Edith's POV:
I couldn't move, couldn't speak, my breath caught in my throat as I stared at the man in front of me. This had to be some kind of sick joke because in front of me was the same man I had spent that reckless, passionate night with. The same man whose child I was now carrying.
My heart began pounding while my mind swirled in disbelief as the realization crashed over me. I sat motionless even though a whirlwind of emotions—shock, fear, panic swept through me.
"Edith?" My mom's voice broke through the haze, followed by a gentle shake of my shoulder.
I blinked instantly, snapping back to reality. I tore my gaze away from him and looked at my mom, who was watching me with confusion.
"Are you alright, sweetheart?" she asked.
I swallowed hard, nodding gently, while my mind was still reeling. I forced myself to calm down, but he was still standing there, watching me.
As I stiffly sat in my chair, I could feel my dad's disappointed eyes on me. I hadn't stood up to greet, hadn't smiled, nor done anything I was supposed to do while being introduced to someone new because the shock had left me unable to react properly.
"Edith," my dad spoke sharply yet controlled. "Stand up and greet your future husband and his grandfather properly."
Hearing my dad address that man as my future husband only left me wondering whether he told my dad about that dirty and filthy night, and the thought only intensified my fear.
However, I forced myself to move and rose from my seat. My legs felt heavy as I stepped toward the elderly man first. He was really old but still quite resembled the ridiculously handsome young man standing right beside him, reflecting the same aura of power and wealth.
The elderly man offered his hand in greeting, and I accepted it with a forced polite smile.
"Miss Edith Sinclair, I'm Victor De Parenti," he smiled warmly, shaking my hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard wonderful things about you, dear."
"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. De Parenti..." I said softly, smiling back, though my heart felt like it was lodged in my throat. Earlier, due to the shock, I hadn't quite caught the surname when my dad mentioned it, but this time it was clear.
Parenti... The most notorious, powerful, and dangerous mafia family has lived in this city for years. I grew up knowing about their influence, their reach extending into business, politics, and darker corners of society. And also about their involvement in all sorts of crimes and violence.
'What kind of mess have I gotten myself into?' The weight of my realization was suffocating, but I kept my face neutral, not daring to show the panic building inside me.
As I finally turned my attention to that man, my breath became uneven once again due to the unsettling intensity of his gaze. It was cold, composed, making it difficult for me to understand his emotions about seeing me again. The memory of that night flashed through my conscience, leaving me feeling more pathetic.
I hesitated, my hand trembling slightly as I extended it toward him. "He... Hey... It's Edith Florence Sinclair," I managed, my voice barely steady. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
He didn't say anything at first, just reached for my hand. But instead of shaking it, just as I had expected, he gently lifted it and placed a soft kiss on the back of my hand.
My breath caught, the unexpected contact of his lips sending a wave of heat through me, leaving me momentarily bewildered.
"Miss Sinclair..." he finally spoke in his familiar deep and smooth voice. "The pleasure is all mine."
My hand lingered in his longer than I intended as my mind was racing. But I quickly pulled it back, my face flushing as I tried to regain my composure.
He smirked, as if he could sense my discomfort. "By the way, it's Zayden De Parenti," he added, his full name sounding more bitter considering I was pregnant with the heir of one of the most feared criminals in this city.
"Your future husband," he then firmly declared, making my heart pound painfully in my chest as the weight of his words sank in.
As I moved back to my seat, my dad's voice cut through my fog of fear. "Zayden... Mr. Victor... Why don't you join us at our table?" He gestured to the empty seat around our table.
"Thank you, Mr. Sinclair. We'd be delighted to." Victor's eyes sparkled with approval as his voice carried a genuine gratitude.
Zayden gave a courteous nod as his gaze was still lingering on me with that same cold expression. As his grandfather sat in the chair opposite my dad, Zayden made his way to the empty chair next to me.
The moment he sat down, his legs brushed against me. The contact was brief but sent an involuntary shiver up my spine. I shifted slightly, trying to create a small gap between us. Zayden, however, made no effort to move away. Instead, he leaned in just enough that his arms lightly grazed mine.
'Is he intentionally teasing me?' I wondered, frowning in irritation as I felt the heat of his body radiating through his fitted, sleek, dark navy suit.
My dad cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Zayden... Hope you're glad to receive our final decision about the marriage before the end of forty-eight hours."
"Of course, Mr. Sinclair," Zayden nodded, his expression calm and satisfied. "I think we will proceed to the wedding ceremony soon."
They all exchanged smiles with each other while all I could do was sit there and listen to their nonsense conversation.
Marriage... Wedding... None of it made sense to me.
I couldn't figure out how my parents dared to arrange my marriage without even telling me beforehand. Was it the surprise he mentioned earlier over the call?
My blood ran cold as my parents' casual, businesslike tones, coupled with Zayden's and his grandfather's composed responses, made it painfully clear to me that it wasn't just an arranged marriage; rather, it was a deal with the devil. The realization made me feel like a pawn in their scheme.
It suddenly hit me why my parents had been strangely sweet to me earlier. They took such a big decision on my behalf, treating me like a piece of property rather than a person with her own choices and opinions. And the future they were forcing on me felt like a cage.
I hated violence and crime my entire life, and the thought of being tied to a criminal family was more than I could bear. The anger bubbled up inside me, no longer caring about the one-night stand or the child I was carrying. No doubt, both me and the child would be at stake in a world of crime and deceit if I married this man.
I spent my entire life trying to be the perfect daughter my parents wanted, but not anymore. My hands tightened into fists under the table as I gathered the courage to stand up from my seat abruptly, drawing their attention away from their conversation.
"Excuse me," I said, swallowing hard, my voice steady. "I need to speak with my parents privately."
My parents exchanged surprised glances, whereas Zayden observed me silently and leaned slightly forward.
"Is everything alright, Edith?" he inquired, but I ignored him completely.
Then I gestured to my parents towards the exit of the hall and insisted, "Mom... Dad... Please follow me outside."
[More chapters are available on the Alphanovel app, please read the story there as well. Title- Mafia's Sinful Temptation.
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The story is a dark romance and will have explicit scenes throughout the story with which some of you may feel uncomfortable, read at your own risk.]