Forced to Love

Chapter 2

It was that time. The time when I would leave my family to live with a man I barely knew, the man I will spend the rest of my life with even though I didn't want to. But I need to do this, I need to help my father. I loved my father dearly, he always took good care of my sister and me no matter the fact that he was married by arrangement, that didn't make him love his children any less and that's why I'm willing to do this. He loved us so much and I want to repay him for everything he did for us.

I felt a light hold on my shoulder bringing me back from my thoughts. I blinked as I looked at the mirror in front of me, still dazed by my looks. I always dreamed about this moment, but not like this. I stood in the small room of a church, getting ready for my wedding. I always thought I would be extremely happy and excited when that time came for me, but this isn't the type of wedding I always dreamed about and it made me sad that I will never be able to have one of my dreams come true.

I looked at myself. A simple white long dress with long laced sleeves covered my body. The dress was still beautiful even though it was so simple. My father wanted to get me the dress of my dreams but I didn't want him to spend more money on a dress for a fake wedding. Well fake for us but not for people that will attend to it.

I thought this marriage will be final with only signing some papers but my father and Mr. De Luca thought it would be better if we had a ceremony since they wanted to invite their colleagues and people that work with them so it seems more convincing.

My father announced the merging between his chain of work and Mr.Salvio's company a month ago. My father has a chain of restaurants and hotels around Italy, that's why he isn't around much since he has to travel to Italy from America often. And Mr. De Luca is an owner of an architect's company and soon that company would belong to his son. I learned that's why Lorenzo agreed to this. He wanted to lead the architect's company and not follow in his father's footsteps. His father's actual work wasn't something ordinary and definitely not something safe.

Mr. De Luca is involved in the mafia. He actually comes from a mafia family. He inherited it from his father. They make and sell weapons and drugs. Mr. Salvio wanted Lorenzo to follow his path, but Lorenzo never wanted to be a part of it, he wanted to follow in his mother's footsteps and be an architect. But he couldn't fulfill his dream unless he agreed to this marriage. His father would give the company to him, which was used as a cover for his mafia work, but he agreed that he will give it to his son if he went through this deal.

My father explained that with this contract he will be able to keep his hotels and restaurants, Mr. Salvio will pay for all of his bills that my father couldn't pay up anymore if he allows Mr. De Luca to hide his illegal work through his work as well. Mr. Salvio had to have safe insurance for his job in Italy as well and not just here in America, and my father would be able to provide that for him.

I wondered how my father even knew Mr. Salvio as he is a dangerous man from a dangerous family but my father explained some things and even revealed some family secrets he kept from us. He told me his grandfather and also his father were involved in the mafia as well. They weren't amongst some famous mafia names but they still were in that business. That's one of the reasons my father had to marry my mom. He also had to go through the deal his father made with the father of my mother. It was just so they could get free from the debt and from the mafia life.

After he told me everything I understood a little bit better why we had to go through this. I still worried because his father made a deal to be freed from the mafia, but my father made a deal with one once again. But Mr. Salvio reassured us that we will not be involved with those kinds of people in any way, it was just for the business matter and for legal reasons. That made me a little relieved but still, I didn't feel quite relaxed knowing what I'm being involved in.