Chapter-4🌜 Meeting with my GROOM?!
William's POV
It feels like someone just punched me in the guts-like my soul just leaves my body the moment my jaw drops...
My eyes widen, this can't be happening. It can't be, because what-the-fuck?!
Did I hear it right? To a man? To the eldest son of Belladonna...?!
A Belladonna?
That family.. which killed her.
Took my happiness and her away.
And I am supposed to marry their eldest son.
It has to be the most pathetic joke in history....
"I- what?" I ask.
It feels as if a trapdoor has opened beneath my feet. My heart is either pumping way too fast, or has just....stopped.
"Don't act like a cheap soap opera's main lead, son. It's not that big of a deal. People do arranged marriages all the time. Additionally, it's business." He says with no interest and visible disgust.
Business? His son's marriage is business for him? He is gonna make me marry a man...a Belladonna?!
"Dad it's a man, I am straight!" I try, okay? I mean aging has done something to him, or something is definitely wrong with my ears.
Because what the hell?!
"Don't raise your voice at me. You know better than that son." He says, voice composed as he takes a sip of whiskey, like it's an everyday thing.
"Your sexuality doesn't matter here son. What matters is, it's gonna make me money, now be a man, and accept it. Don't be a pussy now."
Usually, I would shut up by now, but it's not a usual scenario either, now is it? So I go on, "Dad I am still in college and I-"
"In college for what? That pathetic degree of yours?
Son, if you have decided to destroy your life, at least let me make money when you do that.
" I feel humiliation. Anger. Sorrow. And anything in between asking me to just stand up and run.
"You can study after marriage, it's not like they are gonna make you the housewife. " He laughs at his own joke.
And all that is enough for me to just leave, because there's no use to even saying a thing here, "Sure, sir.."
Because what else can I say?
'Shut up you old man! I am leaving now! I won't marry that Belladonna fucker, period. If you want money, marry him yourself then!'
Ugh daydreams...at least they give you an escape...
"Shut the door when you run away to sulk in your room, son" He smirks.
And I stand up, but he says, "And wear something nice, your future in-laws are gonna come to see you, for the first time. We'll also decide the date of your marriage."
FUTURE-IN-FUCKING-LAWS?!
This is more than enough for me to go, and strangle myself, "and remember, do. not. embarrass. me. son."
I nod, and thank god, I don't slam the door shut, today has been humiliating enough....
I don't want another, 'he is so emotional'
or my dad's fav, 'Grow a pair! Be a man!'
I run towards my room, and this time, I do slam the door, because I don't care.
Okay I do, just not right now...
This is not fair.
Nothing is fair.
First she left me, because she got killed and now...now my dad wants me to marry a man, a-a Belladonna.
It's always a fucking BELLADONNA!
BELLADONNA THIS!
BELLADONNA THAT!
Leave me alone!!
I jump on my soft bed, and scream on a pillow, "ARGHHHHHHH! WHYYYY?! WHY ALWAYS FUCKING ME?!"
"WHAT DID I EVER DO WRONG TO ANYONE?!"
Always the quiet nerd...
The invisible ghost....
Took the bullying, but never bullied them back...
Is this what you call, Karma?!
My phone rings, and I already knew who It would be,
"Yeah Romie..." I freeze. Shit..
"Yeah..urm I mean...Ryan, I came back safe."
There was a pause of understanding I guess, seeing my previous fumble, "Yuh, I am glad you did."
"Are you okay?" He asks, although he probably already knew the answer.
"Am I okay? NO-Because, my dad is making me marry a man! The eldest son of a...
Guess! Guess! Belladonna!"
I scream out, all of my emotions bubbling up.
My dad called me a main lead in a soap opera...
Ah- a cheap soap opera...
But you tell me, does this not sound like a story of an MC?!
But, Alas! It's real, it's happening....
"WHAT?!" Ryan screams back, but it was not anger at me.
"A man?! But aren't you...straight?"
"I am, but he says it's for business, so it doesn't matter" I say, mocking my dad's words.
"And a Belladonna ...after what they did.." He doesn't complete.
But that makes me pause, Romie was killed by a Belladonna, and now I am being forced into marriage with a Belladonna, can't be coincidences...
Although the way my life is going on these days.... Anything is possible...
"Ryan, something is definitely off, I mean, at first I thought it was just the marriage, but now ..after all this, there's something worse."
"I think that too.." He says, sounding deep in thought. "It's sounding like...as if it's all planned. Wait eldest son.." he pauses, "Is it Vance? That douche always bothered you. And if he's the groom it would make sense if he's the killer."
"Wait, so you are saying Vance could be my future husband" The word 'husband' makes me sick but I complete.."and the possible killer of Romie" I think about it, and FUCKKKKKK
Of course-it would make sense, he has always been a cunt to me.
And the reputation his family has...Killing a defenseless girl won't be a big thing for them..
But why would he do all of this...it doesn't make sense. It's confusing.
And why the fuck would he want to marry me?!
Didn't he dislike me? Like the way he bullied, it felt like he would be anywhere but near me....
"Yeah I am thinking the same", Ryan says. Wait, was I thinking that loud...
"Dad said it was for business.." I say...
"It could be..but it doesn't have to be just for business.." Ryan says "There's definitely more to it"
"But one thing is sure, my prime suspect would be my groom, because the one who is marrying me would definitely be the mastermind, the killer. Which is most probably Vance!"
"Exactly, I think the same" Ryan says, "I never liked that asshole" He says with disgust.
"I guess we will have to find out after this meeting with their family. My so-called groom would be there too."
"There's a meeting?" He asks.
"Yeah.. apparently they want to meet me and...decide the date" I say, even just saying it out loud is making me ache.
"Wait that fast?" He asks, surprise making his voice harsh. "I thought you just got to know all of this.."
"Oh I did, I won't be surprised if they have planned everything already, from the date to the venue. This meeting is just for show." I say, "But don't worry, this time.. I will be prepared."
"What are you planning?" Ryan asks, as if he knows-I already am.
"See, I told you the killer would have the tattoo, if the killer is one of the Belladonnas. He'll be there tonight." I say.
Ryan, "oh.."
"And then the ring would be another clue." I say, my eyes going sinister.
Ryan hums, "I always knew you were smart, but damn Will! I am impressed" he pauses, "But just be careful, okay? These people are dangerous..."
"Oh I will. Just one thing I am sure about now, today I will get clarity. Tonight I will know who the killer is. And the groom would be my prime suspect..."
This would be for Romie, and ... of course my, 'oh so lovely' dad.
??
I fix my suit jacket-like the hundredth time today-feeling nervous and all the confidence from a while ago, slowly leaving my body. Their family is just about to arrive. And any moment-
Knock-Knock
I open the door, and the same caretaker is standing there, "Sir, Mr. Maxwell asked me to call you downstairs, Mr. Belladonna's family has arrived."
"Okay, I'll be there in a sec." I say, trying to hide how nervous I am....
Ugh, don't judge! You would be too, if your dad made you marry a man, when you are a straight man....
And just lost your girlfriend....
Okay-but damn this fast, here we go...
For Romie.
I make my way downstairs, somehow back to the nonchalant, numb phase, and I see...
Wait, there are two Vances....even one was intolerable but two...kill me now!
There are three men and a woman sitting on our L-shaped sofa, luxuriously designed to match our whole interior.
One, the oldest, is clearly the dad, The Mr. Belladonna, himself...
Then there's his wife, her pearl necklace is shining brighter in our warm themed lighting.
There are two younger men, who look exactly like each other, except one has an evil smirk on his face and is eyeing me up and has bluish-green eyes.
And the other, is also eyeing me up, but his gaze is calm.
.. too calm. Not like Vance. Not like a killer.
..
...and somehow, that unsettled me more.
His eyes are olive green, unlike Vance's. ..
Although he looks tranquil and stoic-that doesn't make him any less dangerous...
In fact he looks the most dangerous here.
Because he doesn't need to show much. The way he's sitting, the way his eyes are on me.... It just screams power...
The first one is definitely Vance, regularly seeing him in college has told me enough...
The second... I don't know.
Hell I didn't even know, Vance had an identical twin..
God-I can't believe I am actually saying this, but at least I know him a little bit.... but this guy...-please make Vance the husband...
My dad interrupts my soul-penetrating stare aimed at these men to find my answers, "Son, meet your future husband, Zane Valentino Belladonna." His tone is like that one salesgirl at Sephora, trying to sell a useless product.
But here the product has feelings.
Here the product has a life.
Here the product is me...
Also-Zane? Did he just say Zane FUCKING Valentino Belladonna.... Fuck! Is this the Zane Valentino of Valentino Co.?
So, he is also a Belladonna?!
Fuckkk, and even the eldest son...not Vance, although they are both twins, but damn, we were wrong.
Completely fucking wrong.
So Zane is the groom ..?
Wait, so... is Zane the killer?
Am I getting married to the man who killed Romie..?
The man who destroyed everything, is the one who's going to put his ring on my finger......?