SANTINO

THE CEREMONY

MIA:
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I brushed my fingertips against the delicate fabric of this gorgeous dress, I watched as my mother placed the veil on top of my perfectly done hair. It was a half-up braid with white baby breaths tucked in.

I looked amazing, yet, the idea of getting married today was the worst news of my entire life. I didn't want to get married, I didn't want to have kids, I don't want nothing that comes from being with him.

Luka Santino is the only thing that will break me, next to him I am nothing more than a simple woman. Would it be any different?

Getting married to him will mean death, people will try to kill me because that's just how this business thing happens. You kill your opponent's most dear treasure and you will win against everything and everyone.

I don't want to have his kids because I will be forced to stay in the same place I am so hard trying to escape. Having his kids means being attached to something I can't.

It's funny, I lost a daughter and now I will be forced to give this man heirs, life is shitty and it will never be on my side.

If I get married today everything that I have gone through will be for nothing. Every prayer, every training session, it was all for nothing.

I have to find a way.

"You look beautiful, Mia!" Mom snapped me out of my thoughts when she put her hands on her face to try to muffle the cries of excitement she was letting out.

I smiled sweetly at her- or at least tried to anyway- I wasn't in the mood to be nice today, but she is my mother, and she didn't know about this arrangement until later on. There is no way I can blame her for what happened.

I stand up once again and walked towards the mirror. My blue eyes were there, they just didn't have the same sparks they always get. My skin was the same, except for the fact that I was wearing some makeup. My black hair was done beautifully, and I looked a little bit taller since I was wearing three-inch heels.

I looked amazing, I looked exactly how I wanted to look when I imagined myself getting married to the love of my life, and unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen.

I had to remind myself that Christian was dead, he wasn't coming back- not any time soon- my daughter was dead. I'm just stuck with the family I have now. I only have Sebastian and Mom.

Leonardo... He can go to hell for all I care. He was never a father and he failed to protect me when it was needed, he didn't stick to his word and I shouldn't either. It's because of him that I lost my chance at a better future, he is the reason my life is so fucked up.

"Mia, honey?"

I turned around and faked a smile. "How do I look?"

Mom's smile vanished little by little and just looked at me with a broken smile. "I'm so sorry, honey."

"Mom-"

"No, Mia. I'm so sorry for not being a mother." She cuts me off. "I should've done more, I should've spoken to your father and begged him to-"

"Stop," I said rather loudly when I felt tear's pricked in my eyes. "Mom you have nothing to apologize for, he did this, Leonardo? He is the one we should be blaming."

Even though my words were not enough to comfort my crying mother, it was enough to get her to stop and listen to me.

"It's just- you never wanted this, I know you didn't." Mom wiped her tears away with a nearby tissue. "You never wanted to marry- not Santino anyway- but I know that you wanted something different."