⚠️ WARNING : This Chapter contains scenes of domestic violence and gore that might trigger some of you all. Read at your own risk !

A/N: My babies, I hope you will love this chapter also please vote and comment ...It really motivates.. you have no idea...

He said the flowers alone cost over 100 million.

Walking the red carpet alongside my father, the crowd erupted into applause—a sea of mafias, their allegiance displayed proudly. But amidst the chaos, I focused on the bouquet of white roses in my hands, a fleeting distraction from the reality surrounding me.

Half of the guests were notorious gangsters, unapologetically flaunting their power. The other half masqueraded as noble, their facades barely concealing their true intentions. Among them, my father's hand, the same hand that had struck my mother, filled me with disgust. And the hand that had once struck me, a painful memory, caused me to bite my lip as I clenched my father's hand tightly, seeking solace in his presence.

Wedding hall:

Would you have known that we would hold this hand and walk down the wedding road?

Let's not think about that.

Why is he smiling?

"I wish you well," said my dad.

"Thank you, father," said Salvatore.

"Shall we go, Bella?" he says.

"Umh," I say, looking down.

Even the moment I climbed to hold Salvatore's hand, it feels unrealistic.

"The two will marry each other and love each other for the rest of their lives? Do you swear?" says the priest.

It is the time of the vows, marriage after a long ceremony, and having my hands held by Salvatore, we say, "I do."

It was a "real marriage."

Even if we aren't a real couple.

And there were times that were more burdensome than that.

"You've become one," Salvatore's father remarks, breaking the tension.

"Now we get to eat together like this," adds Valentina's father, Alessandro.

It's a family reunion of sorts, albeit under strained circumstances.

The delay in the proceedings was due to the risk of this very reunion, a messy affair to catch up at the wedding venue before confronting them all.

"It's a marriage we came together to live... the atmosphere is bloody, like people gathered to die," Valentina muses inwardly.

"I don't resemble anyone, the son has a clear figure," Alessandro states firmly.

"Geez, even if your eyes are pouting, you can't do anything now. The person who gave birth to my son-in-law with a stomach must look like an old man passing by. Everyone is saying that it's all my business," Salvatore's father, Santino, retorts with a hint of bitterness.

Alessandro picture:

Saintino's picture:

.....

"This won't end easily," Salvatore's father muses aloud, his tone laden with the weight of unresolved tension.

For the first time, Valentina finds herself agreeing with her father's sentiment. Saintino's stature and features bear no resemblance to Salvatore; rather, it's his brother who shares a closer resemblance.

Valentina notes to remember this observation for future plot developments.

"Oh my! Are you telling me that an ignorant motherfucker gave birth to the same idiot?" Saintino jabs, his words dripping with scorn.

"You know I'm not ignorant! Just because I'm a pharmacist, doesn't mean anything. They all look like me, so I got into that good university on a full scholarship!" Alessandro retorts, slamming his hand on the table, causing Valentina's mother to flinch.

"I left my precious daughter-in-law outside and lived alone," Saintino remarks with a chilling smirk, eliciting a gasp from Valentina.

"What—"

"What is this, a child's game of chasing each other around?" Alessandro interjects sharply, his frustration palpable.

Valentina's mother, overwhelmed by fear, remains silent, her gaze fixed on the ground.

Before their marriage, Valentina had anticipated some level of personal scrutiny from her in-laws. However, she hadn't expected her father-in-law to broach such sensitive topics in this setting. Salvatore's apparent foreknowledge of the situation doesn't escape her notice.

"I thought I wouldn't be able to, but my personality is like that. I'm wondering if my baby is stuck at home,"

"Even if you're like me, you've gone a hundred times more. Am I right, sweetheart?" he directs at Valentina with a faux-sweet tone.

"Yes, father," Valentina responds, her voice steady despite the swirling emotions within her.

"You little—"

"You dare ignore me?!" Alessandro's voice rises to a dangerous pitch as he raises his hand, poised to strike Valentina. In a split second, she sees her mother step in, holding Alessandro back from delivering the blow. Valentina stands beside her mother, a mix of fear and defiance coursing through her.

Salvatore reacts swiftly, his gaze turning into a lethal glare directed at his father.

"Ugh," Alessandro grunts, his anger simmering beneath the surface.

"Honey," Valentina's mother interjects, her voice trembling as she struggles to restrain Alessandro.

"How could a woman dare to interrupt what her husband is doing? GET OUT!" Alessandro's words are sharp, cutting through the tension in the room.

"I'm sorry," Rose, Valentina's mother, offers a meek apology, her voice barely audible above the commotion.

"You too, stop in a good spot," Amara, Salvatore's mother, chimes in, her tone a mix of authority and concern as she addresses the escalating situation.

Rose picture:

Amara picture:

..............

Amara taps his shoulders gently, a silent gesture of reassurance. "Yes," Saintino responds, his tone laced with amusement. "Because he is so fiery." He chuckles, the sound echoing in the tense atmosphere of the room. "I'm so excited, I'm sorry, I won't say it again." Another bout of laughter ensues, masking the underlying tension with its hollow cheer.

It's miserable.

After that, the meeting descends into chaos.

"Don't you care about my mood?" Damien's voice cuts through the escalating argument.

"Wasn't it your brother-in-law who laughed at you first?" Matteo retorts, his words dripping with sarcasm.

It's a pointless argument, a fight for dominance over trivial matters—names, grades, appearances.

Matteo's picture:

Damien's picture:

In the end, chaos reigns supreme.

"Let's see this!" exclaims Matteo, grabbing Damien's collar, while Damien does the same in return. Salvatore steps in, holding his brother down, and their father joins in with enthusiasm. "Fighting is the best!" Saintino declares with a gleam in his eye.

"Brother, it's my wedding," Salvatore protests, attempting to defuse the situation. Meanwhile, I'm desperately trying to restrain Matteo, while my father adds fuel to the fire with his own encouragement. "Let's fight!" he exclaims eagerly.

Caught in the midst of their childish antics, Amara intervenes, slamming a dagger onto the table, bringing a sudden halt to the commotion. "Do it with the sword. Take this," she commands, her expression stern and unwavering.

"Amara, baby, it's our son's wedding..." Saintino's voice trails off, attempting to placate his wife.

"Huh? What should I do now? We're still with my son-in-law," Amara retorts sharply, her eyes flashing with determination.

"Isn't it, baby?" Saintino gestures nervously towards them, a hint of apprehension in his voice.

"Hey, you bastards! What are you doing? Apologize now!" Saintino demands, his tone tinged with frustration.

"I'm sorry," Damien mumbles reluctantly.

"Tsk," Matteo adds, his irritation evident.

"Tsk," my father mutters under his breath, his annoyance palpable

I recognize that look... my dad's eyes, scanning the room, taking in everything he doesn't like. What kind of women are there, he must be thinking? When she goes home, my mother, unable to speak because of her position, will be like a stuck mouse. It would have been better if the marriage ended after a sword fight or something.

The days of living amidst such ridiculousness feel distant.

I thought I'd only endure this for three years, but I already want to run away.

Where nobody is.

Suddenly, Salvatore grabs my hand from behind and says, "We'll go first. It's time for our flight," with a smile.

Shock is an understatement.

Those are big, warm hands... It feels comforting when we connect.

Even though it's above the blue sky...

I'm holding his hand, seated in the airplane, by the window seat.

"Bali will be fun, right?" he says.

And here I am, nervous...

A/N: Did you guys like this chapter?
how did you all like the in laws ?
what do you think will happen in Bali?

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