CHAPTER 4

Edited Chapter.

ANALISE'S POV

While looking at people I suddenly remember something or someone I should say.

Flashback (Fifteen years old)

I was getting ready because mom said that someone is coming here to meet us. I was wearing a brown dress and with a little touch of makeup I was ready.

"Ana! Where are you? Come downstairs right this instant. She is going to arrive." Mom yelled. She has been arranging the house the whole day and made lots of food.

I don't know who is that special person.

I quickly applied lipstick and rushed downstairs. When I climbed off the last step, I saw a lady having brown hair sitting in front of mom. I continued to stand there until mom noticed me.

"Ana, what are you doing standing there. Come here and meet Alice. She is my high school friend." Mom said to me. I moved forward and greeted her. "Hi! I am Analise. Nice to meet you."

"Oh dear! Nice to meet you too. You have grown so much. Last time when I met you, you were only five years old." She stood and engulfed me in a hug.

She said that she lives in Italy. Due to some problems, she hasn't been able to contact for years.

Mom and she talked a lot. She stayed with us for a week. We talked and bonded. We visited different places. When she was leaving for Milan, we were all so sad.

The days spent with her were just wonderful.

"Analise! If you ever come to Italy then visit me too. This is my address." She gave me her address and left.

I so wanted to go to Italy that I learned her address by heart.

Flashback Ends

Present

This is it. I will escape from here and will reach Milan to live with Alice. I will be safe with her and hope she still lives there. Luciano doesn't know about her so it will be hard for him to find me.

I can't go back to America because I don't have my passport with me. I wonder how Luciano even brought me in Italy without my passport.

I just have to find a way. After a long drive, we reach a shop. "Spòse" is written on it with big letters. (Brides)

Does it mean 'spouse'?

He again takes my hand and enters the shop. I am shocked to see this shop filled with elegant white wedding dresses. These dresses look too expensive and let's not ignore the shop's decor which is screaming 'Rich'.

"Mostra i migliori abiti da sposa per il mio presto per essere moglie. Non c'è limite di prezzo ma fai attenzione a ciò che ci mostri." Luciano's deep and serious voice makes me come out of my thoughts. (Show the best bridal dresses for my soon to be wife. There is no price limit but be careful of what you show us.)

Whatever he said must be scary because the girl is now nervous.

Around two hours have passed. I continue to sit in the corner without taking any part as I have been doing for past hours.

Luciano has checked almost half of the shop and is still checking. He is checking out a dress when suddenly the girl walks to him and say, "Signore questo sarà sicuramente bello sul tuo fidanzato." His eyes met mine, and he walks to me with a dress in his hand. (Sir this will surely look beautiful on your fiancé)

"Go and try this one and if it doesn't fit you or you don't like it then she will die." He said loudly. He really likes to kill.

I look at him with wide frightened eyes. With having no strength to hold his stare I look towards the girls to see her pleading me with her eyes.

As I have no option but to try this dress, I enter trying room. Slowly I take off my dress and wear the wedding gown.

I hold the dress in my hands to tear it off but I stop when I remember someone's life is dependent on it. I can't do this.

I know he will really kill her.

I get out of the room to see Luciano patiently waiting for me. When he notices my presence, he looks at me with the biggest smile on his face.

"You look beautiful, Amare." (Love) He says and kiss my forehead. He moves around me to check the dress.

From his smile I am sure that he liked the dress.

After this we leave the shop by paying. Then we go for ring shopping. I obviously take no part in this.

If I was marrying someone I love, I would have been on cloud nine. I would have decided colours. I would have taken part in everything thing but not this time because this marriage is happening without my consent.

Luciano has selected matching rings for our wedding. Mine has small diamonds and in centre there is a big diamond while his ring has pattern on it.

He also buys another ring and before leaving he grabs my hand and slide that ring on my ring finger.

“It looks beautiful on you. Soon we will be traditionally married too." He says making me internally scoff.

"We will see." I tell him with determination.

After hearing this he laughs loudly and takes me back to the car.

By this time the sun is already setting. Beautiful red and orange with a little tint of blue can be seen on the sky.

'Are sunsets always this beautiful' Living in the busiest city of world and with my problems I never had time to see the beauty of sky.

How I wish I was on the seashore watching this sight with someone I love. This seems impossible right now.

As it is going to get dark soon so people are leaving for their homes.

We reach a high-class restaurant which I can only afford in dreams. Driver parks the car in front of the entrance. We get out of the car and enters the restaurant.

Luciano has a hand on my back, and we reach a lady.

"Benvenuto Signore! Hai una prenotazione?" She asks in Italian. Luciano gives her his best charming smile to which anyone could fall. She blushes. How much I want everyone to see the devil behind his smile. (Welcome Sir! Do you have a reservation?)

"Vai e dì al tuo manager che Luciano Knight è qui." Luciano says to her. (Go and tell your manager that Luciano Knight is here.)

After hearing this with in a second she is not blushing, and she gasps in horror. Her eyes widen in fear. "OK signore." She says trembling and then quickly she scurried from our vision. (Sir)

"What did you say to her?" I ask Luciano to which he just shrugs.

Not a second is passed that an old man in black tuxedo appears in front of us. He is trembling. "Scusa signore. Lei è nuova e non sapeva di te." He says with sweat on his forehead. (Sorry Sir. She is new and didn't know about you.)

What is happening here? Luciano just waves his hand and say," Nessun problema Peiro. Non penso di essere venuto qui per stare tutto notturno mentre ti stai ascoltando." (No problem Peiro but I don't think I came here just to stand whole night while listening to you)

"Non assolutamente no signore. Per favore seguimi." The man named Peiro speaks. (No absolutely no sir. Please follow me)

After this we reach to a private room, which has a table beside the floor to ceiling window. Luciano pulls out a chair for me and I sit. 'What a gentleman' I scoffed.

After we sit Luciano says something to the old man.

"I ordered for you too." He tells me. Now he will also order for me. Wow! Well, it is good in a way that I don't know Italian.

Our food is already served. Waiter is staring at me. He pours red wine for us and leaves without a word.

Now we are alone. To avoid seeing Luciano I take first bite of my dish. It is so tasty. I close my eyes and enjoy its taste.

"This dish is called Pasta e Fagioli. This restaurant is famous for it." He tells me.

"Why have you brought me here?" I ask him.

"Isn't it obvious? I have brought you here, so we can spend some time together." He says as if we are a happy couple and everything is normal.

"Since when do you know me? Do you think you even know the girl you married?" I try to make him understand.

"I know everything about you from blood group to what you like. I know and have loved you since long time back." He states.

"Look! I don't know what you are thinking but I just know that you are a PHYSCO. You have kidnapped me for your own selfish gains and now you have forcefully married me. You are not being fair. Can't you get this inside your thick head that I DON'T LOVE YOU?" I say loudly.

I look towards him and I gasp. He is burning in anger. His eyes black and he is griping utensils so tightly. He leaves them and looks at me.

'Oh God! I think I said too much' I become scared. Why my tongue is never in my control.

"Disrespect is something which I can't bear caro and you just did that." (Dear)

He smiles and with the calmest voice, he says "Get up Analise. We are going home." Even though his voice is calm but he is anything except calm.

Tears blur my vision. "No, please. I-I am sorry. I didn't want t-to. It just happened."

He doesn't listen to me and get up. He grabs my arm in a tight grip and drags me out of the room. I am sure it will bruise later. I try to remove his arm but he has a vice grip on me.

We are already out of restaurant and are moving towards the car. "No please. I am sorry. Help! Somebody please helps." I screamed loudly. He stops and smack me hard on face. I fall on the road due to force. My knees burn. Tears are already leaking from my eyes.

"SHUT UP" he snaps loudly. He makes me stand by gabbing my arm.

"Hey! Stop. Leave the girl alone or I will kill you." We hear a voice and Luciano stops to look back. I also look back to see a blonde guy and instantly recognize him.

"Liam! Please save me from him. Help me." I say to Liam. He was my class fellow in high school. He left to Italy for further studies. I never knew I would meet him here.

Luciano looks at me still gripping my arm tightly. He smirks before saying, "So now you two know each other. What a reunion!" He says maliciously.

"Like I said, leave the girl alone." Liam says again. Both are looking at each other. Liam moves towards us to free my arm but with in a second a shot rang.

I look towards Liam to see a bullet between his eyes. He falls on the floor. I sit beside him and take a hold of his hand.

"I am sorry. I am sorry Liam. I am sorry." I say again and again. An innocent died because of me. I am hysterically crying now.

It is the second time I have seen Luciano murdering someone.

Luciano again grabs my hand and I am again in this car with Liam's blood on my dress. I can't stop crying. It is too hard to believe that this happened because of me.

"Now what will I do with you tesoro. I am just waiting to reach home then we will talk and do save these tears for future. You will have a lot of reasons to cry later." His threat in a scary voice makes me cry harder.

'What will he do with me now?'

..........................................................

What do you think will happen with Analise?

Will she plan an escape?