Even in Death not to Part [18+]

Chapter 37 - Lorenzo

My breathing becomes heavy, my body tenses, how dare he deny this! I can feel my anger swelling inside of me. Out of respect for Emilia I keep quiet... for the moment

"Papa-" he voice is almost pleading with him.

"I said NO!" he said with such conviction. It is like a knife scraping against my heart cutting it deep and slow to maximise the pain

"His father is gone, there is no need for this union. I will ensure the Martello Empire will no longer exist -"

I can't bite my tongue any longer my jaw is tight with anger, I stand up and face him and my voice matches his firmness "Don Tradelli-"

"Do not address me! You do not have the right to address me. Look at her! Look at what you have done to my daughter!-" his voice now full of hate.

Emilia's tears of happiness fade and sadness fills her eyes - this is hurting her

"DO YOU NOT THINK I AM AWARE OF WHAT I HAVE DONE TO HER!" my anger can no longer stay inside of me. I am angry that he is refusing the marriage but the anger and hate that I have for myself is what is causing my reaction.

Her father's face is furious that I have raised my voice -- this was disrespectful to him and I knew it but my anger overwhelms me.

"Enzo-" I hear her voice break, she has a lump in her throat. Tears flood down her face like a river but I can't stop..

"I hate myself for the pain that she has gone through. I hate myself for the fact she is lying here injured, that she was hurt! I hate the fact that the woman I love above all else in this world has suffered! I hate that I could not take even one second of her suffering away from her, that I couldn't take one ounce of pain from her! I would take it all away from her if I could! Your daughter is the only reason I am alive right now, the only reason I fought to stay alive so goddamn hard, even when accepting death would have been such a sweet release from the torment and pain of seeing what has been done to her! she is my whole world, my heart beats for her and her alone, she is my life, my queen and my love. Take the Empire, TAKE IT ALL!! But I beg you do not take her from me"

Her father goes to speak but her mother stops him. She stands up and she looks so stoic and powerful.

"Guiseppi" her voice is strong, now I see where Emilia gets it from.

Her mother turns to face me

"I can see you love her, I see it in your eyes. I heard how you held her in your arms until my husband and son's arrived with your men. My son tells me that you refused to let her go even to them, he tells me how the fear in your eyes of losing her was like nothing he had ever seen. They told me how you refused further treatment of your injuries to get back to her sooner. I hear the cast you have on your arm was put on in this very room, as you held her hand with the other not letting her go all night. I don't need anyone to tell me you have not slept, I see it in your face. I saw the pain that crossed your face at my husband's refusal for you to marry our daughter. My daughter is strong, we would not raise her any other way, she is an adult, she has her own power-" she turns away to me to look at her husband "she will make her own decision the time for us making them for her has passed, this is a choice Emilia must make"

What?! Her mother is giving her the freedom to choose?! a spark of hope ignites inside of me

"Juliette!" her father says in shock.

"Guiseppi do you deny the love this man has for our daughter? Can you deny it?"

Silence filled the room. He couldn't deny it, he knew how much I loved her.

"Emilia my sweet sweet girl, this is your choice. You are free to decide your own future" her mother said softly looking at her with care and compassion.

Emilia looked to her father

"I love him Papa - I love him so much it hurts. He is all I want in this whole world. I will marry him this evening with or without your blessing. And the Martello Familia will not be wiped away, it will be mine and Lorenzo's Empire-"

I am in shock, she still wants to be a part of all of this even after everything that has happened? I have more than enough connections and money for us to get away from here and start a new normal life. Granted I don't know what a normal life is. I don't think she does either, I hate the idea of a normal life, at least I did but with her I would be happy anywhere doing anything even being normal.

"-He has worked too hard and sacrificed too much for that to be taken from him, I will not allow it. Together we will be strong, we will be fair, we will be just like you and Mumma".

Her father's face dropped, he loves his daughter so deeply. All he wants is for her to be happy

"Emilia..-" he says softly

Tears continue to fall. She wants him to approve more than anything

"Papa please I love you and want you to be there but I will do this without you, please do not make me".

A tear forms in his eye, as he looks at her begging him to support her decision. He turns to me

"If anything shall befall my daughter you will wish that you died last night"

I guess that's his way of approving? the spark of hope is now a full on fire inside of me.

"I assure you Don Tradelli nothing will ever happen to your daughter, as long as I live she will not come to any more harm"

He looks back to Emilia and nods

"Thank you Papa" the smile that stretches across her face fills the room with light.

My heart bursts with happiness, she WILL be my wife, she is MINE.