ARIANA’S POV~
I didn’t know what happened after the lights went off, but when I woke up I was back in the hotel room, I sat up and that was when I noticed Silvio standing in the room with flowers in his hand, he dropped them by me on the bed and smiled.
” Your marriage with Mateo is getting annulled as we speak,” he said.
The last thing I remembered was waking up to the sound of a bullet and Mateo sprawled out on the floor.
“You killed him, you killed Mateo!” I cried as the memory kept flooding in,.
“I don’t want to be with you,” I retorted as tears poured down my eyes.
I can’t believe Mateo is dead.
“I told you, only one of us comes out Alive, and I knew it would be me, I never doubted it for a second,” he said proudly.
“Mateo was just a power-hungry bastard, but with this,” he paused touching my belly lightly
“I’ll get it right, he will never know his blood is tainted with a diseased lineage, he will be an Argento, a better Argento” he finished, I shook my head in protest.
“Let me go, Silvio, I don’t want anything to do with you, you are not going to raise my child” I retorted, I kicked the flower away from me and it fell at his feet.
“That’s okay sunshine, I will make you love me, take your time to rest, I need you to be healthy when you walk down the aisle,” he smiled, taking my shaky hand and planting a kiss at the back as he stared hard at me.
My body shook as his words echoed through my head.
I’ve been given to Silvio, my husband is dead, less than a few weeks and I have been widowed.
“I can never love you Silvio, you are my worst nightmare,” I said, his face turning into a scowl.
“So you love Mateo?” He asked moving forward,
“I want to be far from both of you, you are both sick, I’m not a property you can fight over, I’m just a girl who wants a better life than this! But somehow I keep getting stuck over and over in this crazy life, I want to be anywhere but here” I responded.
“That’s all going to change soon my love, I’m a fair man, you will understand who I am and you will love me eventually,” he said, he took both my hands in his and sat beside me on the bed.
“I’ll touch you in ways you never thought possible, I don’t care if I came second I’ll make bloody sure I’ll be your last, I’ll give you an amazing life, one you never thought possible, the one Mateo could never give you” he promised as he looked into my eyes intently.
I shook my hands free from him,
” I will never love you, Silvio, my child will never call you father, you are a murderer!” I yelled, he grabbed my face roughly and released it immediately.
“Don’t provoke me, I could have had you killed after I found out you let my enemy between your legs, but I’m a forgiving man, a fair man, I know you didn’t know better, but now you must adjust to the new reality?” he said sternly, he got up and headed towards the door.
“Tomorrow we are heading Back home, you can rest, there is a doctor on standby waiting for you when you come back, you are in great care, I’ll treat you like a queen” he stated.
I was silent, is this my new reality?
To be Silvio’s trophy wife for all to see.
My father sold me once again to the highest bidder.
“I’m going to leave you to rest, there is going to be protection at your door” he said.
“protection from what? I thought you already vanquished your enemy?” I asked,
“What are you afraid of, you’ve killed Mateo, haven’t you? So what are you afraid of!” I exclaimed, he looked at me, rage in his eyes, he lunged at me and grabbed my face roughly again in his big gruff hands.
“Silvio Argento fears no-one! Do you hear me? No one! Don’t let me bring the ugly side of me, I’m trying to be good, I’ve done wicked things woman don’t fucking test Me!” He said, the look in his eyes terrified me, one day he might just kill me and no one would be none the wiser.
He threw my face aside and walked out of the door.
Tears flowed down my face endlessly, I’ve been sold again, imprisoned by my father, and passed around like an old toy between men who still act like children.
Is this what happened to Chiara? What did these two men do to her that made her like that?
Would it also happen to me? Would I also end up tied to a madhouse?
No! For the sake of my child No, I have to escape tonight before Silvio takes me back to his home.
I got out of bed, and as I stood on my legs I instantly felt weak, I sat back down, poured myself a glass of water from the jug and took fast gulps like I had been dehydrated for months.
I moved towards the open windows and peered out into the landscape of the hotel.
I loved the serenity of it, it reminded me of the garden party my mother and I had often.
I saw Aleid go into the hotel through the back door, I waved At her but she didn’t see me, I saw Marcus and I quickly ducked.
Did he see me? Am I fucked?
In my state of panic, I heard a knock on the door, my heart started to race, is it Silvio? Did Marcus see me wave?
The knock came again, “room service!” I heard a voice call again, could it be Aleid, did she see me?
I rushed to the door,
“Room service ma’am, I brought a copy of the brochure too”
Aleid! She saw me! Oh, thank Goodness.
I opened the door for her to come in, she smiled at the guards out front and rode the trolley inside.
I closed the door, “Oh Aleid I never thought I’d see you again you have no…..”
“We don’t have much time!” She interjected, she reached under the trolley and threw me a bag.
“change into this, in a few minutes the guards out front would be knocked out, I spoke to your Cousin, Fiona. She’s waiting for you in London, there’s a train you must get on tonight! I’ll hide you at mine, and take you to the train station” she said hurrying me to change into the uniform she got me.
As I opened the door 10 minutes later I found my protectors fast asleep with unfinished cakes at their feet.
“Here we go, ” Aleid smiled.
Thank you, God, my first step to freedom.