Chapter 3 Married to Prince Charming

Elena's Gustaw pov

I rushed over to the house, my chest pounding heavily with wild thoughts running through my head.

For a split second, I thought someone had died but as soon as I stepped through the gate, I couldn't believe my eyes.

The house was bustling with activities. I met interior decorators putting up decorations in different parts of the house and some men trying to put up a white outdoor canopy tent.

The maids were cleaning one spot or the other, and everyone was busy at work.

I froze in confusion, then murmured to myself. "What is going on here?"

That's when I saw Alejandro and Rosa standing close to the wall, I marched over to them, determined to get answers. "I don't understand. I was told that there was an emergency but this looks like preparation for a celebration."

Rosa was about to reply but got interrupted by Marcello. "Elena, there you are, darling. Everyone is seated at the table already, and we await your presence."

"Everyone? Table?" I asked but got hurriedly whisked away by Marcello.

We entered the large dining hall at my father's mansion. My breath hitched at the sight before me, I saw over fifteen people seated at the table already, with different delicacies and fine wine spread out on the length of the long table.

I recognized my father, Antonio Gustaw at the head of the table, my step-mother and stepsister, and then some high-ranking officials in the Gustaw family.

Their eyes turned toward me as they welcomed me. Marcello guided me to an empty seat preserved for me beside my father. I reluctantly sat down, still trying to make sense of what is going on. I always knew my family for drama but I had barely been home for a week and now this?

Antonio cleared his throat and said in a formal tone, as if he was addressing an audience instead of his own family. "We have called this meeting this afternoon to celebrate a wedding union between one of our own and the heir of the Moretti empire."

An excited buzz and whispers broke out on the table immediately. Wedding Union? My gaze shifted to Kitana, who looked unusually excited upon hearing the news. Well I guess that the wench of a stepsister was about to be married to that Moretti brat after all. I murmured to myself, "Mmm, good for them; they deserve each other."

I turned to my father waiting for him to say Kitana's name. But when he opened his mouth, my eyes widened in shock.

Antonio made a throat-clearing sound, then the room became silent, so he continued, "The union I talked about earlier is between Luca Moretti and my daughter, Elena Gustaw."

Everyone heard two people shout, "What!?"

The words erupted from both Kitana and me at the same time. The room fell silent and all eyes were on us.

I stood and said, "Kitana father not me! I think you made a mistake with the names. It's Kitana you meant to say, father; she's even older."

Kitana, on the other hand, said, "How can you do this to me, father? Everyone knows that I have been in love with Luca since I was a child and you gave him to her! She has not even been around for many years." Her face was flushed with anger and she looked like she was about to explode.

Antonio eyes darkened, "Enough! both of you! Trust me, this marriage alliance is for the good of both families. I said it must take place this weekend and that's final! Expect the Morettis over for dinner tomorrow evening and enjoy your dinner, everyone. Excuse me."

With that, Antonio walked away from the dining hall with an angry expression on his face and I just watched him leave the room with my mind reeling.

"Was my father- who has not spoken to me in fifteen years, really forcing me into a marriage with Luca Moretti , the heir of the mafia family I wanted nothing to do with? Was this his plan all along?"

Everyone else continued eating like nothing had happened. I excused myself quickly unable to stomach the sight of their contented faces.

The wedding day*******

I stared at herself in front of the mirror and was surprised at the empty brown eyes that stared back at her. I couldn't recognize myself anymore.

My reflection looked like something out of dream, beautiful, yes but hollow. The wedding they had chosen for me was stunning, ivory satin with an intricate lace designed perfectly for me.

I thought to myself, "If I cared about this wedding, if I truly wanted this, I would have felt like a princess and not a sacrificial lamb on my wedding day".

Everyone had worked so hard to make everything beautiful for my wedding but I felt like I was being sent to my grave.

I had thought about running away a few times but where would I go? Who would help me? I didn't really know anywhere here and my father had security watch my every move and be very close to me.

I sighed sadly, wishing my mother was alive. When my father asked me to come home, I didn't imagine that it was for this. Does he blame me for my mother's death? Is that why he hates me so much?

I kept asking myself these questions repeatedly because I had not seen my father once in the last fifteen years after he took me to New York and now he tells me to come back home, but then the reason is that he would marry me off to a stranger for selfish reasons, obviously.

I felt so sorry for Kitana, even though she was annoying as hell. Kitana had refused to eat anything and cried all day.

I wished that my father would just spare me and Kitana the headache by doing a switch; after all, we both bore the Gustaw name.

"Are you happy that you've ruined my life just by your mere existence?" I heard Kitana's bitter voice behind me and turned to face her. She looked miserable.

Kitana continued, "I was supposed to marry him. It was supposed to be me!"

She finished in a loud voice, which made me interrupt her, "Hey! You see me looking all pretty but I feel miserable too! And please I have a headache so stop with all the yelling. Everyone knows that I am not interested in this sham called marriage so don't put any blame on me. Redirect your anger towards the ones who set up the wedding in the first place. Or better still, why don't you talk to Luca Moretti and make him see that you're supposed to be the bride? I tried that at the restaurant the other day during dinner with the Morettis and the pig-headed bastard wouldn't even budge."

Kitana glared at me with pure hatred in her eyes, then she said, "You look beautiful. What if I do something nasty to this gown of yours or your party?"

I let out a bitter laugh, "Well, you can try and if it will get me out of this wedding, I will be grateful to you but if it only delays and makes me go through this torture of preparation again, I will never forgive you and you will face my ire."

Then we got interrupted by Antonio, who came by himself to take me to the entrance so he could walk me down the aisle.

"I know you are angry at me right now, Elena, but believe me, this marriage alliance is for the good of all," Antonio softly whispered to his daughter while they walked down the hall towards the groom.

I listened to all my father had to say but the only word that came out of my mouth was "okay" because I honestly didn't know what to say to him.

When we got to the front of the beautifully decorated tent where the priest and everyone waited. My eyes met with Luca's and I couldn't help but admire how dapper he looked in his designer suit, he was every bit of the Prince Charming himself.

I checked him out from his shoes upward and when I glanced at his eyes, I was amused to see that he was also checking me out too. His expression was unreadable but he looked like he loved what he saw.

I realized that he had mastered the poker face expression but his eyes passed a lot of message. So I decided to try to read his expressions through his eyes.

The priest started reciting the marital vows that we would repeat after him and soon we became a couple.

"I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss your bride".

I stood quietly, waiting for Luca to make a move. Just then, Luca leaned in to kiss me, I braced myself for a quick peck on my lips. But the moment his soft lips touched mine, something inside me ignited. It wasn't love, maybe Lust.

Before I could process the moment, I heard a gunshot from a distance. He quickly pushed me behind him and brought out a gun from his suit. I didn't know who was shooting or what was going on but one thing I knew was, this marriage is far from the end of the nightmare. It was only the beginning.