Chapter 2

Chapter 2-The Wife Transfer

Gloria Morano ignored her daughter-in-law’s question. It came out suddenly, the truth she’d wanted to keep in the dark until her son’s body was six feet underneath. Tensions were high, her son’s cause of death still unknown, families looking to take over now that Maximoff was off the picture:

Victoria gulped hard, unsure if she’d heard her mother-in-law correctly. She followed Gloria, eyes frantic and her hands quivering. Gloria Morano wasn’t the most welcoming person, she was a standoffish woman who prided herself in keeping the Morano family aligned, a relationship with her daughter in law wasn’t all that important to her.

She couldn’t have heard correctly, she kept on telling herself as she tagged behind her mother-in-law through the crowd, it just couldn’t be true.

“Mrs—

“Stand still.”

“But I—

“I said stand still.” Gloria was stern, her eyes filled with the void of a bereaved mother, “Your husband is about to be buried. The least you can do is show some respect.”

Respect? Victoria wanted to scoff. She’d just heard of the possibility of being married to someone else, and here her mother-in-law kept ranting about respect?

She remained mute, determined to pursue the conversation later as Maximof’s funeral was more important. So she watched, the coroner was done giving his last speech and it was time for the family to pay their last respects. Her eyes started to sting again as she walked towards his now closed coffin, her mother-in-law wanted her to remain strong but even a widow like her could only do so much.

“I would’ve been happy if you just postponed our trip.” She whispered, her voice cracking as she placed a kiss on his coffin. She could swear she felt the devil’s presence himself when she turned around, a gasp left her as it was his brother.

“My condolences.” He muttered.

She gulped hard, “Thank you.”

He took one swipe of a look at his brother’s coffin and turned to leave. Victoria stood there bemused, wondering how a man could be so callous as to not care about his brother’s own death. She quickly brushed off her tears, about to go after him when someone grabbed onto her wrist.

It was her mother, “You should stay out. Don’t besmirch your husband’s honor.”

Honor my ass, she thought to herself but remained put nonetheless. Her mother didn’t look devastated for Maximof’s death, it didn’t even matter anyway as it was an arranged marriage to keep the peace between both families.

For years the Morano’s and the Moretti’s have been at odds for the Bay Area and Cargo Wharf, a bloody war at that. It took a great deal of meddling from other Mafia families, stuck between having to pick allies to reach an impasse. Her marriage to Maximof was the result of that, a blood exchange as they called it.

Still, she had grown to love him and now he was dead. The tears couldn’t hold in her duct any longer, she squeezed her mother’s hands as tight as she could for support, as it began to pour down.

“Blood of my blood”. The coroner murmured.

“Flesh of my flesh.” Everyone chorused.

“To dust ye came.” He muttered.

“To dust ye shall return.” They said in unison, their hands on her chest, the showcase of a final salute to the mafia heir.

The coffin was finally let down and everyone started to get back into the house as signs of a thunderstorm started to show. Victoria wanted to pay one last and final respect to her husband, but she was held back by her mother and mother-in-law who also grabbed her by the second arm.

The sudden gesture threw her off guard, Gloria wasn’t a woman who would voluntarily get close with physical contact, unless she wanted something. Victoria’s fears started to grow yonder, her throat running dry.

“Join us for tea.” Gloria murmured.

She had no other choice but to obey, with her mother by her side there was a possibility of things being less likely to wrong. She tagged along as both women ushered her into the Morano house, they moved through the crowd of guests and up to the study library of her father-in-law.

She gasped softly. They were all seated and waiting for her arrival—Gillian Moretti, her father, Frank Morano, her father-in-law and a couple of other family members whose name she’d forgotten.

“What’s—

“Take a seat, Cara Mia.” Her father-in-law beckoned.

She frowned, obeying him regardless. Frank Morano wasn’t a man to be tested with, same as her father who she didn’t have the best relationship with.

“V…” Her father started.

She gasped. He only called her that when trouble was looming, “Yes?”

“We know it’s hard.” Frank took over, “You lost a husband. I lost a son. Max’s death has been hard on all of us, me the hardest as i just lost an heir. Grief is a really funny and powerful tool, it can be used for you or against you….”

Her eyes narrowed, “Father—

“Victoria. You’re my daughter.” Her father cut her off, “You have a duty to be loyal to your husband, but you have a higher duty to be loyal to the Morano family, you married into it after all…” He walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, “….Maximof is dead. There’s no bringing him back.”

“Dad….” She drawled.

“Our families have been at war for decades. We can’t have that treaty broken just because I lost an heir, there’s a greater danger than what you see Victoria.” Gloria finally spoke, “You have to take on the duty as the daughter-in-law of the family.”

She turned to her mother, “Mom…”

Emilia Moretti sighed, “They’re right Tori. You have to step up.”

Victoria shot to her feet, “Step up?? What are you talki— What’s going on??”

Just then, the door opened and he walked in with a cigar in one hand, a brandy glass on the other. Frank eyed his son and rolled his eyes, unable to believe he was about to do this.

“You have to take up the mantle daughter-in-law.”

“What mantle? Why isn’t anyone telling me anything?!”

Her father-in-law took one last breath, “A marriage proposal with my second son, Maximof’s brother. You’re going to marry him.”