A fake marriage

Livia lay on the bench and cowered to warm herself from the cold. She thought of the man Enrico beat up. His eyelids were almost closing when he heard the door open.

She stood up immediately when listened the heavy steps echoing through the corridor. Livia held the bars of the cell trying to spy, even without being able to see, imagined that it was Enrico, then began to rave about the delay to release and to judge him for his ingratitude with the people who helped him.

"You didn’t even thank him!" She screamed. "You treated your securities with such rudeness and violence." said, indignant.

Livia’s body was paralyzed, and her voice failed when she saw the stout man, only a few centimeters shorter than Enrico, as he approached the cell.  

"Hello!" The man took off his black hat. 

Livia saw the gold ring shining on Enrico’s uncle’s finger. Don Bianchi’s black linen pants matched the blazer.

"I’m sorry, I thought it was Enrico".

"My nephew is asleep." The capo’s eyes examined the prisoner. "The family doctor took care of him". "Don’t worry, Enrico will survive".

Livia retreated when Enrico’s uncle came closer to the bars. She had a beautiful angular face and her body had curves that called attention. 

"My nephew is no fool!" Don Bianchi smiled, revealing one of the golden teeth. "You're so beautiful!"

Afraid, she decided not to face the man who looked more cruel than Enrico.

"Your face is not strange to me!" He was thoughtful. "There is no way to forget a face as beautiful as yours".

"I believe you are confusing me with someone else". 

"Are you married to one of our collaborators?" The big inquisitive eyes evaluated Livia from the top of her head to the pair of shoes that hid her feet.

"No!"

"You look familiar".

"I work in a medical clinic in the center of Florence".

Don Bianchi was still surprised by Livia’s delicate features.

"Who are your parents? 

"I am an orphan!" She replied vehemently.

Livia had nothing to say about the parents who abandoned her at the orphanage. Like the other children, she was left in the cylinder known as the Wheel of the Excluded.

Don Bianchi continued to question the hostage, who remained succinct in his replies. Livia was attentive and only gave him insignificant information.

"Where were you born?"

"In Italy". 

"What orphanage did you grow up in?"

"Saint-Mary." Livia lied.

Don Bianchi’s impassive face focused on eyes as dark as an onyx stone. There was no trace of emotion on Capo’s face.

Seeing that Livia wasn’t cooperating, he turned around. He took quick steps to the exit. 

…

In the office, the fat fingers lightly beat the table. Don Bianchi reflected on the caged girl. He remembered Livia’s face the moment he asked her about her family.

"Do you want something, Don Bianchi?" The counselor entered the office.

"I want you to find out everything about the girl that Enrico had arrested in the basement".

"Lívia Ricci is a doctor".

"Do you know her?" Don Bianchi looked at the counselor with suspicion.

"No, I don't!"

"How do you know her name?"

"I was given the scholarship with documentation and electronic devices of the doctor".

The counselor opened the zipper and turned the bag, pouring all the contents on the table. Massimo pulled the identification document of Doctor Ricci.

"Investigate her past and bring me answers as soon as possible". 

"Yes, Don Bianchi!" 

Enrico’s uncle continued to observe Livia’s photo in the document. 

"How’s my nephew?" The capo asked.

"Enrico’s awake, he’s eating".

"That’s all!" Don Bianchi dismissed the employee.

…

The white towel wrapped around Enrico’s waist as he walked through the huge bedroom with a classic decor. After dressing, he closed the buttons of the white linen blouse. He looked at the stout man who entered his bedroom uninvited.

"How are you doing?" Don Bianchi walked around to the bedroom.

"I feel better!"

"You should rest a little longer".

"I have to talk to those incompetents. I almost died!"

"That’s not what I knew!" Don Bianchi laughed. " I heard you killed ten". 

"I had no choice but to fight". 

"You have been trained to win. Remember that you must take revenge on the murderer of your parents". Don Bianchi went to exit.

"There’s not a day I don’t think about it".

"I have to go out for a meeting, take care of everything while I’m gone". 

Enrico just watched his uncle leave the bedroom. 

He placed the gold watch around his left wrist and headed to the basement, where Livia was still trapped.

The cell was a few steps from the basement entrance. On the other side of the bars, Livia was shrunk.  Enrico sat on the chair and watched the sleeping woman.

Although she was asleep, Livia had the feeling that someone was watching her, her eyelids trembled, and she opened her eyes, the vision was a little blurred.

"Morning!" Enrico greeted her with a restrained smile. " Did you sleep well?

Livia saw that Enrico no longer wore the bandage, the eyes focused on the swelling in the forehead of the mobster. Noticing the doctor’s clinical look, he ran his fingertips over the bruise.

"The family doctor said I’ll survive".

She approached the bars.

"I saved you and tended to your wounds. If there’s any gratitude in this heart of stone, you should let me go!'' She faced the mobster.

Enrico laughed at Livia’s boldness. The word gratitude didn't exist in his personal dictionary. 

"You saved me, so I want to make a deal".

"That’s not how things work, Mr Bianchi." She said his last name loud and clear.

"You know my name!" Enrico looked at the employees.

Livia pushed her hands away when he tried to touch her.

"Be a good girl!" He looked at Livia’s exhausted face. "Would you rather listen to my proposal, or would you like to spend another night here?

That’s how things worked at the orphanage where she grew up. After spending a full day of punishment inside the wardrobe, her caregiver opened the door and asked if she was ready to apologize to colleagues or if she would rather stay one more day trapped inside that moldy wooden box.

"What do you want? " Livia crossed her arms, trying to keep warm.

"I'll get you out of this prison with one condition". . .

"I won’t tell the police, I promise!" Lívia intervened before Enrico finished speaking.

Enrico was nervous. If Livia opened her mouth, he would be the first to hunt her; his family never accepted traitors.

"You'll only leave here if you marry me! " Enrico spoke more loudly.

There was a long silence between the two. Enrico hoped to receive a reply, but Livia only frowned as his hands held the iron bars.

"You're so stupid!" She replied.  "Go to hell!"

The proposal seemed extremely stupid and meaningless.

"The blow you took to the head was so strong that it compromised your brain?" She asked with an air of mockery. "You're crazy!"

He looked at his hands and waited until Livia was quiet. When she finally calmed down, Enrico said again: "It will be a fake marriage," he said softly so no one would hear.