"What exactly does that mean?" I ask.
"It means… " He leans forward. "You'll report everything. His business, his associates, his weaknesses. You'll be our eyes and ears in the Dante household."
The anger and frustration building inside me are becoming harder to contain. I'm not just currency to be traded. I'm to be a spy as well.
"And if I refuse?"
Mother flinches visibly.
Father's expression hardens. "You won't." He drains his glass. "You're a Vitale. This marriage secures our future. Don't mistake this for a choice, Isabella."
I look at my mother again, seeing the woman who surrendered her will decades ago. Is this my fate?
My heart beats wildly as I gather courage. "Father, please. This arrangement with Alessandro Dante… I haven't even met him. He's nearly twice my age, and I know you’d rather take his business than align with him.”
Father's eyebrows lift fractionally. I've surprised him by speaking up.
"What I mean is… How can I marry someone who's been our enemy? Someone who would sooner see us dead than?—"
"Enough." Father's booming voice echoes through the room.
I press on, hands trembling. "But what if he discovers why I'm really there? What if he?—"
"I said enough." He rises from his chair, looming over me. "This isn't a negotiation, Isabella. The arrangements are finalized."
Mother shrinks further into herself, becoming nearly invisible. No help there. Not that I expected any.
"I'm not refusing," I clarify quickly. "I just want to understand what happens if things go wrong. What if I can't be what he wants? What if I can't get close enough to learn anything useful?"
Father's expression softens into something that scares me more than his anger. He has a brutal coldness to his smile.
"My beautiful daughter." He steps closer, placing his hand beneath my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his. "You will be everything Alessandro wants. You'll warm his bed, bear his children, and whisper his secrets into my ear. That is your duty."
His fingers tighten, pressing into my jaw. "And should you fail in this duty, you won't just be disappointing me. You'll be betraying your entire family."
The threat is unspoken but crystal clear.
"Do I make myself understood?"
"Yes, Father." I hate myself for surrendering. I know it’s how my mother lost herself. One surrender at a time.
He releases me, satisfied. "Good girl. Now, the Don arrives in thirty minutes. Make yourself presentable."
I stare at him, momentarily speechless. "Today? You've arranged for me to meet him today?"
"Did you expect a formal courtship?" Father laughs, as if he’s amused by my naivety. “This isn't some fairy tale, Isabella. He's coming to inspect the merchandise."
Merchandise.
The word cuts me down, slicing away at the human being I am.
I might as well be a cargo container of imported goods.
"Go," Mother whispers, finally looking at me. Her eyes hold a warning.Don't fight this.
I rise with as much dignity as I can muster and exit without another word. The moment I'm out of sight, I bolt up the stairs, slamming my bedroom door behind me.
I let out a frustrated growl as I kick off my shoes.
