Betrothed To The Mafia Lord novel Chapter 1

Sofia’s POV

“Sit, Sofia,” Father murmured as he gestured towards the seat positioned before himself and mum, I sank into it gracefully and thanked him before he continued.

My heart was already beating fast, it had started racing wildly since the moment our housekeeper came to my room to inform me that my parents would like to have a word with me this very instant. A part of me already kinda figured out why they had summoned me, I’ve been dreading this particular ‘talk’ since the day I turned eighteen, two months ago.

“Do you know why I had you summoned?” Father asked and I shook my head immediately, silently praying it wasn’t going to end up being what I was already starting to think it was. Father picked up his whiskey filled glass and took a sip before returning it back to the table. My mother was seated beside him with a blank face as usual, her hair was pinned on her hair neatly and tightly, a single strand wouldn’t be able to slip out until she took out the pin herself.

“You’re eighteen years already, Sofia.” My father started to say and I felt my heart sink into my stomach with a drop, what he was about to say was already pretty obvious.

“You’re ripe for marriage already, which is why we’ve started your wedding preparations the moment you clocked eighteen. You’d be getting married in a week's time and all you have to do is to relax and do whatever your mum and her sisters ask you to do.”

“What?” I demanded urgently with my heart squeezing tight against the inside of my chest, blinking unbelievably and glancing from father’s face to my mother’s expressionless face.

I knew I was going to get married to one of the soldiers or generals' sons right since I was thirteen, I had been aware and had been brought up to be a good and obedient wife to whoever would end up getting picked out for me. It was tradition for fathers in our own world to marry their daughters to eligible men holding posts worthy enough to benefit them one way or the other.

“You’re getting married to Luca Ricci in a week's time.” Father stated and my mouth fell open immediately.

Luca?

Mr Luca Ricci?

“Um, Mr Luca? The mafia lord?” I whispered out with my eyes blown wide and my heart beating wildly against my ribs, my hands were starting to shake due to how close I was to losing control of my emotions and I squeezed my hands together and dragged in deep breath as quietly as I could.

“Yes, Sofia. Mr Luca Ricci has requested your hand in marriage and everything has been in preparation ever since. You should be really honored that someone as powerful as him would want to marry from our family, despite the fact that there are higher generals with daughters in which he could pick from.” My mother finally said from the moment I got into the office and I blinked at her with tears stinging my eyes.

“But he’s really older than I am,” I tried reasoning with them in a strained whisper, my voice breaking unashamedly, feeling weak and powerless as ever. What could I do?

Wasn’t he like fifty?

“Age is just a number, and besides he’s just eighteen years older than you are.” My father dismissed my protest immediately as he took another sip of his whiskey.

“I don’t want to marry him, father.” I started to say, knowing that I was digging my own grave by voicing out my own thoughts but having no other choice left, “Anybody but him, father. He’s scary and ruthless, you’ve said so yourself countless times. I’ve heard so many rumors about him, scary details about him. Please father...”