2. A Marriage Contract

DAPHNE

♡

MY HUSBAND…DEAD. My Wedding Day? Ruined. My family and friends? I didn't even know where they were.

Rico.

Oh Rico.

Tears fogged my eyes but I immediately blinked them away as I stared out of the window of the car, this jerk wasn't going to see me cry. I fisted my dress to numb the insane pain I felt in my heart.

Alexander sat beside me like the devil he was, his eyes fixed on his phone as he pressed some buttons on the screen, the ring on his fingers glistened as the sunlight bounced off it.

He killed Rico.

He murdered Rico.

And here he was acting like everything was okay.

My fists tightened on my dress. The urge to break his nose clawed at my skin but I held myself, especially as I knew that provoking him would lead to something much more worse than him murdering my fiancé.

He could murder my friends.

Or worse, my uncle. That thought sent a shiver down my spine.

Soon he dropped the phone and looked at me, I looked away but still I could feel his burning gaze. “ Caro Mio…” His voice came, low, thick and cold.

My inside bobbled with rage. He dared to call me Caro Mio after what he did. “ Are you upset?” Of course I wasn't, I wasn't upset, I was pissed, disgusted and I badly wanted to destroy him to shreds.

“ Look at me.” He ordered and I ignored him, my gaze fixed at the blue sky above us, wishing I could get away from this car and be free like the birds were— I couldn't. “ Look at me!” He increased his tone, making me flinch. Slowly, I turned.

The tension lines on his face loosen and a smile crept up his lips. “ Are you upset?”

Was this dude serious right now?!

I let out a scoff. “ Of course I wasn't.” sarcasm burned through my tone and I was sure he noticed because he smirked.

If he thought he was charming then he was wrong, so very wrong. “ You killed my husband—”

“ My men did.” He cut in, his tone dismissive as a frown climbed up his lips. Good.

“ That's doesn't change the fact that you killed him, you kidnapped me on my wedding day, ruined the best day of my life—”

“ We're going to have another wedding.”

“ And do you think I would agree to that?”

“ Of course you will.” He said smugly and I chuckled.

“ What makes you think that?”

“ Because.” His gaze darkened. “ You wouldn't want your uncle dead would you?”

The laugh died in my throat, cold air brushed my skin and I was sure it wasn't from the AC. Probably from the coldness of his threat. No it definitely was from the coldness of his threat. “ You wouldn't dare.” I tried to sound brave even though inside I was dying from fear. But he didn't even seem fazed by my words, in fact, he seemed amused as he leaned closer— the car suddenly felt small and compact— the air around me burned thick with his scent, his eyes roamed round my body, leaving goosebumps at its wake, ravishing me like I was some food to be devoured. I swallowed.

“ You look beautiful when you try to defy me Caro Mio but don't…” “ Don't ever try it again.” His voice came off cracked and raspy.

“ We're here Boss.” The driver's voice came and he shifted away from me, giving me room to breathe. The door beside him opened and he stepped out. I was still stunned as he walked around the car, coming to my side and pulling the door open. He stretched his hand, the emptiness of his palm begged to be filled with mine but I shoved it away and stepped down the vehicle myself.

“ Feisty.” He murmured but I muted his voice in my head, pretending like I didn't hear him. He walked to me and took my hand as we walked into the menacing building. A fountain sat at the middle of the entrance, water cascading down the marble structure filling the small pond beneath it.

The monstrosity which he called a house stood tall and proud. Featuring a very tall pillar of ruthless symmetry — two carved columns, a sweep of polished steps and windows like dark eyes watching the drive.

Another fountain at the fore gurgled and glowed in the evening light, its tiers throwing silver into the marble bowls below. Lanterns hung like watchful sentries; the place smelled faintly of lemon oil and something colder underneath — machine, money, calculation. Not a single element felt accidental. It was all designed to impress, to intimidate, to make a person feel small before the man inside even opened his mouth.

He closed the car door behind me and the world narrowed to the sound of our footsteps on stone.

The door was pulled open by the two door men standing behind it, they gave us a slight bow, mumbling their greetings, Alexander barely acknowledged them but I shot them a smile which they reciprocated but soon stopped and I couldn't help but wonder why…

We matched up the stairs and he made sure I was in front of him so that I wouldn't “run away” not like I could, the entire place was filled to the brim with his guards and I couldn't help but feel suffocated.

The floor beneath us squeaked, the chandelier which hung above us casting golden rays of light over it, the air thick with his dominance and power and to me that was a symbol that I was trapped and I wasn't going to see my friends or my uncle again.

“ We're here Caro Mio.” He called me out of my trance and I bashed my lashes, taking in the beauty of the room before me. “ Our bedroom.”

“ What!”

What did he mean by our Bedroom? So I was going to share a bedroom with him.

He circled the small of my back and I tried to move away but he bound me still. “ We're a couple aren't we? And couples share beds.”

“ No, we aren't a couple. And WE’RE NOT going to share a bed together.”

He crossed the space between us, my back pressed against the wooden frame of the door, his nose rubbed against mine, the air coming from his nostrils kissed my skin.

“ How long do you think you're going to be mad at me Caro Mio?” He asked the question as his calloused fingers rubbed against my arm, going higher and higher till it reached my cheeks. “ You can't be mad forever. You're going to marry me whether you like it or not…”

I smirked and raised my knee, making sure it hit him in the groin— Hard— he stepped back, groaning slightly. “ Next time you come closer, it'll be with a knife and I'll cut that thing off.”

With that. I walked into the room and shut the door leaving him out there with a probably broken d**k and a bruised ego— I mentally patted myself in the back as my weight pressed against the mattress.

I sighed.

My bones…heavy, exhaustion washing over me.

My gaze shifted to the ring on my finger, the diamond shimmering under the room light— Rico— I still remember the day he proposed like it was yesterday.

~

“ Wow Rico. This place, it's beautiful.” I mouthed as my eyes swept across the room taking in the beauty of the designs and flowers. Rico stepped closer, bus eyes glowing with nervousness and excitement.

“ You remember here don't you?” He asked, his voice soft.

I nodded. “ It's where we first met.” I whispered and he smiled even brighter, his pearly teeth glowing. I loved his smile so much and I couldn't help it. I began smiling too.

He slowly fell to the ground, his knees making contact with the grass beneath us, my heart sped up in my chest, the sound loud and almost deafening. At that moment, I knew what was going to happen. “ Butterfly…” air flooded my lungs. “ Every moment I sleep I dream about a life with you in it. I dream of a life where we're together and we're both happy. Every day I see you, you make my heart flutter in a way I don't even understand. Your smile alone brightens my world, making me believe that there's more to life than just work and suffering. You're the one who makes me happy, you're the one who brings me immense joy and I can't even imagine a life without you.” He pulled out a box from his pocket. “ Daphne, I want to marry you, so that we'll have that life that we've always dreamed of, that life of perfection and peace, just the way you like it…” he took in a breath. “ Butterfly, will you marry me?”

I didn't even wait for him to finish the question. I threw my hands around him, kissing his lips. Slowly. We separated with haggard breaths. “ Yes Rico, I will marry you.”

~

Tears fogged my vision. My breath sliced through my trembling lips, slowly, I reached for the ring, rubbing it gently.

That perfect life.

That perfect little life that Rico planned for us…was all gone.

And it was Alex's fault.

I circled my fists, the tears already rolling down my cheeks.

If Alex thought I was going to marry him, he was stupid, very very stupid. I would make him pay, I would make him suffer for killing Rico and ruining the perfect life I'd always dreamed of, the perfect life which was at the tip of my fingers but was washed away but him… I would ruin him the way he ruined me till my very last breath.

I pushed air through my lungs as I stood from the bed. I unzipped the dress, silk pooling around my feet, stained with blood. Not my blood…Rico's blood, I could still remember the coldness I felt when I held his body, the blood, it was everywhere. I still remember the silent I heard when I placed my head on his chest— when I realised that he was gone— tears poured out of my eyes in volumes.

I kicked the dress away and walked into the bathroom to freshen up.

As the water poured over my skin it gave me temporary comfort, one which I badly needed right now. I was now in the devil's cage and I knew I needed to be careful. I didn't know how mafia bosses operated but something I was sure of was that they were cruel. They were evil and they were very dangerous. The activities of the mafia, most of the time were gory or worse— I shivered.

I closed my eyes as I breathed through my slightly parted lips.

I could do this.

I could do this.

As I finished up with my bath, I grabbed the black towel on the rack and rubbed it against my skin. When I was done, I stepped out and saw a brown envelope sitting on my mattress. My brows dipped as I reached for the envelope and opened it. A white piece of paper welcomed me. Slowly, I pulled it open and when I read its contents my world stopped.

A MARRIAGE CONTRACT.

But the thing which shocked me was this…it was already signed by him and my father??