Chapter 1 THE PRIEST'S DEAL

Silence! Heartbreak! Anxiety!

Liana's eyes widened in disbelief as she stood in front of Father Giulio.

"You can't possibly be serious, uncle. This has to be a joke." Her voice was shaky, echoes of the words she heard from the old priest refused to depart from her.

"This is final, Liana. You are getting married to Matteo Romano, and that is final." Father Giulio stood up from his desk, his gaze piercing intensely at her.

Liana sobbed, but she had already grown weary of shedding more tears.

"This is wrong, uncle. You taught me how to pray, how to remain pure, how to avoid men who are full of evil, and embrace holiness. How can you ask me to marry Matteo Romano? He is the exact likeness of the devil!"

"Hush, little girl! What do you know?!" Father Giulio's anger was rising, forcing Liana to step backward as he made a move toward her.

"We are not to judge anyone, Liana. Only the good Lord can do that. He decides to show mercy to whoever he chooses, and he punishes whoever he wishes to. Matteo may not be as bad as you think."

Liana was speechless, just a loud gasp left her.

It was hard to believe what she heard from her uncle.

"Go get ready, Liana. You are getting married in two weeks."

"What?!" Liana gasped again, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"This is not the way I imagined my life, uncle. You told me you wanted me to become a successful medical Doctor. What changed?!"

"Well, plans change, Liana." Father Giulio was devoid of any form of remorse.

His mind was already made up, and there was nothing to change his decision.

Liana stared at him from the moment he went back to his desk to continue with his work.

His old and broken glasses balanced on his nose while he flipped from one page of the directory to the next.

"Leave my office, Liana. I have people to attend to. There are souls to win for Christ." He didn't bother to lift his head, but he could tell that Liana was still in his office.

"You are interested in winning souls for strangers, but you are not bothered about the soul of your niece. You don't mind sending me off to dine with the devil!" Liana stood up to her uncle, something she had never dared to do.

Father Giulio grunted, he had thought that convincing his niece was going to be much easier.

Tell, me father Giulio..." Liana was not done talking. "You always reminded me of doing the Lord's will. Tell me, is this what the Lord commanded?"

Father Giulio removed his glasses, staring at Liana who had managed to render him speechless.

Then he sighed, and getting up from his chair he walked up to her and grabbed her shoulders with a smile on her face.

"You are not getting married to Matteo Romano because God said so. You are getting married to him because I owe a debt." Father Giulio finally revealed the secret he had been keeping.

"A debt?" Liana was bemused.

"Yes, Liana. The church owes a huge debt of seven hundred thousand dollars, and Matteo is willing to pay if you marry him."

"How?" Liana still couldn't understand.

"It's very simple, Liana. The people are poor, they have not been forthcoming with tithes and dues. The government put up this place for foreclosure until we pay all the bills."

Liana understood the explanation her uncle gave, but she didn't think it was enough to cost her freedom.

"We can find ano0ther way, uncle. Maybe I will go work in the factory. I am sure I can help with the bills." She stared at her uncle, hoping that his silence meant that he was giving her suggestion a thought.

"This is not up for debate, Liana. You are getting married to Matteo, and that's final." Father Giulio left her to struggle with her disappointment while he walked to his desk.

He returned a few seconds later with a document and pen, then he handed them over to hr.

"Sign this." He said, his voice calm but imperative.

"What is this?" Liana asked, but Father Giulio wanted her to see for herself.

The moment Liana saw the content of the document, her breath dropped, and she returned her gaze to her uncle.

"This is a contract, uncle."

"Yes, Liana. I already took the liberty of signing on your behalf, but there is a space left for you. Check the last page, it states that you cannot leave the marriage till death do you part. I didn't want to sign that because Matteo is not getting married to me."

Liana still couldn't believe her eyes. A few days earlier she was preparing for her medical exams, and all of a sudden her uncle begins to tell her about marrying the most dangerous man in the City.

"I won't marry Matteo Romano, Uncle!" She tried to be bold, but her uncle's eyes always had a way of making her fidget.

Father Giulio scoffed at her, his silence meant that she didn't have any other choice.

"I am going to run away, uncle! I will run to another city and you will never see me again." Liana thought that her threat was going to make her uncle change his mind.

But he looked at her and snickered.

"You have nowhere to run to, Liana. And even if you did, the church raised you, you belong here."

Liana's world crumbled right before her, and the realization of a new chapter began to set in at once.

The church bell resounded from a distance, and the old priest started to hurry out of the office.

"I have to be on my way to mass now, Liana. Wipe those tears at once. don't make people think that I maltreat my niece." Father Giulio left Liana in hi office, the edge of his cassock sweeping the floor as he sauntered away.

What was supposed to be two weeks seemed like three days, and Liana was already clad in a long white gown, both hands gripped to a flower bouquet while she marched slowly along the aisle.

At the end of the grand hall was Matteo Romano, the husband she had never met.

He grinned just like the devil himself, waiting with arms spread as though he was about to ensnare her.

"Save me, Lord!" Liana muttered, but it seemed like her prayers were never going to be answered.