Forced Marriage
In Los Angeles, Mía was in her bedroom with Thara. The wedding day was approaching, and she still couldn’t believe she was going to marry a man she didn’t love. To save her sister and the company her father founded, she had to accept this forced marriage. She couldn’t help but cry; it felt like her reddened eyes were running out of tears.
“Friend, you still have time to stop this madness. You’re already of legal age; you can access your inheritance and leave far away from that woman. Don’t sacrifice your happiness.”
“I can’t do that to my father. He built his company from scratch with a lot of sacrifice, and if I don’t do it, Sonia will force my sister, and I won’t allow that.”
“I don’t know what else to say or how to help you, girl. Sonia has you between a rock and a hard place.”
“Just being here with me is the best help, without you, I would have gone insane. Thank you, my friend.”
“One good thing is that you haven’t fallen in love. I can’t remember the last time you went out with a guy. Maybe that will help later on, and you might fall for Carlo. You can’t deny that he’s very attractive. If you can’t avoid it, maybe you could enjoy it.”
“I won’t fall in love with a man who bought me like cattle. If he truly loved me as he claims, he would have tried to win me over, but the coward didn’t do that. Instead, he chose to act from the shadows and find a way to force me.”
“They’ve burdened you too much, and it’s not fair. You shouldn’t sacrifice yourself for your family. It should be Sonia who marries Carlo; they seem perfect for each other.”
Mía had no interest in the wedding preparations; it was something that didn’t interest her at all. She knew that Sonia was going all out with the expenses; it seemed like she would be the one getting married, not Mía. Only her wedding dress fitting was left. Mía imagined Sonia at the altar, marrying Carlo. What a perfect match they would make-both despicable beings.
Sonia was pleased with herself; she would kill two birds with one stone. She would get rid of her insufferable stepdaughter, and in return, Carlo would give her a large sum of money.
She had asked him to take Mía far away, where she would never see her again, and he promised he would. She would love to see Mía’s face when she realized she had married a mafioso, and not just any mafioso but one of the most powerful in Europe. Her wickedness allowed her to enjoy that thought.
Convincing Mía to accept Carlo’s proposal was so easy. She lied to her, saying that her father’s company was on the brink of bankruptcy, and if she didn’t accept Carlo’s proposal, Caroline would marry him instead. Mía agreed immediately; she loved her sister so much that sacrificing herself for her was not a problem.
What she didn’t know was that the company was not bankrupt; in fact, it was doing better than ever. As for her daughter Caroline, Sonia would never marry her to a mafioso; that would put her in danger.
Besides, Carlo was very clear that he was in love with Mía, whom he had met at a party when she was just 14 years old. Sonia couldn’t understand how such a powerful man became obsessed with someone so insignificant. He deserved to have a woman by his side who was worthy of all that power.
Since then, he had approached Sonia to offer her a fortune in exchange for Mía. He had enough patience to wait for her to grow a little more before executing his plans, and they would have to get rid of Bob, her father. He would never agree to sell his daughter; she was the apple of his eye, and he wouldn’t let her suffer.
Carlo Román was used to always getting what he wanted, no matter what he had to do to obtain it. He had many women at his disposal, but only one he considered worthy of being his wife-Mía. She was too beautiful, marrying her would be like acquiring a trophy, a precious gem that would look great by his side. He couldn’t get her out of his mind since the day he met her.
On that day, the mobster was traveling to Italy and would be back in just a few days. His partners in the United States had organized a bachelor party for him, an excuse to have fun because he had no intentions of giving up the nightlife he had enjoyed so far. He typically didn’t spend more than one night with the same woman; that’s why he sought them in exclusive nightclubs. He didn’t want them to feel entitled to him; he wanted to continue enjoying them, but Mía would be the mother of his children.
He looked for a beautiful woman for each night; his relationship with these women ended as soon as he lost interest. Afterward, he would throw a wad of bills at them, and from then on, they acted as if they had never met. But it would be different with Mía; he would spend every night with her for the rest of his life.
Carlo wanted to have many children; his father longed to meet his grandchildren before he passed away. He was already of advanced age, just like his mother. He was the eldest son, the only one left of three brothers; his two brothers had been murdered years ago by rival groups. Since then, his character had completely changed, becoming ruthless and cruel with his enemies.
When he informed his parents that he would marry, his mother was elated with the idea of having a daughter-in-law. She said it would be like having another daughter when he shared the news. At 34 years old, her son was finally settling down, and she could already imagine her grandchildren running around the house.
The joy of Carlo and his family contrasted with Mía’s sadness. So many plans, so many years of effort and study, all wasted. She dreamed of becoming the best designer in the country, and together with Thara, they had big dreams. They were eager to conquer the world, and Carlo Román had dashed it all in one fell swoop.
After torturing herself with those thoughts for a while, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. That’s how she wished to remain-in that dreamland where her real-world problems didn’t exist.
In her dreams, ever since the night she spent with that man, the same events replayed over and over again. She tried to see his face, but darkness prevented her from doing so. She thought the memory of that faceless man would haunt her forever in her nightmares.
She could clearly feel his caresses, his breath on her neck, the sensations he provoked when he suc*ked her bre@sts, but she would wake up in immense pain. What on earth was happening to her?
Unbeknownst to them, their souls seemed to connect through their dreams. Ahmed also saw her constantly when he slept, but with the difference that he saw her face-a beautiful face he couldn’t get out of his thoughts.
Carlo remained unaware of what had transpired. If he had attended that meeting instead of sending a representative, he would have learned that Mía was there, and perhaps he would have ruined his plans. He would never have allowed another man to touch what he considered his own; he would cut off their hands before they could.
Mía delighted in the thought of the reaction he would have when he realized he wasn’t the first. She had no intention of having relations with him, but she was sure he would find a way to force her. Men like him, so full of themselves, couldn’t stand rejection. She smiled maliciously; that would be her wedding gift.
She couldn’t help but cry, wishing she could run away from her tragic destiny. She prayed for a miracle to free her from it all. She didn’t really know who her fiancé was, but she knew enough to sense that he wasn’t a good person. If she knew what he was capable of, she would be terrified.
That man was feared in Italy by those who knew him. Only his parents dared to contradict him. He had wiped out entire families that stood in his way, and his parents were thrilled when he told them he would finally have someone to accompany him on his journey. Perhaps that way, their son would forget all the pain he carried after the death of his brothers. He needed to forget that terrible vengeance; too many had died already.