Forced into it

Prologue

"Hello mi hija."

My father beams at me, before pulling me into a warm hug. "Hello father." A smile spreading from ear to ear as I reply before hugging him back. "I missed you." He sighs. "I was gone for a week." I chuckle, before we both let go of each other.

"Yes I know, but it was weird without you here!" He shrugs and I roll your eyes playfully at him, before I notice my mother sprinting down the staircase and running towards me.

"Hello mother." I smile, as she embraces me in a tight hug. "I have missed you." She sighs and hugs me even tighter.

"I was gone for a week!" I laugh and roll my eyes.

"I know that is way to long!" She pulls away from the hug to face me, cupping my right cheek with her hand, a beaming smile on her face and I reflected it.

"Now, let's eat." My mother nods towards the kitchen.

We sit down and I notice the amazing meal in front of me, Linguine ai gamberoni, one of my favourites.

"So," my father begins "How was your holiday with your friends?"

"Amazing, we had so much fun." I smile brightly before twirling some of the spaghetti on my fork. "I am so happy to hear that." My father smiles "Did you make any other friends?"

"Yes actually I-"

Suddenly, loud thudding comes from the front door, cutting me off. A few seconds later the front door is burst open and two tall brunette men dressed in black suits storm through the doorway.

My parents and I stand from the table as our bodyguards surround us with their guns to the two men.

My father buttons his suit jacket while walking towards the two men. My father can switch from a caring father to a stone cold in a second. "Can I help you gentlemen?"

"We aren't here for trouble, just here for what is owed to our boss." One of them answer calmly.

"And what is that?" My father asks.

"The millions you owe or the marriage of your daughter, Maria Torres and Diego Herrera."

My heart dropped when I heard the mans' words.

I took a few steps towards my father "Dad.. What is he talking about?"

My father turned to me with a guilty expression.

Confusion and fear shot through my body.

"Dad?" My voice cracked. My father looked at me with a load of regret in his eyes. I was hoping for him to say they were wrong, but he didn't.

I felt my eyes tear up before I turned my look towards my mother who had the same pitiful look on her face as my father. "Mother? Did you know?"

She said nothing but give me a sorry look. I turn away from her and take a breath "When did you make this deal?" I ask my father.

"Maria-"

"How old was I?" I interrupt him.

"Four, you were four." He looks down ashamed.

"Four." I scoff "So you both listened to me talk about how I wanted to find true love and have a marriage full of love like yours, when you knew I wouldn't actually get that decision?" I say glancing between them both.

"Maria- I am so sorry." My father apologises as does my mother but an apology couldn't fix this.

How could they not tell me this? They knew all I ever wanted was to find love and have a healthy and love filled marriage, even if they didn't know I wanted this when I was four they could've at least told me about it when I got older.