Suddenly, Augusto’s hand comes up, and I squash my body into the seat while turning my face farther away.
“Sorry, I just wanted to point out that our house is down that street.”
The ringing returns to my ears, and my vision goes spotty for a moment.
Augusto takes hold of my chin, and I don’t even have it in me to flinch as my head swims with a dizzying feeling.
“Yuki?”
When I blink, my sight comes into focus, and I see a concerned but upset expression on Augusto’s face. “You don’t look well. Would you rather go home?”
No! I’m not having sex with this man a second sooner than is absolutely necessary. I want to go to the reception.
I shake my head and sweep my tongue over my dry lips. “I’m fine. Sorry.”
Not looking too sure about my decision, he settles back into his seat. He stares at me for a moment, then he says, “I didn’t get to say it earlier, but you look beautiful.”
Knowing it’s expected of me, I reply, “Thank you.”
I’m unable to tell him he looks attractive in the tuxedo because I don’t have it in me to give him a compliment.
As a tense silence fills the SUV, I think about everything that’s happened… Everyone who died. Augusto and his friends beating me for days. The excruciating pain. The dental work I had to get done. The injections to dissolve the filler. The gnawing hunger. All the slaps and threats. Being degraded over and over again.
It all makes what I had to endure before the night at the club look like a walk in the park.
You’re holding on to this awful life for Ryo.
What if it’s all for nothing? What if Ryo never finds me?
“We’re here,” Augusto says, his voice breaking through my thoughts.
The SUV is steered through heavy iron gates, and I see cottages to my left before I look at the mansion that’s my in-laws’ home.
A mixture of intense isolation and disorientation wraps around me like a dark cloud as I’m forced to step into this foreign world. Nothing is familiar. Not the air. Not the buildings. Not the people.
The men get out of the SUV, and when the door beside me opens, my tense muscles protest as I climb out. My gaze sweeps over the flowers, tables, and people, and I hear music playing softly in the background.
Everyone stares at me, and it makes me want to cringe into myself.
A middle-aged couple approaches us, and when the woman smiles at me, nerves spin in my stomach.
“Hi, Yuki. Welcome to the Vitale family,” the man, who looks as dangerous as my new husband, says. “I’m Franco, Augusto’s father.”
I bow my head to show him respect. “Thank you.”
The woman’s features are much softer. “I’m Samantha. Augusto’s mom.”
She moves closer to me, a sad expression tightening her beautiful features. Taking hold of my hand, she says, “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through. I’m going to do my best to make you feel at home.”
As I look into her eyes that are the same green as Augusto’s, I don’t see any malice, but I don’t let my guard down.
Again, I bow my head. “Thank you.”
“Come, let’s get the celebration started,” Franco says.
We follow Augusto’s parents to where a large group of guests is waiting, and I’m introduced to so many people that it’s impossible to remember everyone’s names.
Everything is very overwhelming.
