Chapter 3 3

Albert's POV

After the shocking revelation my father sprung on me during the most pivotal moment of my life, I needed some time away from the family estate. The weight of his decision was almost unbearable. So, I arranged for Pamela and me to escape on the family's private jet and head to Spain for an impromptu weekend retreat at my luxurious and exclusive vacation home.

How could my father possibly assume that I would willingly embrace marriage? I was born to be a bon vivant-a man who savoured the company of a different woman each week. I practically held the title of Italy's foremost heartthrob; no woman could resist my magnetic allure. He moulded me into this persona, crafting me into the playboy whom every man envied and every woman longed for. He conditioned me to believe that a life of love and tranquilly was unattainable, forcing me to relinquish any hope of it. And now he expects me to simply discard that past because of some destiny I had no hand in shaping?

"Bianca, she's most likely some attention-seeking Sicilian, pretending to be a princess, fake through and through! Why on earth would I entertain the idea of having someone like her as my bride? If I were to choose a partner, it would undoubtedly be my longtime companion, Pamela. She exudes an air of sensuality and pleasure in every move she makes. She's like a walking embodiment of desire, a dream of passion come to life. Not a single man can resist her allure, and yet, she has chosen me. With Pamela, it all makes perfect sense; we share a natural compatibility in the realm of intimacy, and she understands how to yield to my desires. But the thought of having to train a completely new woman to fulfill my wishes is certainly not part of my plans."

In the expanded version, we provide a more detailed description of Pamela and emphasize the narrator's preference for her, as well as his reluctance to consider any other potential bride.

I returned to Genoa only after a few days of my 'vacation'. Whenever I had to escape, my first place was Spain, our vacation home. No matter how bad life was going, nothing could fix my mood better than the Spanish atmosphere. I had a history with Spain. The happiest and saddest moments of my youth were in Spain. That's the reason why I had my parents build a vacation home here. This was the first time the Latin culture couldn't relieve my anxiety. I had a beautiful and very naked Pamela parading around the villa, music surrounding the home, and even the finest chef cooking food you could only dream about, yet my mind was on edge the entire time!

Father made a blood oath that I cannot break. He signed away my future to a woman who could be repulsive and vile. I finally came to terms with the fact that my playboy days might need to be pushed aside for a while until I can find a way to undo this mess. Yet, the only way to know how much of a mess I am truly in is to find my bride and demand that she come live in her new hell.

Ah, Son, back so soon?" My father's voice radiated throughout the estate as he marched down the grand staircase.

"Trust me, I don't want to be back, but I have business to handle." I dropped my luggage at the front door as I headed straight to my father's office.

"I need the name of my bride and the address of my bride."

"Why?" the father questioned.

"I want her brought now. I don't have time to wait a year. Tell me so I can go collect her."

Father spun back quickly to look at me. He wasn't pleased with my confession. The deal our ancestors made was that I had to wait until she was 22. It is the perfect fertile age for the woman, and she is old enough to understand and accept her responsibility as a Mafia Wife. Bianca only turned 21 two months ago. She must still have the mind of a child and is probably nowhere near ready to be a Mafia wife, which is what I'm counting on. If she fails, my father forces her to renounce the blood oath; she disappears, and I go back to my lavish single lifestyle.

"No, she must be 22. I told her family that she would be picked up a day after her 22nd birthday. Why do you want her so badly anyway? I thought you couldn't stand the idea of marriage?" My father knew me well. If I was scheming, there was a good chance he would find out about it. We think alike, so it was always harder to convince my father of anything.

"I want to get this over with. I refuse to wait. If you won't tell me, I will find out myself. If I don't get her here, I'll go back to my old ways, father. You know I am not afraid to break some stupid oath our ancestors made years ago."

My father glared at me. He hated whenever I would threaten our family name, so I would get my way because he knew I wasn't bluffing. I never really cared about my image, so if I had to act out to get my way, I would.

"You're making a big mistake, son," the father spoke out as he went to his desk. In a locked, hidden compartment behind the drawer of his desk, he hid a locked box safe containing all the information about Bianca and her family. All I needed was her address.

He casually tossed the box and its accompanying key in my direction before abruptly turning his back on me. It was a bold move on my part, challenging my father for information. Despite my newfound role as the leader, he would forever occupy a higher pedestal in the eyes of many. He commanded respect from people far and wide, a sentiment I too held deeply. Yet, alongside that respect for him, I harbored an equally profound respect for myself. In my world, self-preservation always took precedence. I was willing to go to great lengths to thwart anyone or anything that dared to impose control over my way of life.

In the expanded version, we delve deeper into the protagonist's complex relationship with their father and the importance of maintaining their personal autonomy.

I left his office and went straight to mine. There I called upon my men and the maids for a meeting. Once everyone had gathered, I began my speech.

"Listen well because I don't like to repeat myself. My future wife will be coming to the estate sooner than planned. So, ladies, I will need you to prepare a room for her, preferably closer to my chambers. She will need clothes, shoes, and other intimates. A list has been drawn up of everything that she can possibly need. I need it all here in 3 days. Don't disappoint me." I handed the head maid, Anabella, the list of all the items and watched as the maids followed her out of my office.

"Men, as you know, I am going off schedule. I don't have time to wait for this girl, so I am going to claim what is apparently mine. We leave by nightfall tonight for Milan, where she resides. I want her brought back in one piece, which should be no issue. Pack and prepare; I expect everyone down by the front gates by 6 p.m. Capisce?"

My henchmen nodded and dispersed from the room. I turned to look at the now-unlocked box on my desk. Everything about her lineage is found in this box. All I cared about was her current address and a picture. Surprisingly, there wasn't a photo of Bianca, just a picture of a tall tower home and her address. I guess this is where my father kept her locked up for so long.

Don't worry, my sweet, sweet Rapunzel. I will break you out of your tower soon enough.