Daughter of the Mafia's Consigliere

MARIANNE.

"I said I'm not interested in going to check out anything, I'm going to put it on like not minding if it suits me or not!" I yelled at Isabella.

She has been trying to persuade me to come and try out my wedding gown which has been sewn already.

"Okay Milady, I'm sorry for disturbing you." She apologized and I sighed.

"It's okay, you should leave, I want to be left alone." I dismissed her and she left the room quietly.

I relaxed back on the bed and exhaled sharply. It's been two days since that incident between Ricardo and his father and also, my wedding with Ricardo is coming up in the next two days.

I heard preparations were already taking place but I wasn't interested in it. Why would I be when it's not the wedding I've always dreamt of? I had no single feeling of excitement but I was rather nervous, sad and depressed.

The reality that I'm officially going to be part of D'Onofrio's' family is finally dawning on me. There's no way out, I feel like my life it's going to be over once I get married to Ricardo. I'm never going to be happy again and all my dreams and hopes would be dashed.

It's been two days since I last saw and communicated with Ricardo. This is someone I'm going to be spending my life with probably forever. We don't love each other, we have no good communication and the worst part of it all is that we despise each other so much. Even if I want to try and make things work out, it's going to be so hard and almost impossible.

I wonder if Ricardo is fine though since I haven't heard from him for days, has he been down because of the gunshot wound? I thought of going to his office to check up on him but I countered that thought immediately. Apart from the fact that I was scared of facing him, he might just order me to get out like he did last time.

I'm not worried about him, never! I'm just being considerate and the thought of him getting shot wouldn't leave my head. But at least, he should have called for my presence to talk about other important things. He promised to bring Sophia here to attend my wedding, isn't he going to keep to that?

I've refused to contact Sophia since that day because I wanted to avoid her questions which I've already foreseen. I would only call her after Ricardo had arranged her flight. I would be so happy to finally see her again, I hope she hasn't been too worried.

I sighed deeply when I thought of Oliver, I miss him too and think about him all the time. What would he think of me after finding out about my marriage with Ricardo? I hope he really understands, I feel like he deserves someone better even though all these recent happenings aren't my fault.

But at the same time, I needed someone to cling to after my marriage with Ricardo because we were going to be literally living like strangers. The wedding is just going to be camouflaged.

I heard a knock on my door and I ruffled my hair in frustration. I hope Isabella isn't coming back to persuade me about checking the wedding dress and some other things.

"What is it this time? What did they send you to tell me again? I should be locking my door the whole day." I murmured, stretching my hands to the table beside my bed to get the cup of coffee Isabella prepared for me earlier. "Young master asks for your presence," She informed me and my attention got drawn that instant.

Young master is obviously Ricardo!

"You mean Ricardo asked you to call me? So he is still in this mansion?" I muttered sarcastically as I got up from my bed. "He said you should meet him at his office,"

It's always at his office as if I'm some kind of business partner, it's even better.

I decided to change into something comfy since I was just putting on a crop singlet and shorts.

I picked out palazzo trousers and a turtleneck blouse which I returned back immediately, it looked too serious.

It's not like I'm meeting up with an important person. I settled for a simple body con gown and went straight to his office.

I lost my morale as soon as I got to the front of his office as I remembered how he screamed at me even when I showed concern.

He would never apologize for his silly attitude even if heaven came down, that's if he realized he acted unruly towards me.

I barged in after counting from one to three and met Ricardo resting at the edge of the desk with no shirt on. My eyes widened at the sexiness of his upper body, his abs and biceps were so sexy.

I didn't know when my mouth dropped open as I stared and studied his exposed body keenly. The bandage on his arm even made him look sexier, he had a very beautiful and attractive body, his skin was smooth and the muscles on it... Wait, am I fucking drooling over this jerk? Oh my goodness, what was I thinking?

"Come back to your senses, Marianne!" I scolded myself.

"Are you done drooling?" He asked with a smirk and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Drool? That should only happen in your imagination, there is nothing to drool about, you think you're all that?" I snapped, avoiding looking at his exposed body.

"You took off your shirt thinking you would look insanely attractive like the male leads in movies. Dream on!" I mocked with a derisive laughter.

I kept mocking him because I was trying to hide my embarrassment and shame.

"Marianne! You think I called you to crack dry jokes and exchange strong words with you? I have no time for that!" He suddenly yelled at me and I became collected.

"Why did you call me here then?" I asked and he sighed before moving away from his desk.

I had a peak of his back view, he had broad shoulders!

Holy shit! I'm doing it again, Oliver is built like this also so why I'm I being so moved like this? Or maybe, Ricardo is sexier?

'Just shut the fuck up and erase such nonsense from your head, don't forget the kind of person he is!' I reminded myself silently.

I watched Ricardo bring out a stack of envelopes, it seemed he was searching for something. My gaze fell on his bandaged arm, he seemed to be using the arm well like nothing happened to it. He is probably shirtless so as to feel less uncomfortable.

"How is your arm?" I didn't know when those words spilled from my mouth, I regretted it instantly.

"It's none of your business," He replied coldly and I scoffed. He is such a proud and stubborn nitwit.

"Here's the contract of our open marriage," He suddenly hands me a piece of paper with some things written on it.

"Sign it,"