The Mafia's Innocent Bride

The Rejection

Rosa's POV.

"Rosa, the order is ready. Hurry up. The customer at table five is very impatient," Mike shouted from the kitchen.

It was a usual evening, and I came to this cafe every day after college to work part-time. I worked here to save some money for my books and other expenses, even though I had a scholarship. I needed money for my livelihood.

I moved into the dorm when I was sixteen. There was no good reason to stay at Uncle Sam's place, as his wife could not bear me for even a minute and never missed any chance to make my life hell. After what happened four years ago, I couldn't stay at the Leonardi mansion, even though I never told anyone about what happened between Maximo and me. I never shared the details of the incident that occurred at the pool party.

I quickly picked up the order of two coffees and a slice of cassata as I strolled towards table number five. A young couple was sitting there, and it seemed they had come for a coffee date.

"Your order, sir! Ma'am!" I placed the coffee and cassata in front of them.

The guy intentionally placed his hand on mine, holding the cup as soon as I put the coffee on the table. I was startled and quickly pulled my hand away. The girl caught her boyfriend touching my hand and frowned.

"What the hell! You took ages to bring our order, and look at the coffee! It's not even warm. Is this how you treat your customers?" the girl shouted, making me embarrassed.

"I... I am sorry, ma'am. I will get you another coffee," I quickly apologized.

"Forget it. I will complain about you to your manager. Call your manager over here immediately," the lady bawled.

I glanced from the corner of my eyes, noticing that everyone was watching us.

"I am very sorry, ma'am. I will get you another coffee. It will be complimentary on my side. Please calm down!" I requested, bowing my head.

"No! Bitches like you should know not to mess with someone's boyfriend. So now it's time for you to say goodbye to your job. You spoiled my date and gave me shït instead of coffee. You don't deserve to work in a famous cafe," she didn't stop ranting.

Could someone please tell her I didn't make the coffee? I only carried orders to the table. But still, I apologized to her just because I needed the job. I didn't want to get fired.

"Go to hell with your coffee! Take your ugly ass out of this cafe and never come back!" Someone from behind me shouted at the lady.

I gasped before turning and saw Vincenzo standing there, shooting daggers at the lady.

"Who are you to interfere between us?" The lady yelled fiercely at Vincenzo too.

"I'm the manager. Happy? Now get lost from my cafe," he lied.

My jaw dropped and touched the floor. My eyes widened and practically popped out of their sockets after hearing him.

He was not my manager. I knew he did this to save me, but doing so could put me into more trouble if the real manager came to know about it.

I quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him with me toward the kitchen. I pushed my way through the working staff and dragged Vincenzo to a quiet corner.

"What are you doing here, Vincenzo? I have almost lost my job," I scolded him.

"How can you even work here? How often have I told you to leave this job and join dad's company?" Vincenzo rebuked.

"Because I can only work after classes, and this was the only job suitable for my schedule," I reasoned, shrugging my shoulders.

"Why the hell do you need to do this silly job?" Vincenzo scowled.

Oh! He didn't know. Nobody knew.

"Because I like to work," I smiled at his concern for me. "By the way, when did you return?"

He went to study at Stanford University as per his family's tradition.

"Yeah! I came back two days ago, but you didn't have time to meet your best friend. It seems like you've changed, Rosa," he complained, narrowing his eyes. I laughed awkwardly, trying to cover my hesitation.

I was a lousy friend. I knew he had already returned two days ago, yet I deliberately didn't go to meet him. So, he ended up coming here because he was my best friend and would always be.

"I was busy, Vin. Classes and this job leave me exhausted, so I couldn't even find time to shop for groceries," I made excuses, avoiding his gaze.

"Yeah, but you should have come to see me. After all, I came back after four and a half months," he grumbled.

"Okay! I'm sorry. I should have come to meet you. It's my mistake! I apologize, Vin," I admitted, holding my ears.

I hadn't gone to meet him because I knew Maximo would be there too. I didn't want to see his face. I never wanted to see him after he insulted me and called me a whōre. After completing his studies, Maximo took over his dad's business, and soon, he would rule over the Mafia world. Xavier had made it known that Maximo Leonardi would be the next mafia king; only the official announcement was pending. I dreaded thinking about what he would do once he had all the power in his hands. He was already so rude, ruthless, cruel, and heartless. With more power, he would become one of the most dangerous men on earth.

Nobody wanted to be on his hate list, and I already had the dubious privilege of being at the top of it. Though I always tried to avoid intentionally coming in front of him, sometimes I couldn't escape it. Mia and Xavier used to invite me to family lunches and dinners. Most of the time, I came up with excuses. But there were special occasions that I couldn't avoid at any cost.

"Do you even remember that my birthday is coming up in 2 days? I'm throwing a beach party," Vincenzo whined.

"I know, Vin. How could I forget that special day?" I rolled my eyes at his dramatic tone.

"So you know there won't be any excuse not to attend that party. You have to come," he warned, more like an invitation.

I giggled before giving in to his demand.

"I'll be there, Vin. How could I miss my best friend's birthday party?" I assured him and lightly punched his shoulder.

"You better not miss it. Otherwise, I'll make you regret it. You know I'm your only best friend, and I don't like to beat around the bush," he scolded.

I knew he had also noticed that I had begun making excuses not to attend get-togethers and had been trying to stay away from the Leonardi family. He was indeed my best friend because he knew me so well. Maybe he already knew the reasons.

"Vin, you know why I choose to avoid those get-togethers," I murmured, lowering my head.

"I know, Rosa. And believe me, you are doing wrong to many people who love and care for you. Come on! You cannot lose so many people that love you just because of one person's hatred. You know it doesn't make sense because that proves that one person means so much to you that you don't see that we want you to celebrate and be happy with us. We want to share our happiness with you. You are family and a friend to us, Rosa. So just because of one person, don't punish so many people around you," he advised, and I knew he was right.

"Okay, Mr. Philosopher! I agree and am thankful for your suggestion," I said playfully, and Vin rolled his eyes at me.

I giggled before continuing, "I am coming to your party, and that's final. Okay?" I promised, grinning cheekily, and Vin smiled because he knew I had never broken my promises.

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

Today was Vincenzo's birthday, and I had to stay late at college for assignments when I was supposed to go to Vincenzo's beach party. It was late evening when the extra class ended, and I was leaving with my friends. I saw Maximo outside my college, leaning against his car, scrolling through his phone.

Adorned in that black suit and a white crisp shirt that clung to his Greek god-like sculpted physique flawlessly, he looked incredibly handsome. His stormy grey eyes were hidden behind those expensive shades. His dark blonde hair was impeccably styled, slicked back, and his Italian shoes gleamed with excellence. He embodied refinement from head to toe, but to me, he was a devil.

The handsome devil!

My friends were excited upon seeing him, as he was very popular and famous as a businessman. Of course, who didn't know about him in Italy? He was the most eligible bachelor and the heartthrob of every girl. Only I was an exception.

"Hey, Rosa! Look there! Maximo Leonardi! Oh my God! I can't believe he is here," Sofia squealed, drooling over Maximo. "Omg, he smiled at me."

"Shh... Calm down, Sofia. Otherwise, people will think you have gone mad," I winced at her excitement.

Only if she knew about his real face. He was a devil in disguise. Stone-hearted and the cruelest.

"Oh, I damn care about what people will think. Rosa, please introduce us to him. You know his family, right? He is your best friend, Vin's brother. Please introduce me to him. Maybe I can get a chance to go on a date with him. Perhaps he will fall in love with me, and we'll get married..." She kept blabbering.

"Hold on. Hold on, Sofia," I scowled at her silly excitement. "We all know Maximo Leonardi can never fall in love. I mean, as per his reputation, he can only hate and..."

"Really?" My friend, Gemma, didn't let me complete. "So what about those girls he used to date?" Gemma countered.

My two friends were obsessed with Maximo Leonardi.

"I don't know, but his only longest relationship was with his American girlfriend. When he broke up with her, he had never been in a committed relationship," I shrugged. "Sorry for breaking two of your hearts."

I empathized with them, but that was just how Maximo was.

"Girl, you're being rude," Sofia pouted.

"So, are you going to introduce us to him or not?" Gemma asked desperately.

"Guys, not today. You know I have to go to Vin's party, otherwise, he will kill me," I replied.

"Babe, are you dating Vincenzo Leonardi?" Gemma asked, raising one finely shaped eyebrow.

"Hell no!" I squealed, clutching my chest to the left.

They both laughed again.

"Wish him a very happy birthday from our side," they chirped.

"I will! See you tomorrow," I said goodbye to them and strode towards Maximo Leonardi.

However, it seemed he wasn't in a good mood. He mentioned he came here because Xavier had instructed him to drop me off at the beach party.

I didn't need his favor, so I called a taxi and waited on the side of the road.

Out of nowhere, some people appeared and kidnapped me. Before I could comprehend, they shoved me into a van and drove outside the city. I shouted and fought. I pleaded with them to let me go, but they didn't. They didn't say anything to me or misbehave with me.

Contrary to my expectations, Maximo saved me from those goons. He killed all of them and took me to the party.

The mood of the party changed upon learning about my kidnapping. I could feel the stress and tension in the air, even though everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Xavier had explicitly instructed that bodyguards would always be with me because he was investigating those goons and their motives for attempting to kidnap me.

Two days passed, but I still couldn't forget about the incident. It was terrifying to be kidnapped by strangers. I still got goosebumps whenever I remembered it.

But why the hell would someone in this world want to kidnap me?

What could they possibly gain from me?

It might involve some understanding. Yes, there could be some mistakes.

However, Xavier had increased the security frantically. This clearly meant it wasn't as simple as it looked.

I trusted him, so I never argued about any of his decisions. I had always followed whatever he instructed, and I would continue to do whatever he said.

I didn't know about my father and had never met him. But whenever I thought about a father figure in my life, only Xavier's face came to mind.

"Rosa! How are you, princess?" Xavier called me this morning as I was getting ready for college. His voice held some hesitation.

I had woken up late as a nightmare had disturbed my sleep at midnight. I had difficulty sleeping peacefully.

"I am fine, Dad," I replied, brushing my hair and picking up my books.

"Rosa, I want to see you this evening. So, come straight to the Leonardi house from college," he commanded.

I paused. There was something off in his voice again, but I couldn't decipher it.

"Okay, Dad. I will be there," I replied. I also wanted to find answers to the unspoken questions that had bothered me since the accident.

I heard him exhale sharply.

"Very well. See you in the evening, Rosa," he said and ended the call.

What could he want to talk to me about? I had no idea, but it bothered me throughout the day. I went to college, and the day passed normally; I waited eagerly for classes to end.

Xavier had ordered me to stop working part-time until he solved the mystery of my kidnapping. Although I needed that job and wanted to refuse to resign, I had to obey because I couldn't reveal the reasons to him.

The bodyguards followed me everywhere, which I wasn't used to. Suddenly, everything changed. My life took an unexpected turn, and I didn't like it.

Upon arriving at the Leonardi house, a servant informed me that everyone was in Xavier's home office and that I was supposed to go there. Though Xavier had retired, he still worked occasionally.

"Dad! Mom!" I greeted them as soon as I entered Xavier's home office.

Uncle Matteo and Maximo were also present.

Uncle Matteo was Xavier's best friend and was married to his cousin Anna. Uncle Matt and Aunt Anna's love story was also very popular among the Leonardis. We grew up hearing about how a brat heiress, Aunt Anna, fell in love with Uncle Matteo. Bella and Riccardo were their kids. Bella, Vin, and I were of the same age.

But right now, the question was why everyone was gathered here. The atmosphere seemed tense, and I could tell that something serious was about to happen.

I looked at all of them in confusion. The situation appeared grave as everyone seemed distressed, and I got a vibe that something terrible was on the horizon.

"Rosa! Come inside," Xavier welcomed me and led me to the couch where Mia was already sitting.

"What's wrong, Dad? You look very stressed. Tell me that everything is alright!" I begged, as I had already experienced so many difficulties lately that I couldn't bear one more.

"Rosa, I need you to trust me and have faith," Xavier demanded, his gleaming gray eyes calming my nerves. I often felt envious of not being his biological child, even though he always treated me like his own daughter.

"Of course, Dad. I trust you," I affirmed, genuinely relying on him with all my heart.

"So, you know... if I make any decisions about your life, they will be for your own good," he asserted, and I knew he could never be wrong. I nodded in agreement.

He looked at Mia and hesitated for a moment.

"Rosa, I have arranged your marriage," he announced.

My eyebrows shot up, reaching my hairline as my eyes widened at his announcement. It took a few moments for me to fully grasp what I had just heard.

"My marriage?!" I whispered in disbelief.

"Yes, Rosa!" Xavier confirmed.

"But why, Dad? All of a sudden, you... you've decided that I should get married, and you don't even want to tell me the reason," I protested, needing to understand the rationale.

"Believe me, I have thought about it thousands of times, and this is the only best solution to keep you away from trouble," he stated, sounding helpless. "Some people want to take you from Italy, far away from us."

"Who are they, and why do they want to take me away?" I asked desperately.

"Rosa!" Xavier sighed, "I can't tell you everything right now. I had promised someone that I would keep her secret," he paused and exhaled loudly. "But trust me, I will always protect you. I want you to be safe even after I'm gone, whether I'm in this world or not," he said, his eyes determined and protective as he looked at me.

"Okay, Dad. I trust you. But marriage... I... I never thought about it. I want to finish college, build my career, establish my own identity, and achieve something in my life," I mumbled slowly, fidgeting with my fingers.

I had dreams and ambitions. I believed that once I secured the perfect job, I could live freely and independently, without relying on anyone's favor. I worked diligently to achieve high grades in every subject and consistently ranked at the top of the class. I received a scholarship. While kids my age were out enjoying themselves, I refrained from fun and partying. I envisioned enjoying everything I had missed once I settled into a life with the perfect job, my own house, and a luxury car. However, getting married seemed to bring an abrupt end to all of these aspirations. I did desire marriage, but I also wished to experience falling in love first.

"You can still continue your studies, sweetheart, and pursue your career. No one will stop you," Mia said, smiling gently and holding my hand.

I knew she was fortunate to be able to pursue her dreams after marriage. Unfortunately, not everyone had such luck, and it seemed I was born under a different star.

"Listen, Rosa! No one will force you to do anything against your will. That's why we are trying to convince you that this is the best possible option to keep you safe here with us," Xavier explained.

They couldn't reveal the specific threat they were protecting me from, leaving me to blindly believe them. Irony at its finest.

I had no other choice because I trusted no one more than Xavier and Mia.

"Alright, Dad! I will do it if you believe that getting married is in my best interest," I agreed.

A glimmer of relief spread across the faces of Mia and Xavier as they smiled warmly.

"So it's settled. Let's begin preparing for Max and Rosa's marriage," Uncle Matteo announced.

Wait!

What?!

Marriage with Maximo Leonardi?!

I thought my ears were buzzing because I had heard that they wanted me to marry Maximo Leonardi. I looked at Maximo, who was standing in a corner, his hands tucked in the pockets of his trousers. He looked at me dangerously, clenching his jaws. His cold grey eyes burned and shot daggers toward me.

Xavier walked toward Maximo and hugged him lovingly. Then, Xavier patted Maximo's back, congratulating him.

Everyone was moving across the room, making my head spin. Suddenly, I felt suffocated, as if all the oxygen had left my lungs.

No! No! It was not possible. Marrying a devil was out of the question.

That was my last chance, and if I missed it, I wouldn't be able to survive. This handsome demon would make my life hell. He hated me and never missed a chance to remind me of that. Xavier thought I would be safe with his son. He thought Maximo would always protect me. But who would save me from this devil reincarnated?

"Dad!" I got up abruptly.

"Yes, Rosa?" Xavier replied, grinning softly.

"I won't marry Maximo Leonardi," I refused without a second thought.