Chapter 4 Getting married

MELANIE

Then, he took a step away from me. From the looks of it, he wasn't affected in any way by our proximity, while my legs felt wobbly like jelly.

"Let's go down," he offered me his arm. "Mia cara (my dear)"

I hesitated for a moment, feeling a rush of conflicting emotions. How could I accept the arm of a man who had just kidnapped me and forced me into this situation? Yet, here he was, charming and composed, as if nothing had happened. My pride screamed at me to refuse, to walk away and never look back. But fear, the fear of what he might do if I disobeyed, made me swallow my defiance. I took a deep breath and accepted the stranger's arm, my heart pounding with uncertainty.

I took a deep breath and accepted the stranger's arm.

"Hey, what's your name? If I'm going to pretend to be..."

"Varricchio. Cesare Varricchio," he replied to me.

As soon as the door opened, I heard the commotion of people and immediately felt my chest being crushed. I hated crowded places, even more so social events. Full of strangers. And the worst: when I was being forced to participate.

"What do I have to say?", I whispered to Cesare, who had a smile on his lips. My heart was pounding, and I could feel the anxiety creeping in. What if I said the wrong thing? What if I messed up? I was in way over my head, and the fear of making a mistake in front of all these people made my palms sweaty. I knew I had to play along, but the uncertainty of what was expected of me made me feel incredibly vulnerable.

"Don't talk too much. Let me deal with the people," he said and greeted a middle-aged man, who nodded at me. I returned the kindness. We continued walking. "If anyone asks how we met, let me do the talking"

"What if I'm alone when they ask that?" It was a possibility, wasn't it?

"Just play your part!"

What a rude man! I was trying to help him lie, and he was so ungrateful!

"Cesare!", a black-haired man with amber eyes like Cesare's, approached us, looking from him to me. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Don't look too much, brother, this is my fiancée,"

Just hours ago, I had found this man bleeding in an alley, and now I was being introduced as his fiancée. I had to fight to keep my expression neutral, to play along with his charade. Every instinct I had screamed that this was insane, but I couldn't afford to show hesitation, not with all these eyes on me. Cesare said, his voice casual but firm.

The other man's eyes widened, and he looked me up and down now, with his mouth open and a half-smile on his lips.

"Mamma mia! I don't believe it! Is my brother finally getting married?"

That explained the similarity between them. Siblings. Well, I could only say this: their genetics were very good! They were both tall, strong, with features that I would consider perfect and a domineering aura.

"It's about time, isn't it?" Cesare asked, and the other man nodded.

"Definitely. You're almost forty, brother. You're not young like me!"

Forty? Almost forty years old? I looked Cesare from head to toe, trying to reconcile that number with the man standing in front of me. He looked no more than thirty, maybe even younger. How could someone like him, who seemed so effortlessly confident and strong, be almost forty?

"Not forty, I'm thirty-six!", Cesare replied with a crooked mouth. "And even though you are younger, brother, you are no match for me."

His brother let out a sigh.

"I can't argue with that," he said and looked at me again, this time offering his hand in a gentlemanly manner. I couldn't help but notice that he had tattoos running up his wrist and, right on the back of his hand, a snake coiled in flames. I had seen the same tattoo on Cesare. Curious. "I am Magno Varricchio. I think you already know that, since you will be my sister-in-law."

I looked at Cesare and he nodded slightly, positively. I put my hand in Magno's, and he kissed the back of it.

"Bellissima!" Magno smiled even more and looked over his shoulder, before looking at his brother. "Our father will be very pleased, brother."

I couldn't decide what to make of Magno. He had an undeniable charm, more overt than Cesare's, almost disarming. But there was something about him that made me wary-his smile didn't quite reach his eyes, and I couldn't tell if his friendliness was genuine or just another layer of this family's dangerous facade. Compared to Cesare, who was more guarded and intimidating, Magno's demeanor was smoother, but somehow that made him feel even more unpredictable.

Cesare said nothing, and I noticed that he became more tense.

Magno then walked away, and Cesare continued leading me around the room. However, his face was more rigid. Did his father have something to do with that?

I didn't have to think much about it until an older man approached us. He was definitely family, because of the eyes and the physique, even though he was already a man in his fifties or more.

"Chi è la bella ragazza? (Who is the beautiful girl?)"

The man's voice was deep, carrying a subtle edge that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. There was something in his demeanor that set off alarm bells in my head-his gaze was calculating, as if he was sizing me up, and I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. I felt small under his scrutiny, like I was being weighed and judged. It was clear that this man wasn't just anyone; his presence commanded the room, and I couldn't help but feel intimidated. Everything about him screamed danger, and I realized just how precarious my situation had become.

Cesare kissed his father's hand, which, I noticed, had the same tattoo. Something inside me stirred, as if this was a sign that something very dangerous, more than I could imagine, was wrapping itself around my neck.

"Buonasera, padre (Good evening, father). This is Melanie Walton," I smiled politely, and the man nodded at me, without a shred of enthusiasm. "My fiancée."

I saw the smile fading from Cesare's father's lips. He looked at me, then at Cesare, and his expression hardened.

"Fiancée?" the man asked, and I saw how his stare at his son became even colder.

"Yes, father. You were right, I should settle down in life, and... get married. Start having our family's heirs. And I took it pretty seriously!"

I was stunned, my mind reeling. Settle down? Have heirs? Was this some kind of joke? How could he lie so easily, without even flinching? Anger bubbled up inside me, but I swallowed it down, forcing myself to smile as if everything was perfectly normal. I couldn't believe he had dragged me into something like this without even asking-pretending to be his fiancée was one thing, but talking about heirs? This was crossing a line, and I was livid. Yet, I knew I had to keep my cool, at least for now. Cesare said with a bit of joy, as if trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work, I must add.

"You took... Do you have a bambino on the way?" He looked at my belly, and I had to hold myself back so as not to cover my body with my arms.

"Yes." What?! My heart pounded in my chest as panic and confusion twisted inside me. I wasn't pregnant! What... what did that man think he was doing? My thoughts raced, and I struggled to keep my expression neutral, even as I felt the weight of every set of eyes on us. I had to mask my emotions, to play along, or risk exposing whatever dangerous game Cesare was playing. I forced a smile, even though my hands were trembling. And he responded so naturally that even I almost doubted myself! "Mel and I are expecting the first child of the new Varricchio generation."

Even though the conversation wasn't on a megaphone, it seemed like everyone had stopped to listen. Or was it just my impression? Because I swear, everything went silent after those words.

Except for a surprised gasp. I turned around and saw a woman with blonde hair and very green eyes looking at us, her hand covering her mouth. Her eyes were watering, and she was staring at Cesare. I couldn't tell if it was shock, anger, or heartbreak, but whatever it was, it unnerved me. Did she have feelings for him? Was I stepping into something I didn't understand? The intensity of her gaze made me feel threatened, like I was an intruder in her territory, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had just made an enemy without even knowing it.

"A word in my office," Cesare's father said.

I looked from one to the other, and Magno quickly appeared next to me, followed by a woman with dark hair and eyes like the sea. Cesare released his arm from mine, looked at his brother, and then walked away from me.

CESARE

Things weren't going the way I planned. The idea was that my father would be happy, hand over the power of the business group to me at once, before I could rise as Don. And that would be a matter of short time.

My father was definitely in a bad mood, and I would have to endure whatever was coming for me. I would not give up on what was mine by birthright, and what I have been working hard for my entire life!

As soon as the office door closed behind me, a slap came across my face.