(Filippo Valentini)
“Filippo!” I hear Vicenzo's voice calling me and I stop punching the punching bag.
“Hi.” I answer the call and punch the bag again.
“Dominic and Demetrius will be here soon.”
Immediately stop hitting and hold the punch bag so that it stops swinging and making noise.
“Why?” I ask, looking at him.
Vicenzo leans against the wall and crosses his arms, his countenance serious.
“They said he wanted to talk about his marriage to Renata.”
“The wedding is two days away.”
“And I haven't even spoken to Mamma and Laissez, but it will be a simple ceremony, after all, you have already dishonored the bride anyway.” Vicenzo stops talking and keeps watching me, I don't answer him, I know that in our world to have relations before marriage is to dishonor the girl's family and this motive can lead to war, but I didn't know that she was my fiancée and the world to which I thought she belonged, it is normal to have sex before marriage.
“Sir.” A female employee's voice catches our attention. “The Martinellis are already here, Mrs. Lais has instructed them to wait in her office.”
“Okay, you can go now.” Vicenzo dismisses her, she puts her head down, and leaves.
“Let's see what they want.” I speak and take the bandages off my hand, pick up my shirt on top of it and put it on.
Yesterday I couldn't sleep, in my mind there was only the image of Renata crying in fear, of the look in her eyes begging for help as she was dragged away.
I am feeling a mixture of things inside me, I am worried sick about her in Dominic's house and I still have to settle accounts with the men I left doing her security and why I was not warned of any movement. Even though I left men taking care of her, I didn't demand that they tell me her movements. I thought that this way it would be easier to forget her. I only heard from Renata when Tiago called me to talk about the company and then he told me even without my asking.
Vicenzo passes in front of me and enters the office, I sit in the armchair and my brother goes to his seat behind the desk. It has been more than fifteen years since I last saw Demetrius, although old, his appearance has not changed at all.
“What do I owe the honor of your presence here?” Vincenzo breaks the silence.
“Renata will not marry him.” Dominic speaks.
“We've already talked about this, Renata belongs to…” Vincenzo starts to speak, but Demetrius interrupts him.
“She belongs to my family, and she doesn't want to marry Filippo.”
“And since when do you listen to the wishes of women?”
“Renata is not a grown woman in the mafia, she…”
“I believe that yesterday you assured me that you would explain to her and that you would walk her down the aisle.” Vicenzo says, looking at Dominic.
“I would never hand her over to any Valentini worm!” Dominic says between his teeth.
“Worm? Us?” I say, drawing attention to myself. “You tried to do business with the worst man, the most disgusting being, by placing your daughter, then you did business with a baby still inside her belly, and now you come with this that you will not hand over to any worm Valentini? The only worm I see here is you!”
“I tried to end a war! I tried to bring peace and unite the famiglia so that no more blood would be spilled!” Dominic says.
“Using your daughter as a bargaining chip and after sacrificing her using your granddaughter?” Vincenzo says. “The agreement was not broken, you guaranteed that you would find your granddaughter and that the marriage would take place.”
“But it was you who kept it from me!” Dominic shouts, losing his composure.
“Yes, we, Valentini, unlike you, have done something for Marieta. We took care of Renata.”
“You manipulated her and Filippo raped her! - Dominic shouts and gets up from his chair.” That filthy brat dared to abuse my granddaughter by getting her pregnant! He brainwashed her! You are monsters! The rules don't allow abuse and you have dishonored my family!
As I finish speaking, Dominic pulls out a gun and points it at me.
“I didn't abuse her!” I shout and stand up too. “I love her!” I admitted out loud for the first time. “I didn't know she was your granddaughter, I had no idea who she was.”
“Liar! You only wanted to take advantage of her!” Dominic unlocks the gun, but before he can fire, Demetrius is quicker and takes the gun from the old man's hand. Dominic stares at him.
“Renata has returned to her home in the United States, we are not going to force her to marry against her will, we owe it to Marieta who gave her life for her daughter to stay away from the rules of the mafia. If you want a war for breach of contract, we are ready.”
“What is she different from Marieta? You wouldn't mind throwing her into the wolves' den to get an alliance.” Vicenzo asks, looking intrigued at them.
“Renata has the blood of many protecting her.” Dominic answers.
“Okay, I don't want a war, we are not our father. But Renata is pregnant and her baby is a Valentini. If she doesn't marry my brother, we will take the child from her.”
“You can't do that to a mother!” Demetrius says.
“So she married my brother.”
“She doesn't want to marry him!” Dominic says.
“Renata and Filippo have had a romance, and she loves him. I am sure that my brother will convince her of the marriage, but if she still refuses, I will not leave a Valentini unprotected, this baby belongs with my famiglia, we will not give that up.”
“She will not give up the baby.” Demetrius says.
“She won't have a choice and you know it. I accept the breaking of the marriage contract, but I won't give up the baby.”
“Filippo, are you sure you can win her back?” Demetrius asks me.
“No, I hurt her too much.” I answer, I take a deep breath and in my mind the image of the moments we spent together projects itself, my chest aches with longing, I know I did wrong to her from the beginning, but I need her with me, her and our son. “But I will not give up, I will have my wife and my son by my side.”
“I hate you!” Dominic shouts and pulls the gun from his son's hand, he points the gun towards my chest, his gaze is charged with hate and I maintain, if he hates me, I hate him even more. “I will never let him touch another finger on my granddaughter, stronzo!”
Dominic pulls the trigger, but Demetrius holds Dominic's arm and the shot grazes my arm.
“Father, enough!” Demetrius shouts.
“They killed my daughter and abused my granddaughter!” Dominic shouts as he tries to get rid of his son.
“They helped Marieta! Don't blame the innocent, have you forgotten who you are? Marieta's death was not in vain, she rests in peace.”
Dominic stops fighting and starts crying, I am not moved by this.
“If you don't convince her to marry you, we will go to war, that child also has Martinelli blood running through her veins, remember that.” Dominic says and leaves the office with his father in his arms.
I stare at the door, I didn't expect them to break the deal, Dominic and Demetrius have always been cold and calculating men, but that doesn't matter to me.
“What are you still doing here?” Vincenzo's voice brings me out of my reveries.
“Huh?” I ask with my eyebrows together.
“Go get Renata!”
I take a deep breath and feel my heart palpitate.
“Leave everything ready so that as soon as we return the wedding will take place.” I speak confidently.
I know it won't be easy to have your forgiveness, but I will not give up on my wife.