"Walk," he instructed when the huge door behind them was closed by two maids.
Bella followed Dante as quick as she can across the hall, trying to be careful along the way seeing her high heels made it hard to not walk without wobbling along the way. At that moment, Bella feared him more than anybody or anything in her life seeing tremendous wrath emanating behind his calm and icy demeanor.
Heading towards what seems to be a grand bedroom with dark furnishing, obviously with no woman's touch whatsoever. Nevertheless, it was still a breath-taking interior. It was a huge space filled with sheer luxury. Bella starts to have chills running down her spine. She knew what was expected of her for her wedding night. She had read about it through the books she had to sneak into her room while staying with her grandmother.
She was almost sure that he wouldn't touch her since the fact that he had made it clear how he despised her (or her sister). It was the only thing that makes her able to enter the room with utmost bravery.
When they reached the door to their room, Dante stood inside it and gestured for her to enter. She did and when she heard his steps behind her, the irony of everything sunk in.
It was Bella's wedding night, and she was standing in the center of an incredible suite, surrounded by the grandeur and accompanied by a stunningly handsome guy who happened to be the spouse of her twin sister.
It seemed as though she was caught in a nightmare, complete with beautiful fairytale accouterments. Everything appeared to be so lovely on the surface, which just added to the horror of the terrible truth. She was drawn to the gorgeous piano next to the patio entrance, as well as the several priceless-looking artworks. In the center of the room, there was a table with two baroque seats, which looked out to the lovely broad windows with golden-beige drapes.
Bella swallowed a knot of anxiety as she turned her head to face the king-sized chesterfield bed. She took a step backward from the bed, but her back rested against Dante's chest. She sprang to her feet, quickly turned around, and took a step back. He was standing so close to her that she hadn't even noticed. Shivers ran down her spine as he looked at her with his chilly grey eyes.
Overwhelmed by everything, she decided to go to the bathroom to gather her thoughts process. Bella walked past him and headed towards the bathroom, but later, Dante caught her by her elbow and stopped her movement.
Terrified can't begin to explain what she was feeling at the moment. Dante's gaze remained frozen on her elbow. When his hand reached to her cheek, Bella flinched, causing him to sneer. He pulls his hand away and lets her go.
"Don't be long."
What the hell?
Bella tripped across the marble floor and landed in front of a large bathroom mirror. Bella crouched on the chilly floor as her unhappy image glared back at her, trying to persuade herself to calm down since she was going to have heart palpitations. It took a lot of bravery for her to return to the room, she thought to herself. She never thought she had much in the first place.
Dante sat in one of the classic wooden bar chairs, a glass of booze in his hand, and he appeared to have had far more than his fair share. Not daring to move, Bella just stood next to the bathroom door while he observed her.
"Vieni qui." He calmly called out to Bella.
Of course Bella would hesitated so he repeated his invitation but with a slight raise of his voice with a dark tune laced with it.
"Come here."
She bit her lip and her chest expand as she exhale nervously. She walks towards the table and sat across from him. He removes the cover of a whisky near him and pour the rich caramel colour liquid into the empty glass. He shove it to her but all she did was stare at the drink and shift her gaze to him after.
He smirked. "It's time for us to celebrate this properly, don't you think so? You've made your choice so rather than waste your time crying over it, let's have fun. Congratulations, Mrs. Messina,"
In an attempt to give a toast, he smirked cynically and lifted his glass. She gently lift the glass and raised hers as a response. However, when Dante already chugs down the drink as if it was regular tap water, she took a full sniff of it and almost passed out from how strong it smells and almost overpowers her mind.
Instantly putting it down, Dante noticed and she looks at him with her eyes frighten.
"I... I don't drink,"
Dante's eyes widen and he started laugh.
"Oh my, that's; the funniest thing I have heard so far today. Beatrice freakin Granger, the queen of every single elite party in New York don't drink? Don't tell me it goes against your high moral values. If it ever existed in the first place"
His words sounded venomous for the last sentence. In an instant, his face turned frighteningly serious. "Cut the crap. Drink now. You act like a virgin again, I'll make sure you will regret ever saying yes on the altar. Drink!"
Bella flinched when he raised his voice again. She was too scared to not obey him and slowly, Bella raised the glass and brought it to her shaky lips. Tears stings her eyes and her face scrunched almost in pain at the harsh taste of the strong alcohol.
The burning sensation in her throat was too strong but she knew Dante would not let that go so she paused for a few seconds, breathing hard and squint her eyes for the last swallow.
He looks absolutely amused. Even leaning back as if the show in front of him was highly entertaining. As Bella had predicted, she could not take the alcohol and every left in her mouth was spilled on the floor. She cough painfully and had to bend down with her knees on the floor.
The pure white dress now have a dark yellow stain and her eyes became blurry from her tears. While coughing, fingers touched her chin, tilted it up and confronting her with such gorgeous yet cruel, grey eyes. She froze on her spot as Dante gazed at her for a while, like he was about to maul her, and a cynical smile curved his lips. He push back her soft blond strands behind her ear and asked her in an almost haunting voice.
"Do you fear me?"
She continues to stare at him and the finger on her chin tightens, making her wince when he pushes a bit harder.
"Do I terrify you?" He gritted.
In reaction to his frightening presence, Bella nodded and her body began to quiver. She was trying to control her urge to cry but the tears in her eyes betrayed her.
HE smirked and let her go. Standing up, he looks down at her as if she was nothing but a bug he could easily trampled on without guilt.
"Good. You should well remember that. You made your bed…" he answered calmly and walk away, leaving her alone with no one to help her.