Page 11 of Forsaken Promises
She recoils as if I’ve slapped her, her eyes wide with shock and fury. “Howdareyou try to pin this on me?You’rethe one who broke my heart, Dominico.You’rethe one who left me behind without a second thought.”
“And you’re the one who’s refusing to even give me a chance to explain myself!” I shout, my hands balled into fists at my side, not caring whether someone can hear me. “You’re so wrapped up in your own pain that you can’t see past your own nose.”
Sofia learns over the railing, her voice dripping with venom, her blue eyes like ice chips. “Here’s a thought. Why don’t you just drop dead before our wedding day? That would suit me just fine.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the air from my lungs. I stare at her in disbelief, my anger giving way to a dull, aching hurt. Is that really what she wants? For me to just… disappear?
Before I can respond, Sofia turns on her heel and stalks back into her room, slamming the doors behind her. I’m left standing there, my mind reeling.
I knew she was angry. I knew she resented me. But I never realized just how much she hates me.
As I make my way back to my car, I can feel my own resentment growing, rage coursing beneath my veins. Why should I be the only one trying to make amends? Why should I be the only one willing to put in the effort to make this marriage work?
If Sofia wants to cling to her hatred, to wallow in her pain… then fine. Let her. I’ll play the dutiful husband, the supportive partner. But I won’t let her break me. I won’t let her coldness, her cruelty, destroy the man I’ve worked so hard to become.
I have my own wounds to lick, my own demons to battle. And if Sofia isn’t willing to meet me halfway, then so be it.
I’ll survive this marriage. I’ll find a way to coexist with her, to build a life together, even if it’s not the one I once dreamed of.
But I won’t let her break me.
I won’t let her win.
5
SOFIA
Istand in front of the full-length mirror, staring at my reflection in the stunning white wedding gown. It’s a masterpiece of delicate lace and shimmering satin, the kind of dress every girl dreams of wearing on her special day. But all I feel is a bitter irony.
White. The color of purity, of innocence. The color meant for untouched brides, their virtue intact and unsullied.
What a joke.
I haven’t been pure since I was seventeen years old. Since the day I gave myself to Dominico Sicura in the woods against a tree. The day he took my virginity and promised me forever, only to shatter my heart into a million pieces.
I wonder what my parents would say if they knew their precious daughter wasn’t the blushing virgin they believed her to be. Would they be shocked? Horrified? Would my father keel over on the spot, his heart giving out from the shame and disgrace?
A part of me wants to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here I am, about to walk down the aisle in a gown meant to symbolize my untainted virtue, when the man waiting for me at the altar is the very one who stripped me of it.
But I can’t tell them the truth, can’t let them see the tarnished, broken girl beneath the pristine façade. They need to believe in the illusion, the carefully crafted image of the perfect Marino daughter.
Even if it means living a lie. Even if it means binding myself to the man who betrayed me, the man I swore I would never forgive.
I think back to the other night, when Dom had the audacity to sneak onto our property. Just like he used to do when we were young and reckless, when I thought our love was the stuff of legends.
Did he really think I would like the Romeo and Juliet homage? Who the fuck does he think I am? Does he think I haven’t grown up in the four years since we last saw each other?
Dom wanted me to forget the past, to give him a chance to explain himself. As if anything he could say would erase the pain he inflicted, the trust he shattered.
I told him I wished he would drop dead before our wedding day, and in that moment, I meant it with every fiber of my being. I would rather face a lifetime of loneliness than be chained to the man who destroyed me.
But I gave my word. I agreed to this marriage. And a Marino never breaks a promise.
Still, I can’t help but wonder… can I truly go through with this? Can I spend the rest of my days waking up beside a liar, a man whose very presence makes me want to vomit?
A knock at the door jolts me out of my thoughts. “Sofia? It’s time.” My mother’s voice is soft, but I can hear the underlying anxiety.
I take a deep breath, smoothing my hands over the bodice of my gown. This is it. The moment I’ve been dreading, the moment that will determine the course of my life.
