Chapter 5 Finalising The Deal

• ALINA
• Father's word still resonated in my ears every passing second.
• This was the height of it all.
• I had no issue in him taking away my freedom of movement but this concerned my future.
• His insane idea was going to be lethal to my life. How could he just decide to get me married to Dante without consulting me?
• Not anybody else but he was forcifully putting me up with his rival!
• Didn't he care for me!?
• This felt like I was on a death row. I know how cruel Dante is. I have heard countless stories about him and I don't need any sooth sayer to tell me that my future and my life was in danger if I went ahead to get married to Dante.
• I screamed through out the entire night, thrashed around my room and cried for hours in a bid to relieve the pain but it only seemed to get worse.
• Not only did I get a throbbing migraine, my worries only grew worse.
• Why is father doing this to me?
• My tears know no boundary and my eyes are weak from sobbing incessantly and uncontrollably.
• Why am I always at the recieving end? Why!?
• "Oh mother! I need you" I crumbled once again into tears in my pillow.
• "Father wants me to get married to Dante but I don't want to do it. He treats me like I'm not his daughter" I spoke in a whisper, my voice croak.
• Raising my tear stained face up, I slowly took the frame of my mother that stood on the bed stand and stared at her beautiful smiling face.
• If she was here, I know she would have had my back and talked father out of this.
• "Oh mother I miss you" I cried even harder, pressing the frame against my chest.
• "Why did you have to leave me?"
• Memories of my mother took over my thoughts, my mind wandering back to the way she would always alley my fears and worries whenever I was scared.
• A faint smile crept on to my face amidst my tears.
• A rapid knock on the door got me gasping. I knew what the information was.
• "Alina, come downstairs now. Dante is here and father demands your presence" The acrimonious voice of Vanessa informed me.
• "I'm coming" I sighed.
• I heard her footsteps retreating and I focused my attention back at mother's potrait.
• "You've always told me of how much I am a strong woman. So for you I'll be strong. I love you mother" I concluded before carefully placing the frame back on to the bed stand.
• Pondorously, I stood up and cleaned my face with my palms before applying light powder and a nude lipstick.
• I was falling apart but I won't let them see it. I attempted to hide my eyebags using makeup before styling my hair with decorative pins.
• Squirting my favourite vanilla scented perfume, I sauntered downstairs.
• My hands grazed against the walls of the hallway as it neared the stairs.
• I gripped on to the railings and gracefully walked down the stairs.
• My wedge heels made minimal clicking sounds as it brushed against the floors.
• Catching every one's attention, all eyes were stationed as I alighted from the stairs.
• I saw some distinct faces but shook the sudden anxiousness and anxiety creeping in, reminding myself it couldn't be who I thought it was.
• My hopes were all crushed by the wind the moment I stepped down and my eyes spotted those familair emerald eyes.
• What the hell!?
• Was he Dante?
• "You?" I almost exclaimed.
• "You know him? You two have met?" My father inquired.
• I was beyond speechless and had my tongues tied at a reply.
• "Well quite a few times Mr Nikolia. Alina here is quite feisty you know" Dante grinned.
• My father let out a rich chuckle.
• "Alina meet Dante and his capos and Dante meet my daughter Alina. I'm glad you two had met before. It saves us time from the formalities"
• I watch Dante stand and saunter towards me, his towering height covering my entire profile.
• "Nice to meet you Alina" he extended a hand shake for me.
• I grabbed it and suppressed my discomfort. "The pleasure is all mine"I replied with my tongue in cheek before letting go and taking a seat.
• Oh my God!
• So the man I bumped into and I slapped was Dante Morelli.
• Unending knots got tied up in my stomach and my heart palpitated.
• If he tells father that I slapped him, I will be done for.
• Throughout the discussion, I stayed mute and allowed my dissaray thoughts run wild.
• I only gave a nod whenever I deemed it fit. I can't believe this man sitting right in front of me is Dante.
• Oh heavens. If we do end up together, I bet he would make me pay for everything I did to him.
• But then why would he accept to marry me? I have been nothing but unfriendly towards him and I even slapped him.
• Clearly he wouldn't accept father's offer.
• I tried telling myself that to calm my pulse and heart beat but my worries only soared especially as those watchful emerald orbs repeatedly glanced my way.
• Time and time again, I would catch Dante staring at me with those alluring eyes of his and I'll be forced to ignore his stares.
• It irritated me so much. I felt like hitting him.
• "Why don't you go out for a walk with Dante since you both already know each other?" My father suggested at me.
• "That wouldn't be necessary Nikolia" Dante declined to my relief.
• "We will have lots of time getting to know each other when we finally get married" he added.
• My breathing caged in my lungs and my heart sank to my knees.
• "What!?" I exclaimed.
• "I accept your offer Don. I want Alina" Dante announced, ignoring my shocked self.
• My jaws were left hanging and I turned to face my dad who had a triumphant look carved on his face.
• "Perfect..."
• "You can't allow that father" I quickly interrupted him.
• "Why can't I? Can't you see that this is for the good of this family?!" Annoyance played my father's voice.
• "I can't. All I see are my rights being taken from me" I retorted back.
• "Alina if you turn down this alliance just be prepared for the blood bath because I will make sure I avenge my parents death down to the last Fedorov" Dante balefully threatened me.
• Was he really playing that card now?
• Time in the universe seemed to come to a halt as the tension in the atmosphere grew.
• "Mr Dante Morelli are you really threatening me to get married to you?" I asked, staring at him eyeball to eyeball.
• "Try me" he replied with a maniac grin.
• "Ok fine. I accept this alliance but I want a signed document stating that if you should ever you lay your hands on me or hit me then I'll get your testicles surgically removed" I requested.
• "What?" My sisters blurted out.
• Even my father was shocked by my request.
• Atleast, I needed to make sure I would never experience any form of domestic violence and beatings from Dante.
• "Dante she wants your testicles in return" One of his men almost laughed.
• Dante nodded. "You will have the document written and signed in black and white"
• This was it. I had forcefully agreed to marry Dante in order to spare my family of gun brawls.
• My marriage had been finalised.