Marry. Ride. Love.

One year

* Isabella*

I was sitting on my sofa in despair when my doorbell rang. Then Max had probably read my message and once again proved that he was the fastest. But as funny as I would have found this fact on other days for sure, now it wasn't even a comfort to me.

I got up from the sofa in a daze and opened the door.

"What's going on Bella? The message sounded really urgent and... man you look like shit.", my best friend pushed my face up "I brought alcohol. Are we going to need it?", I nodded wanly.

"That bad?" he asked, again I nodded.

Ten minutes later we were sitting on my sofa. A large glass with a lot of gin and very little tonic in it in my hand.

"So, what happened?" asked Max quietly, taking a sip.

"I'm engaged. Sort of," I mumbled. Max spit the gin and tonic across my carpet.

"Please what? When did this happen? And with who?"

"Dad just showed up here. Actually, he had wanted to marry Letizia off. But I guess she married Colin in a fly-by-night and flew to Madeira with him. Dad had already made a deal, though, and so as not to lose face, he put me in her place."

"Wait a minute, you're doing anything your father asks you to do? Bella, that's not how I know you. You've always given your dad a hard time, haven't you? You're the most stubborn person I know! Why would you marry someone just because he wants you to? "

"First he tried bribery. I'd get the house from Grandma. He knows how much I care. But I said no and then...", I had to swallow because tears welled up in my eyes again "If I refuse, he'll have the machines shut off that keep mom alive."
„No. Even he can't be that ruthless," Max whispered and then put down his glass.

I nodded mattely, "You know him. He would walk over dead bodies for the business. And before he loses face, he'd rather let Mom die. He knew I'd do it if he put her in the game. I have to hold out for at least a year, or else...", I didn't finish the sentence, but took a deep sip from my glass.

"I didn't think even your father had that little humanity," Max muttered, now drinking as well.

"So I'm going to marry him. In a month and move in with him in Italy."

"Who's the lucky guy?"

"Valentino Rossi."

"THE Valentino Rossi?", Max's eyes widened, I nodded.

I remembered well how we had watched almost all of his races when we were kids. He was an impressive athlete. But wanting to marry him had never been on my list.

"No offense, Bella, but why does he want to get married so badly that he's doing business with your father?"

"I guess Dad approached him and after we've been married a year, Valentino will get a large sum of money for his ranch. He gets smaller donations every month and after a year he gets the big one. Dad has also promised to bring on board still new sponsors for his team and academy. I don't even doubt that he'll be able to do that."

"And your dad? What does he get out of it? Well I mean he never wanted to get rid of Tizia or anything. she was always the golden child."

"He says if the Rossi name gets associated with our family, he's going to be up for orders from the right circles. Then his law firm will go through the roof."

"Wow.", Max leaned back "Does he actually realize that he's losing his children with this?".

"When did he ever care about us? He disinherited Tizia for getting married. He doesn't want to see her anymore anyway. And I am of use to him for the first time in my life. That's how he put it. He doesn't care what happens to us. But he's always been good at negotiating. And against me, unfortunately, he had too much in his hand. I had no choice. And now I have nothing left but to box up my life here, learn Italian, and prepare for the wedding."