Page 8 of Always Meant To Be

And there's the ruthless father I know so well, proving I mean nothing to him.

My breathing picks up, anger shooting through me as I hold my head high, and admit, "I'd rather live on the streets than marry for an alliance. I stayed in all the AP classes as you requested. I'm at the top of my class, I’m a shoe-in for valedictorian." I shake my head. "Sorry, Papa, but I'm not signing any papers, and if you don't want to continue fundingmy schooling, then I'll just move out and find a way myself." Mama slowly stands while my father looks at me with pity, clearly thinking I won’t go through with it. I scoff, "I'm not some prize you can auction off. I'm a person, and I will not marry anyone, especially not the future Don of the Italians."

Mama moves quickly. One moment, she's standing near Papa, and the next, her handprint is on my cheek.

I grunt, biting my lip so I don't make a sound as she grips my sore cheek, and gets in my face. Anger radiates from her, and she growls, "You will do as you are told."

My nostrils flare as Papa snaps, "Anastasia!"

Mama ignores him. "You will do this for your sister, or so help me, God. I will make you regret it!"

I glare at the woman who birthed me as a man's voice speaks calmly behind me.

"Mrs. Mikhailov, right now you're threatening my future bride, who has just been given, what I can only imagine, is quite the shock, and I do not take this lightly. I suggest you get out of her face, and move back right now."

Mama glares at him but flinches, realizing who she is glaring at, and looks down. I don't move or even look at the man.

"Mikhail, maybe we need to knock off half a million for your wife's actions," another man states, and I stiffen, my eyes going to my father.

He flinches at the coldness in my eyes, and nothing but hate fills me.

He sold me…he actually sold me.

"You can't do that…Liliya needs…." Mama's words cut off and I chuckle, shaking my head.

"Wow, so not only did you sell me, but you sold me for yourotherdaughter," I sneer, and Papa looks down. "Real nice," Icomment, and he flinches. Mama gives me a cold, sharp look, which I return with such hatred that even she flinches.

As always, my sister comes first.

A man behind me, speaks, "The contract states, you'll marry my son two semesters into college, and will continue with your Bachelor’s after your wed." Oh, how nice of them. I fist my hands when my father gives me a pointed look to remind me the Italian Don is speaking, but I curl my lip at him, causing his eyes to widen. The man continues, "It is stated that you cannot divorce unless you have given birth to an heir within five years; if you haven't, then not only will you lose everything, your possessions, money, clothes on your back, but you'll lose whatever job my son allows you to have, and will be blacklisted."

Motherfucker!

I smirk at my father, and give him a round of applause with a slow clap, and sneer, "Wow, so not only did you sell me like cattle, but you've even stipulated a breeding program, and ensured I’ll have nothing if I don’t go ahead with said breeding program. Well done; you've outdone yourself."

Papa doesn't react except for grabbing Mama's hand before she can smack me again, while my eyes go to the contract on his desk, my name and Romeo’s are in large capital letters at the top.

Shaking my head, I ignore everyone in the room and step forward. I pick up the pen and sign my life away, knowing my mother won't allow Liliya to suffer for whatever reason, even though it’s most likely her own doing.

I slam the pen down and look at my father. "There you go, Pakhan Mikhailov." He flinches. "You've officially sold your youngest daughter for your eldest." I lean forward. "After I'm forced down that aisle, I don't want to see you or yourbitch wife ever again, because as far as I’m concerned, I’m an orphan."

His eyes widen, and he goes to speak, but I ignore him, and storm out of his office without acknowledging the other men, not even glancing at my future jailer.

I guess I was stupid to think my father would allow me to live a normal life.

"You look beautiful, Elena," my Papa whispers, bringing me out of my head, and I look up in the mirror, making eye contact with him.

He knows I don't want this; he knows Liliya does, yet I'm being pushed to do it. I don't understand why, when the man I'm due to marry only wants one person, and that's my sister.

For the past two years, I have been forced to have dinner with him at my father's home with my sister in attendance. Every time, my sister hangs off of my future husband, and he allows her to. He seems to only have eyes for her—heck, I don't even know his actual eye color.

It should be her in the wedding dress, not me.

It was only last week I caught them in what looked to be an intimate situation. My sister was leaning against the wall near the front entrance to our home, while Romeo had his arm leaning above her head, his face close to hers.

She looked ready to rip his clothes off.

"Are you ready, Printsessa?" my father asks, but I ignore him. I've barely said a few words each time I'm forced into his proximity, which is quite a lot, no thanks to my soon-to-be jailer.