Chapter 5: Identity of My Wife

With the arrival of the bride, the priest officiated the wedding. His voice boomed across the sanctuary.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honor to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Griffo."

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause as the couples made their way down the aisle.

Amidst the vibrant crowd, whispers of admiration and awe buzzed like bees in a flower garden.

"Did you see her red hair? She's the definition of rare beauty." Some of the wedding guests chimed.

"She's prettier than her brothers." Another confirmed.

"Anastasia Clayton is a precious jewel. No wonder, her beauty was hidden from the public."

The crowd and the pictures bloggers craned their necks to glimpse the unrivaled jewel of the Clayton crown, and they were not disappointed. She was the epitome of beauty.

———

In living rooms and bars across the state, people gathered around their screens, their eyes glued to the broadcast.

"Can you believe this?" exclaimed a woman, her voice heavy with excitement. "The royalties of the business world are merging."

Her friend nodded in agreement, eyes sparkling with intrigue. "If these two families join, who knows what kind of empire they'll build in Philadelphia?"

The golden-haired man who had been intimate with Rain before she was captured by Randy’s goons nursed a beer as he watched the grand ceremony unfold.

As Rain appeared on screen, dressed in her wedding gown, the blonde man gasped, nearly choking on his beer.

"Ms. Philadelphia? I slept with Miss Philadelphia?!" he all but screamed to himself, a certain thought lingering in his mind. “Damn, if i had known she was so rich, i would have taken up her offer for coffee.”

The ceremony was finally over? and it was time for the new couple to go home together and start their first day as a two-in-one set. The newlywed Griffos slid into a sleek black Lamborghini truck, bidding farewell to their family and friends.

In the shadows, a representative of one of Philadelphia's underground leaders watched with quiet, calculating interest.

“'The sharks will always outmatch the minnows." Kim Min Jae murmured, his gaze fixed on the Clayton and Griffo families.

Kim Min Jae, the titan of Japan, had long established himself as a contender for the top three, and he possessed everything that was left untouched by the two great clans.

"But for now, even I must bow my head and play the role of a lamb in the lion's den." He said with a sinister smirk playing across his lips.

He was a monstrous man, a predator unlike any other, however, in front of the giants, the Claytons, and the Griffo even, the japanese monster to be wary and submit.

———

With his new bride, Vincenzo Griffo ascended to the throne of his family empire, now entitled to a grandiose villa befitting a president.

This was all prepared before the time for the wedding. A villa that was in nowhere inferior to the presidency of a growing nation, equipped with all the necessities and the luxuries of life.

The Griffo villa sat on a massive piece of land surrounded by beautiful gardens and forests, with a small lake and even its beach. Inside the grounds were a tennis court, basketball court, and a golf course, making it the perfect place for fun and relaxation.

"This, Mrs. Griffo, is your east wing."Martha, the housemaid said, gesturing towards a wide area, large enough to fit two loft apartments. It was adorned with lush fabrics and fine paintings.

"WOW!" Rain exclaimed, running her hand along the smooth marble of a table.

'Breaking any of this would probably be the end of me.' Rain's thoughts went wild, it was probably best that she kept to herself in her room.

“You can see the gardens from here." Marth declared.

“It is surreal,.” Rain replied, eyes wide with wonder,as she stared and admired it. “It’s like stepping into a magical world.”

A magical world where Rain wished she could make her wishes come through.

“Indeed, madam. Here's the map, Miss Luna had instructed me to give you this."

Taking the map from Martha, she was led into her room.

Rain got a tour of her new prison, while her better half, Vincenzo Griffo, was busy deciding on how to take revenge on her stepbrothers for double crossing him.

———

Gathered in his study, the three descendants of the late Tomas Griffo were contemplating what to do with this bomb the Claytons had dropped on them. Luna, Marco and Vincenzo.

“I knew those bastards were up to something. But to think, those treacherous Germans would go so far as to send another woman in place of Anastasia.” Vincenzo boomed.

"Bloody deceivers" Marco added in Italian. “I propose we launch a pre-emptive strike on them. They murdered our father, and now sully his memory with this disgrace, who knows where they picked that girl from.” He continued.

Among the three, Marco was known to be the most impulsive, and his temper was equally as if not more dangerous than venom from a poison adder.

“Careful Marc, your ears are starting to smoke.” Luna mocked.

She was the stunningly and equally bright daughter of the Griffo family. A genius who also acted as the voice of reason for the family, she tried to present another, more peaceful scenario.

“First off, the same way we didn’t kill Harold, they may not have been the ones who killed Father. Yes, those crazy Germans double crossed us. But, the main objective of this arrangement was to get Vin a wife. Now he has a wife, and his seat at the head of the table is guaranteed, so I see no reason to start a war. Brother did not get married for love, but out of necessity, thus, nothing wrong has happened."

With a deep breath and a sigh, she continued.

“However, something tells me that this crazy farce is just the beginning of many troubles. That girl may be beautiful, she may even look the part, but I don’t think the real reason for this ploy was to keep Anastasia. For all we know, they have something more sinister planned and she is just a distraction.” She said, and held her peace.

Marco wanted to argue, but after reasoning his sister’s words, he saw they were without a shadow of a doubt, correct. Thus, he decided to wait to hear what his big brother had to say. He was their head after all.

“I agree with Luna on this one, Marc. We know within ourselves that we didn’t kill Clayton, and I don't think the Griffo’s had any hand in father’s murder either. However, the smug grin on Randy’s face at the wedding tells me that the fool has a stupid plan up his ass. ” Vincenzo stated coolly.

"Ok, let's observe, and see what the future holds for us. However, I think we may have to upgrade the main arsenal. I've received reports of the Claytons looking for better weapons to counter us. I want us to be ready for when that day comes." Marco said.

“Do what you must brother, but now, I will go meet my bride…” Vicenzo trailed off with a less than pleased expression as he left the study. The meeting with his bride could go in any direction. He joined the house tour, observing Rain from afar and acting like a good husband, leaving Rain feeling perplexed.

However, as soon as Rain and Vincenzo were left alone, she became sure of one thing. He knew, and he was anything but happy about being married to another person. She sat on the bed and pursed her lips, preparing for the worst as Vincenzo fixed his cold gaze on her.

After about ten minutes of his lilac eyes starinng at her with a savage glint, he finally broke the eerie silence permeating the room.

“I knew that murdering bastard would try something stupid, but to think he would go this far. He is smarter than I gave him credit for.” He sneered, finishing with a sinister laugh.

“So, wife… What is your name,and who the hell are you?” he asked, his tone returning to the quiet and composed person everyone knew him to be.

He couldn't, however, completely control the storm of fury, building deep within the core of his being. “I must warn you, telling lies may not end well for you.”

Seeing no point in hiding her identity, Rain sighed and spoke, not completely devoid of fear but too tired and exasperated.

"My name is Rain Amelia Coxson but my birth name is apparently Rain Clayton. I only just learned of that a few weeks ago, and now, by virtue of marrying you, I am Rain Griffo, your new wife, and a tool you will use to consolidate your hold on the Griffo throne. In the past few weeks, I have gone from being who i thought i was to being someone unrecognizable, so you take your pick.”

She spoke and quietly heaved a sigh. She believed he would move to destroy her at the next second, maybe call the numerous bodyguards she had seen posted all over the mansion to kill her. It was one or the other. She would be killed by Randy for refusing to take part in his scheme, or killed by Vincenzo for taking part in the scheme. Either way, she would end up dead and the nightmare would finally be over.

Vincenzo's anger simmered, but her unexpected boldness intrigued him. "I expected you to fight back, or at least show fear." He said, his voice tinged with little curiosity. "What makes you so unafraid, when your life is fully at my mercy?"

She raised her chin, her expression solemn."What's there to fear? Are you really going to murder your wife on your wedding night?" She asked.

Vincenzo chuckled, “You must mistake me for Santa Claus' wife, but make no mistake Clayton, your life is only at my mercy, I could kill you right now and still sleep soundly tonight, without a trace of remorse. Vincenzo expressed and walked out the room, leaving Rain to ponder on his death threats.

To Vincenzo, She looked strangely confident, no, it was not confidence, it was tiredness and resignation to whatever the future held.

This situation was peculiar, to say the least, and he was already blooming interest in his new bride.

That was how Rain survived her first day, as the queen of the Griffons.

What would the coming days hold for her? Only time will tell.