The proposals

Lily finished dabbing the foundation on her cheek to hide the bruise on her pale white skin. Her eyes were red and puffy after crying herself to sleep. Lily wasn't the type to overdo her makeup, she preferred being barefaced most times.

"Does it look weird?" Lily asked her cousin Rose who was beside her with her arms crossed, staring at her.

"Nope. The bruise is barely visible. I don't think anyone will notice." Rosalina grabbed a pink lipstick from her purse and applied the tint on Lily's lips. "A little more makeup won't hurt." Rose rubbed her lips together and Lily imitated her, spreading the strawberry-flavored pink on her lips.

"All good now?" Lily asked for confirmation.

"All good."

Lily got up and picked up her handbag.

"I'll head out now." And kissed her cheek. "Thanks for the makeup."

Lily rushed downstairs to the kitchen to grab the homecooked lunch nonna had packed for her. She was already getting late for work. The moment she entered the kitchen the smell of something burned infiltrated her nose.

"Lily!" Nonna came up to her with a platter filled with bruschetta and cappuccino. "Take this to your nonno's office!"

"Why? Did someone come over?" Lily asked, half-panicking at what was happening in the kitchen. The oven was on fire, thick black smoke coming out of it. Nonno fetched her kitchen gloves and opened the oven, coughing.

"Yes." She said, still coughing, and hurriedly took out the burned food and shut the oven. "I was trying the new cake recipe Rose told me about, now it's all burned!" Nonna said in dismay. "And your nonno is still angry about yesterday!"

"Did you two have an argument?" Lily asked, feeling guilty.

Nonna sighed.

"I'm sorry."

Nonna waved her hand. "It's nothing. Now take those to your nonno's office while I clean this mess."

A messy kitchen was one of nonna's worst phobias.

Lily knocked on the office door three times for permission.

"Come in."

She opened the door and saw a man's back facing her from the lounge chair, sitting opposite nonno who was glaring at her. She avoided eye contact with him as she came in and placed the platter on the table.

Just as she was about to turn around, the man grabbed her hand, and that's when she really looked at his handsome face flashing a wide, foxy smile at her. Yet, his eyes looked so... dead.

He wore a two-piece black suit and leopard print shirt underneath that was half unbuttoned, giving a glimpse of his toned body.

"You must be Lilliana." The way her name rolled off his lips like butter made her stomach flip. His eyes were still glued on her, unblinking. "My, my, what a beauty you are..." He muttered as he stroked the rough pad of his thumb against her knuckles. She tried to shift away, but his hold tightened.

"Take your hand off her, Armando," Nonno said, his eyes wide and murderous glaring at the man.

He slowly slipped his fingers away and directed his shark-like grin at nonno-- "I always compliment a beautiful woman when I see one."--then at Lilliana. "I'm sure she wasn't offended as you are. Isn't that right, Lilliana?"

Why does this man keep saying her name so repeatedly as if he has some sort of obsession with it?

She glanced at nonno, seeking permission to leave.

"Go," Nonno ordered and she hurriedly left the office, but felt Armando's eyes stalking her as she did.

***

The weight of debt could crush a man and Antonio Armando was here to crush Matteo Russo like a fucking anvil. Antonio picked up a bruschetta from the platter and had a bite.

"It's good. Your wife made it?" Matteo cracked his knuckle as if he wanted to punch Antonio's face.

"Bella is quite hospitable to her guests." Even to the ones that didn't deserve her hospitality.

"Does Bella know I am the loanshark who can potentially bring her family to ruins?"

"You won't lift a finger against us," Matteo warned. "And keep my wife's name out of your fucking mouth."

"She's my mother's age. I would never...." Antonio drawled.

"Since when has age stopped you from taking advantage of women?" Matteo scoffed. "And girls."

Antonio laughed. He was the Casanova killer of the Armando family. He was past his early thirties, and still maintained his charm and looks that lured women into their doom.

He caught the attention of every woman, except for the one that caught his attention instead. That little nymph called Lilliana Russo. She wasn't charmed, in fact, she looked appalled, scared like a fawn caught by a hunter. That look on her face... it was beautiful.

What face would she make when he tied her up on his bed? He couldn't help but imagine.

"It's about time you repay our debts," Antonio threatened. "You've been having a peaceful life for far too long. My father was lenient with you, but I won't be."

"I want to close this drug deal. I will pay off the debts but I need time." Matteo said. It wasn't easy to make fifty million in such a short period of time. The Salvadori and Russo feud had cost millions worth of damages to the Russos and it was Armando's family who came to help them recover financially.

And Antonio's father Giuseppe had spared Matteo ten years to pay for the debts. But Matteo couldn't pay it off completely, but Giuseppe was alright with it. He was a ruthless, yet generous don.

But his son turned out to be a bloodthirsty loan shark, hunting down each and every one of his prey.

"I can lessen your burden," Antonio leaned forward. "With an alliance."

Matteo's eyes flashed with fury. "I won't give away any of my granddaughters."

"I want Lilliana," Armando said, his tone was stern but his smile was dangerous.

"You can't make me change my mind." Matteo nearly shouted and pulled out the pistol from the holster. "If you come near her again, I'll fucking kill you!"

Antonio snickered as he straightened his coat and rose to his feet. "I respect my father's words so I will extend the due date until he finally rests. By that time, you will pay either with your money or with this alliance." Antonio's shark-like grin brightened. "Otherwise, there will be war."

And he knew very well that the Russos couldn't withstand another war.

***

"How did you get that bruise on your face?"

Lily looked up from the medical reports she was studying. "I fell and hit my face on the floor."

Thankfully, she covered most of her bruise with makeup so people couldn't trace out the handprint on her face.

"Jeez. Clumsy as always, huh?" Dr. Richard chuckled, leaning over to her face. "And please be careful with your pretty face."

She let out a laugh, unamused. Thankfully, her smile always reached her ears, even when she faked it. "You're being awfully considerate today."

"C'mon, Lily. Let's go on a date. I'll get your favorite S*arbucks drink, too." Dr. Richard shamelessly offered. He had been asking her out ever since she joined as an M.D. at the City Hospital. She was practicing family medicine, and Dr. Richard was a considerate colleague who had always helped her with work.

"Thanks for the offer, Dr. Richard, but I refuse." She opened the can of soda and gulped it down.

"It's Dion." He reminded.

"I know," She smiled sweetly at him.

"You can wait in line with the rest of the guys simping for Lily." Sara, Lily's fellow nurse, and high school best friend teased him as she breezed into Lily's office.

Dr. Richard frowned at what she said. "I'm not a simp."

"And I'm the queen." Sara rolled her eyes.

"You are. Drama queen." Dr. Richard bickered back.

Lily bit her bottom lip to stifle her laugh. These two always made her day with their banter. "I can't date you, Dion," Lily said, feeling sorry for breaking his heart. "I'm sorry."

Dr. Richard smiled, but it was a smile of disappointment. "It's okay, Lily. Nothing to be sorry about."

Dr. Dion Richard was funny, handsome, and charming and everything a girl could ever ask for, but he wouldn't fit into her world.

Outside the hospital, she was a weakling, a coward, someone who needed protection from her own grandfather. Working as a doctor was therapy for her. The happiness that bloomed inside her when she helped people get better was immense. It was the only way to make her feel less guilty for being born as a Russo.

***

Lily opened the door and got in the passenger's and she faced Sebastian's woeful expression. "I'm sorry." He said, finally.

She spared him a small smile. "It's alright, Sebas. You were just doing your job."

"I shouldn't have told him. I didn't know he would hit you like that." He gulped the lump trapped in his throat. His eyes wandered to her left cheek, the faint purple bruise on it.

She turned her head away, peering out of the window. "That's how he makes sure we don't cross the line. I'm used to it..." she whispered in a trembling voice.

Sebastian was told to follow her and monitor where she went. He was a man bound to his duty, so he had no choice. "You shouldn't get used to it." He said, gritting his teeth. His anger wasn't directed at her, it was at nonno.

"What can I do, Sebas? Run away and get caught?" She cruelly ridiculed him. Reminding him of how he had caught her and Ethan eight years ago and shot Ethan, his own brother, right in front of her eyes. Ethan's warm blood had spitted on her face and she wailed like a madwoman that day.

Sebastian gripped the steering wheel and started the car. A muscle ticked in his jaw. She couldn't blame him for killing his own brother on nonno's orders. He couldn't afford to bite the hand that fed him.

"Find a man powerful than your nonno and marry him." He advised.

"You are kidding." She scoffed. Her nonna used to say that a man is to conquer the world, and a woman is to conquer the man. That was her motto. That's how she had Matteo Russo, one of the most powerful Don in the city wrapped around her finger.

"Marry Vincenzo Salvadori. He's a man of his word. His protection is like being protected by a god. If not, you will be married off to Antonio Armando which would make things worse for you."

She stared at the back of his bald head, shocked. "How do you know all this?"

He chuckled and glanced at the rearview mirror. He liked that surprised look of hers. It enhanced the innocence on her face. "Every man in the Cosa Nostra knows Enzo, respects him, and admires him. Including me."

"And nonno?"

His smile dropped. "Your nonno fears him. That's why he lashed out at you. He's scared that Vincenzo has his eyes on you."

She believed what he said. Nonno wasn't mad at her for disobeying him. He was mad at her for meeting Vincenzo Salvadori, the only man who is powerful enough to bring him to shambles.

"And what about this Antonio?" Lily asked. It was the first time she heard his name.

"He's a fucking psychopath," Sebas replied. "He is threatening your nonno, so he can force an alliance between the Russos and Armados."

"Do you think nonno would say yes to such an alliance?" Lily asked, scared for herself.

Sebas chuckled derisively. "Knowing your nonno, he might sacrifice you to protect the rest of the family."

***

Lily saw nonna walking back and forth outside the nonno's office, fidgeting with her fingers. Nonna rushed to her side. Her complexion paled. "Your nonno asked for you."

"What happened?" Lilliana asked.

"Just go." Nonna held her shoulders and pushed her inside.

Lily froze, her legs turning into stone as if she had stared right into Medusa's eyes—his eyes.

Cold, ruthless, dressed in black, looking regal as she had last seen him. He had a completely opposite reaction, unfazed, unsurprised to see her there as though he'd already expected her presence.

His expression changed, the look on his face as if he'd just gotten the taste of victory.

"Come here," Nonno ordered, sitting on his favorite antique chair, his dark gray eyes hardening on her.

Like the obedient *principessa she is, slowly, cautiously, she came forward and stood beside nonno. "You are getting married in a week," Nonno said.

When the devil smiled, her blood froze, and an icy shiver slithered up her spine like a lurking snake. Her heart drummed so fast her chest hurt.

Nonno pointed his eyes sardonically at him. "This is Vincenzo Salvadori. The man you will marry."