How could I describe my life? Fun? Fulfilled? Boring? Happy? Realistically there was no word I could use to describe a life without passion, desire, love and hatred. People usually say desire is what gives you the will to live and hoping for a new day, they say your desire dies when you do but I tell you that my desire was buried long ago and I've been waiting for the day I get buried and spend the afterlife with it, safe to say my desire and will to live is death. I wake up everyday hoping it'll be the day I die, but for some unfortunate reason it doesn't and I have to try again the next day.
I'm Seraphina Montanari the only daughter of Montanari Montanari, I was told my mother died immediately after I was born and my dad decided not to marry again but instead has a mistress who's trying so hard to get pregnant for him because of the gains attached to having a child for Montanari. Montanari Montanari is a powerful man and has the city's political system pretty much under his control, no decision is made without his approval and nothing happens unless he says so.
There's nothing to know about me except from the fact that I have a very dirty secret no one should find out, a secret I have to take to my grave. Aside from that I'm just my father's puppet, I don't have a choice of my own and have to do whatever I am told to do, I'm pretty much okay with it now after what happened when I had the freedom to do whatever I could and ended up doing something that cannot be spoken or heard of, that was when my freedom was taken away from me.
I once had a dream and a desire, I once wanted to be something but now I'm just Seraphina Montanari the daughter of Montanari who's in charge of a bookstore where people buy books and have a cup of tea or coffee but within the bookstore is where an illegal art gallery is located.
This illegal art gallery is the source of my father and the sindaco's (mayor) wealth. I have a record of everything and everyone involved and I can do whatever I want with that information, good or bad.
"Having a bad day?" Bianca rinaldi my father's mistress asked while barging into my room
"I guess you really want to leave this mansion. The next time you barge into my room, I'll make sure you're thrown out." I respond looking straight into her eyes
"Apologies, I tend to forget my manners. Scusa" she said with a defeated look on her face.
Bianca and I are always in a silent war, we never agree because I know what her intentions are and she hates the fact that my father loves me more than he'll ever love her, he'll even kick her out if I say so.
"What brings your mannerless ass here?" I ask holding the upper hand in our constant argument
"Nothing, just came to see how our bride is doing" she grins while speaking
"What bride?" I ask and she's still grinning widely at me which tells me that something is going on, she's either up to something or she knows something I don't
"La nostra sposa sarà così bella nel suo abito da sposa" she replies in Italian which basically translates to our bride will be so beautiful in her wedding dress
"Get out Bianca! I'm in no mood for your games" I frown at her
"Easy dear, me ne vado" she laughs as she walks out. It means easy dear, I'm leaving in English.
I ponder a little about all what she has said, even if I never trust her she just can't be spewing things without a reason. I need to find out what she's talking about and there's only one way I can, and that's by asking my father.
I walk to my father's chambers as we usually call it and Bianca is the first person I see, the moment she sees me she begins grinning again, I ignore her and make my way to my father's room but she blocks my way
"This is where I have power, seems you've forgotten " she grins more while whispering into my ear
"I want to see my father" I yell at her
"You can't go in without my approval" she seems to be enjoying this and I wasn't going to have her win, never!
"Why do I need your approval to see my father? You're really one crazy bitch" I say giving her a dirty gaze
The noise seems to have gotten to my father because he walks out and the moment Bianca sights him she begins acting
"I'm so sorry dear seraphina, I just wanted to make sure your father was dressed before you go in, it's against our tradition if a child see's her father's nakedness. I'm sorry if I offended you" she said putting on a sad face to deceive my father
"What's the matter?" My father asks
"Your mistress is being her usual pretentious self and I'm not having it" I say
"Come in" my father responds and begins walking back into his room
I give Bianca another dirty stare as I follow my father into his room and take a sit on the couch in his room.
"Now, what's the matter seraphina? What brings you to see your father?" He asks
"Papà, is there something I'm yet to hear from you?" I ask back
"Did Bianca say something?" He also asks
"Yes, she did and I want to confirm from you" I respond and my father lets out a heavy sigh which tells me that there is definitely something
"Papà?" I try to remind him of the fact that he's yet to give me a response
"It's true" he finally responds
"What's true?" I ask
"Your wedding is on Monday. Prepare yourself" he says and walks away leaving me behind in his room.
What? What did I just hear? Wedding? Monday? I quickly take my phone out to check what day it is, today is Friday, so I have just two days to prepare for my wedding? What kind of father do I have? What kind of family was I born into? Who was I even getting married to? I didn't even know him or his name but I'm supposed to be getting married to him? And on Monday??
I begin to deeply ponder on what to do, I can't let my father keep controlling my life, I'm not ready for a relationship not to talk of marriage, I really needed to do something this time around, I really need to stand up for myself even if it means risking my life or even my father's.