3. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Anastasia
G oing wedding dress shopping was something that I always thought I would look forward to doing when I got engaged.
But now? I’m dreading it.
I don’t tell my mom or sisters what Adrien told me. It will just upset them all and cause even more problems. I agreed to the wedding and it’s happening. I have to believe that I can make things work with Adrien. That I can find some sort of worthwhile adventure with him.
Just the thought of Adrien being with other woman curdles my stomach. In my fantasy of being a married woman, I never imagined my husband would be so open about cheating on me.
Adrien made it clear he wants to marry me only for power and not for love. At least he’s open about it. But he could have told me that before I agreed to marry him.
If I even really had a choice. If I had said no, chances are Nico and Mikhail would have pressured me into saying yes eventually.
“I can’t believe you’re getting married,” Sasha says, linking her arm through mine as we walk into the bridal boutique. “Our baby sister.”
“Can you stop calling me a baby? I’m tired of it.”
Sasha shares a look with Irina and Natalya. “Someone is in a mood. I’ve met Adrien before. I know he’s a handsome man. I figured you’d be excited to be married to him. Nico told me that you agreed to this.”
“I did agree. I just want you to stop calling me a baby.”
“Fine. I’ll stop.”
“What kind of dress do you want?” Irina asks, changing the subject. Always the peacekeeper amongst us sisters.
“I know which one.” I’ve been dreaming of my wedding day for years so I have the dress picked out already.
It doesn’t take long to find it and have Sasha help me into it. The dress is a simple satin white with off the shoulder sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. The skirt flares out around my body. Slightly poofy but I like it. It makes me feel like a princess.
Sasha stops me from leaving the dressing room.
“Ana, before we go out there. I just need to know something. You don’t seem happy about this.
Nico told me that he talked with Mikhail and Liam about Adrien marrying you.
But he didn’t consult you in that discussion.
Were you forced into this? Nico said you agreed to it but… ”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not fine. I don’t want my favorite sister to be miserable for the rest of her life. Natalya and Irina have always had each other but growing up, we had each other’s backs. I’ll have your back now. Do you want to marry Adrien?”
“If I said no, can I back out now?”
She hesitates and that tells me everything I need to know.
“Exactly,” I say. “I can’t back out now. Adrien is handsome, yes. And I do want an adventure. Excitement. Being married to a hot Frenchman doesn’t sound like a bad thing.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“You can’t tell Natalya or Mom. They’ll freak out if they know.”
Sasha narrows her eyes. “What?” Her tone speaks to no disagreements.
“Adrien intends to see other women after we’re married.”
“What?!”
“Hush. Keep your voice down.”
“Why don’t you want Mom and Natalya to know?”
“Because then they’d try to stop this and I still want it to happen.
I’m not happy about what Adrien told me but I can’t stay cooped up inside Natalya’s house a second longer.
I need my freedom. I need a chance to live my life for myself and Adrien is my chance.
I hate that he wants to see other woman but he also made it clear that he’s only marrying me for power and not for love, so I can’t be mad at him. ”
“Uh, yes you can be. Just because he’s a mafia man doesn’t give him the power to do whatever he wants to do.”
“You know it does. With these type of men. You know that. You had your own issues with Nico.”
“Yes. I thought he was a raging psychotic murderer. He still is. But he never cheated on me.”
“There’s one more thing,” I mumble.
“What?”
“Adrien said we’ll be moving to France when all of this is over. I won’t be allowed to stay here in New York.”
“No,” she says flatly. “No. This will not stand. He doesn’t get to take you away from us.”
“Nico took you to Italy, didn’t he?”
“Yes, on our honeymoon. Not to live there. Adrien is French. He’ll want to live in Paris forever.”
“It’s not like you can’t come visit me.”
“I know. But it won’t be the same. You were kept from me for years because of our asshole uncle. I don’t want to lose you again.”
I give Sasha a quick hug so it doesn’t wrinkle the dress. “I know. But I need this. I need an adventure. I’m terrified but I’m also excited. I can handle Adrien.”
“Truly? Because you’ve never dated, Ana. Do you really think you can handle a man like him?”
“Who’s fault was it I was never allowed to date? It wasn’t my choice. I’m not afraid to speak my mind.”
“I know. But that got you into trouble with Denis. He beat you for speaking your mind. What if Adrien does the same? There’s a darkness in him that I don’t trust.”
“There’s a darkness in every mafia man, including your own husband.”
“Trust me. I know. It’s what I struggled with for a long time with Nico. I don’t want you to have to struggle like I did.”
I step away from her. “I am no longer a baby. I can handle myself. I need you to trust me.”
“It’s not you I don’t trust. And you’re already upset with him and you’re not even married yet. That’s not good, Ana.”
“It’s either marry Adrien or be stuck as a prisoner in my own home. And I’m tired of being a prisoner. So I am marrying Adrien, even if I’m not thrilled about it. So accept my choice. I’m twenty now. Not a baby.”
“Ok, ok. This is happening. I can’t stop it. Just know that you can always call me for anything. Ok? Even if you’re in Paris, I’ll hop on a plane to get to you.”
“I know. That makes me feel a bit better.”
We share a smile before heading out to where Mom, Irina, and Natalya are, seated on white couches, sipping champagne. Well, except for Natalya. She just has water.
I step onto the small platform in front of the mirror to look at myself in the dress. All my sisters and Mom ooh and awe at the dress, telling me I’m beautiful.
“It’s perfect on you,” Natalya says. “That’s your dress.”
It is my dress. The one I’m going to marry Adrien in. The man who is going to change my life, for the better… or the worse.
I don’t see Adrien in the month leading up to the wedding.
Most of my time is spent working with the wedding planner to get the wedding just right.
Even if my future husband isn’t ideal, I’m going to be damned if I don’t get the wedding of my dreams. It’s the only excitement I’ve had in a long time.
The month goes by too fast though and the wedding day approaches. I wonder what Adrien has been doing in this time. Nico told me he went back to Paris for business but that he’d be back in time for the wedding. Was he with other women during the month? Did he think of me at all?
Mom and my sisters help me get ready on the big day. They do my hair and makeup for me. None of my sisters got to have this moment.
Natalya had to marry Mikhail in secret without any of us there since Denis held us prisoner. I was there at Sasha’s wedding to Nico but once again, Denis kept us apart so we never had a moment like this. And poor Irina got the worst out of all of us.
She was kept in a dog kennel by the Irish mob before being forced to marry Liam.
It hadn’t been him who had hurt her though.
It was his boss, Jack, who had tried to hurt her but Liam saved her life.
They’ve been in love ever since. So despite how horrible things started for her, they all turned out good in the end.
I just have to hope the same will happen with me and Adrien.
But the fact that I get to have a moment with all my sisters, helping me get ready for my wedding, doesn’t tell me I’ll get a happy ending with Adrien. All my sisters’ marriages started off in a bad place and turned good.
Whereas I have my family with me. I got to choose to marry Adrien. Everything is pointing in my favor. Which leads me to worry that things will only end in disaster with Adrien.
“I can’t believe this day is happening,” Mom cries, dabbing at her eyes. “My baby. Getting married.”
“I’ll be fine, Mom.” I catch Sasha’s eyes in the mirror. I know she didn’t tell our other sisters or Mom about what I told her. They don’t need to worry. Not yet anyway. Though I suspect once the wedding is over, everything will change.
“You’ve always been strong,” Mom says. “I’m just not ready to lose my last daughter yet.”
“Let’s just go to the wedding.”
“Desperate to get away from us?” Sasha asks with a laugh, diffusing some of the tension.
“Definitely. But I’ll miss living with you,” I say to Mom and Natalya. And I’ll miss everyone once when I’m in Paris . I don’t say that last part out loud though. That’s my burden to carry.
The wedding takes place at a nice catholic church. I don’t even know if Adrien is catholic. Or if he believes in any religion. I don’t know my husband at all.
My sisters head into the church to take their seats, leaving me and Mom alone. She’ll walk me down the aisle. I would have preferred my dad to be here but he’s been gone for years now.
“He’s watching, you know,” Mom murmurs. “Your dad. He’s proud of you. He’s proud of all of my girls.”
“Because we’ve all made good marriage matches?”
“Honestly? Yes. Now, please be careful and stay safe. And if you ever need me, you can come home.”
“That’s going to be hard to do in Paris.”
Her eyes widen. “What?”
“Mom, you know Adrien is French. He lives in Paris. I’ll be moving there when this wedding day is over.”
“No. I will not stand for this. I will not lose my last daughter.”
“Mom.” I tug on her arm to keep her at my side. “I want an adventure. I am excited to see a new part of the world. I am going to make the most out of this. I need you to do the same. Now, I’m going to walk down the aisle and marry Adrien. It’s happening. Accept it.”