Forced to Marry the Mafia Don

Everyone was tense about the upcoming wedding. The bride was inside her car, while the groom was already inside the church. The bride sighed heavily due to her current situation. She was about to marry someone she barely knew, a complete stranger. She hadn't even met the groom in person yet. Her father had arranged this marriage, and she had no say in the matter.

A knock on her car window startled her. She opened it and saw her younger sister, Sienna, who wore a sad smile. "Millie," Sienna greeted her, sitting down beside Millie and holding her hand, noticing its coldness. "The wedding is about to start. Are you ready?" she asked.

Millie forced a weary smile and took a deep breath. "No, Sienna, I'm not ready, but I know I have no choice, right? This is what Papa wants, and if I refuse... he'll hurt me."

Sienna hugged her sister. "I wish it were me instead, sis. I would gladly sacrifice myself. You deserve to be happy after everything you've been through with our father, not like this."

"It's fine, Sienna. If we defy Papa, you might get caught in his anger towards me. I'll be okay. I just need to be a good wife to my future husband."

Sienna pulled away from her sister, concern etched on her face. "But, sis, we've heard so many rumors about your soon-to-be-husband. He's ruthless and heartless. There's nothing good said about him. They say he's the cruelest among all the generations of Locatelli. I'm afraid that if Papa doesn't hurt you anymore, your husband might." Sienna held her older sister's hand tightly.

"I hope not..." Millie's voice trailed off, sounding less sure as time went on, as if she was starting to realize what her sister was saying.

Their conversation was cut short when their stepmother appeared. "Sienna, get out of the car because the wedding is about to begin," she said to the younger one before facing the bride. "Don’t forget to smile and pretend to be happy. We both know that any mistake would incur the wrath of your cruel father." She reminded them as if living with their father would deprive them of that fact.

In this wedding, Millie would see her future husband's face in person for the first time. She had only seen him in photographs because he was often busy with work, sometimes even in another country. The only people she had interacted with regarding the wedding were the groom's parents.

She felt a mixture of nervousness as she walked down the church aisle. Her father and stepmother accompanied her, both guiding her towards the altar, where she would meet her future husband.

"Be a good wife, Millie. If your husband divorces you—you already know what will happen. Obey everything he tells you. Don't displease him, and don't bring shame to our family name. Your marriage will have a significant impact on our business ventures, so be a proper wife," her father told her, his smile directed at the wedding guests, but his words filled her with fear.

Millie glanced at her father as he spoke, and despite his smiling demeanor toward the guests, she couldn't help but feel apprehensive about his words.

Then, Millie saw her future husband. It seemed as if she wanted to retreat as their gazes met. Even though she was veiled, the man's intense stare penetrated through.

Fear and a chilling sensation coursed through her body. The man's presence exuded a sense of ruthlessness and danger. Moreover, his cold, seemingly emotionless eyes fixed on her were enough to make her knees tremble.

"Gio, take care of my daughter, alright?" Millie's father said with a smile as he extended his daughter's hand to the man.

Millie's hand turned cold as Gio held it. She glanced at the hand of her soon-to-be-husband before meeting Gio's gaze, which seemed to pierce through her veil.

"I will, sir," Gio replied formally to Millie's father. They then walked together to the altar to begin the wedding ceremony.

Millie was anxious throughout the ceremony, only realizing the gravity of her situation when Gio responded with the words, "I do."

The priest looked at her, and she swallowed hard, knowing that there was no other option but to proceed with the marriage, even though tying herself to a man who seemed to bring danger into her life was far from what she desired.

Gio glanced at Millie, seemingly impatient for her response. Millie took a deep breath, remembering the consequences if she didn't answer in accordance with her father's wishes.

"I-I do, Father," she managed to say, even though tears threatened to flow. The weight of her emotions was kept inside, bottled up within her chest.

When the priest announced that the groom could now kiss the bride, they turned to face each other. Gio removed the veil that covered Millie's face. With the veil gone, Millie could now see the cold expression on her new husband's face more clearly.

Gio approached Millie slowly as she closed her eyes tightly. Gio quickly kissed her on the lips. The audience applauded, seemingly delighted with the wedding. Perhaps, only one person regretted everything that had transpired—Millie.

That night, Millie stood before a large mirror in a grand room, brushing her hair. She was preparing herself for what lay ahead on the first night of her marriage. She felt a mix of nervousness and resignation as she faced her new reality.

As Millie was brushing her hair, the door to the room opened, and she saw in the mirror her husband approaching her.

Millie put down her hairbrush and turned to face Gio, who stood with pride and honor behind her.

"You can refuse if you don't want me to stay," Gio said, his tone cold and formal.

Millie lowered her head. She didn't want this, didn't want to be alone with a man she barely knew. But what could she do? She felt trapped by the expectations placed on her.

Gio sighed and left the room without another word, leaving Millie to her thoughts. She felt a deep sadness and uncertainty about her future.

The next morning, she woke up to find that her husband had left the country early, leaving her alone to ponder the path that lay ahead.

MILLIE

A Month. That's how long it's been since my husband left me after our first night together. After taking my virginity, he left without a word, and he still hasn't returned.

I stared at the tea cup on the table, my sighs incessant.

I live in my father's house now. Initially, I managed to stay in our house with Gio for the first three days, but since I had no one there except the guards and the house staff, I decided to come back here.

I still remember the fury in Papa's eyes when he found out what happened on our first night. He said I wasn't worth being a wife, so Gio left me. I let it slide because I was used to receiving hurtful words from him. He had always been like that to me, even when I was still a child.

"Millie, do you need anything? Maybe you're hungry," josie, our housekeeper, appeared.

I smiled at her and shook my head. "No, I'm fine. I'm not hungry."

After saying those few words, I was left alone again.

Papa isn't here