Chapter 1

"Your father is waiting in his study" Rosana looked down at the luggage she was holding and sighed. She couldn't help wondering why her father urgently needed her in his study. What could be so important? She wasn't even allowed to drop her bags before her mother conveyed the message. "Is anything the problem, Mammà?" "No, absolutely not," Aria responded with a faux smile. She looked worried and anxious and Rosana could tell because she kept rubbing her hands. She gave her mother a suspicious look and turned to look around. Surely, this was not the atmosphere she expected to meet after being away for the past three years. "I will drop my bags first and then I will meet him in the study" Aria smiled and returned to the kitchen while Rosana headed up the stairs. Once inside her room, she smiled and dropped her bags on the neatly dressed bed. The room was clean which meant that Aria had taken care of it in preparation for her homecoming. Rosana looked at the ring on her middle finger and smiled as she headed out to meet her father. Tonight or the next morning, she was going to share the good news with everyone. Her parents were going to be so proud of her, she thought. "Father!" She called out in excitement after bursting into the quiet room. Mr. Santos turned from the window and smiled at his daughter who had long grown into a beautiful woman. "Principessa!" He smiled as she rushed into his arms. In his father's arms, Rosana was relieved. When she had gotten the call from him, asking her to return home immediately, she had thought the worst. She didn't even waste time. She just booked the next flight and rushed back to Italy. "Father, you are well. I thought something bad happened" "Oh, not at all, mio caro" Mr. Santos replied and motioned for her to take a seat at the other end of the table. "I am glad you came quickly" "I have good news, Papito. I..." Rosana started but was cut off by her father. "We can talk about that later, sì? Right now, there is something important you need to know" Disappointment flashed across her soft features but she covered it up quickly. She nodded and smiled instead, wondering what was so important that couldn't wait until the next day. She had just arrived some minutes ago and wasn't properly welcomed by her parents. She wasn't even allowed to relax after hours of sitting on the plane. "You will be married soon..." Her heart skipped in excitement. She didn't even know when she cut him off. "Yes, Father, I..." "The wedding is tomorrow, Rosana, and you must be prepared" Few seconds passed and neither of them said a word. They just sat, staring at each other. "My wedding? Tomorrow?" She was speechless. Her wedding? It was hard to process any of what her father had just said. "Sì, sì. We do not have any more time, Rosana. You have to be ready" She stared at him, still confused. "We have a lot of time, Papito. We are not planning to rush anything" With a deep sigh, her father stood up and walked over to a smaller table in the room. He picked up a bottle and poured himself a glass of alcohol. After taking a sip, he looked heavenward, thinking deeply. He still did not know how to break the news to his only child. She had been betrothed some years ago and it hurt him that he couldn't change the situation. Tomorrow, he was going to come and collect her and there was nothing anyone could do about it. A sigh ripped out of Rosana's chest as she looked at the ring on her finger. She wasn't surprised that her father had found out about it before she could break the news to them. He was in the mafia and he had lots of connections all over the world but what still surprised her was why he was asking her to marry the next day. "Look, Papito, everything is going to be fine, you do not have to worry. Allen and I would get married and make grandbabies for you and Mammà immediately" Mr. Santos paused and turned to look at her. It was now his turn to look confused. When she smiled and looked down at the ring on her finger, his heart stopped in his chest. The glass he was holding fell from his hand and broke into pieces. "Papà!" Rosana yelled in shock and got out of her chair. She immediately rushed over but he stopped her before she could get closer to him. "What have you done, Rosana? You got engaged?" The look on his face terrified her but she managed to respond. "Yes, Father. Allen and I got engaged one week ago" When he sighed deeply and went over to stand in front of the window, she had to explain. "I wanted to tell you and Mammà, Papito. Allen and I have been in love for the past four years. I did not mean to keep it a secret" "Do you know how dangerous this is, Rosana? He could have our heads if he finds out!" She stared at him then, the confused look returning to her face. What was he talking about? She wondered. Who was he talking about? If the wedding wasn't with her fiance, Allen, then who? "You are going to return the ring and end things with this man, è chiaro?" [Is that clear?] "His name is Allen, my fiance" "I do not care, Rosana!" He yelled and walked over to her. Rosana was now frightened. Her father had never yelled at her and she had never seen him look this way. "He is coming to take you tomorrow, so you will do as I say, Principessa. Tonight, you will pick your wedding gown and you will be ready for him." Rosana was on the verge of bursting into tears but she held herself. She still could not understand a thing he was saying and silently prayed it was not what she was thinking. It couldn't be a forced marriage. No, her father will never do that. He loved her so much and wanted her to be happy, always. "Who is this man, Papito?" Her voice quivered. She gulped hard, ignoring the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "Your betrothed, Sergio De Niro" Her breath hitched at her throat and her heart started racing a million miles just from hearing his name. There was only one man who bore that name and she couldn't be mistaken. Tears brimmed her vision and this time, she couldn't hold it in. She wished she was dreaming. Her father was never a man that joked around and the seriousness in his face said it all. This was real. "No Papito, no... I am engaged, you can not do this... Non puoi farlo, Papito!" [You can't do this to me, Father] "It has already been done, Rosana" His voice was filled to the brim with irritation. "Now, be a good girl and start getting prepared" Rosana begged and cried but it fell on deaf ears. Her father had made the decision already and there was nothing she could do to change it. "Vattene!" [Get out!] He ordered and turned back to face the window. Just like that, her fate had been sealed. * "Stop crying, you will ruin your makeup," Aria said and immediately dabbed Rosana's wet cheeks with a handkerchief. "Mi dispiace tanto, Rosana. I tried to talk to him but he would not listen" [I'm so sorry] Rosana stared at herself in the mirror and sobbed harder. She still couldn't believe it. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying the whole night and she was having a fever too. She only acceded to put on the wedding dress because her father had threatened to find her Allen and end his life. Allen was her heart, her world and she couldn't let anything happen to him. Rosana tried not to cry inside the car as they headed to where the wedding ceremony was going to take place. She was still overwhelmed by hopelessness and shock. If only she knew, she would never have returned. She would've gone into hiding with Allen in a place no one would ever find them. "Boss, we are here" The driver announced, breaking into her jumbled-up thoughts. With the help of her father, she alighted from the car and looked around. She held onto her veil firmly, feeling thankful that she wore it. At least, no one could see how messed up her face looked from crying so hard. Everyone stood to their feet as they walked into the building. All eyes turned to look at her and she wished the ground could open up for once and swallow her. With her arm entwined with her father's, he walked her down the aisle. Rosana clung to her father's arms like her life was depending on it. All the men in the room were dressed in black and it caused a thrill of shiver to run down her spine. What were these people, she wondered. When they finally got to the altar, Rosana searched around for her groom but he was nowhere to be found. Silently, she prayed that he had forgotten about the wedding and had abandoned her. "He will be here soon" The Bishop spoke softly and Rosana stared at him in bewilderment. She had never heard a story of a bride arriving for her wedding before the groom. It was always the groom who arrived first and waited for his bride. Rosana felt like crying all over again. She was not even betrothed to a normal man. She was betrothed to the king of hell, Sergio De Niro. The name that caused thousands to bow in terror and powerful men to cower in fear. She had never seen him but she had heard stories of how ruthless, deadly, and evil he was. That was the person she was going to marry in the next few minutes. Rosana didn't realize when she started struggling to untwine her arms from her father's. She wanted to be anywhere but there, she wanted to run. "Rosana... Rosana, what are you doing?" Mr. Santos whispered and looked around. Everyone was watching but none of them could utter a word. "Comportati bene, signorina. You are embarrassing me!" [Behave, young lady.] "Let me go! I do not want to marry him, Father!" She whispered in return, fighting hard to get away from him. He hissed in annoyance and looked around one more time before turning back to her. He didn't care if they were standing in front of the bishop who watched them in awe. "Enough, young lady!" He gritted, glaring hard at her. "I do not care if you want this or not. I am your father and you will do as I say. If I ask you to live, then you will live. And if I ask you to die, Rosana, you will die!" "And who gave you such rights, hmm?" A deep monotonous voice broke in behind them. It was enough to nail the terror to their limbs. Mr. Santos tried to speak but the words couldn't flow out. He couldn't even look at him in the face. Instead, he bowed and stepped aside so he could stand beside Rosana. "I would have your head the next time you speak to my bride in such a manner." He spoke acidly, his metallic eyes covered with darkness. "My apologies, Mr. De Niro, it would never happen again" Mr. Santos's knees hit the ground immediately. All this time, Rosana stared at him, completely appalled. She couldn't believe he was finally here. When he finally turned to look at her, her heartbeat froze and blood drained from her face. He was there, he was standing right in front of her... Sergio De Niro. He quickly appraised her from head to toe. Then he frowned in disapproval. "Troppi vestiti" [Too much clothes]. "What is your name?" Rosana's tongue suddenly felt tied but she managed to answer. "Rosana" He took a step and was now standing beside her. "Ro, lo facciamo?" [Shall we?] His voice was deep and his Italian accent dripped out of every word he spoke. Rosana shuddered. Her breath hitched at her throat and came out ragged. Did he just call her by the nickname her late brother gave her?