3. Sofia
3
SOFIA
I take a deep breath before knocking on the heavy wooden door of my father’s study. My heart is pounding in my chest, a sense of dread settling in the pit of my stomach.
I know what this is about.
It’s been a few days since the devastating news of Papa’s terminal cancer diagnosis, and my sisters and I have been waiting anxiously to hear about his plans for our futures.
“Come in,” my father’s deep voice calls from within.
I step inside, closing the door softly behind me. My father is seated behind his imposing mahogany desk, my mother standing by his side, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. They both have serious expressions on their faces, which only intensifies my unease.
“Sofia, my darling, please sit down,” Papa says, gesturing to one of the leather armchairs in front of his desk.
I sink into the chair, my hands clasped tightly in my lap. “Is this about… about the husbands you want to find for us?” I ask, my voice trembling slightly.
Papa nods, exchanging a glance with Mama. “Yes, it is. We’ve made a decision about your future, Sofia. I have found a husband for you who will strengthen our Family and ensure your well-being.”
I swallow hard, bracing myself for his next words.
“You are to marry Dominico Sicura,” he says, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The room spins around me, and for a moment, I think I might faint.
Dominico Sicura. The man who shattered my heart into a million pieces. The man I swore I would never lay eyes on again. And now… now I’m being told I have to marry him?
“No,” I whisper, shaking my head. “No, Papa, please. Anyone but him.”
My father frowns, leaning forward. “Sofia, I know this may come as a shock, but the Sicuras have been our allies for a long time. This marriage will cement that bond and bring you the protection and lifestyle you deserve and are accustomed to.”
I want to scream, to tell him that he’s making a terrible mistake. That Dominico is a liar and a cheat, a man who used me and tossed me aside like I meant nothing.
But I can’t. I never told my parents about what transpired between us all those years ago, knowing they would be furious if they found out I had sex with him outside of marriage.
So instead, I take a shaky breath and ask, “What made you choose Dominico, Papa? Out of all the eligible men in the city?”
My father sighs, leaning back in his chair. “The Sicuras have been our strongest allies for generations, Sofia. Don Vincenzo and I have been friends since we were boys. This marriage will ensure that our Families remain united, even after I’m gone.”
I feel like I've been punched in the gut. My father is dying, and he's using his last days to tie me to a man I despise. A man who will make my life a living hell.
But what choice do I have? I can’t refuse, not without revealing the truth about my past with Dominico. And even if I did, my father’s word is law. I'm trapped, bound by the expectations of my family and the world we live in.
Papa leans forward in his chair, his expression serious. “They’re also powerful and intelligent. As the oldest sister, you need to have the strongest alliance to help protect your younger sisters. Marrying into the Sicura family will provide that protection and strength.”
I feel like I can’t breathe. The thought of being tied to Dominico for the rest of my life, of having to face him every day knowing what he did to me… it’s too much to bear.
But then I think of my sisters. Bianca, Chiara, Mia. They need me to be strong, to do what’s best for our family. If marrying Dominico will help keep them safe, then… then I have to do it.
I take a deep, shuddering breath. “I understand, Papa. If you believe this is the best course of action, then… I will marry Dominico,” I say hollowly.
My mother comes around the desk to embrace me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Oh, my darling girl. I know this is not what you wanted. But you will learn to love Dominico in time. He’s a good man, from a good family.”
I want to laugh at the irony of her words. If only she knew the truth about the man she’s entrusting me to, the one who took my virginity and then kicked me to the side. He’s not a good man.
But I force a smile, hugging her back tightly, inhaling her familiar perfume.
“I will try, Mama,” I whisper, blinking back tears. “For the sake of our family, I will try.”
But even as I say the words, I feel a sense of hopelessness washing over me. How can I possibly learn to love a man who'd betrayed me so cruelly? How can I spend the rest of my life with someone I can never trust?
I can’t help but feel a deep sense of dread. I know that marrying Dominico will lead to a life of misery. I could never be happy with him, not after what he did to me.
But then again, I don't think I could be happy with any man. My heart is too broken, too guarded to ever truly love again.
So I’ll marry Dominico. I’ll fulfill my father’s wish and protect my sisters, even if it means sacrificing my own chance at happiness.
Because that’s what it means to be a Marino. Duty and family always come first.
No matter the cost.
As I’m about to leave my father’s study, a sudden thought occurs to me. I turn back to face my parents, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Papa, when… when is the wedding supposed to take place?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady. “Surely, we’ll need time to plan, to make arrangements…”
I’ll drag this fucking thing out as long as possible. I’ll try to find a venue that has a two-year waiting list. I know my father said he doesn’t have much time left, but doctors get that wrong all the time.
My father exchanges a glance with my mother before looking back at me, his expression grave. “The wedding will take place within the week, Sofia.”
I feel like the air has been sucked out of the room. Within the week? That’s… that’s too soon. I’m not ready. I can’t possibly prepare myself to marry Dominico in such a short amount of time.
“A week?” I repeat, my voice barely above a whisper. “But Papa, that’s… that’s not enough time. I need… I need more…”
“I’m sorry, Sofia,” my father says, his tone firm but not unkind, “but the decision has been made. With the amount of time I potentially have left and the Sicuras eager to formalize the alliance, we must act quickly to ensure the stability of both our Families.”
I feel like I’m going to be sick. The room is spinning around me, black spots dancing before my eyes. This can’t be happening. It’s too much, too fast.
“Sofia? Sofia, are you alright?” My mother’s concerned voice sounds far away, like she’s speaking to me from underwater.
I try to answer her, to tell her no, I’m not alright. That I can’t possibly go through with this. But before I can form the words, the world tilts on its axis and everything goes black.
The next thing I know, I’m lying on the couch in my father’s study, my mother’s worried face hovering over me. “Sofia, darling, can you hear me?”
I blink, trying to clear the fog from my mind. “What… what happened?”
“You fainted,” my father says, his brow furrowed with concern. “Are you feeling alright?”
I sit up slowly, my head spinning. “I… I don’t know. It’s just… a week, Papa. It’s so soon.”
He sighs, reaching out to take my hand. “I know it’s sudden, Sofia, and I know it’s not what you wanted. But this is for the good of our family. You must be strong now, for all of us.”
I swallow hard, blinking back the tears that threaten to fall. He’s right. I have to be strong. I have to put my own feelings aside and do what’s best for the Marino name.
Even if it means marrying a man I despise. Even if it means sentencing myself to a lifetime of misery.
“I understand, Papa,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll do what I have to do.”
My mother hugs me tightly, her own tears falling onto my shoulder. “My brave girl. I’m so proud of you.”
But as I sit there, wrapped in my mother’s embrace, all I feel is a sense of hopelessness.
A week. In just seven short days, I’ll be Dominico Sicura’s wife.
And there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
My fate is sealed, my future decided. All I can do now is try to find a way to survive the hand I’ve been dealt.
But deep down, I know that a part of me will always belong to the girl I used to be. The girl who believed in love, in happiness, in the possibility of a better life.
The girl who died the day Dominico Sicura broke her heart.
Now, all that’s left is a shadow. A ghost. A woman trapped in a gilded cage of her own making.
And I have no one to blame but myself.