Nine

Sofia

After taking several pictures near the cathedral, we head to the awaiting Rolls-Royce SUV, and after helping me inside, Damian slides in beside me, picking up my hand. He kisses my knuckles, then smiles at me. I manage a small smile back. I want to pull my hand out of his to wipe it, but I don't. I don't want to give anything away. I know I didn't do very well during our vows, and he could see by my poorly hidden reactions. I would never make a good actress. Even Dimitri looked at me with concern.

Standing there in front of so many made men, bratva, and mafia leaders, and not screaming “No!” during my vows was the hardest thing I have had to do in my life. Damian looked at me like I was his world, but it was all a lie! Letting him kiss me made me nauseous. Knowing what he probably did before our wedding, I had to pull back. I just hoped he didn't notice the revulsion on my face! He is already suspicious. Only a few days ago, he was my entire life, but now I can't stand to look at him, and my family is beyond me.

There are only four more hours to go until I initiate my plan.

The car pulls up in front of our reception area at the waterfront hotel, and Damian gets out first, then lifts his hand for mine. I gingerly place mine in his as he helps me out before kissing my forehead. He wraps an arm around my waist, and then leads me into the banquet hall, where silver and light gray streamers and balloons fill the area, along with round tables decorated with light gray tablecloths and black cutlery with a flower arrangement in the middle. Each centerpiece is surrounded by four candles. I roll my eyes at that.

How safe, Mother!

Obviously, this is her little mark. I barely had any say in our wedding. Choosing my dress was when I put my foot down. It is probably the only say I had in the end.

We stand off to the side and greet our guests as they walk into the room. They kiss both our cheeks, offering their congratulations, before trying to find their tables. When Luna comes up with my aunt, she smirks at me, but I ignore her and hug my aunt.

"Absolutely beautiful, sweetheart," she states emotionally. Still, her eyes are saying something else, something I can't quite put my finger on.

"Thank you, Zia," I say, then kiss her cheek. She walks off, with Luna following. I notice she wipes her cheek, then grabs her daughter's hand, and I chuckle under my breath and shake my head.

Of course. Like mother, like daughter. I guess my aunt has been using me to stay on my father's good side. It looks like I can't trust anyone in my family. Trust me to figure this out now. I will have to message Noah later and add her to the list of people to watch!

When my mother enters my view, she stumbles over to us before leaning in, placing her hand on my right side to steady herself, clearly out of it, and kisses me on the cheek. I flinch, making her pull back a bit and furrow her brow, not knowing she squeezed hard on the bruise her bodyguard caused yesterday as a birthday gift, while my father was out screwing around. She was out cold from the booze. I'm lucky he didn't harm my baby. I managed to lock myself in the bathroom, and he gave up and went away. I contacted Noah immediately. Originally, he was helping me find somewhere to live and figure out how to call off the wedding, but that changed when I found out I was having a girl. Now, he's helped create a whole new life for us.

I lean in close, acting like I am returning the kiss, while I side-eye Damian, who is busy talking to my father, his parents, and his brother.

They aren’t listening, so I discreetly rasp, "I know how things have been between us, but please, Mamma, get some help. You deserve better than this life. I do not forgive you for your actions, but I do love you."

I pull back and give a sad smile as her eyes go glossy, showing me the regret in them. I squeeze her hands because, unbeknownst to her, this is our goodbye. Before she can say anything, my father grabs me in a bear hug, and she sighs before looking at me with furrowed brows, clearly knowing something will happen. She sits at the head table, watching me for a few minutes before Mattia grabs her attention.

Dickhead shouldn't even be here.

"I'm so proud of you, my girl," he says, emotionally, but I can't even take it seriously. He planned all this, after all. He sold off his only child to the Bratva. For power. I give him a little squeeze to keep up pretenses.

Damian's parents flank me, hugging me at the same time. I get a little emotional; they have both been there for me for years, knowing the situation with my parents, yet they still did this. I feel more betrayed than ever. I hug them back, then quickly move from their grip.

Maria quickly grabs my hands, squeezing them, and cheerfully states, "Finally, my daughter."

Dimitri chuckles while leaning down to kiss my cheek. I give him a small smile, causing Dimitri to frown a little with concern, but before he can say anything, Alexandr grabs me in a hug.

"You look amazing, sestra," he says, then kisses my cheek. His sister? Yeah, right. I thank him again with a small smile. He, too, looks at me with concern, then trades glances with his father and brother.

Shit, I'm going to blow everything if I don't try and act normal.

Damian pulls me to his side and kisses my temple, and I look up at him with all the love I used to feel to stop the concerned looks. When I turn toward his family again, they all smile, making me inwardly sigh in relief. Damian's best friend Sergi wraps an arm around my shoulders, causing Damian to growl and his family to chuckle. He kisses my head, giving me a little squeeze before he walks to his seat, and Damien's family follows. I was close to Sergi, since he was always around. However, he's still Damian's best friend and sovietnik, so he probably knew about this, too. I don't see how anyone can survive the betrayal I feel right now.

My husband guides me to our seats and helps me sit down. He offers me a glass of champagne and clinks our glasses before taking a drink. I put the glass to my lips and take the tiniest of sips to keep up pretenses, and he smiles, then leans forward, giving me a sweet kiss, and the guests clap and cheer.

For the next two hours, I endure speeches, the meal with Damian's hand on my knee, the first dance, a dance with my father, then Alexandr and Sergi, and the throwing of the bouquet, all while feeling nauseated.

It is hell!

I think I'm having a breakdown, knowing I can't last two more hours. People are now way past drunk, and dancing, and just before my husband disappears with Alexandr, he mentions leaving for the honeymoon suite early.

I can't do it.

I get up to go to the bathroom to come up with a better plan, one that will let me leave now.

I walk past all the drunk people shouting my name and blowing me kisses, and I put on a fake smile. Just as I am about to go down the hallway, Luna intercepts me, drunk out of her mind, clearly on her way to her room.

She looks at me and laughs out, "Did you know I fucked your fiancé three years ago? Twice. And I showed up at his penthouse last night in nothing but a coat and heels. He'll always come to me. You are nothing but a prude." She walks off, still cackling and stumbling up the stairs.

Well, now I don't feel guilty about the sleeping pills I put in her drink!

I shake my head. I knew my husband fucked my nasty cousin, and my gut was screaming at me with the truth this morning; it seems Zia Emilia wanted this wedding for her daughter and not her niece.

I go to turn right for the ladies’ room but stop short at the sound of my husband's voice.

"There's no fucking way you're pregnant with my kid, Candice," he growls.

I look around the corner and see Candice standing with her arms crossed over her chest.

Well, that explains why she crashed my wedding. I noticed the guards escorting her out of the ceremony through the window.

I pull my phone out and hit record. Maybe I can use this with the other video.

Candice smirks. "Well, last time I checked, you've fucked me at least three times a week since you were sixteen. It's not a surprise I'm knocked up; shall we go tell your new wife?"

Alexandr and Sergi are motionless, while Damian chuckles darkly.

"Yeah, we've fucked, but the only way I knocked you up is if I fucked your cunt. I haven't put my dick in your cunt since that time you claimed to be knocked up last year, and my father had to order an ultrasound when you refused to take a blood test. There was no baby then, and there sure as hell isn't one now. We both know I only fuck your mouth, and I always make sure you've swallowed it. I haven't even fucked your ass in a year, let alone your cunt." He leans in close, and she pales. "I'm not stupid enough to have my cum anywhere near you; you're just a hole to fuck. I even took my condoms with me when I left you each time. We're done here now."

Candice lets her tears fall as Mindy tries to comfort her. Damian goes to leave, so I quickly turn off the camera, and open a secure folder to save it in, ready for the next stage of the plan. I get ready to bolt but look up to see Candice grab his hand and apologize, saying she didn't want to lose him and what they had. She then wraps her arms around him. I watch in absolute heartbreak as his eyes go soft, and he lets her hold him close before wrapping his arms around her and mumbling something I can't hear. She nods and squeezes tighter, and I let my tears fall. Then I look to the other three. His brother and best friend shake their heads while Mindy smirks, taking pictures, probably for me to see.

Yeah, you're a little late, bitch. I already know!

This is the chance I've been waiting for. I look one more time, then I turn and run as quietly as I can up the stairs to the left, then go to the elevator and hit the button for the top floor. I keep drumming my fingers against my leg, while my other hand inputs the secure pin to the video folder and click on the video I want, then leave it, ready to play. There are two videos, one from today and one from two days ago. I make remove all my contacts, and wipe the recycling bin, too.

Once the elevator stops, I run into our suite. I take my dress off, and something falls on the floor. I don't stop to see what it is as I slip into the hoodie and leggings I laid on the chair in the corner of the room. I place my dress neatly on the bed with my shoes next to it, then leave my phone on top of it. My heart beats loudly.

This is it.

I turn to the vanity, take a hair band, and put my hair in a low ponytail. I'll get it colored after I have the baby. I quickly grab the thick envelope lying on the vanity and smile sadly.

"Thank you, Lilly and Noah. I love you guys," I mumble. I looked inside the envelope, and see the new identification and passport with my new name, Sophie Rossi, as well as some cash. I tried to stick as close to my real name as possible. There is also a burner phone with only Noah's number on it. Damian will be watching Lilly and her phone for a while.

I take the keys to the old 15-year-old Ford parked at the service entrance, leaving the keys for the 8-year-old Honda in the envelope, ready for when I ditch the Ford just across the border to Canada. Hopefully, the other vehicle will get me to Texas. Then I shove the envelope in my bag, strap it to my body, and head for the terrace.

I climb down the steps on the fire escape and go into the room I purposely assigned to Luna, and I have to laugh. She's lying on her stomach, snoring.

I quickly put her trash can next to her bed, then sneak past her, just in case the sleeping pills I crushed into her drink when she wasn't looking—she was too busy flirting with Damian's associates—haven't fully kicked in. I exit the door, hanging a right to the service elevator. I press the button for the employee parking garage, put my hood up, and find my car. I get in after chucking my bag in the trunk, and then I drive off. I smile—a real smile—for the first time tonight as tears fall down my cheeks.

Goodbye, Damian.