Page 3 of His Bride

The sun has long since set by the time I set my tablet aside. My eyes burn from staring at the screen, but the completed artwork brings a small measure of satisfaction. A final act of defiance against the future that’s been thrust upon me.

A soft knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts. “Adriana?” my mother’s gentle voice calls. “May I come in?”

I consider ignoring her, burying myself under the covers and pretending this day never happened. But the concern in her tone tugs at my heart.

“Yes, Mama,” I reply, my voice hoarse from crying.

Maria Moretti enters the room, her silk robe swishing softly against the carpet. Her dark hair, so like my own, is pulled back in a loose braid. Worry lines crease her forehead as she takes in my tear-stained face and rumpled clothes.

“Oh, my love,” she breathes, sitting beside me on the bed. Her arms wrap around me, enveloping me in the comforting scent of lavender and home. “Your father told me what happened.”

I stiffen in her embrace. “Did he tell you how he’s ruining my life?”

She pulls back, cupping my face in her hands. “Adriana, you must understand. Your father-”

“Is doing what’s best for the family,” I finish bitterly. “I’ve heard it already.”

“It’s more complicated than that,” she insists, her green eyes pleading. "

I jerk away from her touch, anger flaring hot in my chest. “Complicated? What’s complicated about selling your daughter to a criminal?”

My mother flinches, her face paling. “Adriana, please. You don’t understand the position we’re in.”

“Then explain it to me!” I demand, my voice rising. “Explain how forcing me to marry a stranger is the right thing to do!”

She reaches for my hand, but I pull away, standing up to pace the room. The walls feel like they’re closing in, suffocating me with their familiar patterns and childhood memories.

“Your father…” she begins, hesitating. “He’s made some mistakes. Terrible mistakes that have put our family in danger.”

I whirl to face her, my heart pounding. “What kind of danger?”

She shakes her head, tears glistening in her eyes. “It’s best you don’t know the details. But this marriage… it’s our only chance to make things right.”

“By sacrificing me?” The words taste bitter on my tongue.

“By securing your future,” she corrects gently. “The Rossi family is powerful. They can protect you, give you a life of comfort and security.”

I laugh, the sound harsh and mirthless. “At what cost, Mama? My freedom? My dreams?”

She stands, reaching for me again. This time, I let her take my hands in hers. “Sometimes we must make sacrifices for those we love,” she says softly.

The fight drains out of me, leaving only a hollow ache in my chest. “Does Papa love me?” I ask, voicing the fear that’s been gnawing at me since he delivered the news. “Or am I just a pawn in his game?”

“Oh, mia cara,” she breathes, pulling me into another embrace. “Your father loves you more than anything in this world. That’s why this is tearing him apart.”

I want to believe her. I desperately want to believe that the man who taught me to ride a bike and kissed my scraped knees hasn’t become this cold, calculating stranger. But the memory of his stern face as he announced my fate keeps replaying in my mind.

“Then why?” I choke out, tears threatening to spill over again. “Why is he doing this?”

My mother pulls back, her eyes searching mine. “Because sometimes love means making impossible choices. Your father believes this is the only way to keep you safe.”

“Safe from what?” I demand, frustration building again. “You keep talking about danger, but you won’t tell me what it is!”

She sighs, her shoulders sagging. “There are things in this world, Adriana… dark things that we’ve tried to shield you from. But we can’t protect you forever.”

A chill runs down my spine at her words. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that your father’s past is catching up to us,” she admits quietly. “And if we don’t act now, the consequences could be far worse than an arranged marriage.”

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