Betrothed To The Ruthless Mafia

“Allen!” No, it couldn’t be, she said to herself before asking the question that had popped into her mind the moment she saw him. “What are you doing here?”

“I… I…”

He was speechless. Even after a year of being apart, his heart couldn’t stop thumping hard at the sight of her. It felt like a dream. One he’d awaken from with a broken heart all over again. What was she doing there? He wondered with furrowed brows.

Rosana watched the expression on his face and sighed. She could see the hurt in his eyes, one that showed he was still in pain after all those months. Deep down, she wished she could explain everything to him. But what difference would it make?

“Happy birthday!” He rushed out and chuckled dryly. “You know I would never forget how special this day is to both of… Um… To you!”

So he remembered… Rosana thought and smiled nervously. “Thank you”

“And… And this is for you” He proffered the present he was holding. “I was about to drop it off with Julie so she could give it to you anytime you dropped by.”

Rosana hesitantly got the gift which was a small square box. What could be inside it? She wondered, shaking it lightly. When she finally looked up, she caught him staring hard at her with a serious and pained look in his eyes.

“Today was supposed to be our anniversary, Ana. Hell, maybe we would’ve gotten married already and celebrated today like normal couples.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “Allen…”

“Was it that guy they called “Don?” Was he the one that forced you to end us?” He asked and took a step closer to her. “What happened? You said you were just going to visit your parents because they called. You never said you were going to get married to some other dude”

Taking a deep breath, she stepped away from him. “That dude is Sergio De Niro, my husband. I was betrothed to him when I was ten but I never knew. I only got to know about it the day before our wedding and there was no turning back”

“For f*ck’s sake”

“I tried to reach out to you… I tried to escape and come back to you… I am sorry, Allen”

Once again, he was speechless. It was hard to believe what she had just said especially when he lived the past months believing she dumped him for another man. A powerful Italian man whom he didn’t know but feared greatly.

“You know, I never believed any of it was real. I never believed you were gone and now with another man. For months, I believed I’d wake up one day with you beside me. I believed that one day, I’d return home from the company and find you preparing dinner in the kitchen. Then we’d talk about how our day went and laugh at some funny jokes. I believed that one day, we’d get married, have kids, and live a happy life like we always wanted. But each time I opened the drawer and saw the engagement ring you returned to me that night…”

He paused and squeezed his eyes shut as the memories of that night resurfaced in his head. They never left but after months, he had stopped dwelling in them because they were tearing him apart. Not just him but his company which was slowly falling apart while he basked himself in alcohol.

“Allen…”

He finally opened his eyes and looked at her. She looked more beautiful than ever and… And different. What did that man do to her? Who was he?

“Are you happy?” He asked and gulped. “With him, I mean”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

She didn’t need to think about the question because the answer radiated from within. She was happy. Even happier than she ever thought she’d be. She didn’t realize the smile that curved out of the corner of her lips until Allen’s voice broke in.

“Of course, you are happy” He chuckled bitterly and looked around. “Do you love him?”

On hearing his next question, she stilled. Her heart slammed against her ribcage, and her breathing stopped. “Do you love him?” His question echoed in her head as her heart quickened and her throat went dry. Love…

“Exactly what I thought!” Allen muttered and went closer to her. He placed both hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently. “You do not love him, then what are you doing with him?”

Rosana could barely hear him over the blood pounding against her temples. Love… Was that what she felt for him already? Was that the reason her heart kept beating wildly whenever he was around? Was that the reason she couldn’t stop thinking and worrying about him whenever he was away? Was that the reason she missed him so much and felt scared whenever she couldn’t reach him? Was it all because she was in love with him?

She didn’t realize when Allen wrapped his arms around her and buried his face on her neck. “Come with me, Rosana, let’s get out of here. Let’s go back to our normal lives”

When did she fall in love with the ruthless Sergio De Niro? Rosana kept asking herself. She hated him for as long as she could remember and didn’t want to have anything to do with him. So when did it happen? How come she never realized she had fallen deeply in love with a man she thought she’d hate forever?

“What. The. F*ck is going on here?”

The deep voice broke into her thoughts and she turned around at once. It was one voice she was now familiar with and could recognize even when he was miles away. It was the only voice that still managed to send sizzles down her spine.

“Ana, let’s get out of here!” Allen whispered into her ear and protectively wrapped his arms around her waist.

Sergio’s eyes darkened when they lowered to his hands around her. His hands curled into a fist beside him and his jaw clenched. When he opened his mouth to speak again, his voice was dangerously low and filled with venom.

“Get. Away. From. Her!”