Substitute for Sin: Claimed By the Mafia Prince

Clara

“Prepare Clara. In three days' time, you'll marry in your sister’s place. Understood?”

The words hit me so harshly I could barely process it. I blinked once, twice, trying to comprehend them.

Exhaustion from working throughout the entire day had worn down my body. Usually, when coming home, they wouldn't bat an eye my way and would have continued with dinner regardless of my presence, but tonight was different. Tonight though, they were extremely insistent on me coming home early. 

I knew something was wrong, but I had no choice. Throughout the dinner my mind raced at what they wanted from me, given how little they expected in the first place.

I HAD expected something. Just not this.

I looked up, shifting my gaze towards my parents. 

My father, John Hathaway, sat at the head of the dining table across from me, his face bearing a nonchalant finality, as if he'd said something casual.

I couldn't believe my ears. Marriage? What marriage? 

“I…don't understand.” I said.

“Are you deaf?” his voice rose and I flinched instinctively, biting the inside of my mouth to ground myself.

“I…I just want to understand father.” I said, trying to force out my courage. “What marriage are you talking about?”

The words still swam in confusion. Sister…marry in her place. I wasn't aware of a marriage, much less one that I had to take the place of. 

He scoffed, not even bothering to look at me as he spoke.

“Hathaway Cooperation hit a little snag.” he said lightly, “Thanks to that failed deal, our capital chain was about to break. Thus, we had to take some measures of our own.”

My stomach sank at the words ‘failed’. It was just as I'd feared. Even from a branch office, I'd heard whispers about it. If he'd listened—

Swallowing back the bitterness I cleared my thoughts.

“What measures?” I whispered, mostly to myself. They went undead but soon it was answered.

“We sought help from some sources, and fortunately they've agreed and we've settled a deal.” he continued, looking victorious, “thanks to the Damiani family, We don't have anything to worry about.”

That name made every muscle in my body tense. Damiani?

I wasn't particularly social. Unlike Nessa, I wasn't allowed, nor was I given the chance to attend parties, or had friends. My life was mostly centered around my work and the small branch I was in. But even I knew the name Damiani.

The Damianis were one of those families people spoke about carefully. They were known on the surface as being an old family, with strings of companies and cooperations under them, but everything else about them was a complete mystery. 

There weren't any sightings of them. Nobody knew their identities. Their wealth was almost impossible to trace and was suspiciously ill gotten.

Then there were rumors. Rumors that their cooperations were just cover-ups for  illegal ventures. Rumors that the reason for their anonymity and wealth was that they were in truth, mafia.

I swallowed the lump that had I knowingly formed in my throat. How did my father make contact with them? When?

No, that wasn't the right question. Even from the little I knew, a family like that wouldn't make such a charitable deal, especially with my father. There had to be a huge risk involved…

Wait…Marriage…

“What did they want?” I asked, my heart sinking with every second.

“They agreed to give us a loan under the condition that our daughter married their heir.” he said, “surely, you can understand who they were talking about.”

My heart clenched. I knew, of course I knew.

Even though I was technically the eldest daughter of the Hathaway family, nobody was aware of my existence. When people referred to the daughter of the Hathaway's there was only one person they knew.

Nessa Hathaway, my younger sister. As far as most of the public was concerned, she was the only daughter.

And I was meant to take her place. 

The reality of their words slowly dawned on me. My father had already looked away, ignoring my presence to eat. 

“I didn't know about this.” I said.

“Well now you do.” He snorted, “and now you know what you'll do, so prepare.”

Seeing the nonchalance on his face made the suffocating feeling grow stronger. I turned towards my mother. 

“Mother, did you know about this too?” I asked, looking at her. She, unlike my father, didn't bother looking  my way.

“It didn't concern you then.” She said, “Either way, the deal is done. The Damiani’s aren't to be trifled with. Although I don't know much, I've heard that the heir, especially, is known to be a ruthless brute. Nessa is too fragile and precious to suffer under those conditions. Luckily, thanks to you we have a solution. They likely don't know what she looks like. For the sake of the alliance, you'll assume her identity and marry him.”

Her words were like a slap to the face. For some reason, the smallest , longing part of me held onto the foolish hope that she would  be surprised. That she would contradict him or say it was absurd.  But there was no hesitation or any ounce of sympathy in her tone.

My stomach sank heavily. Given the rumors about the family, I could fill in the blanks exactly of the kind of person the heir was. It was likely just as she said. A ruthless, dangerous man.

Indeed, it didn't matter. Not until there was something to sacrifice. Every single time.

“And what about me?” I asked. It was such a small question, yet the moment it left my lips, the room fell silent, tension rising.

I felt my father's penetrating gaze as my mother turned to face me. I forced myself to ignore him and look at her, even though every instinct in me was telling me to look away. 

“Am…am I not also your daughter? What makes you think I should face him? Don't I deserve protection too? You didn't bother concerning me before, yet suddenly it's  my burden. Why include me in this when you didn't even bother telling me any of it before—”

“Enough.” she snapped. 

My throat closed up. I gripped at the fabric to hold back the familiar flinch.  I was more than familiar with that tone in her voice when she became displeased, signalling that I'd stepped out of line.

“As the older sister, it's your job to pave the way for her.” She continued harshly. “We’ve never asked or expected anything of you. We've raised you and tolerated your incapabilities. This is the least you can do for this family. Surely you understand that, don't you?”

Her words hung like a weight, settling over my shoulders with the same crushing familiarity it always had. The words I wanted to say, the frustration and absurdity of this moment all closed up, shut out under the silent pressure.

I had heard variations of those words my entire life, all saying the same thing.

I was always the one expected to understand. Always the one to blame, because they were family and I owed them. Because they tolerated my dullness, my nature and still treated me well.

That was how it should be. Tonight was no less.

I lowered my eyes, swallowing down the ache. Just like I always had.

“Yes.” The words were forced out of me like gravel. Those words broke the tension.

My father's grumbles rang. My mother nodded as though the matter had finally been settled.

Just like that, my life was settled.

Without thinking, my gaze shifted to Nessa, my sister and the subject of this matter.

With her slightly more brunette curls and larger curvy frame that could draw eyes everywhere, it would be easy to assume that she was the older sister. She glowed in contrast to me, having the best of everything.

 Perhaps that was why even a family like the Damianis took an interest in her.

She didn't look my way, feigning innocence, but I could tell she felt my gaze as her lips lifted into what could only be a smug smile.

My gut churned at the sight. I looked down at the rest of the dinner.

They never asked or expected anything of me because they didn't care at all. Not of my well being. 

I was dull. When I was younger, my family were ordinary people, struggling with business. It wasn't until I turned five that my father had his first big break. 

Afterwards, our wealth boomed, and their lives became more glimmering.

Then my mother got pregnant and they gave birth to Nessa at the peak of the business boom. She became their lucky charm, raised with the poise a wealthy daughter should have. I became the discarded daughter, too dull and uncultured for their flashy life.

Decades passed and it remained the same.

Nessa was the golden child. And I? I was the backup sister.

Bitterness welled up in my mouth, ruining the taste of whatever food was left.

I could only stand being there for a few more minutes before bolting out of the dining and into my bedroom.  

After locking the door, I rushed to the bathroom as the churning grew stronger. Bile roiled through me, but under the sink nothing came up.

In the end, I slumped down onto the floor. The cold tiles sent prickled through my skin.

Tears stung my eyes. I shut them tightly to keep it from falling, but it could withhold the heaviness I felt

Hurt, despair, anger, all with nowhere to go.

Within the Hathaway mansion, this home I'd lived in for 20 years, I'd been a stranger. Even if I couldn't have their favour, at least, I believed I had a life here, even as an invisible daughter.

But now, even that was gone. I had been given away as a substitute and sent to be married to a stranger in three days time.

Not just any stranger, I thought dreadfully, the apparent heir of the Damiani family. One who, if the rumors were accurate, was a dangerous man.

I needed to do something. Anything. But what could I do?

Nothing.

My life, for better and for worse, had been confined to the walls of  this house and my family. I had no friends, barely even acquaintances and no place to go. Even if I did, the weight of the family pressure was unavoidable.

For my family, for Nessa, I had to sacrifice. That was always how it was supposed to be.

That wouldn't change, whether I liked it or not.