Chapter 4:Same prison different locks

Alessandra

I stare at myself in the mirror, ignoring all the crying Luna has activated since seeing me in my wedding dress.

Mother didn't help me at all, she didn't even fake interest when the makeup artist asked her if she wanted to stay. Reina stayed, but she's just somewhere around the house. My brothers and their wives will meet us at the ceremony, father is somewhere cussing out my grandfather because he couldn't attend the wedding when Sofia was the bride but the moment I'm swapped with Sofia, he's free and demanding to walk me down the aisle.

If anything, I prefer my grandfather because he loves me in every way his daughter can't. I have a special bond with him, he named me when my parents introduced him to Sofia and my mother couldn't care less what I was called. I'm named after his late wife, my mother has hated the idea because I don't deserve the name and I'm only half Russian.

“Who do you think will win the fight?”

“Fight?" I frown, happy she's no longer sobbing at how nice I look.

Luna nods, “You know. The fight to see who will walk you down the aisle.”

“Dedushka,” I blurt out. “I hope.”

“Sasha, I'm happy you're finally getting out of Uncle Dante's clutches.”

“No Luna, I'm still a prisoner, except now a different lock has been put on my cell and a far more evil warden.” I snap, causing Luna's smile to drop. She's too optimistic sometimes, and while my mother loves her nearly as much as Sofia, she's still experienced wrath in his house. “And I don't like this dress,” I sigh, changing the conversation. Truly, I hate the dress it makes me look like the perfect virgin sacrifice. It's the dress Sofia would have married Enzo in but I feel uncomfortable and look horridly plain despite being identical to the dress' original owner.

“It's beautiful on you, Sasha. And hey, you don't Have to wear her clothes.” Right, but that's not something I can cling to.

My life will surely ft worse from hereon after. Sofia would complain about how strict Enzo is, how nonchalant, and how fake his family was towards her. That's my situation starting thirty minutes from now, marrying Enzo Valenti doesn't change my home situation, much. I've tried to draw a pros and cons list and somehow marrying this deadly man beats staying home.

My siblings fear me, my mother absolutely hates me and my father only loves me when I'm serving him. The only person I would stay for is Luna but I have to get married for her sake too. At least by doing what my father has tasked me with, I'll be able to protect her from being used as his pawn. I owe her, I killed Luna's father, I'm the reason my father is ruling this family as well as her life.

Luna said her daddy hurt her mommy and he would hurt her too when he was drunk, she didn't like that he made her feel icky inside so I killed her.

If I hadn't murdered that man in cold blood, My father wouldn't have seen me as a weapon, my mother would tolerate me more because she would still have her deranged twin brother with her. If I could turn back time I would plunge the knife into myself right after cutting up my mother's twin. Yes, I'd kill him a second time because despite my regrets, protecting Luna doesn't make the list.

Still, life goes on, the ifs and buts don't change my life. In a few minutes, I'll be Mrs Alessandra Valenti.

“Sasha, your Dedushka is ready to leave.” Father enters, hardly sparing me a glance when he cried at Sofia's dress fitting. “Where is Reina?”

“Out in the garden, if not hiding away in her bedroom.” I tell him, taking one final look at my dress before stepping away from the mirror.

“Oh, Moya Solnishka.” my grandpa lowly gasps, his eyes softening when our gaze meets. My grandfather is the Russian pakhan, he hates my father because he stole away his little girl by making her marry less than she deserved.

“Dedushka,” I pout, the softness in my eyes triggering my own emotions.

“You look stunning, moya Solnishka.”

“Thank you, Dedushka.”

“Can we get going? The ceremony is almost starting, and you won. Go ahead and walk my daughter down the aisle.” Father sneers, just for the purpose of annoying my grandfather.

“You can walk the other three girls,” Dedushka snaps. He has no shame in having me as a favorite, another reason his daughter hates me. “Go, I want to talk to my granddaughter.”

“We don't have time, Pakhan.”

“The groom can wait, he should consider himself lucky my Solnishka is marrying him.” argues, making father drop his argument. “Now, tell me Solnishka, do you want to marry him? I don't believe in this love tale that Anushka fed me.

“Pakhan,” father deeply sighs. My gaze finds him but Dedushka takes my hands in his.

“Don't look at that man,” he coos, never dignifying father by addressing him with his name or title. “If you are being forced into this marriage, Solnishka just say the word and it's off. I'll take you with me like I should have done years ago, just say it Solnishka.”

“Of course, she's marrying him of her free—” Father pauses, hushed by the warning glare Dedushka gives him. He has no problem shooting at father to silence him.

“I am talking to my granddaughter, don't put yourself in conversations that haven't invited you.” he snarls at him, veering back to me with a completely different emotion, adoration, that's it. I know my Dedushka would do anything for me, I've never asked him for anything because I never felt deserving of anything worth asking for but right now, if I tell him I don't want to get married it'll all be over. Luna and I could both leave, we can be free of father and mother's toxicity. “Do you want to get married, Solnishka?”