Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well.
Here is a new chapter.
Enjoy!
****************
Nina:
"What?" I exclaimed and jumped out of Ethan's hold.
"First, calm down, Nina." Ethan waited until I stopped my pacing and sat back on the couch.
"I am calm." I lied.
"It is the only way you will live. My family would never forgive your betrayal. There is nothing that can stop them from killing you. Being my girlfriend means nothing to them. On the other hand, if we get married, no one will have the right to touch you but me. You will be my wife, and anything harming you means it harms me." Ethan reasoned.
"I don't want you to get stuck with me, Ethan," I said with my head between my hands.
"And killing me is the best solution?"
I looked up and glared at him, Ethan shook his head. "It came out wrong. I didn't mean it like this."
"Come on, Ethan! Marriage is not a game." I tried to make the man in front of me see reason.
"And who said anything about playing? This game you are talking about is not a game. It will be real."
Ethan shocked me for the second time.
"Are you serious?"
Ethan nodded his head. "As serious as I can be."
"Ethan, you realise what you are saying is surreal."
"No, it is not. Our marriage will be legal and registered. My family aren't stupid. They will search for any hole to invalidate it. It's the only solution to this situation. You become my wife and no one can hurt you." Ethan said with finality in his voice.
"I don't know. I need to think about it." I shook my head and went to the balcony to clear my jumbled thoughts.
Ethan followed me to the balcony after a few minutes and hugged me from behind. He rested his chin on my shoulder, and together, we watched the sunset.
Time passed so quickly that I didn't realise it was already afternoon. It amazed me how I can lose all sense of time in Ethan's arms.
"Do you think we will be happy?" I wondered out loud.
"It is not something we can predict. We will live it day by day and see what happens." I felt Ethan squeezing my hands.
"I never imagined myself getting married. All my life evolved around Arianna. She was the centre of my world my whole life."
"Maybe it is time for you to be happy." Ethan kissed my hair.
"How about you? Did you imagine yourself a married man at this age?"
"To be honest, no, I didn't. But I am not against marrying a hot woman like you."
"You are teasing me, Ethan." I laughed.
"No, I am telling the truth. You are beautiful, Nina."
"Yeah, I know that I am beautiful," I said in a duh voice. "But I don't want to trap you in this."
"You are not. Stop worrying about this and go shopping for a formal dress. Our wedding is after tomorrow at ten."
And once again I turned around at inhuman speed and looked at Ethan with wide eyes. "What?"
"Yes, the judge will come to the hotel, and he will document our marriage. It will be done before you know it," Ethan explained.
"Ethan, you are heading in the right way to get punched in the face."
Ethan rested his hands on my hips and pouted. "I can't go to my wedding with a broken nose."
"You planned this." I accused.
"I had prepared a lot of plans to help you out of this. Our marriage was one of them." Ethan said with his charming smile back.
I don't know what good I did in my life, but having Ethan on my side was the best gift I could ask for.
I leaned over and connected our lips in a sweet and short kiss. "Thank you so much, Ethan."
*****************
I looked at the bathroom mirror and shook my head. I looked like everything but a bride on her wedding day.
Going back to my room, I changed out of my white dress and wore a navy blue one. I didn't have the right to wear white at this wedding. Only real brides deserve to wear a white dress.
I applied another layer of red lipstick and looked myself over at the body-length mirror. The navy dress came just below my knees. It hugged my curves in the right places and showed the shape of the body I worked so hard to maintain. I could even dare and say I looked beautiful in it.
I decided to leave my wavy hair free and admired how it flowed down my back. One last look and I deemed myself ready to get married.
At ten sharp, a knock sounded on my door. I took a deep breath and opened the door to find a formally dressed Ethan. I must confess, he looked handsome in his black suit. He leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on my lips.
"Hi," I greeted him with a smile and watched as he looked me over from head to toe.
He frowned at my choice of dress but fortunately didn't comment on it. I didn't want to explain my choices to him.
You are so funny! You just don't want to see pity in your predicament.
He paused again when his eyes landed on my heels and smiled. "I didn't know you would reserve it for a special occasion."
I blushed at his words and shrugged. " I didn't reserve it or anything. I just didn't have any missions this past week. So they stayed with no use. Besides, it is the newest pair of Louboutin. Why waste it on some low life?"
Ethan smirked and shook his head. "Anyway, you look stunning." He said as he leaned over and kissed my cheek.
"You don't look so bad as well."
"Thank you for the heartwarming compliment." Ethan rolled his eyes and looked down at his watch. "Do you have everything you need?" I made a mental check and nodded my head.
Ethan stopped in front of a white car, and I raised an eyebrow. "A new car?"
"Mom insisted I change my black one. She wants me to have some colour in my life." Ethan rolled his eyes, and I laughed at his expression.
"She is bossy."
"Like you can't imagine."
Ethan made sure to drive slowly to our location. Those were the gestures that made me fall hard in love with him. My comfort was always his priority, and he showed it every chance he got.
He parked in front of a large building, and we were greeted by a lovely receptionist. She gave us a warm smile and directed us to the judge's office.
"Ready?" Ethan asked with his hand on the door's knob.
I nodded my head silently, not having the strength to speak. We entered the office and a man in his late fifties smiled at us. He invited us to take the two chairs in front of his desk.
I toned out the conversation between Ethan and the judge. It was mere pleasantries I wasn't interested in hearing.
"Nina," I was brought out of my daydreaming by Ethan's voice.
I felt him squeeze my hand, and I gave him a nod, letting him know I was ready. There was no need to stretch the process. It was happening no matter what happens.
"Nina Castello, do you take Ethan Salviatti as your husband?" The man asked.
"I do," I answered without hesitation.
"Ethan Salviatti, do you take Nina Castello as your wife?"
Ethan answered in his smooth voice. "I do."
"By the power given to me by the city of Paris, I announce you husband and wife."
He handed us a bunch of papers, and we signed them. Once we were done, he handed us our marriage license. And just like that it was done. I was Mrs Salviatti in mere seconds. We should enter the Guinness Book as the fastest couple to get married.
We exited the office, and I looked up to meet Ethan's eyes. "How come we didn't have any witnesses?"
Ethan chuckled and shook his head. "This marriage must be kept a secret. I made sure the man was on our side. I even ordered him to make it short and precise hence the lack of the long speech."
"Good." I nodded my head and followed him out of the building.
Ethan grabbed my arm and cornered me between his body and the car.
"What are you doing?" I hissed, looking around the street.
"Smile," I gave him a look as if he grew a second head.
"Smile! You understand English, don't you?" Ethan repeated.
When I didn't react to his words, he tickled my ribs. I squirmed in his hold and laughed. "You went crazy."
"You don't understand words, then I will act." He said not relenting in his assault.
"Stop! Stop!" I said between short breaths.
Ethan took mercy on me and gave me a mock glare. "You will keep your lips lifted. I want to see your smile. Today is very special to us. We are married."
I smiled softly at his attempts of cheering me up and decided to let go of my burdens for today. I have plenty of time to think about all the possibilities that could be the outcome of this.
I leaned closer and kissed him on the lips. "Usually the groom kisses his bride, but since we are special, I did it instead," I said when we broke apart.
"Don't worry. I will make it up to you. You initiated the kiss, I will take care of the rest." Ethan whispered in my ear, and I blushed. "Come." He ordered and opened the car's door for me.
"Where are we going?"
"We will go to eat lunch, and then it is the Eiffel Tower."
I relaxed in my seat and enjoyed the scenery we passed. As usual, Ethan didn't settle but for the best in everything we did that day. I would be lying if I said his efforts didn't exceed my dreams. He went beyond anything I had ever thought about when it came to getting married.
Finally, he pulled in front of a hotel. I raised an eyebrow. "Why are we here? Don't tell me we are having dinner here. I am full and can't eat anything else."
"We are not going to eat. We will spend the night here."
"Why? We already have a room reserved in a good hotel." I said in confusion.
Ethan turned off the engine and took my hand in his. "Nina, as I told you before, I want this marriage to be real. I want you to be mine in every sense of the word."
The realisation hit me, and I felt stupid for my ignorance. How can I forget the issue of the consumption of our marriage?
I sat there in silence. I wanted so badly to have a happy life and marriage with Ethan, but the obstacles facing us were too many to ignore.
At my hesitation, Ethan said in a low voice. "It is alright. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to." He went to grab the door's handle, but I put my hand on his arm and stopped him.
,
"Do you love me?" I asked, dreading the answer.
"You know it," Ethan said.
"I want to hear it one more time."
Ethan turned around and tilted my chin up with his finger. Our eyes connected, and he said in his smooth voice. "I love you, Nina. Believe it, my heart is yours. No matter what happens."
He leaned over and left a chaste kiss on my lips. I didn't want this moment to end, but Ethan kept it short and sweet with the promise of more to come later.
We arrived at the hotel's lobby and checked in. The elevator ascended to the last storey, and we entered the large presidential suite.
I smiled at the red rose petals that were scattered around all the way to the bedroom. Ethan took my hand and led me down a long corridor that have a large black door at the end of it.
We entered the room, and I looked around with awe. My husband didn't spare any expense to make it perfect. The dim lights added charm to the already breathtaking space.
The bedsheets were red satin with white roses in the shape of a heart in the middle. Scented candles were placed around the room, and I smiled at the large Panda plushie sitting on the bed.
Ethan came from behind and placed his hands around my waist. "Do you like it?"
"It is beautiful," I answered, and Ethan kissed my neck softly. I shuddered at the sensations it ignited inside me.
"I must change and take a shower." I excused myself and ran to the bathroom before I lost my resolve.
I leaned against the door and took deep breaths to calm my racing heartbeats. I splashed cold water on my face and looked at myself in the mirror.
"What the hell are you doing, Nina? You just got married to Ethan Salviatti. Now, you are Mrs Salviatti. Wow! It was so strange how fast things can change."
As the realisation hit me like a ton of bricks, I stumbled and sat on the edge of the bathtub.
I filled it with warm water and begged my foggy mind to make out what was happening in my life.
I didn't know if marrying Ethan was my best choice, but one thing was for sure, I would make the best of it as long as it lasted.
Drying my hair with a towel, I noticed a paper bag on the counter. Curiosity got the best of me, and I opened it only to reveal sexy lingerie. I stuffed it back and shook my head while feeling my cheeks getting hot. I would never wear something that can barely cover anything.
I took another glimpse at the pale blue garment and decided to hell with it. I wore it and admired my body in it. Putting on a robe over it, I deemed myself ready.
Ethan was laying on the bed with his attention on the phone. The moment he heard me closing the bathroom door, he looked up, and I could visibly see his intake of breath.
He put the phone on the nightstand and moved closer to me. I gave him an awkward smile and felt butterflies waking up in my stomach when his hands touched my bare shoulder where the robe had already slipped off.
"You look beautiful," Ethan murmured near my ear.
When I only stared at his bare chest, Ethan raised my chin and gave me a gentle smile. "Are you sure you want us to take that step in our relationship?"
"Yes, I am sure." This time I didn't hesitate even for a second which made Ethan kiss me passionately and led me to the bed.
*********************
My phone ringing brought me out of dreamland. I opened my eyes and rubbed off any sleep remains.
It took me several attempts to break out of Ethan's hold. I grabbed my cell phone and inwardly groaned at seeing Martin's name.
Next to me, Ethan stirred and for a moment, I was afraid he would wake up. I got out of bed and went out to the balcony.
I made sure the door was closed before I answered the call.
"Turn on your camera." I snorted as seeing Martin's face was the last thing I wanted to start my morning with.
The sight that greeted me made the blood freeze in my veins. Arianna was strapped to a wooden chair with a black fabric covering her face and several bruises on her arms.
Seconds later, Martin's face came into view, and I was snapped out of my stupor.
"What was that?" My voice was steady and cold.
"The consequences of your choices." He answered simply.
"What do you mean?"
"You know very well the meaning of my words. You refused to kill your boyfriend, or should I say your husband. Did you think marrying the Salviatti heir would solve the problem?" Martin taunted as he took puffs from his fancy cigar.
I didn't have the right words to say. The bastard knew about everything I did. He was more powerful than we gave him credit. I told Ethan not to underestimate him, but he didn't listen.
I didn't know how I should act now. I knew he had my sister in his hands, but I thought he wouldn't torture her. She was just a child who didn't commit any mistakes. She was taking the blame for something she wasn't involved in. It was not her fault her sister and protector worked with criminals.
I took a deep breath and sighed. "Let her go."
Martin laughed, and I cringed at the sound it produced. "You know the key to your freedom."
"I will do it." As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt bile rising inside my stomach, and it took everything in me not to puke.
Martin clapped his hands and gave me a smirk. "Finally, your logic is back to functioning."
"When do you want me to do it?" I asked.
"It will be a surprise. You will know at the right time."
"How about Arianna?" I asked, but the bastard cut the call without giving me an answer. I leaned against the railing, defeated.
I looked back and watched how Ethan slept with a serene look on his face. He was relaxed and didn't know the woman he kept in his arms would stab him in the back.
My happy bubble exploded in front of my eyes, and I didn't know if I would ever be happy again.
You knew it would come to this. Since the start of this mission, you knew you would arrive at this point.
I never knew I would be forced to choose between the most two important persons in my life.
I could practically hear my conscious giving me a sarcastic snore. And for the first time, I agreed with her.
I don't know how much time had passed when I felt two arms encircling my waist. I stiffened at Ethan's touch, and he immediately noticed my reaction.
He turned me around in his arms and cupped my face between his hands.
"You look stressed," Ethan remarked.
"I couldn't sleep and wanted to breathe in some fresh air." I lied through my teeth.
"And here I thought we will spend the day in bed." Ethan teased with a smirk.
I chuckled and shook my head. "Don't be a lazy lad. We are in the city of love and we must make the most of our time."
"Nina, you look sad. What's wrong?" Ethan said with a serious face. Sometimes, I hated how perspective he can be.
"I didn't know men turned to nagging hens once they got married." I tried to ease his worries, but I knew he was not buying it.
"Nina, why are you lying to my face?" Ethan probed further.
"Come on, Ethan, drop it. I will take a bath and then it is a fun time for us." I gave him a large smile and shoved him playfully.
Ethan squeezed my hand and whispered in my ear. "This is not over," before he let me go.
I nearly ran to the bathroom and closed the door. I turned on the hot water and leaned over the sink.
What the hell was I doing? Could I kill Ethan? How will I do it when his eyes looked at me as if I were something precious? He always made me feel important to him.
Once the bathtub was ready, I took off my clothes and eased my body into the bubbly water.
For the first time, I didn't feel soothed by the water. I just felt suffocated and wanted everything to end. Why should I move forward in this life? If I am gone then all the problems will be solved and no one will get hurt.
I got underwater and entertained the idea of never coming out. What's the worst that can happen?
I will die and won't be forced to choose anymore. My heart won't bleed while deciding which part of it to kill.
What about Arianna? She will be all alone facing this cruel world.
Ethan will take care of her. He promised to help me save her. He won't leave her alone. He was a man of his word and won't back down.
Really?! That's it, Nina? You are giving up this easily? You are throwing a life you may have with your loved ones.
Huh!! Life? What life? Betraying the man I love? Not being able to save my sister? What life do I have?
"Come on, Nina. I have been waiting for ages." Ethan's voice cut through my mind. He knocked two more times, and I felt compelled to breathe again.
I came out of the water and struggled to take deep breaths. Maybe I need to keep fighting until the end. Whatever that end may be.
Making quick work of drying myself and changing into jeans and a plain t-shirt, I finally exited the bathroom.
Ethan came closer to me and kissed my cheek. "I will be quick, and then we will go on a small adventure."
"You planned something, didn't you?" I asked in suspicion.
Ethan winked and shrugged his shoulders. "You will see."
********************
We spent the rest of the week sightseeing and staying with each other as long as possible.
Arianna was on my mind the entire time. Her picture bound to the chair kept replaying in front of my eyes every second of the day. I couldn't forget how she appeared fragile and broken. I tried calling Martin, but the cruel bastard didn't answer and rejected all my calls.
But I was truly happy staying next to Ethan. His closeness calmed my nerves and put my mind at ease.
How can I kill someone who is slowly becoming my whole universe? I had rather pull out my heart and stab it instead.
It was late afternoon on a sunny Saturday, and Ethan and I were cuddled on the couch. Ethan ran his hands through my hair and brought me closer as if that was even possible.
"I am leaving tomorrow,"
I tried so hard to hide my sigh of relief. Martin didn't make a move and Ethan was already leaving. Just a few hours and everything will be good.
"I will miss you," I said the truth.
"Same here. We need to figure out an arrangement that suits us both. I can't stay longer without my wife." He kissed my head tenderly.
"We just have to be patient. If we are strong, this hard time will pass." I snuggled into his chest and exhaled his masculine scent.
Ethan moved away from me and reached into his pocket. He took out a red velvet box and gave me a gentle smile.
"Since I can't give you a wedding ring, I thought this bracelet will do the trick."
He took my hand and clasped the bracelet around my wrist. It was a simple white gold with a diamond infinity pendant between two small hearts.
I brought it closer and admired the beautiful jewellery. "It is stunning."
"Of course it is. I have good taste." Ethan teased.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "I didn't know you have a big ego."
"I am learning from the best."
I put the bracelet around my wrist and admired how it looked. I leaned over and kissed Ethan's lips tenderly. "I love you."
A loud voice preceded a small explosion that blew away the room's door. I tried to cover my face and breath through the resulting dust. Once the view was clear, I froze on the couch.
There in front of us stood Martin with Arianna. He had a tight hold on her hair, and I knew he was hurting her. My little girl was holding her tears and putting on a brave front.
"Congratulations, I hope you loved my gift."
Ethan stood up from his place on the couch with a gun in his right hand. When he had the time to take it, I have no idea.
"What a great entrance. I didn't know you were that happy for us."
"I am always happy when things go my way," Martin said with a smirk.
"So finally I had the honour to meet the infamous Martin," Ethan said.
"My bad, I didn't know you were eager to meet me. If I did, I would have arranged this meeting sooner."
"So, how about you leave the little girl out of this? We can always discuss things without involving kids. I mean like real men do." Ethan said in a calm voice.
"This girl is my ticket to everything I want," Martin answered and tugged harder on Arianna's hair which brought tears flowing down her face.
I was snapped out of my trance and moved towards him. He was hurting my sister, and he would pay for it.
Ethan grabbed my hand and put me behind him. I struggled against his hold, but he didn't ease it.
"Calm down, Nina. I have it under control."
Martin laughed so loudly at the scene playing in front of him.
"Are you sure you want to protect her?"
"How about you stay out of my business? It is time we talk seriously." Ethan snapped.
"Fine by me. I am here to do a mission, and then I will leave." Martin shrugged and then continued. "Oh, by saying you have it under control, if you mean the men you have posted around the hotel, I want to tell you they are dead."
I could feel Ethan stiffen, and I knew what was coming next would end things forever.
"I see you are shocked. I give it to you, your plan was flawless, and I didn't see it coming, but thanks to your wife, I was able to put a stop to it. Knowing where you were spending your honeymoon was a great start."
I felt Ethan's hold loosen, and he slowly turned around to face me. The fire I saw in his green eyes nearly brought me to my knees.
"Why?" It was a single-worded question, but it held a lot of meaning and impact on me.
"I am sorry. I was forced to do it." That was my lame response.
Ethan gave me a sad smile and shook his head. "We always have a choice. You just made the easy one. I told you to trust me, but you didn't."
"Ethan, it is not like this. I did it for my sister. I told you before, she will..."
Ethan cut me off and completed my sentence. "Always come first, and I will always be last." He looked at Martin and shook his head. "Do you really believe I have only one plan? You will never guess how many backup plans I have." Ethan turned his attention to me once again and gave me a sardonic smile. "But you are lucky my wife helped you. Congratulations, you won."
"I am getting bored of this soap opera. I want us to get to business." Martin said, and I heard the click of a gun.
I looked up and saw him holding his gun to Arianna's head. "Come here," he motioned for me to come next to him.
With heavy steps, I obeyed and stood next to him. Ethan was standing in the middle of the room, alone. The look of betrayal in his eyes broke my heart to million pieces. I never imagined finding myself in this situation.
"Kill him," Martin ordered as he handed me another gun.
"No, I can't do it." I shook my head vigorously.
"Alright, have it your way." He said and clicked on the trigger of the gun he was holding to Arianna's head.
I closed my eyes and screamed like never before. I looked in my sister's direction, expecting to see her lifeless body on the ground, but there she was standing and breathing.
Martin let out a deranged laugh and shook his head. "This time you were lucky. I suggest you don't try your luck much more. Kill him."
"Yes, Nina. Do it. You have already betrayed me multiple times. One more time won't hurt." Ethan spoke and dropped his gun to the ground.
I was shocked by his words. I took his silence until now as a sign that he had a plan to get us out of this situation. I was wrong, or maybe not. He had a plan, but he just didn't want to try it.
"Are you going to do it? Or what? I am getting impatient and I can't be responsible for my next actions." Martin taunted as he played with his gun near Arianna's head.
Having no other choice, I aimed the gun in Ethan's direction and prepared to shoot him, but again Martin's words stopped me.
"I don't consider a shoot in the leg fatal. I suggest you make your aim flawless or you will repeat the shots until I am satisfied."
"Forgive me," I muttered as I pulled the trigger.
BANG!!
***************
How did you find the chapter? What do you think about Nina's betray? And what will happen next.
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