Chapter 1: The Betrayal

Gisella’s POV

Waking up with the ray of light overwhelming me through my pink curtains, I turn over to see my parents standing right in front of me with worries glued to their faces. By this, I jumped up from the bed.

"Mama, Papà, what is the problem? Why are you two In my room so early in the morning? " I grimaced.

"We have to talk to you about something important, Principessa, and we hope you'll try to understand what we're about to tell you." my papà utters.

I balanced myself correctly by resting my back on the wooden bed shelf.

"OK, what is it? Tell me. I won't budge." I kept smiling even though my parents were serious about what they were about to tell me.

"Are you sure of it, my little Principessa? " my papà questioned me with a specific justification in his tone.

"I promise, okay, so throw it on me now. I'll manage." I winked at them playfully.

"Mia Cara, Gisella, I'm sorry to say, but we have arranged a marriage for you. " with face down, he kept quiet.

I burst out with a face of laughter. "And who is this lucky man? Can he handle my personality? " I laugh out jokingly, but I notice they didn't twitch.

"It's Giuseppe Caruso's son! " my mama exhausts her breath.

My face couldn't take the word away. "Uh? What did you say? It's a joke. About arranging a marriage for me and one of the Caruso sons, which of the son are you inferring? Lorenzo? Diego?" I interrogate them angrily.

They both stare at each other and back at me. "It's none of the sons you've just called."

"Mama, then who? " Now I'm getting frantic because they know I have someone in my life already.

"Mia Cara, they have another Figlio hidden from spotlights, Nicolo Caruso." they stop and gaze at me.

"Nicolo Caruso?" I spat with an unamused face. "I don't even know him at all."

"Yes, my dear, you might never hear much about him or hear about him because he's blind, and his parents took him out of the spotlight. He's the eldest of the Caruso's son. " my mama added.

"What? Am I a joke? Why must I get married to a Joke? A blind Caruso? Never! - Over my dead body, mama, I rather bleed to death than becoming Mrs. Caruso, not even just Mrs. Caruso but a wife to a blind bat." I jump down from the bed, putting on my clothes furiously with anger in my spirit.

"Mama, papà, I'm sorry, but whatever made you think this way about getting me married to a blind bat, I don't care, for Chrissake I'm 27 years old I'm in a serious relationship, what do you want me to tell Pietro? That I'm leaving him for a blind billionaire son? "

"Oh, dear, you won't understand, but you've to grant us this last wish, please, Gisella, " my Mama's words were in between tears.

"I can't grant you that, mama, first of all, I quit my job as a publisher because you two wanted me to look for a better job, I left my dreams for yours, I got all my degrees in business because you want me to, I stay in your apartment because you said you don't want me to leave you, did you ever think about what others are saying? Now you want me to go away from Pietro Santoro to a blind billionaire heir.

I don't know what has gotten into both of you, "and I'm sorry I can't grant you that one wish, mama, never!" I fidget between tears.

I stomped my feet hard to the floor about exiting my bedroom door. "If you don't get married to Nicolo Caruso, I'll kill myself." my mama yelled.

I was at a quick halt. "What? " I slowly walk down to where my mama and Papa were standing.

"You'll kill yourself if I don't get married to a stranger? What is going on, mama? " I grabbed her arm.

My heart aches. "Why? " my heart became enormous looking at my papà who was crying. I've never seen my papà cry before, never.

"I want you to marry Nicolo Caruso. " my papà sounds angry. You can hear the pitch of anger in his voice.

"Oh my Goodness." tears drop off from my long lashes.

"What is going on?" My whole world ravages down. I feel like dying in a void.

"Mama, papà, I'll be right back before you know it, okay? Don't worry. I'm not running off!" I rushed to carry my phone and purse.

"No problem, but just do as I've told you, please," my mom's sober voice brings pain to my heart. Why me, why me of all people?

"Don't worry, mama, papà, please take good care of mama and yourself. I'll be back soon, " with a precarious smile, I hug her and peck my papà.

I remember Viola telling me that she overheard her parents discussing her arranged marriage with one of the Caruso sons. Still, suddenly she told me recently that things had been taken care of, that she's off the hook. It can't possibly be a mere coincidence. I signed and walked out quickly.

I've to talk to Viola right now, and I'm sure she'll possibly be in our villa; it's our friendship where she and I have played since childhood.

"I've got to call her first, " I brought out my phone and dialed her number the first time, the second, but it's switched off, then I guess I had to go to the Villa, she might be there.

***

I could not find her in the sitting room or the garden. Okay,  I guess she'll be in the room sleeping or watching a movie. I walked faster. Getting closer to the door, I heard voices.

"Pietro, I'm so proud of you; because of you, I'm not going to be the one getting married to the Caruso son. I want to be with only you. "

" Don't be afraid, my love, I won't dare to give you to anyone, don't worry, our plan we surely work. I have already talked to my dad about it, and he said he has talked to Mr. Giuseppe Caruso about it since they are best friends."

I pushed the door open. "Pietro? " I called out in panic. I can't believe my eyes and my ears. Viola and Pietro together, naked on my part of the Villa? Since when? My so-called best friend and boyfriend.

"Gisella, Pietro is the love of my life! " Viola announced without feeling remorseful, covering her body with my best duvet.

"Y-You Guys? How can you two-" My words were lost.

"Gisella, I'm sorry, Pietro and I love each other dearly." without feeling bad, Viola spat without feeling remorseful about her words. I indeed can't bear to hear those words from this tiny chestnut-headed betrayer who I called my best friend.

She's like a sister to me, even though my parents don't like her since childhood I have never judged her character; I was so angry, then I slapped her across the face instantly, she almost fell from the bed, but Pietro got hold of her.

"from the beginning to the end, Viola is the only girl I love and cherish till death do us apart, so don't flatter yourself! " Pietro dropped the bomb.

"Please, Pietro, I beg you." Viola inquires, hugging him tightly with her breasts pressing directly to his bare skin.

"You want me to allow you two -Keep on dreaming." I raised my hand to slap her again, but this time Pietro got hold of my hand and pushed it away, then I fell flat to the floor.

"Gisella, you have no choice but to leave me alone and marry the good for nothing, Caruso, because you and your family need the money for charity," he said. "Do you know that the first day you introduced me to her during Christmas Eve, That was the day I felt attracted to her," he added

Oh my, that was five years ago. Pietro? My very own true love? The man who I love, he arranged an unexpected marriage made for Viola to me? I can't believe what my eyes and body are taking right now.

"I'm sorry il mia ex amante, but I can't bear to see Viola, the love of my life gets married to another man, so, since my dad and Signor Giuseppe are good friends, I talked to him about it, and he said he would convince him, but I never knew I had the intention to recommend you to them, well I was the one who gave him the idea though." he raised his brow as he put on his shirt.

I can't believe this, standing in front of the people who I think to understand me better, now I know what has been happening. Pietro has been cheating on me with Viola for a long, but I was too blind by love and friendship to take note of what was going on around me.

I turned, about to walk away from the propeller of agony, but someone held me captive with a white handkerchief to my nose. I struggled then saw that it was Pietro. Viola was smiling at me wickedly, I could see her bluntly, but then all I heard was faint voices.

"Gisella Molinero, don't blame us... If you want to blame someone, blame it on your twisted fate. You poor little thing. andare a dormire ora amante ragazza."

"In the game of seduction, there is only one rule which is, never fall in love with someone that is not yours," Pietro added. Immediately everything went blank.

"Pietrrrrrroooooooo? " I whispered.