Chapter <b>98 </b>
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<b>I </b>stared at the witch before me, my <b>fists </b>clenched, my nails digging into my palms. There were many things I wanted to say to her. I wanted to curse her very name, damn it all the way to hell, scream at her face to release my father from her poisonous ws, but that would be giving her attention.
I will jump off a bridge before I give her a crumb of attention.
So I walked past her, not ncing her way as I headed inside the dining room. Papa followed silently behind me, his good mood dimmed. I felt bad that this was the usual whenever I saw that woman, but right now <b>I </b>cared about my feelings and not Papa’s.
We sat down, the witch sitting beside Papa while I sat further away from them.
“Join us, Gianna,” I said without looking at her, feeling her gaze burn a hole through the back of my head.
“I wouldn’t want to intrude,” she said, her voice cool as always.
I wished I had her ability to just close off her feelings and turn her face into a nk te. My life would be much easier that way.
“Don’t make me repeat myself, Gianna. You’re not some bodyguard.”
She sat beside me, reaching for a te without a word.
We ate while Papa filled the tense silence with talk of what he’s been doing. He doesn’t go to thepany regrly and he lets me handle most of the things. And that witch as well. She has no right to set her dirty feet in ourpany, but Papa wouldn’t listen.
“Ah, yes, the deal with that foreignpany will be finalized soon,” Papa informed me with a big smile and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“That’s beautiful news, Papa,” I said. “How did you finallye to an agreement?”
“Through marriage,” the witch said with a smile, and my head moved to her.
“Madea,” Papa hissed, ring at her. It was damn satisfying to see him snap at her like that when he was always treating her like she was a golden egg that would break if you so much asy a hand on her.
“Che diavolo sta dicendo que stronza?” I asked, facing Papa. (What the hell is that bitch saying?)
Said bitch didn’t seem so pleased about being talked to that way, but she could shove it.
Papa’s jaw tightened but he rxed it. “Let’s go for a walk, Be.”
He stood up, leaning all his weight on his stick, his features tight. I stood up, rushing to him and helping him. I linked our arms, leaving the house and stepping into the garden. That was when Papa finally spoke.
“You’re going to inherit thepany one day, Bedonna,” he began, looking straight ahead, his cane clicking on the floor as we walked. “And you wouldn’t be able to do it alone. No matter how many times you insist, you
<b>9:19 </b><b>Mon</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>15
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can’t carry all that weight alone. So you know you would one day get married.”
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We stopped walking and faced each other, my eyes wide. I knew where this was going, and I wanted to run
<b>away</b>.
Papa reached out, cupping my face. “You always wear all your emotions on your face. It makes you an open book. I’ve told you countless times not to be so open.”
“And I’ve told you countless times it’s not easy.”
He sighed, dropping his hand. “You’re getting married, Be.”.
I knew it wasing, but it still didn’t prepare me for the hard blow to my chest. It knocked me breathless, rendering me breathless.
“What?” I asked, staring at him with wide eyes. “What nonsense is this, Papa? Marriage? I thought I had time!”
Papa just shook his head. “That’s what we always think. That we have time. We don’t, Bedonna. Time is not ours, and it can easily slip from our fingers. So while we can, we should use it wisely.”
I shook my head, stepping back. No, I wasn’t ready for this. Marriage? That word and captivity sounded so alike. “Papa, I—”
“I don’t think you’re listening, Bedonna,” Papa snapped, his face hard. “You need a husband to inherit what’s yours. I’ve always said that. I’ve made sure you remember the reason. Do you want to lose everything? Give it all up?”
My shoulders dropped. “You know I don’t.”
“Good. You never know what might happen. I might drop dead tomorrow and if you don’t have a husband by then, you will lose everything.”
I sighed, moving to the nearest bench and dropping down on it.
The Italians were very old–fashioned people. They were heavy on the fact that a woman shouldn’t be as high as a CEO of argepany, apany that deals with weapons, no less. So she must have a husband by her side if she must rule.
Papa came to sit beside me, resting his hand on my knee. “I’ve made sure I selected a man who is deserving of my little girl. This family is really powerful, and Medea says not only in status.”
I gave him a hard look. “She was the one who pushed this, am I right?”
“You are,” he nodded. “She insisted we form an alliance with this family, saying something about them not being ordinary and really powerful.”
My hands curled into fists. “And so you pushed it because she insisted? What of what I want? Does that mean nothing to you, Papa?”
His expression grew soft. “You know it does. Medea just means well.”
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I scoffed, the sound bitter. “Like hell she does. That fucking bitch will snap my head off my shoulders if she could.”
And just like that, the soft expression was gone. “Mind yournguage, Bedonna. She’s
your
mother.”
It felt like a jolt went through me, like electricity passing through my body. I jumped to my feet, my teeth bared as I stared down at him. “No. No, don’t you dare, Papa. Don’t cross the line, because there will be no going back. My mother is dead. She’s six feet under, and she’s been that way for years. Do not call that witch my mother. I will take everything but that.”
He sighed, rubbing his knees. “I apologize, Bedonna.”
“She has you wrapped around her fingers,” I snarled, my body vibrating. “What is it about her that has you losing all your senses? What is it, Papa? Why can’t it be anybody but her?”
His shoulders dropped and he looked away from me, his expression cloudy with sadness. “It’s love and loneliness, mia cara.”
“Love?” I asked, almost shouting. “Love–love for that… for that woman?!”
He stood up slowly, walking to me and patting my shoulder. “I hope you nevere to experience something like this.” He walked away. “You’ll be meeting your husband in a few days. Go prepare.”
AD