There are chances for grammatical mistakes.....

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My head whipped at Ermanno who was looking around uncomfortably. I tried to catch his gaze but he didn’t let me.

I was sure either Ricci was kidding or he had misunderstood it. Men like Ermanno were not made to feel anything. But Alessandro had said something similar to me last night when he had visited me.

‘Finally I get to meet the girl who has bewitched my ruthless grandson in the first sight.’

Was he also mistaken? But how could two people be mistaken at the same time? But if he would have really cared for me, he wouldn’t have yelled at me and threatened me. And he never even said that he felt anything for me. I didn’t think he would be shy to share his feelings with me, that was, if he had any. And he wouldn’t have so easily reminded me that horrible sight of him torturing that man, if he cared for me. Because he knew how much mentally affected I was by that.

I shook my head to get rid of his thoughts and concentrated on the banter going on between Adele and Ermanno.

Adele scowled, “It is not that I am kidnapping her or something. Why are you being so thick headed?”

He glared at her and spoke, “I told you that she won’t leave my side and that is final.”

I guess they were talking about me. Ricci interrupted them, “Hey man, be easy. No one is going to harm her in a room full of people. She is just going to sit a little away from you in the same room. I think you can handle a little distance for sometime.”

Ermanno huffed at that and spoke “Fine, but stay inside only. Don’t even go to restroom without informing me.”

Adele rolled her eyes at him and held my hand in hers. Ermanno reluctantly loosened his hold on me. Muttering a small ‘dictator’, she guided me to a nearby table, in a little secluded corner.

After we both settled down, she scowled, “These men could be so stubborn sometimes!”

I smiled at her irritation to which she playfully glared at me. But the next minute, she excitedly clapped her hands and asked enthusiastically, wiggling her eyebrows, “So how do you feel after being announced as ‘The Mafia King’s’ betrothed?”

I had considered Adele as my true friend, so I didn’t want to lie to my friend. I looked at her with a somber expression. Her smile instantly vanished and she asked me worriedly, “What happened? Why are you so sad? Are you not happy with the announcement? Did Ermanno say something to you?”

I was feeling a little reluctant while sharing my secret with her, because at the end of the day she was his friend before mine. Heck! She was his childhood buddy while we became friends just a day ago. What if she rat me out to him?

He would literally kill me!

She seemed to understand my reluctance because she assured me, “If you are worried about something, you can share it with me. I promise I won’t tell anyone about it. Not even Ermanno.”

I was going through so much lately, and I had no one to share my feelings with. I just wanted to share my pain to release some burden. Besides, she had grown up among them, if there was really a way out of all that, she might be knowing it.

I had to take that chance. She was my only option. So, I shared everything to her from the starting, about Albert, about Ermanno’s hot and cold behaviour and my plan to escape the marriage.

To say that she was shocked, would be an understatement. She was gawking at me with her eyes open wide. But she quickly composed her features and whispered to me, “Do you even know the consequences of breaking the promises in the underworld? Death; not only yours but your whole family.

“I know that. But I can’t even marry a monster and practically hand over all my life to him. It would be the same as committing suicide. And after his tonight’s behaviour, my resolve has only strengthened. So, please help me if you know a way,” I pleaded her.

She was looking at me pitifully. Then, she looked around and spoke hesitantly, “Well, there is a way.”

Hope arose in my heart and I eagerly asked her, “What is it?”

She hesitated a little, “Umm... Actually it is next to impossible.”

“Just tell me. I will make sure to accomplish it,” I assured her.

Sighing, she spoke, “The only way to break this alliance is Ermanno himself. He is the Mafia King. He can alter the decisions according to his free will, and no would dare to raise a question against him. But I don’t think he would ever do that.”

I asked her curiously, “Why?”

She disclosed, “Because this alliance is Alessandro’s words to your grandfather, Leonardo. Alessandro is known for keeping his promises at any cost in our world, and Ermanno loved and respected him too much to damage his reputation.”

I had seen the bond between Alessandro and Ermanno, and I knew it was next to impossible for Ermanno to go against his nonno’s wish. But I would definitely find a way for him to cancel the marriage.

I had found the way to break free of that imprisonment, now I had to find a way to convince Ermanno to cancel our marriage. I knew it was a tough job, but it wasn’t impossible.

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After sometime, Ermanno came to me announcing that we had to dance as a couple to celebrate the announcement. I quietly obliged him and he guided me in the centre of the hall.

He kept both my hands on his shoulder, while placed his own on my waist. My heart started beating fast at the proximity and I didn’t dare look at him. Infact, I kept my gaze on his well chiselled chest all the time.

He had not spoken a word to me and was still acting ignorant.

I think we both can play the game!

If he was not interested in talking to me, I also had no desire to interact with him. He could be all his grumpy self, for all I care! I was not going to talk to him first.

It was him who had yelled at me, so it should be him to apologize to me. He was the one who humiliated me. I knew I was wrong in not telling him about my relationship with Albert, but did we ever get a chance to get to know each other? Did he ever sit with me to have a heart-to -heart conversation or share about our life?

I was so stupid! With whom was I considering to have a heart-to-heart conversation, the one who doesn’t even possess it!

I was in a relationship, before knowing anything, about me being promised to him. So how could I be infidel with him? It was not that I had contacted Albert after knowing about my betrothal. His beloved nonno had even ordered me to cut all my ties with all my friends.

I missed them so much, yet I couldn’t contact them. They must be so worried about me. I even didn’t knew what excuse mama and dad had made to them about my sudden departure.

After our forced dance, he took me to the table, where the dinner was served. All the time, a scowl was etched on his handsome features, as if he was angry with the whole world.

Who would believe that he was happy with the announcement, if he would glare everyone and everything in the line of his vision on the occasion of our marriage’s announcement.

I think he was also willing to break that alliance, and didn’t want to be with me. The thought hurt me a little, but I dismissed the feeling. It was just me feeling hurt for being rejected by someone. It was not that I felt anything for him.

I think if he didn’t want to marry me, the things would be easier for me. Maybe, he would himself break the alliance or I could convince him easily.

After the dinner, he took me home. We both ignored each other’s presence and I went straight up to my room. After changing into my night clothes and removing my make up, I lied down on my bed and started thinking of a way to convince Ermanno to break the alliance.

But I didn’t knew why my heart was denying me to do it?!

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