Chapter 4

• Chiara
• “Don’t worry. Just like your grandfather, he’ll die soon too. A few months, then you’re free,” Mother whispered, resting her chin on my shoulder as we both stared at my reflection.
• I never imagined I’d wear a wedding dress for a stranger. A dying man I’d never even met.
• “Come on, smile. You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen… just like your mom.” She pinched my cheeks gently.
• I tried to smile, but it felt fake. After I signed those papers, everything changed. Three whole days of her being sweet. Three days of gifts and hugs and kind words.
• But inside, I felt empty.
• This white dress came with a price I couldn’t forget.
• “Here.” Mother slipped something small into my dress.
• I reached for it, but she grabbed my hands. “Not now.” She smiled.
• “What is it?” I asked.
• “If you can’t stand him, a little of this every day will send him to God faster. You have nothing to lose,” she whispered close to my ear.
• My stomach twisted. Shock crashed through me like cold water, but I forced myself to stay calm. I couldn’t make her angry. “Poi… poison?” I asked, hoping she’d laugh and say she was joking.
• “It’s just helping him along. They say six months, maybe a year. I’m sure he’s tired of living anyway.” She shrugged as if she were talking about the weather.
• Kill him? They forced me to marry him, and now they want me to kill him too?
• “I don’t think I need it.” My voice came out shaky as I pulled out the tiny bottle.
• Mother pushed my hand back down. “Baby, don’t judge yet. You will need it.” Her voice turned ice cold.
• I couldn’t breathe.
• Just then, a maid walked in with her head down.
• “Speak,” Mother ordered.
• “The Vieri family is here, ma’am,” she muttered.
• Mother’s whole face lit up. “They’re here. Your husband.” She touched my chin. “Keep smiling. I’ll be right back.” She rushed out the door with the maid following behind.
• The second the door slammed, I stood up and walked to the mirror. I touched my face with shaking fingers. The dress, the jewels, none of it mattered. I looked empty and broken. I didn’t know the girl staring back at me.
• I hated it. I hated myself. But I hated this family even more.
• It was crazy how everything could fall apart in just a few days.
• A tear rolled down my cheek and landed on the vanity. “No, you’re ruining your makeup.” I wiped my face with my sleeve, but the makeup just smeared everywhere. I wiped again, but it got worse.
• “She’s going to be so angry.” My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. “I have to fix this.”
• Then I heard a voice outside. “You know what happens when you betray me, Roy. Don’t you?”
• I froze. Who was that?
• I tiptoed to the balcony and pressed my back against the wall.
• I looked down, and at that exact moment, a gunshot exploded through the air. My whole body jumped before my brain could even understand what happened. My hands went numb and cold. My heart dropped into my stomach.
• Maybe I was imagining things. Maybe I was going crazy. There was no way I really heard that.
• I crawled to the edge of the balcony, and then I saw him: a man sitting in a wheelchair with a body lying dead in front of him.
• I couldn’t see his face clearly, but I could see the gun in his hand.
• That shape… I had seen him somewhere before, but where?
• Father walked closer and looked down at the dead body for only a second before turning to the man in the wheelchair. “Mr. Vieri, I’m sorry for—”
• “Take me in,” he sharply cut Father off.
• Mr. Vieri? Wheelchair? Wait! Was this the same man they wanted me to marry? The same weak, dying man who was supposed to be gone in six months?
• I peeked down again, and everyone was gone. Even the body. The only proof I wasn’t losing my mind was the dark pool of blood on the ground.
• A murderer. That’s who I was supposed to marry. He just killed someone without hesitation, and Father didn’t even care.
• No! This wasn’t a life. This was a prison. A death trap. I couldn’t go through with this. They said he was weak and helpless. The man I just saw was anything but weak. They lied to me!
• Right then, I did the only thing I could think of.
• My heart pounded so hard I thought it would burst. My mind went foggy with fear. I ran back into the room and grabbed the scissors they used to trim my hair. They slipped out of my hands twice because I was shaking so badly.
• I couldn’t breathe right. My knees felt like they would give out. I almost collapsed from pure panic.
• I couldn’t run in this heavy dress. I had to do something. I cut the gown above my knees, freeing my legs.
• I looked insane. My face was ruined with smeared makeup, and my dress was chopped and uneven. Completely crazy.
• My heart stopped at the knock on the door. “Chiara, did you lock the door? Open up,” Mother called out.
• Dammit! She’s back.
• I ran to the balcony. One chance. That’s all I had. One moment before she walked in, and my life was over forever.
• Do it now, Chiara. One jump to save yourself is better than a lifetime trapped with a murderer. What if you’re next?
• I gripped the balcony railing with both hands. My heart was racing so fast. This was my only option. I was already losing my mind.
• I swung one leg over the railing, then the other.
• “Chiara?”
• I squeezed my eyes shut and jumped.