Page 34 of Inescapable Ties
I peered through the rows of people and into the front row. Liria sat by herself, silently crying. I made a mental note to call her later on.
Eventually, the pallbearers carried the casket from the inside of the church into the hearse, escorting Valentina to her final resting place.
We could leave after, as the family had the burial in private. Guests filed out of the church and make their way back to the cars.
“Luciana,” my father said. “May I talk to you for a moment?”
It was worded as a question, but I knew it was a demand.
“Sure.”
He pulled me to the side of the building, away from prying eyes and to where no one could hear us.
“Well?” he asked.
“Well, what?”
“I just want to make sure things are going well with Emilio. You do remember why you married him, right?” He took a step closer to me, his taller frame looming over mine. “To help our family.”
I almost laughed when he said “help our family.” It was an interesting way to phrase that he had screwed up and was using me to fix it. No one had ever told me exactly what he did. But, I knew it must be big to trade a person for the mistake.
“Interesting choice of words. Last I checked, this was a business deal for your mistake,” I said, not bothering to hide the seething tone in my voice.
“Watch what you say, Luciana.”
My mind was reeling with thoughts and emotions, a hurricane of anger and resentment. Our unresolved issues hung heavily in the air between us, a tangled web of emotions and hurt. But as I looked into his eyes, filled with arrogant confidence and superiority, I knew it was useless. I made the decision to walk away rather than engage in another pointless argument with him.
“Everything is fine,” I said. “I’m going to leave now.”
As I turned to leave, he pushed me forcefully back into the outside of the building.
“Elaborate,” he hissed. He kept his forearm against my chest so I couldn’t get away. “Has he mentioned anything else regarding me?”
“Let me go!”
“Not until you give me what I asked for. Jesus Christ Luciana, you’ve always been the worst child.”
Hot tears of frustration welled up in my eyes as my father’s words stung. His cruel phrasing, the contemptuous glimmer in his eyes, and the brutal reality of his expectations for my marriage filled me with a resentment that bubbled and seethed beneath the surface of my dignity.
“Release my wife, Gennaro.”
Emilio’s voice cut through the tension like a fiery blade, and I turned my head to find him standing a few paces away, his eyes blazing with an icy fury. His lips were drawn taut in a thin, straight line, a testament to the barely contained anger he was holding back. His hands were clenched into fists at his side, a silent threat that made my father take a step back, releasing me.
My father instantly let go of me, and I scrambled towards Emilio and stood by his side.
“Of course. We were just having a bit of a disagreement.” My father laughed, and I could tell how fake it was. “Sometimes it’s hard having daughters.”
“You will never be alone with my wife again,” Emilio said. “And I will not be as generous next time I catch you doing something wrong.”
Emilio’s fingers intertwined with mine, our palms pressed together as we strolled towards the car. The gentle warmth of his hand radiated through my own, sending comforting tingles up my arm.
“I shouldn’t’ve let you be alone with him,” he muttered. “Gennaro is horrible.”
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” he said. “Honestly, I should just kill him. It would be less of a headache than keeping him around.”
The image of Martina, with her soft brown eyes and gentle smile, flashed through my mind. Despite our father’s cruel nature, she still loved him with all her heart. It was a love that could not be broken, no matter how much pain it caused her. The thought of hurting her in any way sent a sharp pang through my chest. It would be a heartbreak that would surely leave scars on her gentle soul.
