Absconding

Chapter 3

Ariel

It was just a day to my eighteenth birthday and my marriage to Dmitri. I should have been engrossed with picking nice dresses and searching for good spots to go on picnics with my best friend and family, instead, I'd busied myself with how to abscond without getting tracked.

At least, I was doing well in that part. The driver I'd hired through Guilia was ready to take me anywhere I wanted once I was ready. The only thing that gave me a headache was how to leave the house without getting caught by the camera or those annoying guards.

I chewed the edge of my pen, scrolling through my phone when I heard footsteps by the door, then a knock.

"Let yourselves in," I said coldly and busied myself with the video that seemed to catch my attention.

It was all I could do from screaming my lungs out in protest. Keeping calm and watching my parents plan my life like this was enough to make the sanest person mad.

They strolled in, my parents, holding hands and then they stopped by my bed.

"How was your night?" Mama asked nervously, cupping my cheeks.

I pulled my face away from her hands and retreated further under the duvet, keeping my phone aside with my back facing them. If they thought that coming to my room for a chit-chat would make me forget everything, then they could consider themselves to be the biggest jokers of the century.

"We are sorry, doll." Father's voice came through. "All this is for our good."

I held back a scoff as an idea flitted into my mind. They wouldn't suspect my plans to run away if I pretended to comply with their demands.

It would even earn me their trust. I could only imagine the horror that would be on their faces when they realized that I'd toyed with their feelings, the same way they did with mine.

"It's alright, daddy. I just find it hard to accept that I'd been leaving you both so quickly. You both didn't give me enough time to prepare myself to be taken away from you," I lied through my teeth.

From the looks on their faces, I knew that they were buying it.

"Oh, honey," Mama ran her fingers through my hair. "I didn't have the chance to do the same. I'll miss my princess so much and the thought that I might never see you until your husband releases you is disheartening." She sniffed.

My father, Rocco Scuderi, sank onto the bed and snaked his arm around my neck, bringing me close to himself as if he hadn't hit me hard yesterday.

He'd pay for it.

"I'm sorry for what I did yesterday. My patience was running thin and you weren't helping matters, but I promise not to ever do that to you again, my angel." He said softly and I smiled at him.

"Don't worry, Daddy, I'm not mad at you. My only request is that you prepare two big cakes for me. One for my birthday and the other for my marriage." I informed him with a bubbly, light voice.

They spread their arms for a hug and I hurried into them, grinning from ear to ear. If I'd known that it was this easy to fool them, I wouldn't have made a fuss like I did at the engagement party.

My father stood up, tucking his hands into his pocket and he brought out a small black box and handed it over to me. I collected it from him and checked out the content.

It was a silver necklace with a heart-shaped pendant that he promised to give to me on my birthday.

"This is for you, princess. Always wear it so that you won't feel lonely when you leave..." His voice cracked with emotions.

I peered up at him and noticed how hard he tried to keep his emotions at bay. Why couldn't he just tell me the reason for the marriage? Maybe I'd be tempted to stay and get married.

For the last time, I asked. "Thank you so much for the gift and I'll always wear it as you asked, but I'd also like to know why you hell-bent on marrying me off to that man. Would it be so wrong for me to know?"

He drew in a deep breath and shook his head, a frown crossing his features.

"You don't need to know, Ariel. Just focus on getting married to him," He replied in an icy tone and left.

Mama got up as well, staring at me with a pleading look. "It would be better if you stop asking. Just focus on what we've asked you to do." She hurriedly said and barreled after him while I gnashed my teeth in disgust.

********

It was a few minutes past ten pm and I heard a knock on my window. My heart skipped as I dashed to the window which I'd intentionally left open.

"Help me in," She shrieked.

With all my strength, I dragged her in and we both collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily and erupted into a silent laughter, trying hard not to catch anyone's attention.

Coming through the window was the safest option since they had forgotten to install a camera around that area.

"Are the guards still asleep?" I questioned.

"Yes, they are knocked off. I hope you didn't give them an overdose?" She giggled.

Just as she'd advised me, I added some sedative tablets to their drinks after sending the cook away and luckily, it solved my problem. I could only hope that Father wouldn't notice and cause a scene.

I picked up the duffle bag containing a change of clothes and wads of cash that would last me till I found a job under my bed and wore it on my back. "Of course not. I'm not dumb. I just hope that they won't lose their heads when Father finds out that I'm no longer here."

"They won't, Ariel. Just focus on finding happiness away from this place and I hope you meet a man who will take care of you," Guilia said, her eyes watering.

We'd been friends for over ten years as her father was one of the underbosses working for my father. Our friendship grew stronger by the day and she was the only person that I could count on to help me.

God knows that I'd do the same if the situation was reversed. The only fear I had was her safety. The Famiglia rarely hurt women, but what she did was more than betrayal. She was directly sabotaging my father's plans under my direction.

And that could cost her her life.

"I'm worried about you. About what my father and your father would do when this cover blows up."

She placed her hand on my shoulder. "Allow me to handle that. I'll gladly give my life for you." She admitted and my eyes glistened with tears.

We held each other in a tight embrace, my throat choking with emotions.

"No, you won't. And promise me that you will send me a message every day. I need to know that you are alive." I demanded worriedly.

"Sure, I will. Now go. The guards can wake up at any time," She urged me on and then laid out a strong cream-colored rope that matched the color of the wall so that I could glide down.

I tossed on a face cap and hoisted myself over the window, then slid down the wall with the help of the rope until my legs touched the ground.

Filled with satisfaction at the serenity of the yard, I took to my heels, running with all my strength until I got to the tunnel where the driver was waiting.