揅ouldn抰 you have decided this before our wedding day??he asked. 揑 thought Santino was only a fling.?
He was meant to be only a fling. But he was everything. I should have realized it sooner and been brave enough to act on my feelings. After all, I抎 visited him every day despite Enzo抯 disapproving gaze and had spent almost every moment worrying about him and not my wedding.
揈xcuse me,?Clifford said in a clipped voice. 揗y father requires my presence. I assume he needs to brief me on how we can destroy your family in the most public way.?
I didn抰 get the chance to say more because we walked off. My heart sank. The Clarks would undoubtedly cause major trouble, unless we stopped them. Judging by Dad抯 calculating expression, he was already trying to come up with a plan.
I wished I could help him but my mind was a mess. Mom appeared at my side and ushered me through the side entrance, and then back into the room where I抎 waited before.
揑 can抰 believe you stopped the wedding,?I whispered with a stunned giggle.
Mom shook her head as if she couldn抰 believe it either. 揧our father isn抰 happy with us, and I can抰 even blame him. He抣l have many sleepless nights trying to figure out a way out of the mess.?
I nodded. Despite my guilt, a relieved smile once again tugged at my lips. I wanted to dance in joy. I抎 never felt more relieved in my life, as if suddenly the future held promise again.
揟he look on your face is the one of a happy bride,?Mom said with a small smile, touching my cheek.
I bit my lip. I could hardly contain my happiness, even if today marked the day my reputation would be shredded. Maybe things wouldn抰 be as bad because many Made Men had been against a bond with a politician. Still, they probably wouldn抰 be happy with how things had gone down.
揑 know this is because of Santino, and I want you to know that I don抰 approve of your bond. I stopped this wedding because I knew you抎 be unhappy in it.?
揑s it really so bad that Santino and I have feelings for each other? He took several bullets for me, Mom. He would do everything for me. You shouldn抰 be angry at him. I抦 the one who put him through hell.?
Mom pursed her lips. 揥e抣l see.?
Santino was well respected, especially among the soldiers. I knew he抎 eventually win Mom over as well. Dad, however?I was anxious about facing him. 揇oes Dad suspect anything??
揂bout you and Santino? Even if he didn抰 want to suspect anything before, he抣l certainly come to his own conclusions now, and a failed wedding always makes people assume there抯 someone else.?
揑抣l do whatever it takes to protect the Outfit from the waves I抳e caused, okay??
Mom kissed my temple. 揥e抣l all handle it together as a family. Now wait here while I try to talk to your father.?
I nodded quickly, and Mom left.
I stared at myself in the mirror. I glowed. Glowed like a bride should on her wedding day. Glowed because my wedding had been canceled.
The door swung open and I expected Dad or Leonas, but Sofia and Luisa slipped in, their faces slack with shock.
I gave my best friends a sheepish smile.
揥hat the hell just happened there??Sofia shouted.
Luisa seemed incapable to find words.
I shrugged but a relieved grin split my face. I couldn抰 put into words how glad I was that I wasn抰 going to marry Clifford, which was totally unfair toward him.
揗om had something against me marrying Clifford, and I couldn抰 go through with it either.?
Sofia widened her eyes comically. 揂nna! The press is all over this. Tomorrow everyone will be talking about this.?
揑t抯 bad, isn抰 it??I asked, but I couldn抰 feel regret. Guilt for bringing this down on Mom and Dad? Yes. But not regret.
I should have put a stop to my bond with Clifford a long time ago. I抎 clung to our arranged marriage out of some misguided sense of duty, wanting to be the good, virtuous daughter everyone thought I was.
Luisa touched my arm. 揧ou really love Santino, don抰 you??
I bit my lip. I抎 never said it to him and hardly dared to admit it to myself. 揧es.?
揑 mean, if he抎 been present, it could have been straight out of a romantic comedy. With him in the hospital in a coma, it has potential as a drama though.?
I shook my head at my movie-loving, romantic friend. 揑 bet the Clarks aren抰 laughing, Luisa,?I said with a small laugh.
Sofia snorted. 揟hey didn抰 look very amused, that抯 true.?
Luisa nodded with a worried look. 揗aximo Clark will make sure the Outfit and your family pay for this public humiliation. He isn抰 someone who presents the other cheek.?
I nodded, worried. 揗aybe I can straighten things with Clifford. I need to talk to him in private.?
Sofia gave me a doubtful look. 揗aybe you should let your father handle it. This might be an instance where only threats work.?