Secretly Married To My Enemy Don

Jade's POV

I stared out of the window of the moving SUV. The calmness of the environment mirrored the chaos in my mind.

Dad is dead.

Just like that.

It felt like a movie. For all I know, My Dad, Mr Roberts, is someone who takes his health seriously. He is never sick.

I couldn't wrap it around my head that my Dad, whom I saw hours ago in his office, who gave me money and permission to go hang out with Ruby, my best friend, is lying cold in a morgue.

The doctor said it was heart failure.

His secretary said he had a visitor. After the visitor left, he came out of his office, gasping for air, and was rushed to the hospital where he gave up.

And I don't know who to believe.

The car came to a stop in front of our duplex. Just a glance at the front door made my tears come rolling again.

“You need to stop crying, Jade," Ruby said gently, rubbing circles on my back.

“I can't," I sobbed. “I can't believe that Dad is no more! He was okay this afternoon. How could he just die?" 

Ruby held me close as I wept on her shoulder, staining her expensive dress with tears and smudged makeup.

The car door opened, and Bernard held out his hand. “Let me help you out, Jade," he said gently, wiping my tears with his thumb.

“Get out!" I snapped, and slapped his hand away. “I'm not lame." I got out of the car and headed into the house.

The walls of the lounge seemed to close in on me as I stepped in. This house would never be the same again.

My eyes fell on Dad's favourite chair. Mom sat there, gaunt, opening through a file. She raised her face and met my eyes.

“Your father left this," she said as she handed the file to me, her voice hoarse from crying. She looked ten years older than her age. The shock of Dad's death had really shook her up.

I wanted to reach out and hug her, but I took the file instead. My mum, Tatiana Roberts, was a high society lady, and most times, doesn't like public displays of affection, even if it's just the two of us here.

My eyes scanned the headlines, making my breath stuck in my throat.

It was a will.

Dad prepared for this. He knew he was going to die. Was he sick? We just got rich three years ago, what could make Dad prepare for his death?

I read the first paragraph and the file dropped from my hands.

“Careful, Jade!" Mom warned, her eyes wide. “That's the original copy!" 

“Dad wants me to marry Bernard Veritas?!" I asked in disbelief, my voice raised.

As if on cue, Bernard and Ruby stepped into the house.

“My Dad wants me to marry this thing?” I asked, my words dripping with disgust and rage as I pointed a well manicured finger at Bernard. 

“Watch your tone, Jade!” Mom snapped, her features coated with anger. "Calm down and read that will! What's wrong with marrying Bernard Veritas? Is he not your father's friend and business partner?”

I bit back my reply and read the damned will. 

The more I read, the more my brain spun around. 

"Mom, This Luca De Santo, is it the Mafia Don, or another Luca?” I asked in a pleading tone, wishing for a negative answer. 

"It is the Mafia Don,” Mom replied, her voice resigned. 

I felt some ringing sensation in my ears, as if someone slapped me hard. 

“What business did Dad have with Luca De Santo? And why does he want to claim our shipping company?" I exclaimed.

Mom exhaled. “Jade, sit down," she ordered.

I obeyed, my ears sharp.

“The shipping company was originally Luca's business idea. He also owned the funds to start the company.”

My mouth dropped open in shock. 

"But Dad said it was an inheritance!”

"He didn't want to scare you. It all went as planned. He opened the company, but signed it in his name, instead of Luca’s business name." 

“But Dad was a honest person! Why would he do that? That's fraud!" I practically screamed, my eyeballs popping.

“Luca doesn't need money, Jade. That Mafia Don is a freaking billionaire from all his numerous companies and his illegal businesses," Bernard Veritas chipped in.

“Oh shut up!" I snapped, giving him an angry glare.

I didn't care that he's six years older than me.

I didn't give an itch that my Mom, who practically worships him, was shooting daggers at me with her eyes.

“This is family business. Keep a still tongue in your head and stay out of it."

"Jade, that's disrespectful!” Mom snapped at me. "Apologize to him now!”

"It's okay, Mrs Roberts,” Bernard cut in, saving me the stress of apologizing to him.

He gave me a smirk. "She's really emotional now. Let it slide. We have important matters to handle.”

I bit back my scoff. Typical of him. Always trying to play the good guy.

“So what do we do now, Mom?" 

“You will marry Bernard Veritas. The shipping company would be under his name. That way, Luca De Santo would not be able to get his hands on it," Mom explained.

“Why don't we just hand over the company to Luca? This looks like we are drawing battle lines with the Devil." 

"You want to be poor again, Jade?” Mom exclaimed, loosing all the high society lady shit. "You want to go back to begging for food? Cut off your excuses, Jade! Luca's not God. Even if he is, he's not getting his dirty hands on that company!”

"But..”

"No buts, Jade,” Mom cut me off. "Your father decided what is best for all of us. Bernard had the means to fight off Luca. This wedding is set in stone, and nothing will change that!”

I ran off to my bedroom, before any of them will see my tears.

I fell on my bed, my body wracking from my sobs. How could Dad do this to me?

How could he keep something like this from me, and throw me into a den of wolves unprepared?

A knock rasped on my door, and I sat up straight, wiping my eyes as Ruby entered the room.

“I am not marrying Bernard Veritas," I warned, in case she was sent to change my mind.

“And what's wrong with Bernard?" Ruby asked, arms crossed, leaning against the doorway.

“Bernard is a snake. You know he is a drug trafficker pretending to be a honest businessman?" 

A look of shock passed through her eyes, and she waved it away.

"He hides it well. He's never caught. And for all I know, he's the most eligible bachelor in Sicily. And he is rich too. And handsome. And he is going to protect you from Luca De Santo.”

"I don't need his bloody protection, Ruby,” I spat out. "He's only acting nice because he will get his hands on the company if we get married.”

Ruby moved closer, her eyes narrowed into slits. 

"There's something you are not telling me, Jade. You are a kind, soft person. Why are you always harsh around Bernard?” She asked.

I looked away. No one would believe me. Dad didn't believe me when I told him.

I got punished instead.

And I was not ready to relive it again.

"I just don't like him. He's a drug trafficker,” I said finally, my eyes averted.

"That doesn't make him bad, as long as it doesn't affect you," she countered. 

“I don't like him," I stood my ground. “And no matter what anyone says, I won't marry Bernard Veritas.”

“The quicker you accept reality, the better it will be for you, Jade. There's no other way out of this. Bernard is your only salvation, the one your Dad chose. Would your Dad make wrong choices for you? He always had your best interest at heart,” Ruby reasoned.

Her words hung heavy in the air. 

Dad may have had my best interest at heart, but he made wrong choices.

He willed for me to marry my abusive ex-boyfriend.