CHAPTER 6

FIORELLA CARLA SCHIAVONE

I couldn't keep still where I was standing as I stared at the jewelry in front of me. We were now inside a large mall near Naples. My father's personal driver had dropped Ornella and me off here, with his strict instructions not to return until I had completed what I needed to do.

"Fiore, are you okay?"

My mind was troubled by many thoughts, especially the conversation I overheard before leaving for the mall. I had planned to bid my father goodbye before heading out with Ornella, but I couldn't bring myself to do it after hearing what he and Mario were discussing.

It felt as though that thing from five years ago was creeping back into my life. I didn't want it to happen again, afraid I might completely lose my sanity and end up loathing myself even more.

"Fiorella?"

I blinked several times, snapping back to reality when Ornella gently squeezed my arm. It pulled me out of the depths of my thoughts. I turned to her and raised a hand to sign at her.

"What is it?" I signed.

Her brows furrowed as well at my question, and her expression remained worried.

"They're asking if you're going to take the jewelry set now. Will you take it, or do you want to look around a bit more? Are you hungry? We could always come back to this later before we leave. You don't seem like yourself," Ornella said, her questions coming one after another as she held my hand.

Only then did I notice my palms were trembling.

She squeezed my hand softly, her smile tender and reassuring. I returned a faint smile and finally responded to her words.

"I want to eat first. I'm already hungry, and we've been walking around this mall for a while. I can also feel my feet starting to hurt. We can come back to it later, right?" I signed in front of her.

"Of course. I'll talk to her," she said in a gentle tone, turning to the woman who had assisted us earlier with the jewelry selection.

I already had a collection of jewelry hidden in my walk-in closet, but my father still chose to buy me something new because it was for my wedding. He said it was a special day for us women.

But how can that day be special for me when the man I'm marrying is someone I don't even know, and he isn't special to me?

"Please reserve the jewelry set we picked. We'll come back for it before we leave," I heard Ornella tell the woman.

"Sure, ma'am. We'll set it aside for you," the woman replied with a smile.

"Thank you, miss."

Once everything was settled, Ornella took my hand and pulled me out of the jewelry shop. We walked around the mall again, trying to find a restaurant to eat at. Eventually, we decided on an Italian restaurant.

"I've noticed you've been spaced out for a while now. Are you really okay?" Ornella asked me while she stirred the sauce on her pasta.

I sighed deeply and shook my head before signing in front of her.

"I'm not okay," I smiled bitterly at her. "I'm getting married, Ornella. I'm going to have a husband, and I don't want that."

"Honestly, I don't want you to get married either, especially not to someone you don't know," she replied.

I leaned back in my chair and blinked several times because I could feel the tears threatening to fall. I saw Ornella stopped eating and placed her fork down to hold my left hand, which was resting on the table.

"Fiorella... is there something wrong? I'm here to listen if you want to talk. Did Uncle hurt you?" she asked, clearly concerned.

I shook my head and exhaled. I rubbed my eyes and raised my hand to sign in front of her.

"It's probably better that I agreed to the marriage he wanted. Besides, there's nothing I can do because he'll still get his way even if I refuse," my hand trembled as I signed in front of her.

Ornella didn't respond, but she kept looking at me while I continued to sign.

"I overheard them, Mario and him. I was planning to say goodbye to him before we left for here. I heard their conversation, Ornella. They're going to do what they did to me five years ago if their discussion with the man I'm going to marry doesn't go well," The corners of my eyes burned, and I couldn't stop the tears from falling as I signed in front of her.

I saw how Ornella slowly furrowed her brows, and she adjusted her posture because of what I said.

"I don't want that to happen again because I might go crazy. I don't think my mind can handle it if it happens again. I'll definitely lose my mind. It took me so long to be okay with what happened before, Ornella. It took me so long to accept myself again because of what they did to me. I'm fine now, but there's still a part of me that feels disgusted with myself," I wiped my tears as I signed in front of her.

Her expression softened, and she tightened her grip on my hand. I noticed her eyes starting to redden too. Tears were threatening to fall as she silently listened to me.

"And my baby girl, Stella... I can't bring myself to hate her, even though she was only in this world for a short time. I felt like she was the only one who was with me and supported me during those days when I was all alone in the mansion. I knew she felt what I felt. I feel like she experienced what I was going through. She was my only ally then, and even though she was created in the wrong way, I don't understand why I miss her so much. I feel like something's wrong with me for thinking like this," my vision blurred as I signed quickly in front of her.

Ornella couldn't hold back her tears anymore, and she quietly listened to me. My gaze lifted when I saw her stand up from her seat and sit beside me on the empty chair next to me.

She hugged me tightly and didn't let go. Her hands, wrapped around me, gently stroked my arm to calm me down.

"But the person who was my ally and with me during those times, they just took her away from me," I continued signing while my cousin stayed focused on my hands to understand what I was saying. "And until now, I still long for her."

It was Ornella who slowly pulled away from the hug and wiped my tears. Her hand ran through my long hair, and when I looked at her, she had a bitter smile on her lips.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me, Fiorella," she said with pain in her voice.

I gave her a faint smile before responding to what she said. "It's okay. I understand why you weren't there, Ornella."

When I got pregnant with Stella, she wasn't around because she was in the USA for college. So, whenever we talked and checked in with each other, we just FaceTimed.

"I know that wasn't okay," Ornella quickly responded.

I felt her kiss my cheek quickly and hug me tightly before she faced me again.

"Don't worry, I'm always by your side, Fiore. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call or text me, because I won't hesitate to help you, no matter what it is," she said lovingly.

I nodded and smiled at her. She wiped my tears and hugged me again before we continued eating. She didn't return to her seat from earlier and stayed beside me until we finished our meal.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

2 days later...

"What if your future husband is old and frail? Would you be okay with that?" I heard Ornella ask me on the other line.

I pouted at what she said. The truth is, I don't think my father ever planned to tell me who I would marry. I think he wants to surprise me, but I feel that's no longer important. Why doesn't he just tell me?

"I don't know. I just thought that this might be a good way for me to marry someone else and escape from this hellish mansion and his life. I know I'll be moving into my husband's house now. At least, I can hold on to that because I just want to get out of here," I signed in front of the camera on my iPad.

I saw Ornella roll her eyes on the screen and sigh.

"Why do I feel like the person you're going to marry is old and frail?" I heard her say, and she just shook her head.

I chuckled softly and ran my fingers through my hair because of what she said. Right now, I'm in an empty room on the first floor of our mansion because the gown I ordered is already here. I have no idea what kind of gown I'll be wearing on my wedding day, which is tomorrow. A woman came to the mansion on the day my father told me I'd be marrying someone else, and she took my measurements.

I lifted my gaze when I saw a woman enter with two of my father's staff, carrying a large white box that I think contains my wedding gown.

I stood up from my seat when I saw my father enter, and I quickly pressed the 'end call' button to end our FaceTime call. I grabbed my phone to text Ornella about it.

Fiorella:

Sorry for ending the call. They've arrived, and my father's here too. I had to hang up. I might get scolded if he finds out I'm preoccupied with something else.

Less than two minutes later, Ornella quickly replied.

Ornella:

Okay! If you were planning to tell me what your gown looks like, don't do it. I want to be surprised tomorrow, on your wedding day. Bye!

I turned off my phone and placed it on the small table beside the couch before approaching them.

"Try on your wedding gown, Fiorella. Make sure it fits because we don't have time to make adjustments. Your wedding is tomorrow, okay? It's better if you don't eat too much right now so the gown will definitely fit," my father said as he approached me.

I just nodded. My father quickly excused himself, saying he would step out so I could change. After he left, the woman helped me open the large white box and took out the wedding gown.

My lips parted when I saw it. It was a luxury beaded rhinestone long sleeve wedding ball gown. I knew it was heavy because of the rhinestones designed into the gown. It had a U-shaped neckline and was off-shoulder. The rhinestone designs extended to the sleeves of the gown, sparkling whenever they caught the light.

"Let me help you," the woman said when I tried to put it on, taking off my top.

It was incredibly heavy. The train of the gown was also extremely long. Inside the box was the veil, but we didn't think to include it yet.

I could see myself in the large mirror here. I didn't know how to react now that I was wearing the wedding gown. It looked beautiful... I looked like a princess.

"Is the gown okay, Ms. Schiavone? Is it tight or loose?" the woman asked, also looking at my reflection in the mirror.

I shook my head and gestured that everything was fine with the gown. When she saw that everything was okay, she finally sighed in relief.

"Did you like it?" she asked again.

I gave her a small smile and nodded.

She put her hand on her chest and sighed with relief. "Thank God. I'm glad you liked it. Let's take the gown off, Ms. Schiavone. So you can rest. Congratulations, by the way, on your wedding tomorrow," she said with a smile.

I just smiled and nodded at her.

After we finished cleaning up, I helped her carry the wedding ball gown, still in the large white box, into my room. She also excused herself, saying she had somewhere to go, so now I was sitting on my soft bed, staring at the large white box.

Somehow, my father really knows how to choose a wedding gown—

My eyes widened when suddenly my father entered the room, holding a tobacco while walking towards me. I immediately stood up, not taking my eyes off him.

"Have you done everything I asked? Did you get help from your cousin?" he asked bluntly.

I nodded. "Yes. We finished everything. The gown fits perfectly, so there were no problems," I signed in front of him.

He nodded. "Good. Tomorrow, you need to wake up early because your makeup artist will be here. Same with your hairstylist and I don't want you to be late. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father," I quickly signed to him.

"Okay."

He turned his back to leave, but before he could exit, he went straight to the large white box on the couch and opened it to check the wedding ball gown. He closed it again and spoke before leaving my room.

"I forgot to tell you that you're getting married at the Cathedral of Amalfi."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

I stood still like a statue outside the two closed doors of the cathedral, which I thought were made of bronze. Today was my wedding day, and the guests were inside, along with my cousin Ornella.

I was just waiting for the wedding coordinator to signal me to walk into the church, so my father and I stood outside, waiting for her cue to enter.

The Cathedral of Amalfi was beautiful, with a grand staircase that was exhausting to climb, especially since I was wearing the heavy wedding ball gown. It felt like climbing a castle with how dramatic the stairs were.

The design of the church's facade blended Romanesque and Moorish styles, with elements of Gothic and Baroque mixed in.

I didn't know why my palms were sweating. I was nervous for reasons I couldn't explain. What if Ornella was right, and my future husband was old and frail? I shook my head at the thought.

I knew the nervousness was visible on my face, even with the thin white veil covering it. I gripped my wedding bouquet of calla lilies tightly, the style cascading like a waterfall.

I could feel that it wasn't just my palms sweating, but my entire body. Luckily, my hair was styled in a low updo bun, and I could still feel the cool breeze on my neck from outside the church.

"Listen to me, Fiorella."

I quickly turned as I felt my father's hand grip my arm tighter. I winced and tried to pull away, but he only tightened his hold.

"If your husband wants to fuck you, let him. That's all you can do because you're a woman. Give him children if he wants, and make sure it's a boy, because if I find out it's a girl, you won't like what I'll do to her. Do you understand me?" he said sternly.

Automatically, my mind flashed back to that night. I clenched my fist as I thought of Stella, my tears threatening to fall, but I held them back, not wanting to ruin my makeup.

I knew my father couldn't see my face well because of the veil, but my eyes were glaring at him despite holding back my tears.

I placed my bouquet on a nearby chair before signaling to him.

"I can't control the gender of the our child, Father. Why can't we just accept and be happy with whatever gender your future grandchild will be?" I signed to him.

He yanked my hand to pull me closer to him.

"Then make sure to try harder to have a son, Fiorella. Make sure it's a boy and not a girl. Don't make me angry. The only contribution you'll make is having children, and now you're going to fail at that too?" he said harshly and angrily.

I looked at him sharply, unable to believe his response.

"Excuse me. Please prepare the bride. The church doors will open in a few seconds," the wedding coordinator interjected, cutting off the argument with my father.

"And Mr. Schiavone, please enter the cathedral and wait by the door, as you'll be escorting her to the altar," the woman instructed my father. He silently followed her, and soon he was inside.

I took my bouquet and held it tightly. The wedding coordinator guided me to the center of the closed doors of the church.

"Are you ready?" the coordinator asked me.

I nodded and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled widely and nodded back at me. Slowly, the two large bronze doors of the church began to open, accompanied by a violin playing.

"Congratulations, Miss Fiorella. Happy newlyweds."

SHANGPU