Chapter 10
Ariel
“Where’s Guilia?” I asked the moment Mama flicked the light switch.
“In her house,” Her tone was curt. “You put her in danger, Ariel. Have you lost your mind? Why did you take such a risk? What if you have died,” She scolded me.
“That would have been better,” I murmured inaudibly.
I trotted to my once comfortable bed and flung myself on it, straddling my pillow for comfort. This might be the last time I’d set foot in this house so I tried to capture every image I had of it.
“I should be asking you and Dad the same question, but there’s no need for that because I already have the answer,” I replied angrily.
“I’m still your mother,” She rasped, her voice sounded hurt but I ignored it.
There was no rude word I’d utter that would match the grave sin she had committed against me.
“Are you?”
Her lips parted slightly and she sank onto the bed, fiddling with the bodice of her cream lace dress. “Hearing you speak to me like this breaks my heart so much, but I can’t even reprimand you because I deserve it. I should have stood my ground and supported you, but I was too cowardly to say anything. Please forgive me, Ariel,”
Instantly, the bitterness that had gathered in my heart dissipated and I understood her helplessness. That was why I didn’t want to marry a man like my father, but here I was, marrying someone who was twice as bad as him.
But if this situation tried to repeat itself in the future, I’d die trying to protect my daughter. Even if I didn’t get to experience the true meaning of love, none of my children, especially my daughters, would have a taste of a loveless marriage.
I crawled to her and circled her waist, hugging her from behind.
“It’s not your fault, mama. Daddy just showed us how insignificant we are to him and though I’ve been trying to act tough, I’m heartbroken and scared.” I admitted with my voice cracking. “I don’t even know what he looks like and I’m still a virgin, mom…”
She tilted her face slightly so that I could see her face and she smiled in relief. “I know that you were lying back there at the study. You’d never throw yourself at any man so cheaply,”
I nodded reluctantly in affirmation and then she headed to the bathroom and brought back a first aid kit with her.
With every second that passed by, my fear closed in on me. I thought that I still had some time, but remembering that I’d be moving with the masked man; I hated calling him my husband, made me want to vanish into thin air.
Mama cleaned the dried blood and pasted a band-aid closed to my lips, then she began to search through my wardrobe. I sat tiredly, watching her rummage through my boxes until she found a short white dress that I could wear for our marriage.
She placed the dress on my body with a sad smile plastered on her lips. “You have a lost little weight, but this will fit you perfectly,”
I wanted to be done with the whole ceremony as soon as possible so I collected it from her and put it on. The earlier I ended the torture, the better it would be for my mental health.
“We should return to the study. I don’t want to keep them waiting,”
She nodded in agreement and glanced at my wardrobe. “Nancy will arrange your clothes and have your other personal effects ready before you leave,” She informed me.
********
The priest was already waiting for us by the time we returned to the study and so were the others. He stood up with some papers in his hands while Dmitri and I faced each other.
I kept my gaze darting everywhere else apart from his masked face even though his attention was trained on me. I wondered what he wanted to see, but I wouldn’t give him that access.
“With the permission of the parents, we’ll begin the ceremony,” He declared and turned his gaze to me.
“Ariel Scuderi, do you take this man, Dmitri Mikhailov to be your lawfully wedded husband?” He asked.
I held my breath and glanced at my mother who gave a gentle nudge. This wasn’t the time for me to be impulsive as the lives of two people depended on my decision.
“Yes… I do,” I peered at Dmitri’s face and as usual, it held no emotions.
Everyone clapped and I held back the urge to scoff. The level of hypocrisy in the room was sickening, I could even feel bile rising in my throat at their pretentious smiles and cheers.
Then he turned to Dmitri, “Do you, Dmitri Mikhailov take Ariel Scuderi to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Without any hesitation, the annoying response left his lips. “Yes, I do,”
Bastard, I muttered under my breath. Only he had the power to stop this marriage but he wouldn’t because of his stupid manly ego and also, he was going to punish me for running away.
I wish he knew what he was getting into.
His brother advanced towards us and held the rings’ box open. Two bands were seated in it, one of them was bigger and made of pure gold which I assumed belonged to Dmitri while the other ring was coated with diamond stones.
I glanced at my empty middle finger and sighed, hoping that they wouldn’t ask me about my engagement ring. I’d kept it aside in the duffel bag in Freud’s house.
Good luck to whoever found it.
After exchanging the old cliche vow that further increased my irritation, I stretched forth my finger for the ring to be put on me. He slipped it in slowly, reminding me that I was one of his most prized possessions and after everyone clapped, I did the same to him.
My skin crawled when I remembered that we would have to kiss and I shook my head vehemently. There’s no way I’d be locking my lips with this man.
The priest seemed to read my mind as he didn’t bother asking us to seal our union with a kiss.
“With the power vested in me, I hereby declare you husband and wife,”
Cheers rang on in the room while I stifled a yawn. Between hunger and exhaustion I didn’t know which one was succeeding in consuming me faster.
He leaned closer and muttered, “Congratulations, you finally became my wife,”
I let out a disgusted snort then and rolled my eyes. “You don’t know what you just got yourself into,”
“Bring it on, Ariel, and I hope you’re ready for tonight because it’s going to be a very long one,” He cackled and gave me a little distance, folding his hands behind him.
My face lost its color and cold chills ran down my spine as reality dawned on me.
“I’m not sleeping with you, besides, I’m no longer a virgin,” I lied.
If his pride was hurt I couldn’t tell because he masked his feelings so well. Then he leaned again, “That would make it better. At least I don’t have to worry myself with being gentle with you,”
I gasped and cupped my cheeks at my silliness. I wanted to throw a snide remark when his phone rang.
“Hello, Armen, what’s going on?” He demanded authoritatively and I observed that he had switched from the less formal tone he used with me to a bossy one.
Mama signaled that I come over to stay with her since the other men had busied themselves with bottles of wine and other hard drinks.
I avoided my father and didn’t bother glancing at him. If he could offer me to a stranger so easily because of business then we had nothing to talk about.
I’d merely crossed over to her when I heard a string of cusses leave Dmitri’s mouth.
“What? Liora is in danger?” He barked, marching to the door. “I’ll be right there,” He ended the call.
“We have to leave now, Ariel,” His tone left no room for argument while I wondered who Liora was.
“Why now? And who’s she?”
“Don’t ask any questions, Ariel. Just do as I say,”