Chapter 1; The Desperate Bargain

Eleanorah Cortessi's heart raced with anxiety as she sat by her younger sister's bedside in the small town clinic. Her sister's condition was deteriorating rapidly, requiring expensive medical treatments and the doctors had made it clear that without immediate treatment, she was at the risk of giving up the ghost. Sad thing was that they refused to commence treatments on her if an installment was not paid.

She might not survive the night, she knew and in the desperation of the moment, Eleanorah's father had left with the promise of returning with the money needed for the treatments, but hours had passed, and there was no sign of him.

Eleanorah got apprehensive. Her father was not one to waste hours going to borrow money from his "friends and co-workers" like he had told her before he left.

It was almost midnight, it didn't feel right. He couldn't leave them for hours in the hospital when his daughter's health was in the hands of fate.

She stood up and meant to walk out of the clinic, to inspect the surroundings, Incase she caught any sight of her father or any of his fellow workers that worked at the factory in Casablanca.

The quiet of the clinic was shattered by the sound of commotions she heard as she stood outside.

Her instincts kicked in, and she hurried further to see what was happening but froze midway in shock when she saw her father being restrained by men she recognized as associates of Vincent Vincenzo, the notorious Mafia Lord known all over Casablanca for his ruthlessness.

Rumours had it that he killed his brother so he could take over his father's illegal empire.

Some said it was his mother that he killed, but none knew for sure because he was rarely seen. No one knew what he looked like because he always had his hat covering up his face, leaving only his lips and sometimes nose to the public.

Whispers said it was because he was ugly and sought to hide it, whereas others said that he had scars he had obtained from fights with Mafia Lord's from other empires.

He had his Enclave in Casablanca, but the villagers said that his main fortress was in Italy.

Whatever he did, no one sought to find out because everyone was afraid of him. He was known as one of the most terrifying Mafia Lord's of Italy, and here her father was been bundled by his men.

"Why are you doing this to my father?" Eleanorah demanded, her voice trembling as she rushed to where her father was and held on to him.

"Father why are they doing this to you?" She questioned.

"I'm sorry, Norah, I'm sorry" her father continued saying.

He had failed her, he thought loudly to himself.

He had failed his beloved daughter, who dropped out of school to work part time jobs to be able to support him in putting food on their table.

His wife, her mother had died when she was a teenager, and now that her daughter was Twenty One, he had promised to enroll her in an arts college so she would fulfill her dreams of being a writer, but here he had exposed her and her sickly sister to the woes and wrath of the ruthless Mafia boss.

He only meant to steal money from him and escape. He had seen him keep money in the drawer in his office once when he came with his co-worker to deliver fruits to him.

He only wanted a bundle but after he took it, he had been caught by an enforcer who alerted the others.

Now he had endangered his daughters who were at the risk of retaliation from the Mafia,the same risk he had tried avoiding.

The man holding her father turned to her, his expression cold and calculating. "Your father tried to steal from Mr. Vincenzo. He must face the consequences."

"Abuena!!!!" Eleanorah screamed, begining to cry now, realizing the situation they were in.

" You told me you were going to borrow money from your friends, why Abuena, whyyy" she teared on.

She watched as the men adjusted for someone that passed in between them.

He wore a hat that covered his face but left only his lips to the scrutiny of the public.

A chair was brought by someone that followed him from behind, he sat down and crossed his legs, smoking a large cigar that was lighted for him by someone else. She needed no one telling her it was the man whose rumours preceded him.

" Is that his daughter?" He shot at no one in particular.

"Yes Don, the second one is currently unconscious and inside the clinic" a man answered.

"The one that made him decide to dare steal from me?" He asked rhetorically.

"Imprison them and do not give them food. Take the sick daughter as well. I want them to watch her die in the dungeon without being able to do anything for her. That would teach them how to steal from me next time" he finished, giving the cigar he was holding to a man that came closer to him to collect it. He stood up and meant to leave when he heard the biggest sin he hated, the first time in his life.

"You have more than enough wealth, Mr. Vincenzo," she said, her voice steady despite her inner turmoil. "The money my father took is nothing compared to what you possess. Of what good would imprisoning us for such a small amount do for you and your self conceited ego?"

One of the men corked his gun and meant to shoot her but Vincent stopped him with a wave of his finger.

.

She reminded him of himself when he was young.

His mother had stolen money from his father once to buy a birthday cake for him, but he found out and was beating her till he asked him the same question she did.

"You have more than enough wealth father. The money my mother stole is nothing compared to what you possess, of what good would punishing us for such a small amount do to your self conceited ego" he had summoned the courage to ask his father. But the slaps and whippings that followed him after the question left his mouth made him recline to his shell.

He studied her for a moment, intrigued by her boldness. He had encountered many desperate souls in his line of work, but none of them were bold enough to question him like she did. Others were fearful for their lives, trying to sugar talk him into forgiving the and letting them go but there was something about Eleanorah's plea that caught his attention. He marvelled at her audacity

"You look beautiful and I love collecting beautiful things" he went.

Studying her facial looks.

She was beautiful and had innocent eyes, even from afar and in darkness, they could be seen.

She had very dark eye brows and her lips were pink like that of a babies. She would be a good candidate to make his pet, considering that Governor Dante Pettis' daughter he was betrothed to marry was currently still in coma.

"Perhaps we can come to an arrangement," Vincent proposed, his tone betraying no emotion.

"I will release your father and provide the money for your sister's treatment, but in exchange, you will enter into a contract marriage with me for one year."

Eleanorah's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected offer.

Her father's eyes did too. A contract marriage with a Mafia Lord like Vincent Vincenzo was not something she had ever imagined nor something she would ever wish herself. He was feared by all, she never wanted a man feared by people. She had always dreamed of easy going guys, beloved and praised by all, not someone like him, who was feared and had numerous rumours flying around about.

Her gaze met her father's.

The choice was entirely left to her. Her father could not speak, he was afraid for his life.

Eleanorah was afraid too. Her rejection meant that she and her father and sickly sister would be locked up in a dungeon, the mafias dungeon.

Her sister would likely die before the morning of the next day.

But along the line, accepting to be his contract bride also meant that she was going to become his captive. Yes his captive, it made more sense than the Contracted bride he has termed it as.

There was no reason he would want to make her his bride if not to make her his captive.

"I accept your offer," she replied, her voice firm. "I will be a good wife to you for one year, as long as my sister receives the treatment she needs." Her voice broke midway before she could finish, regardless of how she tried to hide it.

Vincent nodded, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "It is settled then. Your father will be released, and arrangements will be made for your sister's treatment."

At the finishing of his words, some of his men untied Eleanorah's father , taking him into the car, while the others went into the clinic to bring her sister.

Eleanorah stayed in the floor as she was sobbing her hearts out as she watched the car drive then out.

She didn't question where her sister's treatment would be done, neither did she question if she'd be allowed to communicate with them.

She continued crying until one of the men beckoned on her to join them in the second car, as Vincent Vincenzo had left in the first.

Returning after him to his fortress in Italy meant that she would be in a bigger dilemma.