She didn't know if this was some sort of joke that Antonio came up and managed to convince them to play along, or if it was real. She didn't know what to think. She felt as though the whole world had stopped, and she waiting for everyone to shout, "JOKES!"

This had to be a joke, right? Things like this didn't happen anymore, right? This was back in the old day, right?...right?

But nevertheless, Mirabella bursted out laughing. She slapped her knee, threw her head back and laughed. She laughed, and laughed, and she could feel her stomach aching. She raised her hand to her cheek and whipped away her tears that emerged from her eyes because of how much she laughed.

"Nice one, Antonio" she said, through her laugher. "How did you manage to get them to play along, man?" The men in the room didn't respond. She needed a minute to let the information she had been told to sink in.

And that's exactly what happened. Mirabella looked at them for a minute, and that's when she saw that they each held serious expressions on their faces. She sat there quietly, watching them, studying them. And then it all hit her like a sack of potatoes all at once. "No," She said. "My answer is no."

The men in the room all exchanged looks. They knew this was going to be hard. "Mirabella," Roman began, as he stepped forward. "You must understand that we only want what's best for you. This is the best-"

"No."

Roman sighed, and turned away from her to look at the others. Shrug his shoulders and dropped his hands down by his sides. "Sister, this-"

Mirabella stood up, and took a step forward. "This isn't fair" she said. "I don't want to marry him and I won't."

"You're father wanted this. This was his dying wish," said Mario. "We only want what's best for you-"

"What's best me for me?" Mirabella scoffed, as she pointed a finger at herself. She exhaled a cold and dry laugh as she shook her head. "No, you want what's best for you. All of you do. You only see how this can benefit you, but you never ask what I want-"

And just like that, something snapped within Alejandro. He slammed his hand on table and then poured a finger at his sister. Mirabella bit her tongue as she looked at her brother with wide, glossy eyes. "You will marry him, and that is final" he said, his voice was demanding and dangerous. This was the tone he used on the men that worked for the family when they didn't do as told. This was the tone he used when he tired to scare someone off. "He will attended the party and that's final."

Mirabella held her head up high, trying her very best not to cry. She turned around and walked out of the room and rushed upwards to her bedroom.

She locked the door, pressed her back against it and held her breath so her tears wouldn't leave her eyes. I won't cry, she told herself, I won't. She was too scared to cry out or wail, she just stood there as still as a statue. She blinked, and the tears dripped from her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. She bit her lip tightly in attempt to hide any sound that wanted to escape from her mouth.

She knew if someone saw they would think she was being over dramatic, hysterical, overreacting. But they wouldn't understand because being told that you can marry whoever you want since being a little girl who dreams about her big, fairytale wedding and never breaking the rules, it's like you are being betrayed by your family. Your blood.

There was a knock at the door and then a voice followed. "Mirabella, its me Vanessa. Please, open the door." Mirabella took in a deep breath and whipped her tears. She don't want everyone to know that she had been crying.

She turned around and unlocked the door, to find not only her cousin outside in the hallway, but her Godmother and auntie too. She moved to the side, opening the door even more for them so they could enter.

Mirabella left the door open, and she walked to her dresser, leaning against it. There was a short moment of silence before Mirabella's Godmother broke it. "It's going to be fine, sweetheart" she said, and that's all Mirabella needed to set her off.

Tears began rolling down her cheeks, and this time, she was crying out loud. Her Godmother and auntie walked over to her and held her in a tight embrace. They knew that once married into the underworld, there was no turning back. It wasn't a marriage for a day, or a week or a month. It was a marriage for life.

The two women tired to calm her down, telling her that everything was going to be fine, that she would be safe, that she would have everything a girl would wish for. Mirabella shook her head. "No," she said. "It's not going to be alright. What if he is abusive? You all say these things, but how can you be so sure?" She asked. "This isn't fair. I should at least be with someone I like."

The two women looked at each other. "Darling," said her auntie, as she tucked a strand of Mirabella's hair behind her are. "Royals. Princesses. Queens do not have that luxury. And since you are a Desamprada, you are royalty in this world that we live in."

Mirabella looked at her auntie, understanding where she was coming from and it was the truth. Being a Desamparada was royalty in this world that they lived in. It was a name that was respected.

It's been a few hours, and Mirabella didn't leave her room. She cancelled her plans with her cousin who still went out shopping without her.

There was a knock at the door, and in walked Vanessa with shopping bags. She almost felt sick just by looking at them. Why so bloody early? She thought, and she figured that it was probably the work of her so-called brother, Alejandro. He knew if she was told sooner she would have been on a plane with no trail to follow.

••••

It was time. leave. The guests were arriving to celebrate Miabella's birthday. The sky was pitch black with stars, looking as though they were scattered sugar. The guests parked their cars in the dry way, and the sound of chatter and laughers filled the air. The lights glistened in the French windows throughout the mansion, and somewhere in the dark garden played a fountain.

Mirabella was upstairs, getting ready. She wore a white puffy skirt which was slightly low cut on the front and long on the back. A black lace top that had designs, embroidery and lace on it. Black, lace, high heels and her long brown hair was parted down the middle and she wore a silver jewellery set. She didn't wear much makeup, just mascara and lipstick.

She looked at herself in the mirror, and took a deep breath as she held her head up high. Every family has to have that one person who never done anything wrong, who never broke any of the rules, who did as was told to only be the one with who would carry a burden on their shoulders. But even if that burden would be hard, heavy or would strip them away from what they truly want, they wouldn't say a word. They would keep their mouth shut, and tell themselves that everything was going to be fine.

••••

The ballroom was elegant and luxurious. The round tables dominated the space, but still held a large amount of space for people to walk around and dance, and each table had a bouquet for white and red roses that shimmered. Magnificent chandeliers hung down from the high ceiling with diamonds. The floor beneath it all was marble, and with the cream walls, and tall mullioned windows that stretched from the ceiling down to the floor, it was a perfect place for a party.

Mirabella and Vanessa looked around the room, searching. "Don't you look stunning," said Antonio as he approached his sister and cousin. The two girls smiled. Antonio pulled his phone out, went to his camera and said, "oh, it's just me." This made the girls rolled their eyes at him, while he laughed.

Mario and Roman approached the three cousins just when they finished their conversation. They stopped in front of them and smiled. "Girls, you look beautiful" they complimented them.

Mirabella and Vanessa smiled and thanked them, but Mirabella's smile quickly turned into a serious expression in a matter of one second. "So," she began. "Where is he?" Her tone was murderous, when she asked that.

The two men looked at each other, and just when they were about to speak, Alejandro approached them all and not alone. By his side stood was a man wearing a black suite with a white shirt underneath and a black tie. He was tall and slim, but the way he held himself made him incredibly intimidating. And he was extremely handsome. His jet black hair was slick like a sweeping tide of obsidian and out of his face, revealing his handsomely carved facial features.

"Mirabella," said her Godfather, Roman. "This is Daniel Rodriguez."

To say that she was shocked would be an understatement. She couldn't believe her eyes or her ears. This man, standing before was who she was to marry? This man was her husband-to-be? Daniel Rodriguez? They were handing her in the hands of a monster, as they whisper about him.

Mirabella placed her hands behind her back, fighting the urge of not swigging her hand at him and smacking him.

Daniel smirked at her. She wasn't tall, even though she was wearing high heels. But she was beautiful- no, that's a understatement. She was exquisite. From her looks, to how she dressed, to her body. She was exquisite.

He watched as she placed her hands behind her back, and a smirk tugged at his lips. He held his hand out towards her. "Your brother and uncles have told me a lot about you," he said, with a quick wink that went unnoticed, except for her. "It's a pleasure."

Mirabella looked at his hand and then looked back up at him. The nerve, she thought to herself. She forced a sly smile and reached her hand out. "I can't say the say for you."

Antonio bursted out laughing, Vanessa was trying so hard to hold her laughter in. Alejandro looked down at the floor with a smile on his face while shaking his head, and Roman and Mario had shock written all over their faces. "Now if you'd excuse us" she said, before grabbing Vanessa by the arm pulled her away from them.

It's been about half an hour, and Marbella spent her time greeting and catching up with some of the guests.

"Happy birthday,muchacha!"

(girl)

A familiar voice bellowed. Mirabella turned around to come face to face with her best friend, Andrea. She had long, dark dirty blonde hair that looked almost golden, brown eyes which turned light brown when the sun hit it and caramel-like skin

It's been a year since Andrea had left and went to England because of her grandmother who wasn't feeling well. "It's so good to see you- I have something to tell you." And so, Mirabella told her best friend about the news.

Andrea looked at her friend with a

serious expression once she finished telling her all about what was going on. "Is that him?" She asked, gesturing to Daniel with fire in her eyes as she sent him a disgusting glance.

Mirabell laugher and pulled her friend into another embrace. "Oh, I missed you" she said.

••••

Mirabella made her way to her bedroom to retrieve her phone. The hallway was empty and she could still hear the music very clearly, but then it faded until she could no longer hear it.

She opened the door to her room, and walked towards the nightstand, but when she turned around to leave her heart stopped for a small second. She held her phone tightly in her hand and she gazed at him with a look that could kill. "Your friend should be here to chaperone you" Daniel said, as he walked in the room uninvited.

Mirabella kept her mouth closed. She didn't wish to speak to him. Daniel scoffed at her silence, turned around and closed the door so on one would see them. "Or perhaps she knows a chaperone is pointless, in your case" he said, turning to look at her.

Mirabella felt her heart shaking inside of her when the doors closed. She didn't know him and she didn't feel comfortable being in the same room as him. She needed to trust him, but it appeared that, that wasn't the case for him. So she stood her ground and held her head up high. "Foolish to close the stable door when the horse has long since bolted," she said. "That filly loved her stolen freedom more than you could know."

And just like that, Daniel's strong jaw was set and his eyes narrowed at her as he made his way towards her. Mirabella was about to step back, to keep her distance from him, but she was too late. Daniel had grabbed her by the arm and held her in one place. "What are you - let go of me!" She struggled. "So this is how you treat girl's you meet?"

"If we want to make this work you will do as told."

"I don't even know you!" Mirabella said. "I have to trust you first, and the only way I know that to happen is through friendship!"

Daniel laughed. "I know that you need to trust me first, and in time you will. But if we want to make this work we have to be civil" he said. "And I'm not going to be your friend, love. I'm your husband."

"Don't you dare drop the gun on that!" She hissed at him. Mirabella fought the urge not to shiver. Just hearing the word 'husband' made her insides feel like someone was squeezing them violently. "I never wanted this. I wanted to marry for love and find happiness, but unfortunately, there always has to be someone who has to carry a burden!"

Daniel held her closer to his chest as he leaned down slightly. He looked feeling into her eyes, as if searching for something. "With all my heart, I don't want to marry you either" he said, softly. "But I am told I must - for our families so they are united. My heir must have some Desamparada blood in his veins, as well as Rodriguez." Mirabella gazed up at him and for the first time she saw the true colour of his eyes; Green. The kind of green that pushed its way through the piles of gritty snow to remind you that spring was coming. That churning, passionate green that the ocean turns during a storm. That colour of the forest after it rains.

"You think you have a choice?" He said. "You think you have free will in this? I'm sure you've heard the tales of the ruthless Rodriguez King, and I do not."

There was a long silence that followed. If he didn't have a say in this, she knew that no matter what she would do it would be pointless. There was no way out. This was all so unfair. All of her other cousins were happily married to the men of their dreams, but she.

Mirabella looked away, and blinked a few times to stop the tears from blurring her vision. She was going to go through with this.

The lights in the ballroom had dimmed slightly, as they sang happy birthday. Mirabella was smiling a big and happy smile, that was convincing. She had everyone in that ballroom fooled. She even had her bother and uncles fooled.

She leaned forward and blew the candles out, and loud cheers and applause broke from everyone. She narrowed her eyes to Daniel for a small moment, before she tore her eyes away from and looked towards the crowd, smiling.

⚡️