Serena
The air in Ardoria feels much different from the one in Sicily. Here, there was this intense feeling of urgency constantly hanging in the atmosphere and I can't help but feel like time is going by fast.
It's been four days since my dad called me to inform me of my arranged marriage to Ardoria's most notorious bachelor Damien Romano.
Dad and I have only said two words to each other since I arrived.
I could tell today was going to be the day he finally talks about whatever this entire arrangement is all about. I quickly shower and put on something suitable enough.
In Ardoria, I had my own maids and chaperones, like I was an actual real life princess but in this case I happen to be the daughter and only heiress to the Blackwood empire.
When I was younger, I really enjoyed the attention and privilege of having people at my beck and call but after I turned twenty, I tired of it and wanted to pursue other passions but my father was never in full support of it.
Breakfast was set by the time I went downstairs, and sitting directly opposite me was my dad.
If he noticed my presence, his face didn't in any way betray it and I knew if I didn't say something, he would drag this out until I woke up after four months of which by then I would have already been married to Damien.
"Good morning father,"
I say hoping it would somehow soften the grounds for a full on conversation but he seemed completely indifferent.
Just when I was about to give up and accept his silence, he spoke,
"Good morning Serena, I'm glad you had the good sense to come home after all these years."
"You know I never meant to stay away for too long, we both knew I'd have to come back eventually."
He paused as if contemplating if his next bite would give him a stomach ache before he finally spoke, "He's coming, he'll be visiting us today."
"Who is visiting us dad?" I say hoping the loud noise in my ears was anything other than what I was thinking. God please let it not be who I think it is.
"Damien…he'll be joining us for breakfast this morning. I should have informed you much earlier but I figured, he might as well just join us."
He said it so casually I almost got annoyed but I had to bridle my tongue if was going to get him to at least fucking make this a bit easier for me.
"What do you mean that he'll be joining us for breakfast father?"
"Last I checked Serena, I made sure you went to the best college in Ardoria and I'm sure your degree in Business Administration wasn't just for show. If you've become illiterate, deaf or dumb, you might as well inform me while I'm still breathing."
There it was, he was avoiding it. That's precisely all that he's been doing since I arrived and I could feel the bile rising from my throat.
"Respectfully father, I would appreciate even the smallest bit of affection from you considering I have no clue what I'm getting myself into. I'm neither illiterate, deaf or dumb, I just want to know what is happening and maybe if you actually focused on answering my very obvious questions, we might actually arrive somewhere with this. It's just as much my right to whatever decisions about my life as it is yours and I certainly wouldn't be a stranger to whatever this setup is in the name of marriage."
For the first time since my arrival, he looked like he was finally interested in talking to me. I could have sworn I saw something that looked like pride in his eyes but it disappeared almost as fast as I spotted it.
"My dear Serena, you've grown up to be such a beautiful lady, it almost feels like yesterday when you were still a baby and your mother and I were trying to raise you to be the strong woman you are today," he dropped his fork and for the first time, I could see the shadows under his eyes.
"I'm really sorry about everything Serena, you know it. I've never for once been angry or upset about the way you choose to live your life, I've never tried to stop you from exploring or doing whatever it is you wanted to do. I will admit I allowed you this much level of freedom because I foresaw that a day like this would come."
I reached out and cupped my hands around his, whatever made my dad to arrive at a wedding arrangement with a man like Damien definitely had to be something beyond his power.
"You can always talk to me dad, I'm no longer a child now. I know mom is no longer with us but you've seen how we've been able to work through our differences in the past, whatever it is we can work through it together, I do not have to marry Damien father."
"Oh but you do, you have to Serena. You must go through with this wedding at all costs or else we'll lose everything, you my dear will lose everything and I would rather die than have that happen. Your mother left me in your care before she died and while I know I could never replace her, I did the best I could at raising you."
It was in the heat of the moment that I realized I hadn't noticed how much I was starving but I couldn't shake off the feeling of diarrhea that had taken rest in my stomach.
"And what happens if I say I do not want to marry him father?"
His eyes bore into mine with so much intensity I thought my heart would erupt in flames but I couldn't stop myself.
"You know of his reputation, he is known to be a ruthless, prick of a man. Not to talk of the many rumors about him being connected to the Mafia, is that seriously the man you want me to spend the rest of my life with? I'm talking to you father!"
"Well that isn't a kind thing to say about your husband to be….."
it was a strong masculine voice with an accent I could have sworn I'd heard before but I couldn't remember from where.
I was staring at my father and I damn well knew it wasn't him that said that. If he wasn't the one then…..fuck! I could feel the diarrhea coming.
I tried so hard not to but I couldn't resist the urge. I turned my head and there he was, standing so close to the table I couldn't understand how I hadn't noticed him there.
How long had he been standing there? From the look on his face, I could tell that I was FUCKED! Absolutely fucked!