I woke up and the ceiling looked the same as always, cracked in that one corner I used to stare at when I wasn't able to sleep.
But today the crack felt different, like it was staring back at me. There was no knock on the door, no food tray, Just a stupid white dress hanging on the wardrobe like it was waiting to choke me.
I knew it was Sophia who picked it, because this is exactly her style, pretty enough to fool people, low enough to remind everyone what I actually worth.
I dressed up all by myself , no one to support me. The silk felt cold against my skin. My fingers shook a little when it came to the zipper. I didn't like that.
Downstairs the living room had been turned into a pretend chapel.
A few white chairs, a small table, a priest who kept checking his watch like he had somewhere better to do or somewhere better to be.
Dad was in his suit, with folded arms, Sophia and Isabella in pale dresses, whispering and giggling to themselves behind their hands.
There was No one else. There were No flowers, No music. Just the smell of fresh coffee nobody cared to drink.
The door opened.
Alessandro stepped in.
No big entrance. No one with him. Just him in a black suit, collars opened, and no tie. He didn't look around the room. His eyes came straight to me and stayed on me.
My stomach flipped.
He walked over slowly. Stopped right in front of me. Close enough I could see the tiny scar on his jaw line and smell that same dark cologne from three nights ago.
My hands felt sweaty against my clothes.
"You look calm," he said in a low voice.
"I'm not," I answered. My voice came out quieter than I wanted.
He gave the smallest nod. Like he already knew.
The priest coughed. "We can start."
Alessandro didn't take his eyes off me. "Go ahead."
The words were quick. No long speeches. No "to love and cherish." Just "honor," "protect," "bind." I said "I do" like I was agreeing to pay a bill. He said it the same way. Flat and Final.
He slid the ring down my finger. His skin was warm. My hand trembled the whole time I pushed his ring over his knuckle. Gold. Plain. Heavy.
The priest mumbled something about husband and wife.
Alessandro didn't lean in for a kiss. He just looked at me one second longer than he needed to. Then turned to Dad.
"She's mine now."
Dad nodded fast. "Yes."
Sophia's smile slipped for half a second. Isabella rolled her eyes.
Alessandro took my hand. Not hard. Not soft either. Just firm. Like he was pulling me out of a place that never wanted me anyway.
We walked out. No rice thrown. No clapping. No pictures. The front door shut behind us with a quiet click.
His car was waiting, black, dark windows. He opened the back door for me. I slid in. The Leather cold against my legs. He got in after me. Door closed.
The car moved.
I stared out the window. The house got smaller. My house. My old life. Gone.
Alessandro sat quiet for a while. Arm along the seat back. Fingers loose. He didn't look at me right away.
Then he said, soft, "You didn't cry."
I turned. "Would it have made a difference?"
"No."
I looked back out the window. "Then why should i bother?"
He didn't answer. But I felt his eyes on the side of my face for a long time.
The penthouse was high up, Private elevator. The Doors opened straight into a big dark space, with black floors, huge windows, Vegas lights glittering below like broken glass.
He let go of my hand.
"This is your home now," he said. No smile. No welcome.
I looked around, there was Nothing personal, No pictures, No mess. Just clean and expensive things that made it looked like nobody lived there.
He walked me down a short hall. Stopped at a door.
"Your room tonight."
I stepped inside room, there was a big bed with Dark sheets. Nothing else.
He stayed in the doorway and said "Tomorrow you sleep in mine."
My heart kicked hard. "whatif I don't want to?"
His eyes dropped to my mouth for a second. Then back up.
"You will."
He didn't say it like a threat. He said it like he already knew how it would end.
He turned to leave.
I spoke before I could stop myself. "Why me?"
He paused and Looked over his shoulder.
"Because no one else would survive me."
Then he was gone, The Door clicked shut.
I sat on the edge of the bed in silence still in my white dress.
City lights moved across the floor. My hands were cold My chest felt tight.
Tomorrow.
And the worst part is, Some stupid small part of me wondered how it would feel when he finally stops holding back.
sitting at the edge of the bed for what felt like forever, trying to pretend everything was beautiful when It wasn't.
The room was way too big and empty . Even The bed looked like it could eat me if I lay down.
I kept my hands in my lap, twisting my fingers around the silk of the dress which was now wrinkled and creased from sitting. I didn't care.
I thought about the ring again. Plain gold and Heavy on my finger. I twisted it didn't budge still.
It Felt like it was already a part of me, whether I wanted it or not.
I thought about the way Alessandro looked at me when he said "you will." Not angrily, Not even loud. Just sure. Like tomorrow was already written, and I was just waiting to catch up.
My chest tightened, tried breathing in and out slowly to calm down. But it didn't work.
I stood up, Walked to the window, Pressed my palm against the cold glass watching the city sprawled out below me with endless lights, noise, and people who didn't know my name and wouldn't care if they did.
I felt Small, Smaller than i ever felt in my dad's house.
I thought escaping but, Alessandro, he had said it himself: once I left that house, I answered only to him.
Sighs...
Tomorrow.
The word kept hitting me like a stone.
Tomorrow I would be in his bed.
Tomorrow he would stop holding back.
I would have to face whatever "his world" really was.
I thought about how Dad nodded when Alessandro said "she's mine now." The way Sophia's smile slipped, like she no longer sure she had won.
The way Isabella rolled her eyes, but her shoulders were stiff.
They did their best to get rid of me . They thought they'd fixed everything.
But they didn't know Alessandro.
Neither did I
And that scared me the most.
I laid down and closed my eyes but arrghhh the Goddem sleep wouldn't come.
Maybe because under the fear and the anger, that small part of me was still wondering what it would feel like when the holding back stopped.
Would I hate it or beg for more
pressed my face and screamed into the pillow.
Why won't The questions stop.
And I couldn't stopp counting hours.