VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
SONG: Gilded Lily - Cults (slowed and reverb)
"You broke me again Sophia..."
I hear his voice from afar, I sniffle and see Rose covering her eyes.
I raise my shirt, leaving me in just my bra.
In an effort to block additional blood from escaping, I bind it over my wound as tightly as I can when I see him approaching. I compel myself to rise up while I grit my teeth and sob in anguish. I try to use my right leg to run as I clutch Rose's hands and start hobbling.
"Bella-I want daddy."
"Let's go find him." I felt like I was losing breath, my pulse has begun to weaken, and my energy has been drained. I fall again and land straight to the ground, "go behind that tree, go hide and don't come out until I say so. No matter what-go!"
"I want to stay with you!"
"Go Rose now!" She cries and runs behind the tree I told her to go too.
I glance up at the sky, my eyes gently closing-
I inhale deeply, closing my eyes for a moment to inhale the importance of this day before finally having the confidence to raise my head. My view is blocked by the fabric of my veil, my father takes my arms in his and stands up straight.
"This is for our family, agápi mou." My father whispers the words, my jaw tenses as i try my hardest to suck in the tears forming in my eyes. "Remember this was planned since you were young, we have to abide by the contract Sophia."
I shake my head, unable to do anything as I throw the bouquet onto the ground and make my way towards the dressing room. I hear my father yelling after me, and my mother chasing me. But once I reached the room, I slammed the door closed and rushes my fingers through my hair.
"Amor," the softness of his voice echoed around the room in whispers.
My head raises from my hands, and I look up to see Mike standing in the corner of the room, "Mike." I whisper rushing to his embrace; his arms wrap around my waist as my head falls into his chest. I sob gently, aware that my makeup has probably smudged onto his shirt.
He pulls me back and glances at me, a smile spreads onto his face as he looks at my wedding dress. "You look beautiful," he whispers.
"I don't want to marry him, let's run away."
"Amor, we can't...we'll both be killed."
Mike sighs and pushes a strand of my hair behind my ears before pressing his lips onto mine, the tenderness of it left my heart to peace.
"Now, man up and marry that lucky fuck-I'll be there every step of the way."
"You promise?" He nods, taking my hands in his as he leaves gentle kisses.
"I'm your bodyguard, I have no choice." His light eyes convinces me, I kiss him once more before letting go of him and walking to the door.
"I love you Mike..."
"I love you more Amor," I turn the knob and exit the room.
Noticing my mother scanning every inch of the hallway before her sights are with me, "hurry up!" She grabs my arms and forces me down the steps, and we are back to where we began. The front of the chapel doors.
The doors begin to open.
My life unrolled before my eyes.
All the alliances of Nicholas Hernandez.
My soon to be husband.
I take the first step onto the white carpet, everyone stands up to show respect, which was definitely new to me because my father was the lowest ranking mafia man in this room. My eyes betray me, and I look at my husband, the man I have never met. However, I could not see him clearly because of this stupid veil.
With every step I take, the closer I am for my old life to be over.
Once I reach the stairs, my head turns to my father and tears stroll down my eyes. "Aftó eínai gia to kalýtero tis oikogéneiás mas, agápi mou, to káneis aftó gia emás." I see a hand reach out for me; I do not dare to look up but for some reason my hands slide into his.
The difference in size amazed me, my hands looked like a baby in his.
He helps me up the steps, until we were both facing one another.
I decide against looking at him, knowing he was definitely an old man with around seven kids.
"Welcome family and alliances. We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the marriage of Nicholas Hernandez and Sophia Novak. This is not the beginning of a new relationship but an acknowledgment of the next chapter in their lives together. Today, they will affirm this bond formally and publicly, promising to protect the hierarchy of the Hernandez mafia with their marriage."
The priest begins, I look back at my father who is sat beside my mother. She nods her head.
My head then turns to the corner of the room and locks eyes with Mikes, he nods, and I smile.
"Do you Nicholas Hernandez take Sophia to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto her for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do." His voice shocked me, the power behind it left me in shock.
It could install fear onto anyone, with those two words it already made me want to become an obeying wife.
"Do you Sophia Novak take Nicholas Hernandez to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto him for as long as you both shall live?"
The silence circled around in my mind, the question alerted every never and fibre of my being.
His hands felt so cold in mine, I gulp down my saliva and inhale deeply before I could have any sort of attack.
My eyes betrayed me and looked up, they locked with a pair of green ones. In those green eyes, I saw what I think is a future. His pale green eyes had the softness of developing buds and the hope of spring.
"I do." The words whispered out by itself; an armed bodyguard walked beside us with a pillow of two rings.
My eyes open once more, and Mike was stroking my cheek.
"Wakey, wakey..." He pushes his foot down onto my wound, I scream grabbing on top his arms for him to stop. Tears were falling down my cheeks like rain, my breath was leaving me faster as I try my hardest to breathe in.
"Get off of my mummy!" My head shifts to her voice, Mike shakes his head.
"Ru-" Before anything else could leave my mouth, there it was-he pushes the knife deep into my stomach. It clashes with my organs, blood leaves the side of my mouth as I begin choking. Mike leans close to my ears, leaving me a soft kiss.
"If I can't have you, no one can-" However, within seconds he was ripped away from me and thrown onto the ground. Nicholas punches his face over and over again; I hear Mike groan in pain as my eyes lock with the sky once more.
"Before these witnesses, you have pledged to be joined in marriage. You have now sealed this pledge with your wedding rings. By the authority vested in me by the great country of Italy, I now pronounce you married, you may kiss the bride."
His fingers lift my veil, slowly throwing it over my head.
My eyes are locked with his face, scanning every inch of his perfections and imperfections.
Behind the veil, his eyes were more lovely because of the little patterns that resembled a forest scene. His thick brows, which reached just below his long lashes.
His nose was noticeable—a small hump that appeared to have never been there before—and his dark hair had fallen out and was carelessly caressing his forehead.
He had a scar that ran from the right side of his cheeks to his neck, but his collar sadly concealed the end of the scar which again was covered by tattoos. He was tall, maybe six feet five, with plump, lightly pink-tinged lips.
I feel warm hands grab onto my face, and so my eyes open again and locks with the right ones.
"No, no! Sophia no!" He whispers, shaking my head as he places me onto his lap. "Come on baby, come on please-keep your eyes open!" He forces my eyes to be open, my head becomes limp in his hold.
He slaps my cheeks lightly, to keep me conscious.
"You know how much I love you; you know how much I love you." He whispers into my ears; my shaky hands reach his wrists as I place it onto my heart.
My weakly beating heart.
"Please don't leave me again, please, come on-we have a whole life to live together."
I tried.
I promised I did.
"Sophia no! No!" My eyes fall to the side, and I see Rodrigues hiding Rose in his hold as he turns her away from us. "We still have memories to make Sophia, love to share...you can handle this...you-"
"Look after her-tell her-tell her I love her so much, tell her everyday of her life...tell her mummy had no choice but to leave once again. I failed her..."
"No, no you didn't. You protected her, Sophia goddamit!" His face is buried into my neck, I feel the wetness of his tears. "Y-y-you can't leave me...I haven't finished loving you."
"I love you Nicholas Hernandez-more than life itself..." My hands touch his cheeks, and he holds them tightly in his grasp. "My Nick..."
He lifts my jaw further up, connecting not only our eyes but our souls as he moves closer to me.
Is he going to kiss me?
Guess we'd never know, because darkness took over me...my soul has now lifted, and my heart has now broken...
My Nick...
THE END!
That is the final chapter of this book, there will be an epilogue but that is the end of THE MISSING WIFE AND THE FOUND WIFE!
I hope you enjoyed it, I hope you had a good roller coaster ride with the book.
Let me know how it has been for you, express your feelings here:
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