Fated to the Enemy.

Chapter 9

I S A B E L L A

I’m at a loss for words at first. Finally, after what seems like forever, I snap out of it and turn to Cat. The expression on her face tells me all I need to know. She is way too eager to leave me alone with Angelo, an excited smile printed on her face as she stares back at me. I then quickly glance back at my parents to find both of them looking at me seriously, especially my father, and that’s when I turn back to face Angelo, feeling a bit uncertain now that we’ve got so many eyes on us… understandably so.

"Uhm... I don't think that's such a good idea..." I respond warily, glancing over to my parents to find them looking at us seriously, especially my father… In fact, he doesn’t seem pleased about me remaining alone with Angelo. Even though we made peace, Angelo is still a Verossi, and I won't be stupid enough to trust him so easily. If his family really wants to make peace, they will need to earn our trust. When I turn back to Angelo, I find him looking at me with curiosity, until his gaze shifts to my parents behind me, and he lets out a soft exhale just as he looks back at me, almost as if he understands my apprehension.

"You are to be my bride, remember…? Surely we spend a minute or two alone." He continues, his words sending a shiver down my spine as his eyes search my own. I stare at him with my mouth slightly open and my eyes raised, a deep blush appearing on my cheeks as I shyly look away from him and turn to Cat, who I had honestly forgotten was still standing next to me.

"Okay..." I finally agree. I silently signal to Cat that it’s okay to leave us be, and she nods once at me, giving me a cheeky smile before she walks away to join Alessio, my uncles and my parents. Once she is gone, I exhale deeply and look back at Angelo. I'm actually alone with him... and my nerves seem to be uncontrollable.

"This is weird, right? All of this?" I say nervously as I stand alone with him, feeling a knot forming in my stomach, trying my best to keep still. Maybe that way he won't see how anxious I am. But I'm afraid it might already be too late for that.

"You could call it that, yes..." he answers smoothly, his eyes scanning the surroundings before he decides to take a step closer to me, and I become flustered by how close he is standing to me, but after a while… it feels natural to me…

"I wanted to make sure you're alright… I understand this must be a lot for you…" Angelo adds as he continues to gaze at me. Not once have I ever had someone look at me that way Angelo looks at me. He doesn’t just stare… he gazes, he admires…

"Before today... You were our enemy, you have, to understand..." I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper as I try to make him see my perspective on things. Before today, his family and I had been fighting each other for years. We’ve both done damage to each other, and for the first time, our marriage might be a way to put an end to our timeless feud…

"I do..." Angelo responds, his expression serious yet somehow comforting as he nods back at me.

“You’re scared, Isabella…” He says out of the blue, and once he does, I feel my heart sink to my chest as I stare back at him. Despite the attraction I feel towards him, it doesn’t change the fact that before today, he was my enemy… and I know nothing about him. Who knows the part he played in the suffering inflicted upon us by the Verossi family? Could this just be a ploy for me to get my guard down, or is Angelo genuinely curious about the way I’m feeling…?

“You are to become my husband, but that doesn’t mean I will accept you so easily. Before today, you were my family’s worst enemy...” I say a bit more confidently, and to show him that I’m not just a shy girl. I am the daughter of Don and Donna Romano, and he needs to understand that I’m not someone to be messed with.

"I understand, Isabella, and I can assure you... I will not harm you," he tells me, and I become much more reserved, my expression softens without my control as his words bring a sense of relief.

"I'm going to respect the wishes of our parents. I will honour our alliance and treat you with nothing but respect…" he continues, but I want to know if he actually means what he says and isn’t just speaking on behalf of his parents' wishes.

“So then you’re okay with this arranged marriage…?” I question, trying to gauge his true feelings.

“Well, not entirely. Being forced to marry a stranger doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. Let alone an enemy. But… it doesn’t hurt that my fiancée is stunning…” Angelo admits, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. His sudden compliment causes my stomach to flip, just when I had managed to get myself to calm down.

“Oh… I…” I try to say, a hot blush forming on my cheeks once again. I'm finally able to look back at him, and like before, I find him gazing...

“Thank you…” Is all I manage to say without fumbling over my words, looking back up at him and watching his smile widen briefly before he glances back to what I assume is my family.

"Thank you for speaking with me." He nods at me. "I’ll see you tomorrow, Isabella…" Angelo says softly, stepping closer and gently taking my hand, bringing it forward to his lips and planting a soft kiss on my knuckles.

At this point, I'm pretty sure my knees are about to give way.

Keep it together damn it.

I am unable to say anything, and instead, I watch as Angelo steps away. I feel a rush of conflicting emotions wash over me as he departs. My heart races, and I'm left speechless, unable to articulate the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in my mind. The blush on my cheeks fails to retreat, betraying the intensity of my feelings.

I watch him slowly leave, his figure gradually fading into the distance as he rejoins his family. They all stare at me, and from here, I can’t really tell what’s written on their faces. All I can tell is that Angelo’s mother doesn’t seem to like me at all… I watch them as they all begin to climb into their vehicles, and soon their convoy of cars begins to leave the parking lot of the Domenicali hotel.

Though he’s left already, I find myself still rooted to the spot, lost in a daze as I take in the conversation we just had. It takes me a moment to snap out of it, to tear my gaze away from the empty space where he once stood and finally turn around. I'm met with the gaze of my family, and I finally muster the courage to walk towards them... but as I do, all my mind can think of is Angelo… and seeing him again…