chapter 2

                 Damien's p.o.v

This was it, it was really happening, i was getting married to the most feared man in town, Luciano Don in place of my run away step sister, how did i even agree to marry such a man, was it because i had feelings for him since childhood, i surely didn't know too.

Luciano and i were neighbors years ago, then i was very young and everything was different, my father was sane and so much in love with mother, i had a comfortable life and felt satisfied, Luciano's house was next to mine and my room was opposite his.

Every day after school i rushed in my room just to open my window and look at Luciano painting outside his balcony calmly, he was the source of my joy but the thing that bothered me was that he always had a tube stuck in his nose, he was thin too and a little pale, despite that i always thought of him as cool, he was like one of those good looking vampires from the movies.

I spend hours just staring at him with a smile, at times he smiled back making me so happy, on other night he completely ignored me and that made me sad.

Sometimes i couldn't see him for a week or so, my mother's friends would always talk about how the boy next door was sick and and unfortunate, i understand nothing much then, every time i couldn't see him i slept with my widow open, wishing he could get back and paint any great breathtaking wildlife or nature like he did.

As a few years went by, he changed slightly, his pale skin was healthier and smother, the tube he had was removed too, he also smiled at me more, to me he became like a prince from a fairy tail story, tall, slim, dark ocean blue eyes with dark short curly hair.

My dream then was to be neighbours with him no matter what so i could forever be by his side, even if it was from afar, but i was so stupid and naive, because my wish was just a child's mind, that same year something bad happened.

 Mother got into an accident, father rushed me to Luciano's house and left me there, i was scared but somehow relived to finally meet Luciano for the first time up close, he stared at me once and ignored me as i sat in the living room waiting for my father, Luciano's father was busy on a phone call while his mother was yelling at the maid, he stood silently in the middle of the room staring at them quietly, even though i felt lonely, he looked so much lonely and sadder than i was, i stood up without thinking and grabbed his hand tightly.

"I love you" i blunted those words out without thinking much about them.

Luciano angrily pushed me away when he saw his parents looking at us, his parents look was filled with disgust, i didn't know what i had done wrong, they took me back to my house and called me ad my father weird, after a few days, father came into my room with tears on his face, he told me how mother was never coming back, i was so afraid and sad, i cried the whole night because i wanted her by my side, she was the only one that protected me in time of trouble.

 That day Luciano spent the whole day staring at me with his brush and painting aside, i sat on my bed not wanting to look at him any more, i had no idea how i had slept that day, but i woke up in my bed covered up the next day.

The week that went by was so horrible for me, i felt so lonely and missed mother, at times i could see father crying in his room, i felt so horrible and tried to cheer him up with some jokes and singing but that ended up badly for me i was mocked by him.

A few months later we shifted from no were to another town, i had no chance or time to even say goodbye to Luciano or leave him a note, where we moved to was a small town with a quiet environment, the house was so small but looked just fine, as i tried to fit in, father turned to alcohol for comfort, he became a worthless drunk, he drunk everyday and eventually lost his job, he then began to hit me to make himself feel better, my name was no longer Damian but fagot, trash and a curse, i couldn't understand what i had done to make him hate me so much, i was only 14 years old then, what i only longed for was his love and care.

As much as i was hurt with his words, i kept on pretending to be fine, i even learned how to cook and do house chores just so he could be happy a little happy, but nothing I did made him happy, until he met Sharon, a single widowed mother.

Sharon was the talk of town, many called her bad names while other hated her naturally, father didn't care about the rumors because he was happy, i too was for him.

After a short time of dating her, father wasted no time in marring her, i looked forward to have a whole family and prayed to the heavens to let father always be happy, but then i began being mistreated by Sharon, my eyes were opened i then saw her of what she truly was, a bad step mother, when father was around she would be the perfect mother to me, caring and calling me sweet words that made dad happy, when he wasn't around, she hit and starved me as she pleased.

when i turned 16 years old, father died because of cancer, i was so broken and lonely, i even tried to kill myself a few times, but i was to scared to go through with it, i had nothing left, no friends, no where to go, and no family.

I decided to stay with Sharon even though i hated how she treasured my step sister and treated me like trash, she despised me a lot.

One day she ordered me to clean the house and dress properly, i was a bit surprised knowing how i spent most of my days in rags, she was happy that she even went out and bought me a decent suit, i did as i was told without question and dressed up.

The old man that came into our house looked rich and dressed expensively, he wasted no time to talk about an arranged marriage, of Mr Luciano and my sister Inez, Inez was so happy together with Sharon, because of cheque they had received from the man they couldn't stop giggling like little girls.

Every year the man would bring a cheque, and a huge sum of money for them, Sharon was blinded by the money that even when the contract was given to her, she accepted it without going through the details.

A few years went by and Sharon become filthy rich with the man's money, people avoided her in fear, they claimed the money was blood money from the devil himself, the name Luciano Don was hugely feared in different towns and our own town too, many claimed that he was a monster with no mercy and pity, and that everyone that dared to betray him ended up losing their lives or disappearing, and only a few knew how he looked like, his brutal ways and crimes was the only thing that many people knew of.

The day that Sharon was told Luciano was ready to meet Inez, she was freaking out in joy, she wore her best dress, made me clean the house multiple times and cook the best meal, when Luciano reached our place, he was welcomed in our house like a king.

Luciano was very intimidating, he stood at 6 feet tall, he was very well built, his short, black hair was scruffy in a sexy way and his suit was the best designed one i had never seen, he was very handsome too, but something about him felt familiar, even the way he looked at me when he saw me, his gaze so deep so cold, yet so tender.

Inez hated how his eyes were fixed only on me, she childishly pushed me roughly as i stumbled and fell down bruising my hand.

Luciano looked at her calmly then moved closer and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her up stairs to the bedrooms, Sharon watched in tears as they disappeared there, for a few minuets all we could hear were loud blows and Inez's scream and pleading, after what seemed like forever, Luciano came down stairs with his knuckles covered in blood, i was so scared to even look at him more than i had done, i lowered my eyes.

"The wedding will be in four days" he said with a deep husky voice that gave me shivers.

"Yes" Sharon answered lowly.

Luciano then turned and walked to the door, Sharon wastes no time in rushing upstairs, Luciano touched the door handle then turned and faced me.

"You don't remember me do you?" He asked softly.

I stood staring at him blankly in fear not knowing what to say or answer.

"We were once neighbors, our rooms were always opposite each other, and I loved to draw then"  he whispered then walked out before I could understand what he meant.

I couldn't think or remember a thing, all i felt was fear, he hit Inez badly without reason was all i could think of.

 After a few minutes of calming myself down, i rushed upstairs in Inez's room were i found Sharon talking on phone while sobbing, Inez was lying unconscious on the floor covered In blood, her face was badly swollen and her breathing was laboured.

I quickly rushed to her side and lifted her up, i was about to walk out of the room when Sharon slapped me hard across the face in anger blaming me for everything, she even forced me to put down Inez, luckily the ambulance came in time and rushed her to the clinic, i stayed back at home on Sharon's orders.

I sat thinking so hard about Luciano's words, that's when it hit me, Luciano was that boy i usually loved watching, i was so shocked on how much he had changed, he was very much different from back then, how could one change so much?, even though i knew him in the past, i still feared him, i had to forget about my past, he was now a total stranger to me.

A few days that went by, Sharon stayed with Inez, nursing her wounds and caring after her that she forgot about the wedding, Luciano called to inform Sharon were he was and that he was waiting for his soon to be wife, when Inez heard that, she wasted no time in running away, Sharon was devastated and in fear of being killed.

And so i became visible, she turned to me as her last hope since everyone distanced themselves from her, begging me to help our family in the name of my late father and mother, she promised to set me  free after the marriage had happened, i felt bad for her despite everything she had dine to me, she was still the only family i was left with.

I agreed to pretend to be Inez and take her place, while some men she had paid went looking for her.

The make up artist and designer did a good job on making me look like a girl, because I had a slim figure and short height, it wasn't that hard, i walked on the aisle in fear with only one thing in mind, i was just a mere replacement for Inez.

I stood in a blank daze when the priest began saying a few words.

"you may now kiss the bride" the priests words snapped me out of my thoughts.

Wait, this was going all wrong, Sharon had promised me she would talk to Luciano on skipping the removal of my veil,  was it her plan all along to shame me in front of Luciano's body guards and few friends, i was going to be murdered in front of everyone if i was find out.

"skip that fucking lame part, i will bend her over in my own room" he said simply as i swallowed hard.

"yes, sure, i now pronounce you husband and wife" the priest said as Luciano leaned in closer and grabbed my hand tightly inflicting pain there.

"My groom, we have business to take care of after this"  he whispered as i shook my head with swelling tears.

"i didn't mean it, please, i only pretended because.....

"Shhh" he whispered with a cold glare as i bite my tongue and trembled in fear.

I was dead, was he going to kill me now, i looked at Sharon who was smiling and nodding in approval.

This was my only chance to run away and save myself, i was about to pull my hand away from his grip when he lifted me up on his shoulder like a cave man and walked outside to his parked limo, the driver quickly came out and opened the door for him with a quick bow.

"Stay outside" he ordered the man then threw me in the limo, on the seat, i was about to crawl away from him when he entered, but he was too fast, he shut the door and grabbed my leg, flipping me on my back to face him

"You wanted to fool me and replace your sister isn't it, then here's your chance" he said while taking off his jacket.

I shook my head in fears as tears rolled on my cheeks, my heart was beating and aching badly.

He pulled of his shirt then grabbed my dress which i had wore for pretence, i was fighting his hand when he began pulling my dress down, i was refusing to look at him all give in to his own brutal way, when he ripped open my dress and tore my boxers, i sobbed loudly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to deceive you please, i didn't want to!" I screamed.

He grabbed my cheeks tightly and forced me to face me, he was coldly staring at me in anger.

"Please bring back my Luciano, the one i adored and loved" the words i had vowed to never say in my life came out.

He froze in shock for a minute, then sighed lowly and dropped his hand, he opened the door and walked out leaving me in shock and tears on what the hell was happening to me and him.