The Trophy Wife

FIFTEEN: Truth

"Was Aberto that big guy who looks like Marlon Brando."

"Yeah." I laughed. "There's a ton of bad blood between their families. You see, Alberto's father killed Enzo's father when he was only seventeen. Poor guy witnessed the whole thing and ever since he's just been filled with hatred and anger. That's what really made him ruthless." I admitted, kind of afraid by how easily and effortlessly all of our secrets seemed to flow out of me.

"Then why is he willing to help you? Why do you trust him if he hates your family so much?"

"Because his was drowning and I gave him what he needed to save himself. He hates my husband, but he has no real reason to hate me. Not yet at least." I explained. "Anyway, in return he promised us protection."

"And who's Silvio? How does he fit into any of this?" Lucas asked.

"Silvio's son was supposed to become heir, but he denounced his future position at around the same time that Enzo's father was killed. Their families were civil with one another. I wouldn't go as far as to call it an alliance. Think of it as some kind of non-aggression pact. But because of their status toward one another, Silvio decided to take Enzo in and groom him into everything he wanted his son to be. They became true allies and honestly and I wouldn't have doubted if they planned to take over the world together.

"As friendly as they were though, Silvio had a very specific set of rules when it came to his trainee. They were all rules that he himself lived by and he swore that they were the cause of his success. For one thing, he hates the idea of marriage. He believes it makes men weak and vulnerable. They become the submissive ones while we hold all of the power over them. There's nothing he fears more than love."

"That's ridiculous." Lucas interrupted.

"No." I shook my head. "It makes sense in their world. You either kill or be killed. Falling in love can really screw up that concept. Think about it, it can't be you or him when there's someone else in the equation that you might love equally or perhaps more than you love yourself. Take me for example. Enzo loves me, he trusted me and lately I've done nothing but hurt him. The betrayal, it's throwing him off, it's making him weak and vulnerable. And this is only the beginning of my wrath." I smiled sadly. "His decisions tend to revolve around me, not what is necessarily best for him and his livelihood."

"Why did Enzo marry you then?"

Matteo Bianchi. Matteo was Enzo Granucci Senior's chief advisor and after he was murdered, Mr. Bianchi was left with nothing. Matteo convinced Enzo to settle down and find a wife because he knew Silvio would kick him to the curb, and he knew that Enzo would go crawling back to him. Without my husband he was nothing. He was a sad little man desperate for power and fortune.

"An old friend convinced him into it. That was the end of his partnership with Silvio though. They haven't spoken since."

"Why did you marry him?" Lucas sounded so innocent. He acted like I had a choice.

"Enzo and I must have said a total of five words to each other before we exchanged vows." I let out a big breath. "My mother left when I was nineteen. She told me she'd be back but I knew that was a lie. No sane human being would willingly return to the monster of a man that she married. She told me to do the same. She told me to run. I didn't realize she meant in that very moment though, and before I had the chance to, he sold me. Her husband sold me to Enzo."

"W-why?" He was appalled by the words that came out of my mouth.

"He was a big gambler and owed a lot of money to someone. That's what I was told at least. All I remember is that one night an army of men rushed into my bedroom, tied me up, and stuffed me into their trunk. I thought I was going to die, and the bastard just stood there, counting his money as I screamed for help. A couple of days later I was walking down the aisle to marry a man who I knew absolutely nothing about."