Bound By Blood And Marriage

Sofia

“I will not marry him.” I shook my head vehemently, standing up from my seat.

I can't believe this was why they called me home. This ambush was set to pull me into whatever crazy plan they had concocted.

“Sofia, darling, please calm down.” My mother, Rosa Bianchi, tried placating me.

Her lips were turned down in dismay.

“I will not calm down.” I spat out through gritted teeth.

“Luca, please talk to your sister and make her see why this is important.” She turned to my oldest brother for backup.

“Sofia, please stop throwing tantrums; you are overreacting.” Luca obeyed her, like always.

With the force at which my head swivelled in Luca's direction, I was sure my neck would have cracked.

“Oh, oh. Wrong choice of words.” Leo, one of my other brothers, elbowed his twin, Ric.

“I am overreacting?” I couldn't stop my eyes from twitching.

“Shut up, Leo.” Ric, the quiet of the two, shushed watching the drama unfold.

I had three brothers, Luca, Leonardo, and Riccardo. Luca was the serious one, piled with the responsibility of handling our family affairs, especially since our father was dead.

Leonardo Bianchi was the older of the twins; he was goofy, and partying was how he passed his time when bored.  Riccardo Bianchi was quiet, only observed, and mostly kept to himself.

I was the only daughter of the Bianchi family, the prized jewel they were about to trade to the highest bidder.

“Yes, you are.”

“Well, if I am, then you should marry him.” I flung at him.

Luca shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Sofia, please stop this drama.” Mama pleaded; it looked like she wanted to cry.

Her tears would have gotten to me if it had been any other time.

“I will not.”

What would people say? That a feminist was forced into a marriage she didn’t want. My colleagues and course mates would have a feed day talking about me.

“We don’t have a choice. Besides, it’s time for you to fulfill your duty to the family.” Luca snapped.

“No. I don’t owe this family anything.”

“And you believe that?” Luca’s facial expression was thunderous.

“Yes.” My voice was firm. This was one of the reasons why I had pushed to be enrolled in a boarding school when I was thirteen. I wanted a little control over my life. After I completed my high school education, I applied to the University of Illinois and was offered admission to study International Relations.

I aimed to specialize in Global Feminist Politics, incorporating my feminist perspectives, something I was still working on.

Everyone watched with bated breath as Luca stepped towards me, his steps menacing.

I stood my ground, fighting the urge to shrink back in self-preservation even though I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. Luca was tall and muscled, and he was using that to intimidate me.

“Sofia. Luca. Both of you stop.” Mama warned.

Leo and Ric shifted uneasily, ready to spring into action in case this confrontation went sideways.

“No, Mama. Let me tell her what is at stake if she doesn’t do this.”

I knew the price attached to being born and associated with the family.

“Dear little sister, there are things you were shielded from because Mom and Dad wanted the best for you. But since you are now a grown-up, I think it’s time for you to see that life is not all roses and rainbows.” He smiled cruelly, flashing his teeth.

“What are you saying?” I was becoming unsure. What was he getting out? Was he insinuating that there were secrets that I hadn’t been privy to?

“Come on, Luca.” Leo cajoled, trying to intervene.

“Stay out of this.” He swiped his hand, silencing anyone else who tried to interrupt.

“Now, where were we?” He focused on me.

“Luca, please.”

“Mama, no. No, just don't. Now, Sofia, let me tell you a little story about what's happening. To keep you updated about the things you missed while chilling in Illinois.”

“Luca,” I whispered.

His words struck a nerve. He had always supported me when I was stubborn. He had appealed alongside Mama to Papa so that I could pursue my dreams.

“No, you don't get to feel hurt. Do you have any idea how much effort it took Mama to arrange all these? To make you were the one being picked?”

“It's not like I asked for any of this.”

“And neither did I. But yet here I am trying to fix the mess  Papa put us in after he died!”

“That's enough, Luca. Enough of this.” Mama intercepted,

“What mess?” Leo looked away, but Ric locked eyes with me.

“Mama, she's an adult, twenty-two years to be precise.”

“What did Papa do?” My voice trembled.

“He ran this family into debt.”

“What?” My breath stuttered. Debt? How had this happened? Our family was wealthy. We had been born into old money dating back to twenty generations earlier.

“Yeah, all your tuition, those parties, vacations and everything.”

‘Luca!” Mama snapped.

“I can’t do this.” My mind was already made up.

“You will marry him even though I have to force you to.”

I couldn't take it anymore, so I stormed off.

“Leo, go after your sister.”

I vaguely heard Mother tell Leo to come after me.

The satisfying slam of the door didn’t make me feel better; it only increased my anger.

“I can’t believe this.” Angry tears leaked from the corners of my eyes.

Falling on the bed, I let it all out. Huge wracking sobs tore from my throat, shaking my whole body. This was unfair; my choices were taken away like I didn’t matter.

I cried for God knows how long. Lying still on my bed, thinking of what to do next, a knock startled me away from my thoughts.

I didn’t answer but instead ignored it. I just wanted to be alone.

The knocking became consistent but still lazy and unhurried.

“Who’s it?” I groaned in annoyance.

“Your favorite brother.” Leo’s annoying voice came from the other side of the door.

I figured it was only a matter of time before someone came to check on me.

“Please go away.”

“No. If I do, who would annoy you?” He entered with that stupid smirk on his face.

“Oh gosh. What do you want?”

“Why are your curtains closed? I had been too upset to notice when I entered earlier.

He opened them before falling on the bed beside me.

“So, how are you feeling?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I mumbled, flinging my hand over my face.

“Alright. Better or worse?”

“Worse.”

We lay in silence for a while before he tried again.

“You know, we love you. Luca loves you.”

“Please don’t.” I sighed, turning to look at him.

Leo was handsome, to the extent that every woman would consider him to be her type. In our mafia circle, he was a very popular name among women, both single and married.

But aside from that, he was my favourite brother. He was fun, funny, and understood me.

“Sofia. Sofia.” He sighed.

“I don’t want to get married. Even though I want to, I want it to be on my terms and not because I’m being forced to.”

“I understand you, Sof bug, but we don’t have a choice. If I could, I would take your place.”

“I’m not sure, he is into men. And that nickname was uncalled for.” My chuckle was weak, but it felt good to laugh.

“On second thoughts, it might be beneficial to your arrangement if he is a down-low bisexual or gay.” He shrugged, saying it with a straight face.

We burst into laughter.

“That felt good.” Homosexuality was frowned on in the mafia family. It was a taboo subject that was better discussed behind closed doors.

“Yeah, glad that I could be of service to you.”

“And I never agreed to do it.” Leo arched his brow.

“ To be part of the arrangement.” I finished my statement.

“Okay, Sof bug. But I know you.”

“Whatever, Leo.”

He knew me too well.

“Alright, let me give you some time to yourself.”

“Leo?” I called out.

“Yeah?”

“Who’s he?”

His face hardened into a scowl when he realized who I was asking about.

“Marco De Santis.”

Oh my gosh.

His answer made me faint.

“Fucking hell.” I heard Leo curse before I slumped to the floor.