Chapter 1

"Kaira! Hey, Kaira! What the hell again? Why do you keep on doing this? Your thoughts have wandered to another time and place when I was talking to you here. What have you been up to these days? You've been behaving oddly since we returned home." Enzo remarked, noticing Kaira was clearly out of her wits once more. She has been for several weeks now since they returned home.

"I am not behaving badly or oddly. I simply stayed up through the night because of the shipments, and you know that. So, back off and leave me alone to work."

“I'm not sure if I should believe you. Wait, don't tell me, it's still him, right?" Enzo said that as he moved closer to her, analyzing her reactions every time. "That guy at the bar that you hooked up with."

Kaira turned to gawk at Enzo with wide eyes and an expression of sheer disdain and wrath on her face. "What the hell are you talking about?! What man are you referring to? Enzo, do you want me to kill you right now at this exact moment?"

"All I'm doing here is stating my observations. If you're not guilty, then there's no need to get all hot and bothered by my words." Enzo sneered as he leaned back in his chair. "However, it appears to me that what I just stated seemed to have an effect on you. So, Kaira Lombardi, are you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?"

"I am going to fucking murder you, Enzo." Kaira said with furrowed brows as she leaned closer to him, grabbing him by the throat in the process. "Do not attempt to incite my rage! I am going to fucking kill you!"

Despite not being able to breathe properly due to Kaira's stranglehold on him, he didn't take it against her. He just forced her hand out of his throat and proceeded to taunt her while stroking his neck. "What is wrong with you? Why do you appear to be so affected by what I said? If it's not him, then it's not. No need to be so furious, not unless you are really thinking about that man." Enzo's continuous teasing is making Kaira even more agitated.

"Enzo!" She hissed between clenched jaws. Enzo has a track record of getting under her nerves, but despite that, her love for him is as strong as her contempt for him.

"Kai, you need to focus and keep your concentration. Your father will be upset and furious if we make the wrong decision or even a single mistake, and you already know that." he tried to say, affectionately looking at Kaira.

Kaira and Enzo are cousins. They are criminal accomplices and buddies who rely on each other practically all the time. Kaira has never had a sibling, and Enzo is the closest thing she could ever have to a brother. He might be a real pain in the ass, a bit of a nuisance and get on her nerves most of the time, but Enzo genuinely cares about her. He also supports her in anything she chooses to do.

Kaira inhaled deeply, her reluctance palpable. She doesn't know whether she can tell Enzo right now, but she wants to get this off her chest. “I know, Enzo, it's just that you know what I want, right? I am just so unsure of things anymore. I've been waiting for the right time, but it has never come."

"Kai, you simply need to be patient with everything." He said that as he leaned in to pat her on her shoulders. "And even if you won't acknowledge it, I can tell you're thinking about that person. And it's fine as long as you still understand your priorities."

"Figlia!"

The voice that reverberated throughout the room startled Kaira. She and Enzo both looked up to see her father and the Sotto Capo come through the door.

"Papa," she said, rising up and walking over to him, kissing him on the cheek.

With a brief and polite nod, Enzo greeted, "Zio Giovanni."

"How's it going with you, figlia? Sotto Capo informed me that you did very well with exports last night. Excellent job as always, dear figlia. You always make me so proud. And you too, Enzo." Her heart is warmed by hearing her father express his pride in her. Even if she does not really want to do what she does, she is just doing this to please her father and always awaits his acceptance.

"I'm grateful, papa. She took a deep breath and then said, "I try to be as good as I can be all the time."

"Everything that you are doing is in preparation for a bright future. As I pass down the costa nostra to you, I know that all will be in place for you soon. You'd better do well with Enzo on your side. I also came in to give you another task that you'll be working on, and that is securing American alliances. I want you to be with the finest and strongest organization that can assist us in all of our dealings." "What kind of task, papa?" She tentatively wants to know. Although she would prefer not to, she would have to. She does not have another chance to be as connected to her father as she actually can be, so she needs to seize all the opportunity that she can have.

Her father put it as plainly and as straightforwardly as he could to her, "A marriage, my figlia." She shrieked in disbelief, "A what?" Kaira finds it hard to believe what she is hearing from her father. She never once thought that it would come to this. "Figlia, I would like you to do this for the costa nostra. We needed American allies. And we can try to ensure that the partnership stays after you marry the cartel leader's heir to the throne." Kaira's mouth drops open in disbelief and shock as she starts asking, "A marriage?! A contract marriage at that? Do you really not consider that to be excessive?" She never once questioned her father's decision to make about a lot of things, but now that her life is unavoidably on the line, she can't seem to help but voice her concern and be against it. A fucking marriage is definitely something else. "I know, figlia, and that's why I'm setting everything up for you. I want everything to be in place when I hand everything to you."

"But I don't need a husband to lead the costra nostra, papa. I can handle things on my own. I have Enzo as the future Sotto Capo. We can do this on our terms." Her defiance is so strong because she can never, for the life of her, be married to someone she doesn't love.

"Kaira, figlia, leading entails sacrifices, my dear. And when you take that lead, you are bound to make sacrifices for the family. You've been nothing but exemplary in everything. What is a mere sacrifice of marriage for our family?" And Kaira wanted so badly to be hysterical, but she knew she couldn't. She can never be a rebel against her father, not at this time. She loves him so much that she is willing to give up her own happiness for him. But can she really go on with that marriage?

"Papa, may I still consider this marriage thing?" Even so uncertain, she asks.

All it takes is a head shake from her father for her dreams to come crashing down. "I'm sorry, figlia. I have already confirmed and accepted the marriage. Just do this for papa, figlia. Do this for the costa nostra."

This will be yet another difficulty for her to deal with, but as always, she does not have a choice at this point. But when she does, she will absolutely break out of that stupid marriage and pursue the life she really wants. Even though it was hard for her, she still found the strength to say, "I will then accept the marriage, papa. For you and for the costa nostra."

"I'm giving this responsibility to you, figlia. Do well and lead the team." Her father concluded, caressing her on the cheek and kissing her on the forehead before departing the room without waiting for another response from her.

And just as he used to, Kaira's father will just come and go to give her orders and directions. In each of their meetings, they said nothing more or less. All that Kaira does is take orders from her father and ensure the completion of the tasks assigned to her.

Kaira could only really breathe out a heavy sigh as her father and the sotto capo walked out of the room. Her father intended for her to be someone in charge of the costa nostra in due time, and now to be married in order for her to lead, but she secretly disagrees with all of his plans. She wants to get away from her family's shady business dealings and live her life on her own terms.

Enzo addressed her with trepidation, feeling sorry for her, "Kai, are you alright?"

"Do I appear fine and dandy, Enzo?" She responded back, her face contorted in a frown. "Just how much more self-sacrifice and consideration must I make for this family? Why does he make my entire life as a repayment for making me live?"

Enzo approached her and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "We'll come up with a solution for this, Kai. We always do. And maybe something good will come out of this. Just trust the process." And right now, Kaira is hoping to achieve exactly that. She needs to have at least the slightest bit of faith that what she is about to do will change things for the better. Who is she kidding, though? Everything for her will be ruined by this contract marriage that she is about to entangle herself into.