Chapter 31

Chapter 31
31

Jennifer

Ah, my head. It still felt heavy due to heavy medications, I slowly opened my eyes and blinked before my focus adjusted on the ceiling. It was dawn, there was only a ray of faint sunlight crossing through the light curtains. I exhaled the breath tiredly, remembering how I ended up throwing up for the eighth time. Luciano immediately called doctor Malinda who reached the beach in fifteen minutes as if she was prepared for this. She prescribed me a few multivitamins, drips, and rest for three days. That all saved me from consummating my one-year marriage's wedding night. I must thank the doctor. I would, someday. She was an angel in my hard times.

Right now, I zoned back to reality, sensing a hand scooped around my stomach in a protective hold. It was none other than Luciano—my temporary husband—who happened to be sleeping beside me, utilizing the right of being my husband in every way possible. I sighed, thinking how would I escape this hold without stirring the beast. I tried to put his hand away very carefully.

But to my worst luck, he grunted and pulled me closer. "No, running away from your husband, strawberry," He groggily whispered against my neck, his hot breath fanned over. I heaved a sigh. His nose tip stroked with my skin as he sniffed my scent and pecked the skin under my jawline. "Good morning, my wife," He let out a chuckle, maybe due to the realization that he just called me 'wife'.

"Morning," I muffled, staring blank at the vase and trying to wiggle out of his arm again but he wasn't ready to set me free. "Please can you let me go, I need to use the bathroom," I told him, pee was on the verge of my uterus, he had to understand I was pregnant which meant I carried the baby's pee too.

"Not before you give your husband a kiss," He cooed like a baby and poked his nose in my neck. I tittered, it was ticklish. God, I was about to pee on him any second. "Please, no, ah, I can't," I was giggling since he kept peppering me with his wild endless kisses. "Please, leave me," I begged. God, this would be embarrassing if I would piss on him.

"Never, I kiss told kiss you kiss million kiss times bite," I screamed, grabbing him by his biceps as he chuckled over my reaction.

"Okay, I'll give it to you... just... let me go or I won't be able to control myself," I pleaded this time. Kissing him was better than losing control that would wash embarrassment all over me.

"Ahan, will you?" Luciano paused and stared at me with clever eyes. I nodded quickly, his eyes dropped on my lips, he looked into my eyes again and shifted back his gaze on my lips as he began leaning onto me. I gulped hard. Luciano's chest was almost above me but his body was beside mine. I sensed his grip loosing and his eyes closing. An idea hit me like a thunderbolt. This was a perfect chance to run away.

I hastily pecked his right cheek and dashed out of the bed straight to the bathroom and slid that door slamming-shut. I rested my back as I twisted the lock and sighed like I dodged the death angel. In the next second, I strode to the commode and did my business, my uterus felt like exploding in pain.

I went to the sink, washed my hands, cleaned my face and teeth and went to the small closet inside this huge light-themed bathroom. I opened the closet to find a suitable dress to cover myself as I was only in a bra and panty but again, my face fell watching lingeries filling the space. There were each style available in here as if he bought the whole Victoria's Secret for me.

I huffed in frustration and picked the one that had a long jacket with it. It was in black colour. I slipped into it and turned toward the door. Before moving out, I prepared myself to act happy, because if I did not, he would hurt my brothers again like he did when I refused to have dinner after he made me sign the contract; the same marriage contract I refused to sign.

It was ridiculous to even think about Luciano's excuse for this marriage. He wanted to marry me because I was carrying his baby and I could only carry his baby if I would be his wife. Calling it one of his family's norms? As if he obeyed them all. What kind of norms were these?

These are called Mafia norms, unlike ordinaries.

Fair enough, but they should have added one more rule too, that they could only marry the girl of their caliber, not someone normal like me who would refuse to marry their son and then their son would torture the girl's brothers' to force her into signing away her life. He was a crazy man.

I could not stand by my brothers' pain, they were enduring it because of me. I could have saved them from those whips but I was too panic-stricken that time. Giving away my whole existence to a mafia guy wasn't an easy choice—especially to the one who was obsessed with me.

The thought of Ryan and Aiden covered in bandages broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes. I wish I could take their suffering. What had they answered mom? They would be home by now. I conditioned Luciano before signing the contract; to send them back to my grandparents' house. Which he did, but I couldn't forget when he replied; if I misbehaved, he would inflict pain on my whole family this time.

This scared me even more. That was why I had to remain cautious and act like I was enjoying this one-year. "Strawberry, is there any problem?" Luciano knocked the door, exploding the bubble of my thoughts. I blinked at the door as my brain stopped working for a second.

I had to reply, quick! "Y—yes, everything's fine," I lied. Anything could be fine but me. I was hurt—broken. I lightly shook my head and unlocked the door, before I could slide the door, Luciano did it and checked if I was really okay. His eyes were suspicious enough to scare me even more, his face was deadpan.

"Your face looks paler, are you feeling giddy?" Luciano questioned. I had always been paler when he was around me.

"No, I'm fine, I need to have breakfast, I'm starving," I told him and tried to pass by him as I stepped ahead, he snaked his hand around my shoulder, preventing me from walking away from him.

"You didn't give me a kiss, you tricked me, my naughty little strawberry," Luciano nuzzled his face in my neck. It seemed like nuzzling was his favourite thing to do. I used to think that people who were in the mafia only knew about guns and killing but here, I was witnessing a miracle. He was expressive in terms of love and affection. Did he really love me the way a normal guy would love?

He turned me around, I, facing him now. My eyes were on his naked broad chest that was smoother than my own skin as if no one touched him here, "Look at me," He demanded yet I stayed stiffened. "Strawberry, I want your eyes on me," Luciano pulled my chin upward yet my eyes were still on his chest. I was having butterflies in my stomach, he was irresistibly handsome apart from the facts he did to me. If I was a typical girl of my school, I would be drooling over him despite whatever he did to me. His lips were the most appealing feature in him, his eyes and jaw, please Jennifer stop.

I had been telling myself not to fall for this man. I would be in love with him if I hadn't known he abused me.

Moreover, my subconscious overwhelmed me saying he was my husband now and I had every right to satisfy my wifely needs too. Though it felt wrong somewhere deep down in me. He forced me. I should keep it in my mind.

"I won't until you make me believe my brothers are safely back in the house," I mouthed off. Luciano chortled, shaking his head, he walked to the coffee table in one corner of the room and picked the tablet, walking back to me. He turned the tablet to me which displayed Ryan and Aiden hugging mom. The sight inwardly relieved me. I gave him the tablet back.

"Now, I can have your eyes," He threw the tablet away and cupped my cheeks. It felt like the hardest thing to do but I had to act well—like a loving wife. I looked at him, smiling. He let out a heavy sigh.

"You are my most precious thing I have," He whispered admiringly and leaned onto me, pecking my lips and turning into a warm kiss.

"Thing?" I pointed out as he pulled away. I wasn't an object, though he might have been treating me like one but that didn't change my value.

"People like me can't have weaknesses, they can only possess things that they protect with their lives. So, I not only own you but I possess you," Luciano was slipping the ground off my feet. His grave eyes were dead serious about what he just said. For a second, I admitted I was something to be possessed like a man like him, but then...

"For like a year only, right?" I reminded him. Thinking about a year, how would my life be after a year when he would divorce me? Wouldn't I be under his enemies' target?

I could see his eyes turning colours, but the one that I saw for like a second was hurt. He didn't go well with what I said. Or did I remind him of his ex; Sofia. "Yeah... like a year," He muffled as if he taunted. I opened my mouth to ask him something but he didn't let me start, "You were hungry, let's get you something," He stated and pushed me out.

While we were having breakfast, we stayed quiet. I meant no sentence, not even a word was exchanged. He even used gestures to call the servants as if he was mute. That clearly spoke, he was hurt. I might have hurt him but as far as I could recall, I didn't say anything that could be a mountain. I just told him that it was all for a year.

I was playing with my food because my appetite seemed to be lost. Luciano noticed it while cleaning his hands with a napkin. "You aren't eating anything," He said.

"I don't feel like eating," I replied, putting my fork down. He cleared his throat and stared at me.

"Why?" He smiled, and that wasn't a normal smile but a taunting one as if he said it was him who was hurt, not me.

"I feel bad for hurting you," I was reminded I had to act like a loving wife, it was in the contract otherwise my family would be paying. Now that I knew he was keeping tabs on them.

"Okay. So, you know you hurt me," That smiled warmed a little. I nodded and his expression dramatically changed. "Here, let me try," He dragged my plate and turned to me. Making a bite and forwarded to my mouth. I exhaled deeply and took the morsel into my mouth.

Was he really foolish to believe I accepted him?

Consider him a fool because he is really in love with you. That was my subconscious spitting some truth on my face again. I couldn't fathom the excitement I felt in my stomach every time when I was reminded he genuinely loved me. Maybe, I had never heard these words before. Now, I had a year to enjoy being a wife of an influential tycoon.

As he was feeding me, his phone rang. He excused and looked at it, his forehead turned into a crease. He attended the call. "Speak," His tone changed from pleasing to zero-fucks. "You were not allowed to call," Really? I was curious to know who the caller was. "Hmm... yes... what!? How!?... Where were you all that time!?... Is she okay!?... he should not be in the house... hmm... I'll be there in three hours," And there he cut the call. Meanwhile, my curiosity nearly killed me. Luciano was all red and disappointed to some point.

"W—What happened?" I asked hesitantly. Not wanting him to bash on me. He slammed his fist against his palm, letting out a grunt. He looked at me, his eyes softened.

"Jesus this man!" Luciano cursed. "I'm sorry, strawberry, but we need to leave, I promise I'll give you the best honeymoon vacation," He held my hand and placed a kiss. One didn't know I was backflipping in my head, celebrating the moment. Thank God, I wouldn't need to put on a lovely wife mask anymore.

"When are we leaving?" I asked him, curious to question next but held back.

"Just in a few minutes. Martin, fuel the yacht, we are leaving for the mansion through the water," Luciano commanded. One of his bodyguards who was standing a few feet behind him nodded and left.

"Why do we have to rush things? Is it that serious? Please tell me, honey?" Luciano's eyes fell on me in nanoseconds. Surprise was all filling in his gaze. It was all because I called him 'Honey'. I also didn't realize I said that until it was too late to take back. Why did I say it in the first place? Stupid me!

Pretending like you wanted this honeymoon will get you more trouble.

"We are leaving because my stupid brother Nikola tried to strangle our sister Natasha," He explained. What? Was he crazy or something? Why would he strangle his own sister? He really needed a doctor if it's really the truth.

"Oh, this sounds bad. You should be with her, I know she relies on you, you can calm her," I told him and it was true. She really held high regard for Luciano as if he was her hero.

"No, I will deal with other things, you will handle her. After all, you are my wife and she adores you too. Now it's time you act like Mrs. Luciano," He stated. This man didn't observe that I had been performing Mrs. Luciano's play since the moment he kissed me in front of thousands of people on the stage. Now, these were some extra troubles that I had to face.

"Okay," I mumbled and held his hand tightly, spreading a wide cheerful smile that was originally fake but not in his eyes. He smiled back.

Now, it was time to act like Mrs. Luciano Christopher Bernardi with his family.