A Silent Surrender

CHAPTER 1 : HELLO MY WIFE , NICE TO MEET YOU !

Ever since I was born, I knew how my life would turn out. My father is the leader of the French Mafia, and my mother made it clear that I had to marry the son of another mafia leader, just as she had, to maintain unity among the families. Tomorrow, I was getting married to a man I had never met. I didn't know what to expect from him, but Daddy had chosen him, and as his favorite, I trusted that he would pick someone who would take care of me. Still, in the mafia world, nothing was certain. I'd seen my own father kill a man, so I had no idea what this stranger might be capable of.

Mum said I had met Miguel when I was five, and he might remember me as he was seventeen at the time. I had seen his father many times during his visits for business, but I was never allowed to interact with any of Daddy's visitors unless there was a party. Even then, I was heavily guarded. My older brother, Alec, knew how nervous I was, so he stayed with me most of the day, swearing he would kill Miguel if he ever hurt me. He tried to reassure me, saying they had attended the same school and that he knew him fairly well.

Alec and I are ten years apart, but being the only children our parents had, we were incredibly close. He was set to take over the French Mafia once Dad retired. I had watched him train since I was old enough to understand, and he became my best friend. It wasn't like I had much of a choice, I'd been homeschooled my entire life. Alec went to a special school where other mafia leaders sent their children. Dad never let me attend, insisting I didn't need to go since I wouldn't be involved in the mafia business. To him, I was too soft, and he couldn't risk my safety.

That night, Nanny Rose helped me get ready for bed. She had cared for me since I was born and knew every detail of my life. The thought of leaving her behind scared me. How would I manage on my own? I was expected to have children soon, as my future husband would take over the Spanish Mafia. If I didn't produce heirs, I'd be in serious trouble. Mummy had warned me that if I failed to get pregnant within the first year, my life would be ruined. She said I needed to win over my husband, make him fall in love with me, and bear his children quickly. Otherwise, he would remarry, and I would be discarded.

But how could I do that? I was only nineteen, and I had never felt anything for any man. How was I supposed to seduce someone I barely knew?

"Baby, how are you feeling?" Nanny Rose asked, her voice full of concern.

"Nanny, I'm so scared. What if he's cruel? What if he's ugly and forces me to do all those things my biology teacher warned us about?"

"Eva, no one would dare hurt you. Your father is very protective of you. He wouldn't choose a man he didn't trust. And don't worry, I'll be going with you."

"Really, Nanny? Oh my God, thank you! I wouldn't know what to do without you."

"Okay, baby, you need to sleep now. We don't want you looking tired on your wedding day, do we? And trust me, that man isn't ugly. I saw him arrive earlier, but you'll only see him tomorrow at the ceremony. Goodnight, my sweet girl."

"Goodnight, Nanny," I whispered, but despite Alec and Nanny Rose's reassurances, I was still terrified of what tomorrow would bring. I cried myself to sleep, wondering if other girls went through this, too. My mother's warnings echoed in my ears every time I closed my eyes.

Mum and I never had a typical mother-daughter relationship. She was more like a trainer than a mother. Still, I understood where she was coming from. If this marriage failed, everyone would blame her. As she often reminded me, it would be humiliating for her after spending her entire life earning respect. She was the first of her kind—a mafia queen. Her great-grandparents had come from Botswana and settled in France, joining the mafia and forming alliances with my dad's family. That's how she met my father and married him years later.