A love like ours ✔️

♛♚38.The final day

Soraya

✹Present day, Manaus. 2 days after Rafael found out about the wedding.✹

Oscar's funeral came and went by in a blur. At Sal's orders the ceremony stayed small. Only his Cartel's inner circle participated. My brother used my wedding as an excuse to hurry up the procedures, so, a day after my dear old father drank his last cup of tea, he was already 6 feet under. Besides Marta, who was already on the estate, the rest of his relatives had no time to come from wherever they were and say their goodbyes. Not that they really had him at heart anyways, he was a piece of shit who cared about no one but himself. They sent their regards and that was that.

As I use a powder puff to make the final touches to my makeup, I relish in the fact that today's the day my self assigned misson ends. In the mirror, my reflection's lips tilt up a little, but then I remeber I have to walk down the isle to a man who's not Rafael, and my smile dies.

We didn't really plan to get married right before we left for The Bahamas, it was the spur of the moment. Teo was the one who came up with the idea. He said that he wanted me to be his in all the ways possible right then and there, but be promissed me and his mother that we'll have proper traditional Italian wedding, with a church ceremony, a white dress and all the other things once we came back. We shouldn't have counted the chichens before they were hatched.

"What's the matter, miss?" The dainty young girl that's doing my hair, Blanca, asks.

Luis asigned her as my personal maid the day after Oscar died. She's been shadowing me ever since, and it's becoming a little annoying, especially since I know the purpose of her being at my service is to keep an eye on me. Not to mention that she seems to deeply dislike me, even though she thinks she's hiding it well I can read it in her actions. For instance, right now, she's pulling my hair a little harder than necessary, making my scalp prickle. I haven't done anything to earn it though. I always treat my staff with respect, valuing their time and work, and she's no exception, even though technically, she's not my employee.

"Just the nerves, I guess. Please be careful."

"I'm sorry, miss." I watch her in the mirror as she's working the curling wand to create dark bouncy waves. Her hands are more gentle and her big hazel eyes bear an apologetic look in them, but I know better. " It's the wedding jitters. They are completly normal." She offers.

"Aunt Marta told me the same. Where is she by the way?" It's perhaps one of the few times she's left my side, giving me an oportunity to get to know my maid better.

"Making sure that everything it's in order I believe." She turns off the wand and sets it sit on the heat resistant support on the vanity. "You look very beautiful."

"Thank you, Blanca." I sigh. "I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me truthfully."

She frowns but she can't deny my request. "Sure."

My long sleeved wedding gown rustles slightly as I get up from my seat and turn around so I'm facing her. She only comes up to my chin, even when I'm barefoot, so I have too look down at her. "What kind of man is my soon to be husband? You must know more about him than I do, given that you'd worked for him for a while." I inquire.

She adverts her gaze, seeming to find the wallpaper that decorates the wall behind my bed absolutely fascinating all of a sudden. "He pays good wages and leads his people well. We've thrived ever since he took the Navarro Cartel over from his father." I feel her hesitancy to continue. "But I wish he wouldn't be constantly at war with others."

"My brother tells me he has no choice, his old man, Diego, left him many enemies as part of his inheritance." I offer, knowing full well that up until recently he was at peace with papa's mafia as well as with the Russos'.