The Mafia and Her ✔

Chapter 26

Since I was unsure if Dexter's threat about hurting Alvaro was true, I had to oblige with his demands, but I didn't promise to be on my best behavior, and that was on him. 

I got dressed for the press conference and had Heath grab my elbow all the way to the car like I was about to escape.

What a gentleman.

The speech they wanted me to say was outrageous, but I had no choice. I had to lie with a smile and kiss Heath's cheek when he slid the ring on my finger on live TV. I gagged at the thought, earning a glare from the ugly duckling and Dexter. 

On second thought... I will alter the speech. 

"You will behave," Heath's grip tightened, and I kicked his knee as I sat in the car.

"Fuck you." I smiled, promising retaliation.

"Oh, you curse now? The Spanish fucker is indeed a bad influence." I rolled my eyes and pressed myself as far away as possible from his touch. He had the germs.

"That Spanish dude will kill you one of those days," I replied, confident that Izan would come and rescue me. He just needed time, and I was going to earn it.

"He can try," Heath foolishly said, and I imagined him hanging by the legs above a pool filled with sharks with lipstick on. "He won't find you after today. You'll stay at the cabin until our wedding," he added an important detail, and I almost flinched at that but remained calm and still.

Shoot, the cabin... 

Izan will never find it.

I am doomed.

Unless...

~~~

"Mr. Amaryllis, we heard you had something important to announce. Can you share it with us?" one of the reporters, hungry for information, asked. He glanced at my hand that was interlocked with Heath's by force, and I prayed. 

I prayed for Jose to be alive and for me to get out of this mess as soon as possible.

Dexter smiled one of his famous fake smiles, and I cringed. "My only daughter here, Verena Amaryllis, as you may know, had been in a relationship with Heath Hemlock for five years now, and the couple finally decided to make it official. It was their idea to make it on live TV because they wanted to share their happiness with the world." Or send a message to Izan that I would be better off without him.

He'll understand that what I say will be all lies.

He has to understand that.

But what if Jose is dying... or already dead?

Will he ever forgive me?

Will he come for me?

Heath looked at me with a constipated smile that I almost rolled my eyes at. "My beautiful girl is one of the most..." I blocked out his speech and focused on what I had to say next. I would not repeat their speech word by word because I would rather die than say I love you to the ugly duckling.

Vera, you went through worse in your life.

You endured a lot. You can endure a bit more.

"That was heartfelt and beautiful, Heath. Thank you. Verena, what will you say to your soon-to-be fiancé?" Dexter pinched my knee under the table, and I snapped out of my daze. I planted the sole of my pointed heel on his shoe as hard as I could, and I felt him flinch in pain beside me, earning a genuine smile from me. I was done backing away from fights.

Play with fire, and you will get burnt.

I squeezed the ugly duckling's hand tightly, inflicting pain, thanks to Izan's training. I smiled at the camera. "Heath, you stuck to my back for five years," I began, not willing to lie but prepared to imply. I would not satisfy either of them. My words had to be precise. "And it is crystal clear you are one of a kind, Heath. Dex- Dad brought us together for the greater good, and I have never shed a tear from loneliness ever since. You were always with me, whether I liked it or not. Others thought it was cute, but I thought it was simply you."

He tried to squeeze my hand as a warning, but I squeezed harder, shutting him up. "Heath, I have never met someone like you. You always bought me crystals even though I did not need them, but you would always say they made my eyes pop. I agree." I said my safe word twice now, hoping Izan was watching this exchange.

"You always took me places I found weird at first but then convinced me they have the best vibes, and you're right. Like the cabin by the lake." 

None of them reacted.

"What I mean to say is that today I will be your fiancé, but we don't know what tomorrow will bring, so cheers to now." I finished my encrypted speech, earning a few confused expressions from reporters, but I didn't care.

Dexter and Heath didn't seem to mind what I said when one of the reporters gushed at my cute speech. "Thank you, Verena. Now, for the moment you have all been waiting for," Dexter announced as Heath pulled out a black velvet box. 

I faked a smile and tried my best not to gag at the horrendous big ring. It had too much going on, and I hated it with passion. It covered half of my finger.

I can kill somebody with it, preferably the ugly duckling.

"Do you like it?" Heath asked when I put it on. I didn't let him touch my fingers. The germs of his evil core were contagious, and I didn't want them on me. 

In my mind, we were not engaged. Not now, not ever.

I couldn't even nod at his stupid question. "It's... unique."

Dexter feared that I would say something wrong, so he ended the press conference by answering a few more questions about the wedding and the financial expenses. 

I left them at the table and waited in a car guarded by four huge men. I felt bad for them because they were working for Dexter, but again, he was paying them a hefty amount, so I didn't feel that bad.

Not a minute later, Heath slid into the car, looking furious and about to piss his pants. That would be funny. "Do you need a bathroom?" I smirked, loving his frustration. He reached for my thigh, but I slapped his hand away. "Don't you dare touch me."

"Why didn't you say what I wrote?" he yelled, retrieving his hand, but I didn't flinch.

"My speech was more creative. Who cares about the I love you nonsense anymore? The reports ate my words. You are welcome."

"I said I love you!" he countered like I was supposed to be touched.

I scoffed. "So? Doesn't mean you mean it. You're lucky I did not say I hate you or anything like that. If Alvaro's life was not on the line, I would have shoved this ugly ring down your throat and made you choke on it until you died." 

Robert, our driver, grinned from the rearview mirror, and I winked at him.

"You are not getting out of the cabin any time soon," he declared as he grabbed his phone, deciding to ignore me. It was good that he and Dexter were not so bright because I basically told Izan where to find me.

Hopefully, he doesn't take long.

~~~ 

25.01.2024 

Dexter and the ugly duckling are so stupid hehe 

Did you like this chapter? 

(I'll upload two chapters tomorrow, stay tuned :)