I could be it but I'm not that kind of woman. Father knows too, that I'm only good for one thing, and kissing up to Satan's heir isn't one.

“I know what you're thinking, Sasha but you have to do it. You can. Enzo has me cornered but you will marry him and spy on him so I can get my revenge on him.”

“I have no desire to marry him but spy on him?” I frown.

“Yes, consider this your last assignment from me. You will spy on him and report back to me, anything useful I want it. I want to ruin him.”

“Is that why you're auctioning me for free?”

“No, Sasha. Don't be difficult.”

“I have no problem doing that to anyone else but this is Enzo, he will murder me and stick my corpse where the sun never touches. Father, there's a reason he's known as the devil in the whispers shared in our secret society.”

“If you don't marry him, he will kill your sister. Is that what you want? Your mother can hardly tolerate you because of what you did.

What I did, yes. I remember it's hard to forget the reasons your Mother hates looking at your face and yet she stares adoringly in that of your identical twin. This would be just another reason, it doesn't matter, right?

When he sees how unconvinced I am, he probes further. “You owe me, Sasha. I didn't tell the family, they would eat you alive and Luna-”

“I did it for her” I argue, knowing full well Luna would detest me if she knew what I did back then.

“Maybe if I marry Luna off to De Mario, I can pay Valenti back. But that only solves less than half the matter, he will be an enemy.”

He goes on and on about his solutions but I am stuck at marrying off Luna to despicable men, offering her and Reina as mistresses. They're too innocent, I never did have any innocence so I best protect theirs.

“Fine.”

“What?” Father's face lights up, a familiar pride in his face. That's all he has ever felt for me, pride. “I will marry him, but you have to leave Luna alone.”

"Yes, yes. Oh, you've made meso happy.”

“Don't smile, he might just kill me.” I nearly whisper, knowing damn well nobody but Luna would mourn me simply because I existed.

“You're perfect Sasha, he will not suspect a thing. I trained you to be the best weapon and he will never see you coming. I'll punish him for threatening your idiot sister and taking you away.”

“what about my work?”

“You will continue, it may come in handy more so than ever.”

My face drops in my hands and I sigh. “I can't believe I'm marrying a monster.”

“Oh, you're no Angel, Sasha.” Father laughs, “But that's our winning hand, you know he's the devil incarnate but he doesn't know about you, you're my prodigy darling and this is your time to shine.”

“What if he catches me?”

His response is instant and confident. “He won't, you're too good.”

He's right, I am. But this is Enzo Valenti, he is too thorough, too smart, strategic, and altogether murderous. Hey, I guess we have that last one in common.

“What happens to the original bride?”

“She will not bring bastard children into this world. The Yakuza demon used her to get to Valenti and now she's damaged goods, he doesn't want her.”

Ouch. That must hurt, Sofia is too soft for that and I just might have to pay that man a visit.

“Don't worry, I'll marry her off soon but her dreams of high status are dead.”

“Let her marry outside our world, nobody outside the society will know. After all, we're just a rich family owning an export and oil business.”

“Even in the outside world the Valenti run things.” he snarls with contempt. “You know, Their net worth has too many zeroes, they don't know what to call it yet.”

“Soon, you'll catch up to them. If I do well will mother forgive me?”

“I don't care, I mean it doesn't matter what she thinks, I matter. Your grandfather matters. Pakhan will be so proud of his Italian princess.” he rises, petting me on the head. “My Lolita.”