13. "Towards my destiny"

Emma

As they fuss over my face and hair, I feel the mounting pressure on my shoulders. The days have passed in a blur, and I begin to wonder if I'm capable of going through with this marriage and what it will mean for my future. Every time I look in the mirror, I see a reflection I don't recognize. A bride who doesn't fit in this dark world but is about to marry one of the most dangerous men I've ever seen.

Yet, there's no viable alternative. My father depends on it, and in a way, so do I. If I don't fulfill my part of the agreement, his fate will be sealed, and I won't escape unscathed either.

Lying on the bed, I remembered him walking into my room and catching me off guard; I had forgotten to close the door, his eyes fixed on my body, and shame overwhelmed me entirely.

Andrew DeLuca, the Don, decided to send a complete team of beauty professionals to ensure I have an appropriate "bridal day." A makeup artist, a hairstylist, a pedicurist, and a manicurist, they're all here to transfo