The Mafia's Innocent Bride

Confused emotions

Maximo's POV.

After I rescued Rosa from the kidnappers, we went straight to Vincenzo's party. I was shocked and confused about why someone wanted to kidnap her. However, I couldn't forget her pale, horrified face as she sat beside me in the car and cried silently. She was scared.

When everyone in our family knew about the kidnapping, the atmosphere became tense. But they pretended as if everything was normal, so no one at the party could know anything had happened.

I met a new girl at the party. We exchanged numbers, and after the party, I dropped her at home. She invited me in. Looking forward to getting laid tonight, I was about to accept her invitation when my phone rang. Dad called me and ordered me to meet him at his office urgently.

Half-heartedly, I had to leave that beautiful girl alone as I drove straight to meet my father. I was confused and curious about why he was in his office this late. Something serious might have come up. Dad and I never had a good relationship. Although he was good to Mariya and Vin, he had always been strict with me. Mom always took my side and saved me when I was a child. Lost in thought, I didn't realize when I reached the office. It was the Mafia headquarters. Security was extremely tight, but they all knew me. I stepped into the private elevator that took me to my dad's floor.

I knocked on the door before entering his office. My eyes scanned the space swiftly. Dad was not alone; Uncle Matteo was also there.

"What happened, Dad? Is everything alright? Why are you still in your office?" I asked the moment I stepped inside, glancing at my Rolex. It was three in the morning.

"Yes, Maximo. Rosa would have been kidnapped today if you were not there. And this is something serious I need to talk to you about. I think it's time you should know. You will be the next Mafia King and head of the family after me. So you should know everything about our family and our Mafia world. The secrets have been buried in our hearts for decades, and now you will have to take care of them to keep them a secret," Dad explained.

Now, this was more confusing. Sure, I was going to take over after my dad and rule this Mafia world. I had been prepared since my childhood for this day. I never knew that they hid more secrets from me. This revelation made me agitated.

"Some secrets? Man! And I didn't know about it. It's like nobody was going to tell me until this so-called urgency came up," I scoffed.

"Maximo Leonardi! You need to keep your head cool and listen to me. Mind it. I can't tolerate your discourteous behavior. So you should behave yourself well," Dad warned me.

Of course, he was the great Xavier Leonardi. No one could speak in front of him.

"Dad! You have to give me the authority if you are going to make me the next Mafia King. Otherwise, I don't want the title just for the name. I need it completely, and I need you to trust me that I can run the Italian Mafia successfully," I told my old man. I was clear from the beginning that I wanted the power, not just the name.

"I trust you, Maximo. And this spirit within you strengthens my belief that you will be a great leader. However, sometimes, being hot-headed adds a flaw to your personality. If you want to take care of your legacy and family as the head of the Mafia, you need to think calmly and make decisions. Otherwise, it won't take much time to ruin everything we have built up so far," Dad lectured, as he always did.

"Okay, Dad! What is it that you wanted me to know?" I got straight to the point. Otherwise, this discussion will have no end.

"Maximo, you know how I brought Rosa into our home. You know everything about her. I wanted to give all that I could to that poor child. You know someone tried to kidnap her. But you don't know the reason behind it. Today, I will tell you everything related to our past," Dad said, and then he told me something I never expected.

I was shocked to hear how my dad went so far as to protect a girl just because he promised her mother. But Rosa had to pay for this.

I had always hated her since my childhood. Since she became a part of my family, she made my life very difficult. She took all the attention for herself. Everyone in my family, including my mother and my sister, began to prioritize her.

She used to cry for everything that belonged to me: my toys, my books, and even my room. Everything that I had, she needed the same, not something new, but exactly what I owned. That's when I started to hate her. Because of her, I had to give up things every time, because everyone in my family loved her more than they loved me.

When my brother was born, I was very happy because Mariya was fond of all things girly and didn't play with me. So, I was glad I had a brother to share things with.

But Rosa came and took my brother too. Vincenzo was her best friend. They were inseparable until he went to Stanford to pursue a master's degree in business administration.

I didn't realise when hating her became a natural habit. Now this hatred had become a part of my life.

"Okay, I get it. So, we need to protect the girl for a reason," I agreed.

I felt pity for that girl as I learned she had lost her mother. She couldn't meet her father because her mother never wanted her to know about the man who contributed his sperm. Instead, she had to live with another family.

"So, it is now your responsibility to protect the girl as the next Mafia King," Dad announced.

That made sense. I was glad that Dad told me everything and hid nothing from me.

"I get that too, Dad," I replied lazily.

I knew everything was my responsibility, and I also knew that everything my father had would be my liability after I took over all the roles he was playing until now. I was reminded of it every single day of my life since my childhood.

Dad walked toward the window and stared into the dark sky. Stars surrounded the moon, and a cool breeze blew through the window. The night was enchanting and leading toward the dawn.

"I am sure the kidnapping was not a coincidence but an effort to get the girl back, and we must stop them. They have somehow known that I took the girl, and that's why they tried to kidnap Rosa," Dad sighed. "It's not Rosa's fault, and she doesn't have to pay for my sins. Maximo, we have to protect her. We can't tell her the secret, as we would have to tell her everything then. She shouldn't suffer in this battle between Adam and me. To keep the secret intact and Rosa safe, I have to get her married to a man who is Italian and will never leave my side. That way, I could always keep Rosa in front of my eyes and take care of her, as I promised myself the day I took that little girl in my hands," Dad described, and I listened to him carefully.

He turned towards me, his eyes locking onto mine, and within them, I saw a glimmer of hope and expectation.

"Maximo, I cannot trust anyone more than my own blood. So, I want you to marry Rosa," he announced abruptly.

I was momentarily shocked. "What? No way, Dad. I can't marry her," I declared.

"Why? Why can't you marry her?" He furrowed his brows.

"Dad, you know marriage is not child's play. And... I have a girlfriend," I lied.

I hadn't been in a serious relationship for a long time. But I couldn't marry Rosa.

"Really, Maximo? But you haven't introduced any girls to us. So I think you're not serious. But, on the other hand, I don't like beating around the bush. So you'd better come to the point. Give me a solid reason why you can't marry her," he narrowed his eyes, scowling.

"Uh-huh! Come on, Dad. Why do you want her to marry me? You know I am not a suitable match for her. Your favorite Rosa is very... delicate, and I am... an... asshole," I argued.

"But you are the next Mafia King, and if Rosa is married to you, nobody dares to look at her, let alone kidnap her or think about taking her away," a scheming grin stretched across Dad's face.

So I was an asshole in his eyes because he didn't deny it. Great! My father thought so highly of me.

"But, Dad, why me?!" I sighed. "You could marry her to Vincenzo, and I am sure she would be happy. She and Vin are very close," I suggested.

"Are you serious, Maximo? Vincenzo is only twenty, and you are the eldest!" He scowled.

Okay, so there was no way for me to avoid this marriage. One more solution gleamed in my mind.

"Dad, will this marriage be fake? I mean, like a contract marriage?! Just for appearances. We don't have to stay in this marriage for long, right?!" I asked, as contract marriages were common among business families.

Sometimes people used to get married for a limited period to form a business association and separate after the contract was over. Sometimes they found each other compatible, and they continued their marriage.

"No, Maximo. This marriage will be real, and all the customs and rituals will be genuine. There is no chance for you to walk out of this marriage, and I will ensure it. You have to be in this marriage until your last breath," my dad threatened.

Seriously? He wanted me to be trapped in a relationship with the girl I had hated my whole life, and he didn't ask for my opinion. He just dictated his decision.

"Are you fücking serious, Dad? You want me to marry a girl I don't love, and you want me to spend my whole life with her?! How can you make decisions about my life?" I bawled.

I didn't care if I was being rude and disrespectful. I was so worked up hearing this nonsensical demand.

"Language, Max!" Uncle Matteo warned.

"I am sorry, Uncle Matteo. Dad, I can't do this," I announced apologetically.

"I am not asking you, Maximo. You are already into this. You have to do it," Dad declared.

"How could you do this to me, Dad?" I frowned.

I was an adult, and he couldn't force me to marry someone.

"You are the next Mafia king, and don't forget that everything that was my responsibility will be yours. So you have no choice but to do this," he pronounced curtly.

I was in a real mess. I had to marry Rosa, for real. I shook my head and took a deep breath. The position and power had cost me happiness.

Now it was time to play my trump card.

"Okay! Fine! I am ready to marry Rosa. But first, ask her. If she agrees to this marriage, I won't have any problem," I proposed, believing she would never agree to marry her bully.

Rosa and I were never good together. She irritated me with her bloody fangirl stares. Though I was used to getting attention from girls, I never wanted her to look at me with her... ugh... innocent eyes. So I made it clear to her to stay the hell away from me. So it would be better if she refused.

After two days of discussions with my mother and other family elders, Dad finally decided to break this news to Rosa.

*********************

So we were all here in my dad's home office, and Rosa was sitting on the couch, announcing that she couldn't marry me.

Hell, yes! As I thought, she was not dumb to choose me. But still, it hurt my ego that she rejected me.

Everybody fell silent after hearing her refusal, but I burst into a fit of laughter.

"Now, what, Dad?! She rejected me!" I cringed, hearing myself.

My dad glared at me in anger.

"What happened, Rosa? Do you like someone else? Tell me, who is that man? I will get you married to the person you love," my dad cajoled Rosa. Surprisingly, his voice was very calm and polite when he spoke to her, contrary to how he talked to me.

"No, Dad! I have no one. But... I won't marry Maximo. I can't!" Rosa repeated, shaking her head. Her voice trembled as she sniffed, and it seemed she was on the verge of crying.

"Dad, get her married to Vin. I am sure she loves him. Both are always together. They look good together," I suggested, knowing they were always very close.

I had seen them growing up together, and they used to do almost everything together. Rosa used to spend more nights in Vin's room. Even back then, everyone at their school and some of my friends thought they were dating. So anyone would think that they were in love.

"No, I don't love him like that. He's my best friend, and we don't have anything romantic," she cried, looking at me with tear-filled eyes, which made me swallow hard.

Those blue eyes! Ugh!!!

She started sobbing the next moment.

"It's alright, Rosa! No one will force you. Don't cry, princess," my dad comforted Rosa, caressing her head.

Mom pulled Rosa into her embrace and stroked her back, sparing me a warning glare. I rolled my eyes. My parents were weirdly partial. They loved that girl more than their own son.

Rosa hugged my mom and cried harder.

Such a drama queen!

She always sought attention.

"Mom, I will marry anyone you say. But I won't marry Maximo," she hiccuped, weeping more.

Seriously?! So, I was the evil man here who made her cry. The perfect princess had again made me the bad guy in front of my family. This girl wouldn't learn to stop creating trouble in my life. I really hate her.

"Okay, princess! I will find the perfect match for you. You don't need to worry," my dad assured.

It stung my chest.

A perfect match?!

Fücking shït!

So I wasn't perfect?!

I hate her even more.

Ah! That feeling was the worst thing I had ever experienced, making me confused about whether I was happy or upset.