Chapter 4 Chapter : 4
The entire room smelt faintly of candle wax and lavender, but the night outside was very cold. Lydia was quietly sitting while the maid was helping her hair while Lydia was sitting in front of a mirror, wearing red gown. Her jaw clenched and eyes fixed on the mirror. Although, she wasn't looking at her reflection.
Lydia hated the dress, hated the night she had to attend with her "husband". She was getting ready to go to an important dinner. She cared very less about it, but she was to be a part of it.
Suddenly her bedroom doors opened and Gena walked it, and immediately the maid moved away, giving then privacy. Gene as always was all graceful, Lydia looked at her through the mirror.
Even though Gene was very kind to her, all she could think about was that she was Arthur's mother and Gene carried "Romeo" name. That made a lot of difference.
However, Lydia's her eyes landed on the box Gene was holding. She knew it was another family bullshit.
"If that is another reminder that I belong to this family, please don't give it to me." Lydia said, in a very cold tone, but Gene only smiled softly, opening the box and inside was a necklace. A large, old diamond, red.
Lydia had never seen a diamond like this before."
"Well, this belonged to the Romero family for generations. This diamond has been passed down from one bride to another. My mother-in-law gave it to me when I came to this house, and now it's my time to give this to you." Gene said and right then something shifted inside of Lydia. Her face tightened.
"I am not his wife, but a bargain." Lydia gave Gene a reality of the household. But Gene only smiled, warmly. She placed her hands on Lydia's shoulders, looking at her through the mirror.
"But the world does not know and it doesn't care about what is real and not Lydia. Not this deadly world you are stepping into tonight. This event will only care about appearance. Where you are going, there people will only look for you weakness. When you walk, they will look for what will make you fall.
Don't give them a reason to break you." Gene was straight forward, looking dead into Lydia's eyes. But this scared her even more. Lydia looked down at the necklace. Slowly Gene placed the necklace on Lydia's neck. The stone was very cold on her, her body felt that chill.
"You have fought with Arthur with all your power Lydia. Ran away from him. You looked dead into the eyes of the most powerful man and fought him hard.
So you do the same here." Gene reminded Lydia.
"Have the power when you stand. Be strong when you look at someone and don't let anyone see you afraid." This was Gene helping and forcing Lydia to think. Slowly planting a small kiss on Lydia's hair, pressing hard on both her shoulders. And just like that, Gene walked away. But Lydia sat there staring at herself in the mirror. Staring at the cold necklace on her skin. Scared at what life she was getting pushed into.
But, Arthur though was patiently standing in the large living area, with his hands it is pocket. He was walking back and forth. Waiting for this wife. And right then he heard footsteps of heels clicking on the marble floor. Arthur glanced up the stairs only to see his wife walking down.
The body guards looked up, and even the maids froze. For once Arthur's expression betrayed him and his eyes narrowed. Not that he was angry, but it was something unguarded. Lydia had forgotten to breath.
The gown, her heels, hat diamond on her neck was all too much for her. She was all too new.
Arthur slowly moved closer to his wife, never looking away from her, the man wasn't even trying. He was simply stunned by her bravery even when her life was falling. She never fell and that reminded him of himself.
She was a challenge, a close competition, his wife. Now his voice low and the steady.
"Now you look like a Romero." He said, but there was no expression on him. However, she her gut hurt at that word. There was a slight curve on the forehead.
"Only on paper. I am your wife only on paper." She reminded him, while he smirked a little darker, but refused to leave her unsolved. Arthur walked one step closer to Lydia, and even though she was standing on two stairs above him, Arthur was still 5 times bigger and taller, more intimidating as well.
He looked down, right into her eyes.
"Paper or not, everyone tonight will know that you are apart of this family, and apart of me." Arthur too reminder her, making her blood run cold. She looked deep into his eyes, gulping hard.
"Can we leave?, so I can come back and sleep?" She muttered, already frustrated.
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Within no time both of them were in a black, bullet proof car. As Arthur was driving through the night and a few of his men were ahead of him and behind him. Lydia though, she kept her eyes on the dark City while her arms crossed over her chest. Every now and then she would look at her husband. She was angry glaring at him and he knew her eyes were on him every time.
"If there is something you want to tell, me speak to me right now. You don't have the glare at me the whole night." Arthur expressed, and again his expression was unreadable. And the fact that Lydia was caught doing it, simply freaked her out.
"I... I am not glaring." She softly muttered. Arthur hummed.
"Sure about that?" He asked, while concentrating on the road. "Seems to me like you are making plans of running way from me again." He said, looking at her.
But Lydia only huffed and rolled her eyes, shifting her entire body the other side of the car.
"And what if I am?" She asked. And Arthur copied her. The man took in a deep breath and let it out, slightly heavy.
"Then I advise you to do something that doesn't get you killed. You're in my world now ,that belongs to you as well. Anything and anyone can cut you into pieces here, if you make one wrong move." He said, sharing what was waiting for Lydia in the dinner.
Even though she knew about the world she was stepping into, hearing him say it out loud was much more freaky to her. Lydia immediately sat up straight, clearing her throat.
"I don't know what you want with, but I cannot be your abolished, glass ornament you put on a table." Lydia muttered without looking directly at him. But Arthur was concentrating on the road.
But slowly he looked away from the road and right at Lydia. His glance was very strong and it held on for too long. That was when Lydia understood she was talking to a every dangerous, powerful, killer. She saw his darkness in his eyes. But still never looked away.
"I want you to be free Lydia, want you to breath at the end of the night." Arthur didn't know why he was saying this, but he could smell her strength, even though she didn't see it. He knew where he was taking her, people were going to do everything to rip her apart, and for some reason, he wanted her to tear through them all.
Like he had, all his life.
He glanced at her big eyes, seeing fear in them, and immediately looked away.
He had to remind himself he didn't care about her. Rather, he didn't want to bury her either. His grip on the wheel was too strong, while his nukcles went white.
However, for Lydia, he sounded too rough. Like the scratches on the rock. She never looked away from him. The side of his face still screaming power.
"I do not want you polished Lydia. I want you very loud, speak directly. Like you did for the first time you meet me." He said, and for once she listened to him.
"You clearly knew I could have killed you Lydia, right there and then. And still you didn't hold back." He said straight forward. Although, she didn't accept him to say something like that to her.
Although, Arthur was trying to educate her, he was still reminding her that he was the king of Mafia's.
Arthur stared out at the road, seeing his men drive ahead of him. But then his eyes landed on a small family on the side of the road, eating food from a food truck. The smiles on them, the happiness. They were free.
Arthur looked away immediately. Remembering everything his father taught this. There was no free in this life for him, and he should always be on guard.
"Burn everything before it could even touch you. Because there is no getting out of this life for you Lydia." He remined her again. Looking at her dead in the eyes.
Arthur looked back at the road, the first do it. But she was having a panic attack of her own. She shut her eyes immediately, trying to settle her nerves. Arthur turned to her only to see Lydia's hands holding onto each other, lines forming on her forehead and her lips silently moving.
He let out a heavy breath exhausted. She was praying, and it was a waste of time according to Arthur. He didn't believe in prayer, something that has never worked out for him.
He knew pain was something that came with life, and he had excepted that. But her prayer got slightly louder, he couldn't hear them, but he could hear her tone, speed, fear.
And right then, Arthur stopped. He was quiet, for once letting her do whatever she wanted to do, whatever made her feel better, before the hell arrived for her. If this is what Lydia wanted, he was going to let her havee this.
The Black Mercedes slides into the circular driveway and stopped. The mansion in front of them is very breathtaking and a historical place. Lydia was stunned to see the architecture, marble Angels everywhere and pillars. Large glowing window all around. This entire place was screaming wealth and power.
"This built was a gifts from my father to my mother. Ma doesn't come here often, but she conducted a lot of parties here." He explained, but Lydia was too busy looking at the beauty.
"You are very quiet." He muttered, as the engine went very calm.
"I'm trying to conserve all of my energy when you start parading me around like a trophy." Lydia muttered but there was a flicker of amusement in Arthur's eyes.
"You're my wife Lydia Romero." He said and she felt goose bums on her arms. Arthur took in a deep breath and let it out but Lydia said nothing.
"Don't get out of the car." Was all he instructing. Arthur then walked out of the car, fixing his suit and moved to her side. Lydia placed her hand on her chest, feeling like she was losing her mind.
"It's going to be okay." She reminders herself, when Arthur opened the door for her, moving his head forward. There Arthur looked at his wife who was a little scared.
He knew she was trying to be strong, but her eyes were betraying her. The man clenched his jaw, looking away from her, because Arthur was feeling something inside of him, something very strange.
Like he was getting a scratching feeling in the chest.
He could see the rest of his men walking out of their cars, getting ready to stand next to Lydia and him. However, that was enough for Arthur to bring himself back.
Still he don't instruct her to get out of the car, he couldn't bring anything to say to her.
Arthur always had control over his words, what he said, what he felt and what he ordered, but this was was not something he could do with Lydia. He backed away, his hand sin his pocket, he was patient.
Slowly Lydia opened her eyes, looking at Arthur. He stood there, with his hand forward. She let out a heavy breath and took his hand. His grip was strong but not painful.
Arthur helped Lydia out of the car. Once on her feel, Lydia felt her body going strange. Her legs wobbling and blood flowing down into her legs again.
"Shit." Lydia muttered, immediately holding Arthur's arm tight and Arthur held onto Lydia as well. Worried what happened to her.
"You're shaking." He said worried, holding her tight. His breath heavy on her face, Stunned she looked at him. But she stood straight, pulling away from him almost immediately. Like he was fire. However, Arthur wasn't letting go of her.
"I am just cold." She snapped, still pushing away.
Arthur smirk and got closer to her, brushing his lips on her ear.
"No, you are scared." He whispered. Lydia was stunned by his words and turned to look at him. Both their faces so close, the heat between them was getting thick.
There were demons in his eyes, she could see them. But there was warmth too. That was a pull Lydia didn't expect.
"Don't worry. Tonight everyone else will fear you." Arthur, the Mafia Lord reminded her.
While Lydia was concerned about what that meant.