GAME ON

Chapter Twenty-nine

At exactly two in the afternoon, she heard a car drive in and few seconds later,the front door opened revealing a man who looked to be in his fifties with a young man standing beside him. That must be his son, she thought, the man she's betrothed to.

She heard Eric's voice as he approached them, she could hear him telling Elsa to fetch her. She quickly scurried away from the top of the stairs where she was into her room but before that, she and the young man's eyes met briefly for a few seconds, he smirked and she frowned before turning around.

Immediately she entered her room, she plopped down on the bed trying to calm her racing heart. No, no, no, no, no
Elsa knocked on her door few minutes later.
"Hello" she smiled, giving her a pitiful glance "master requests your presence, I'll be right outside your door when you're ready"
"Alright, thanks" she smiled back
After Elsa closed the door gently, she went straight to her wardrobe to put on the clothes she had set aside for the day, not too formal not too casual, just perfect. She checked herself out in the mirror one last time and found Elsa waiting just outside her door as she had said.
"Hey, I'm ready"
"Relax Shiller, you'll be fine,very fine"
Shiller nodded her head at her words "thanks"
She let out a breath and walked down the stairs to meet her dreaded fiance and her dreaded future father-in-law.

"Shiller my dear, you're here" Eric said and the tone of his voice irritated her but she decided to play along, putting on a fake smile
"Hello father"
"Shiller my dear, I'd like you to meet my old friend, Rafael Rodriguez and this is his son, Eduardo Rodriguez"
She curtsied as soon as he finished, still putting on a fake smile
"A pleasure to meet you both"
"She's a real feast for the eyes, calm and respectful. A good match for Eduardo, don't you think so son?" Rafael said, turning to his son. Eduardo looked at her and nodded his head, giving her a flirty smile. Ewww. Rafael chuckled lightly and turned his attention back to her, extending his hand "it's a real pleasure to meet you also Shiller" she took his hand and shook it.
Eric spoke up "why don't you two take a stroll outside and get to know each other while Rafael and I catch up to discuss business" he directed his gaze at her, his eyes warning her. She rolled her eyes inwardly, turned around and walked out the door leading the way to the garden with Eduardo walking quietly beside her.

***
"So, why don't you tell me a little about yourself" Eduardo said as soon as they sat down on one of the benches in the garden.
She kept quiet, didn't say anything for a while.
"Aren't you going to answer me?" He was starting to sound pissed, he hated being ignored.
"There's nothing for you to know" she replied quietly
"Why do you say that, surely-"
She cut in "can we please skip all these small talks? They're really not necessary". He sighed, shook his head and turned towards her, studying her for a few moments. "Do you really want this? We can find ourselves out of this situation if you're willing to cooperate with me" she said, gazing into his eyes. For a moment he couldn't speak, overwhelmed by her beauty and the intensity of her emerald green eyes.
"Why do you think I'd be willing to cooperate with you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow
"Because you have to, I was kidnapped, I have a family to go back to, a best friend, a lover, I can't imagine being away from them for a while year" her voice shook, tears starting to form in her eyes, he could see the various emotions in her eyes and he couldn't help but feel pity for the small woman. He was a Mafia heir, he wasn't supposed to feel weak emotions but there was just something about this woman that just makes him want to do anything just to see her smile and be happy. Weird, he thought.
"What makes you think I care?" Her eyes widened but she kept her mouth shut, not knowing what to say. What did she expect? They're all heartless.

He looked at her hard and long, she couldn't tell what he was thinking, his face held no emotion, finally he spoke up "fine. I agree with you, I was also forced into doing this and I want out" he smirked, thinking of how enraged that was going to make his father.
He didn't just want to be out of the marriage, but the Mafia world in general. He was tired of the sick and twisted people he was associated with, his father definitely not an exemption.
Shiller liked where this was going and nodded her head
"I have a plan" she said with a small smile
"I'm listening" he said, leaning forward.

***
"Raymond Swift!!" Someone screeched, walking with a lightening speed across the room to where he sat at the kitchen counter. Berlina.
His eyes widened and before she could reach him, she was stopped by two hands holding her arms firmly, stopping her in her tracks. Tony. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and without a word, he led her to the table to sit. Tony sat down beside her, hugging and comforting her shaking form.
"I-I miss her so much Tony" she wailed.
"We still have a l-lot of things to d-d-do on our bucket lists. We have skydiving to do, we have mountain climbing to do, hell, I even promised to help smash a crazy restaurant owner's car" she giggled a little.
Tony and Ray looked at each other
"Baby, of all things to do, why dangerous stuff like that?". He then smirked,
"Are you seriously telling that last one to a cop? Boyfriend or not, I could get you arrested". She gave him a sweet smile,
"Uh, no you won't cuz I got you wrapped around this little finger" she said, showing him her pinky finger and winked. They all laughed.

Ray was happy that she was in a better mood now and helped lighten the tension from earlier. He wasn't surprised at how often she came. Shiller is her bestie after all.
Everytime he thought of her, his heart ached so much.
He was really shocked but happy to her twin brothers and her mother who were bundled back safely.
It hurt him to find out that Shiller sacrificed herself for them but he was proud of her, of her courage and love for her family.
He had no doubt that she would come back to him, it was only a matter of time before that happened.