Chapter 4

MELISSA

“Mum, this can't be right, what does this mean?”

“Quit asking me unnecessary questions. What does it look like?”

I sighed as my twin brother Nicho snatched the file from me curiously. I turned to my mother who completely ignored my eyes.

“How can I marry someone I've never even met, how could Dad do this to me?” I croaked, wiping the tears threatening to spill from my face.

“You ungrateful brat! How dare you question your father’s actions? Your father had never been anything but kind and loving towards you and you can't even honor his dying wish? Your father spent his whole life building that company, are you gonna watch it get passed to someone else?”

“Mum, you know that's not what..”

“That's exactly what you mean, it's clear I failed as a mother. I raised a selfish young woman… even after you've gone through his will, you still refuse to fulfill your father's last wishes.” My mother sniffed, sniffling a tear.

Nicho scoffed, drawing our attention.

“What's funny?” My mother asked, maintaining a look I couldn't read meaning into.

“What?” He asked, feigning obliviousness. My mother turned her attention back to me.

“Missy, you know how your father felt about you. I mean we all knew you were his favorite and I know your father would never do anything he wasn't absolutely certain would make you happy. Your father has tried his best to safeguard your future and now you want to throw all that away?”

She paused and sighed, then got closer to me and held my hand.

“Tonight’s a big one for you. And this matter is not for debate, Mellisa. I hope you'll make your father proud.” She finished, giving me a soft kiss on the cheeks before walking away.

“Congratulations on your soon-to-be engagement, sis.” Nicho jeered and clapped, a smirk broadly displayed on his face. I sighed, placing my hand on my forehead.

“It's not all that bad, you know?” My brother said, taking a slice of apple and throwing it into his mouth triumphantly.

“Did Mum set you up for this?” I asked, and he raised his hands in surrender.

“Nicho, this is not a joke. I'm marrying a complete stranger. Someone I know nothing about. For all we know, he could be a sadistic psychopath.”

“Chill out Mel, you're marrying Damien Don freaking Russo!”

“So?” I inquired and he rolled his eyes.

“So, you should be celebrating. I know I would.”

“Nicho,” I warned.

“No, really. Do you even realize how lucky you are? I mean you are marrying a hot, wealthy, billionaire.”

“Yes, and?”

“And?” Nicho inquired in disbelief.

“That man is crazy hot Mel, I would give anything to jump his bones.”

“Yeah, he’s crazy hot and according to this Han’s article, he has been married three freaking times. What a charming prince,” I hissed and tried to walk away but Nicho held my hand.

“I am sorry Mel, I was just trying to make you feel better. I didn't mean to act like a jerk.” he apologized and pulled me into a hug.

“It's gonna be okay, Mel. We’re gonna be ok,” he whispered in my ear.

*********************

(Later that evening…)

The evening was cold and breezy. The drive to Mr. Antonio's house seemed very long, and I kept wishing Mom would tell the driver to turn back and take us home, that it was all a prank and Dad didn't actually sign me off to get married to a complete stranger.

Anxiety spread all over me like sweat, and I could barely keep my thoughts in order. I would glance at my mother once in a while and she'd throw me a sweet smile, and I would force a tight-lipped smile back.

My mind raced with countless questions. Was he as mean as people said? Would he even acknowledge my presence? What if I'm completely not his type? I wished Nicho was here, but he had to attend an influencer meeting on LGBTQ++ rights. Yeah, did I forget to mention that my brother was a big-shot gay influencer?

I unconsciously let out a sigh, drawing my mother's attention. She squeezed my hand.

“You'd do just fine.” She whispered.

A few minutes later, the car rolled to a stop In front of a huge mansion. After a few seconds, the grand iron gates automatically rolled away to allow us entry into the mansion and I was shocked to see a lot of paparazzi. Flashes of camera lights poked through the windows, momentarily blinding my vision. Nervousness built up inside me as the paparazzi swarmed closer to the car. How did they even get to know about tonight? Thankfully, they were warded off by a couple of guards.

“Are you ready?” My mother asked, and I replied with a forced smile.

Before we left the house, my mom warned me not to act nervous or timid before ‘the Damien Don Russo’ and if I was going to marry such a prominent figure, I had to look and act the part.

The car opened, and I got down. A hand stretched out for mine, and I took it before looking up to see who it was. That was when I saw him in all his grandeur.

Damien's whole appearance commanded respect and could intimidate anyone. He smelled of rich vanilla and his physique was one that you could only read about in books or watch in movies. Nich was right, he was dreamy.

He smiled, and Mum nudged me, and I immediately recuperated his smile, and the paparazzi did not fail to capture that.

“Mr Antonio, who is this beautiful woman with you tonight?” one of the reporters asked. “Mr Russo, is this a sign of another grand Don-Russo wedding?” Mr Antonio,..”

Questions were directed at him from all directions and how he managed to keep his composure marveled me.

“They can be intimidating. If they seem too overwhelming, just grab my arm tightly.” He whispered to me, and I smiled, the paparazzi not failing to capture that too.

Soon, we made it to the venue where the dinner itself was being held. There were many people already seated, and at our appearance, Victor, Damien's father, ordered that dinner be served. Damien helped me sit down and sat next to me.

“Did I mention how beautiful you look?” He asked in a whisper and I all but smiled coyly at him.

So far, so good, I thought to myself.

**************

I sat across from Damien by the fountain. Dinner was over. Our parents were catching up with some friends and guests. My mum suggested we take a stroll.

It seemed as though he was more tense in his own house than I was. I took the chance to observe him better than I had earlier on. He had a cold demeanor but was incredibly dreamy, so quiet but so sexy. His woody cologne filled the cold air.

“Are you okay?” I asked coyly, but he didn't respond.

Are you ok? Really, Melissa? What sort of question is that? Mom's voice rang through my head.

“I… I mean you barely touched your dinner. A..r.. Arent much of an eater?”

He finally glanced at me for the first time that evening and scoffed. I cleared my throat and spoke again, determined to initiate a conversation with him.

I wasn't normally this chatty, I usually preferred being left alone but he had this mysterious allure to him, It intrigued me.

“Are you always this quiet?”

“Don't you think that's for you to find out?” He responded, with a smirk. And I heaved a sigh of relief.

“That tense, huh?” He asked.

“I'm just relieved you said something. I was starting to think you were mute.” I expressed, and he scoffed, picking up the band in his hand. I had how aggressively he was drawing at this band during dinner, and now he was doing it again. Ignoring the sound coming from his wrist, I spoke up again.

“So, sp… father told me you have a twin?”

“Mhmnh,” I responded, with a confused nod.

“Lucky you. I don't have siblings.”

“Bummer, you're missing out,” I replied, and he scoffed.

“Am I really? Heard They tend to be quite nosy.” He states, and I laughed.

“You don't want to experience that,” I replied, still laughing. There was a brief moment of silence before he spoke.

“Father told me you recently lost your dad. I'm sorry for your loss.” He sympathized, turning to me.

“Thank you. I th..” I was interrupted by Victor's voice as he tapped a spoon gently on his glass to make an announcement.

Damien held out his hand to help me get up, and we made our way closer to the crowd.

“Thank you all for honoring my invitation. As you all know, I invited you here to join me to congratulate my son on his new engagement.” There were a few murmurs from the crowd, and then he continued.

“You see, Damien came to himself to inform me that he had finally found the woman of his dreams and he wants to make her his wife.” He turned to Damien, who just stared at him emotionlessly.

“Marriage is never an easy path to tread on, and I hope you're filled with all the strength you need to tread down this beautiful path, son. So, ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you, my son Damien and his soon-to-be wife, Melissa Cole.”

He finished, and the guests erupted into applause and as we joined Victor to face the guests. As if on cue, the paparazzi rushed in calling at Damien and me to pose for their cameras. The whole night feels like somebody's elaborate plan.

My mother stepped forward to make a toast, but a commotion distracted us.

“Let me in! Did he really think he could play with me? No! I'm not going to let this go.” A voice resonated in the atmosphere.

A woman who looked around the same age as me ran into the garden where we were all situated, with guards running after her, trying to prevent her from disturbing the event.

“You lying son of a bitch! So it's true, you're really getting married again? Did you really leave me for this… thing.” she screamed, seizing my hand.

This must be one of his ex-wives or a girlfriend he is or was probably dating, I concluded.

“Let go of her Chloe. And need I remind you, you filed for the divorce, not me!” Damien spoke up, looking bored.

Yeah, you heard right. He looked bored!

“Yes, I did, and you wanna know why?” she replied to him before turning to face the crowd.

“You see, my ex-husband Damien here physically abused me and left me penniless,” she screamed and the room broke into murmurs, with the paparazzi not failing to take all they could from the scandal.

“That's not even the craziest part,” she added,

“Damian here, and I aren't even fully divorced yet, and here he is announcing yet another engagement.” She turned to me. And I use that opportunity to snatch my wrist out of her hold.

“Enjoy the spotlight while you can, hun.” She snarked before turning her attention back to Damien, “Really, D, that's the best you could fi-”

“That's enough, Chloe,” A voice said. I turned to find a man, probably a bit younger than Damien. There was a slight resemblance between them, but I thought Damien had no siblings.

“Why the fuck are you just standing there? Get this woman out of here now!” The voice bellowed and a couple of guards came to drag her away, as she kept ranting.

Mr Russo came up to assure the guests and soon everything turned to normal.

“Thank you, Seedorf.” I heard Mr Russo say.

“That was no problem,” Seedorf replied and made a face at Damien, who completely ignored him.

“Excuse me,” Damien said at the ring of his phone. He looked at the content and his facial expression changed.

He canceled the call and turned back to me.

“Sorry, it's something I have to attend to. I'll be right back,” he said, and I nodded as he turned to leave.

What did Dad sign me into?…