THE MAFIA’S HEIR

BIANCA’S POV

Oh God! This was all too much for me to take in at once. I was still dealing with the appearance of my parents, only for Anthonio to show up. When did he return?

“Baby?” He called, and I shivered with fear and remorse. “Babe.” He called again, and I couldn’t help the fresh tears that fell from my eyes.

“Ohh…” I let out an almost inaudible whimper. “Anthonio.” I fell to the ground in the pretty dress that Manuel’s mom had gotten for me.

“What’s going on?” He asked, looking into my eyes as he walked closer to me. “I just came back last night, and had to show up for my cousin’s….” He trailed off, looking at everyone, before looking back at me. “Your parents are here too. We’ve both been trying to reach you. Where have you been? What has been going on? You got us really worried.” I watched as his emotions fluctuated by the second. From suprised, to worried, to confused, and then to being curious. “What happened? You have not spoken to me or taken my calls in weeks now. I’ve been going crazy.” He groaned. For a moment, I wondered why he didn’t think anything was off. Wasn’t he seeing that my parents had just found me, and I was…..? “Stand up already please. I’m not mad anymore.” He begged, pulling me off the ground. “I’m so relieved to see you are safe. I’ve missed you.” He pulled me into his embrace, and I just let him do whatever he wanted. The fear in my mind made it difficult for me to think straight. “You look beautiful.” He grinned, cleaning the tears off my eyes. For a moment, I wondered why everyone just quietly watched us. I couldn’t bring myself to say anything, so why couldn’t they just say something on my behalf? I took a quick glance at everyone. Greta and her mom looked very shocked, while Manuel looked….. angry.

“Anthonio.” I sobbed, pulling his hands off my cheeks, and holding them in mine.

“I told you it’s fine already. I’m not angry anymore.” He sighed, cleaning off my tears. “We can talk about it all when today’s event is over.”

“Anthonio please listen to me!” I yelled firmly, admist my tears. He finally looked at me quietly and attentively. “This…” I pointed around us, “is not what you think it is. I’m so undeserving of you, please forgive me.” I sniffled, making him frown.

“What’s going on?” He finally asked, looking so serious. His expression made it difficult for me to start speaking.

“I.. I am… Anthonio…”

“She has my child in her belly.” Manuel suddenly spoke up, making my eyes go wide. That wasn’t how I had planned to let it out. Anthonio glanced at Manuel with an unreadable expression, before looking back at me. He seemed to be having issues digesting Manuel’s statement. Who wouldn’t?

“Babe…” He released a sigh, so much fear in his eyes. “Please tell me what is happening.”

“Anthonio, that is what I’m doing right now.” Manuel continued. “Bianca is pregnant for me, and we are to be married in a matter of weeks.”

“Shut up, and let my woman talk!!” Anthonio burst out in anger, making me shake in my place. I had never seen that side of him before. He looked up at me with anger evident in his eyes. He didn’t ask me any other question, but the look in his eyes said it all. All he wanted was a confirmation, or for me to debunk Manuel’s claims.

“Anthonio please.” I begged.

“Is it true?” He finally asked and I shamefully nodded, unable to hold his eyes. Everywhere went silent for a moment, before he bursted out. “Bianca, no!!” He yelled angrily. “Bianca how…. how….?” His breathing increased, making me worried for a moment. He seemed like he was hyperventilating. “How could you do this to me?” He asked, tears finally dropping from his eyes. Oh God! I couldn’t even say a single word. All I could do was just shake my head and cry. “How could you break me this way?” He cried all the more, shocking everyone.

“Anthonio, please calm down….” Manuel’s mom tried speaking to him, but he cut her off.

“Your son is about stealing something so important from me, and you ask me to stay calm?!!!” He thundered.

“You wouldn’t dare speak to my mother that way again.” Manuel intervened. My heartbeat already accelerated with so much fear. The last thing I wanted, was any kind of fight. Just then, Emilio showed up.

“Anthonio.” He called so softly. Everyone looked at him.

“Nonno, Manuel is….” Anthonio started, but trailed off. “Bianca is my woman. She’s mine.” He cried weakly. God knows that all I wanted to do was hug him, and tell him how sorry I felt for us. But I knew he was gonna push me away.

“I know.” Emilio nodded. He looked at Greta and gave her a slight nod. She gave a nod in response and walked to me, took my hand in hers, and pulled me out of the entire scene. I willingly followed her because the tension was becoming too much for me to bear. We walked away as I heard Emilio ask Anthonio to follow him.

Greta and I got to the room, and she lead me to the the chair that I just had my makeup done. The makeup artist whom had been hired, was still busy packing up her things, when she looked up at me and frowned. Knowing my face was probably hideous from my crying, I looked into the mirror just in front of me. I frowned slightly when I saw my reflection on the mirror. God! I looked horrible. That was the least of my worries though. My major worry was Anthonio. What would Emilio be telling him now? What would he think of me? Would he ever forgive me for such humiliation and deception? Did I deserve his forgiveness?

“Calm down Bianca.” Greta patted my shoulder. “Atleast, it’s all out now. You don’t have to continually worry about how you’d let him know the truth, anymore. That part is done now. All that’s left, is getting over the whole incident.”

“It would be very difficult for me to just get over it. I hurt a man who did nothing but love me.” I muttered, and her hands found their way to each side of my head. She gently massaged my temples as she spoke to me.

“I didn’t in my wildest imaginations, think your boyfriend would be my cousin. Neither did I think that your tryst with Manuel a few months back, would bring us to this. But we are here now. Most importantly, a child is on the way. This means that whatever decisions you decide to take, must be in the favour of this child. You cannot….” She suddenly paused and gave a long sigh. “We should focus more on the event tonight. We cannot afford to have you stepping out to the rest of the family with a blotched face. No one else has to know about what happened in here. I’m sure you wouldn’t feel comfortable if they did. So what we have to do now, is to rearrange your face, and then you step out like none of this happened tonight.”

“But I just cannot pretend like it didn’t.”

“You can.” She insisted. “I am begging you to try. It’s just for a couple of hours, and you can come back inside and have your privacy.”

“What about Anthonio?”

“Do not worry about him. Nonno would keep him in check.” She assured, making me nod in understanding. “Lydia.” She turned to the curious make up artist who just watched us as we spoke. “Please quickly fix this, or recreate another magic on her face. Could you be quick about it as well? We don’t really have so much time. You would be paid extra for the stress.”

“Okay.” The lady nodded and walked up to me. Before I knew it, the previous cakey and teary makeup had been wiped off my face, and a new one was being applied. Many times, I thought about the situation of things and was close to tears. But whenever I remembered I would only be frustrating Lydia’s work and wasting the time we didn’t have, I tried keeping the tears in.

*

*

*

I had been able to uphold my promise to Greta, and did my best to step out to their family and guest, looking composed. For the rest of the night, I didn’t lay eyes on Anthonio. I knew he left already. Mama and Papa had also left midway, promising to come check on me the next day. I didn’t even understand what they meant by that. Wasn’t I returning home anymore? Was I going to be in the Russo estate until the wedding?

Personally, I hadn’t waited for the after party to be over before excusing myself and walking back into the house. Atleast, I had been patient enough to take pictures with some of the important guests. The moment I got into the house, I made my way through the staircase, and walked into the familiar room. I pulled my shoes and my clothes off. I was still looking through the wardrobe for any of the clothes Greta had put in there for me this afternoon. All I could see were Manuel’s clothes, making me frown. Just when I finally got hold of a a simple gown I could wear to sleep, the bedroom door opened to reveal Manuel standing at the doorstep. His eyes widened at seeing me almost naked. I had been shocked as well, and was too caught up in my shame to realize myself. When I finally did, I instinctively covered my breasts with both hands.

He turned his back and closed the door behind him, while I quickly put on my gown. I was honestly too tired to feel ashamed. My eyes were sore from so much crying, and I still worried about Anthonio. I sat on the bed, deep in thoughts. A couple of minutes later, a knock came on the door and I heard Manuel’s voice.

“Are you wearing something now?” He asked, and I gave a positive reply. Immediately, he opened the door, walked in, and shut the door behind him. He stood just in front of the door, looking at me without saying a word, but I could feel his eyes on me. Not ready for any other additional drama tonight, I sighed and moved into the middle of the bed. I truly needed the rest. My movements stopped midway when I heard what he said.

“Is this some sort of game to you?” He asked, and I turned to look at him. “So you had sex with me, knowing it was my cousin whom you dated?” He accused, making me go mad momentarily.

“So what are you insinuating?” I asked, trying my best to remain calm. “That this is all my fault? I only started dating Anthonio after I got back from Moscow!” I cleared him.

“Oh please!” He chuckled humourlessly. “You clearly told me that you had a boyfriend, and couldn’t be committed to me in any way.”

“That is because there was a lot of awkward tension between us! That is why I told you I had a boyfriend, and couldn’t have anything more to do with you! I didn’t want you to begin to think that because you took my virginity, you owed me some sort of commitment. Mind you, I would have never slept with you if I was dating anyone at the time. Anthonio and I only started dating 2 months ago.” At my words, he went quiet and I shook my head in disbelief. “So for a moment, you actually tried to slut shame me?! You wanted to shame me for sleeping with you while dating your cousin? If you were ever so big on faithfulness, then why did you cheat on your ex fiancee with me? Twice!” I got no response from him. “First, you spoke about taking my child and parenting it with her. Meanwhile, you were the same person who said you couldn’t watch my boyfriend father your child. Now you try to slut shame me when you are even the worse slut?! All you do is think about yourself. It’s always about you. Self centered and arrogant…”

I didn’t even know what more to call him. This man had a way of making me so furious. I didn’t even wait for him to think of a suitable reply, before I moved further into the bed and covered myself with the thick duvet. He could go to hell for all I cared. I was in mine already.