CHAPTER 6

“I don’t understand… This has to be a joke,” she said with a faint smile. “Uncle, is this one of your pranks?” she asked, forcing a giggle. Her gaze traveled to Marco; he blinked and shook his head slightly, his face unreadable.

Aria gulped hard, turning around, her brows drawing together slowly as she glanced at Roberto. Their eyes locked; he sighed and looked away. Her stomach twisted. That one move confirmed it all.

She lifted her head to meet her father’s stern gaze. “Do I look like I’m joking?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“I don’t know, but you have to be joking. “I'm your daughter, not a piece of territory you can trade away to stay in power!” she raged. She crossed her arms, looked away, then lifted her head to face him. “So there is no way I’m marrying that lunatic.”

Don Lorenzo’s face twitched, his lips parting slowly. “Do you—”

“Wow! Let me get this straight”Aria laughed—too loudly, too fast “So I’m to get married to our sworn enemies? If this is a prank—which I pray it is—we should frame it. An Oscar-winning prank! You really outdid yourself, Dad. Out of the blue, I’m to wed that heartless psychopath?” Aria growled. 

Her voice echoed through the entire mansion. Don Lorenzo simply gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, as if restraining his rage.

Teresa dragged herself forward as she walked down the stairs with Aunt Lisa beside her, supporting her every step.

“Do you think I have an option?” he finally spoke. His voice lowered, steady and precise. The kind of calm that warned a storm was coming. “The rules of the Deca Familia don’t work that way!” he raged, his voice thundering across the grand hall. Aria flinched, taking a step back.

“Oh, I remember—you have absolutely no idea of our way of life,” Don Lorenzo shrugged, his voice dropping low again. Aria’s brows knitted as she placed both hands on her waist.

“The Deca Familia had our back when Nicolas Vallenis died in the fight with our men,” he barked, eyes locked with hers.

“So does that mean I should throw my life away?” She rolled her eyes. “This is absurd.”

“Lorenzo, what’s going on?” her mother’s voice chipped in from behind, as Lisa supported her down the last few stairs.

Aria turned. With a couple of strides, she was beside Teresa. “Mom,” her voice cracked. The rage and fighting in her eyes vanished as she grabbed onto her mother's arm.

“To put an end to this feud between us and the Vallenis, the Deca Familia came to a decision. Aria will be getting married to Dante Vallenis,” Don Lorenzo announced to his wife.

Teresa's mouth fell open. She took a step closer to her husband, Aria following while still glued to her. “Don’t tell me you agreed to that?” Teresa asked, puzzled.

“Aria will be getting married to Dante, and there is nothing I or anyone can do about it. This alliance is meant to end the unnecessary killing between the two families. At least it might stabilize the underworld,” he explained.

“Dad, please, it doesn’t have to be this way,” Aria stuttered. A tear rolled down her face. Her limbs went cold. “Uncle Marco, please say something!” Aria called, turning to him. His gaze was elsewhere; he didn’t even have the courage to look her in the eye. A fresh tear slid down.

She turned. “Uncle Roberto, please,” she cried. But they all kept quiet. Turning back to her mother with trembling hands, her hold tightened. “Mo… Mom,” her voice cracked, as if begging her not to bail on her, too.

Teresa's mouth parted. “Lorenzo, please, you should—”

“Love, the final decision has already been made. There is no going back,” Don Lorenzo interrupted her plea.

“There is no way I’m getting married to that psychopath. I would rather die than wed him!” Aria yelled, her hands trembling from anger, eyes soaked in tears.

Don Lorenzo stood up. His eyes darkened as he took two steps toward her and stopped.

“I don’t remember asking for your opinion, Aria,” he growled, his eyes locked with hers. “I was only informing you. Next week, you will be getting married to Dante Vallenis, and that is final,” he blasted, before walking away.

Aria stood frozen, her hands slipping off her mother, staring at the spot where her father had been. One by one, her uncles stood and left. They couldn't even look at her. Only her mother remained, tears streaming down her face—but even she said nothing.

Aria's knees buckled. She sank to the floor, sobbing audibly, hands clutched to her stomach. Her mother crouched down to her, hugging her. She caressed her hair. “Love, don't cry… I will talk to him.”

“I can’t do this,” Aria sobbed.

………….. 

DANTE

{Vallenis Estate}

“I hope you know there is no way I’m getting married to the daughter of Lorenzo D’Amore. I’m just saying it so I know if we’re on the same page,” Dante broke the silence as they walked into the mansion, trailing behind his father and Adrian.

Silence followed. No answer came.

Dante came to a dead halt, his boots echoing against the tile. “Father.”

Don Vallerio stopped and turned slowly. So did his brother, Adrian.

“What do you want me to say? I asked you not to act without my instructions; you did the opposite. Now you want me to stand up for you against the Deca Familia? Do you know what that means? I will literally be going up against the whole of Italy,” Don Vallerio exploded.

“Dante, rather than start a war that will make the whole of Italy come for our family legacy—” he stopped, placing both hands on his waist. “I, Don Vallerio Vallenis,” he stated, pointing at himself, “will willingly force you to wed the daughter of our enemy.”

“So listen to me. You’ve got three options currently. The first is you get married to their daughter, and we all move on, because that’s the only way for us—no, for you—to prove your innocence,” he sneered, taking a step forward.

“Secondly, if you don’t want to marry her, you have until next week to find a much better solution. But if you fail to go with either of the first two options, believe me, you don’t want to know what the third option is,” Don Vallerio warned.

He raised his arm mid-air, just inches from Dante’s face, gritting his teeth as if holding back. Clenching his fist slowly, he stepped back, still glaring with disappointment. Don Vallerio shook his head and walked away. Adrian simply followed him without saying a word.

“Fuck!” Dante yelled, slamming his phone onto the floor.