Chapter 16

Lana's pov

Breakfast was served.

The silence of a desert occupied the room, Aria came from her room, Lorenzo gave her the guest room next to my bedroom, after she I knew later that she was fucking locked up in a soundproof one upstairs.

I pitied her her swollen,tired eyes, her walk was so weak and disturbed. She came to me,

Cried for a about fifteen minutes. I held her close to me, understanding what she has gone through, the mind-fucked up facts I couldn't once adapt to.

But Aria's way weaker than me, she never worried about a thing. She lived carefree.

All what she wanted was approved of.

Nothing bothered her.

The Aria I am seeing right now, is nothing like my sister I have always known. She's broken.

Severely broken.

She slept in my arms for about a half an hour before Freya called us for breakfast.

I picked up a dress for her while she was in the shower, a dusty rose colored sun dress,tied her hair up into a ponytail, but she let it down in a messy state.

She didn't speak a word.

She only sighed.

She couldn't do anything.

She couldn't even lift an arm to raise her hair.

I spoke softly,

- I know tha-

- listen to please..I can't tell how much I hate myself right now, but you have to believe me, daddy didn't give me a choice.

- No, Aria. You always have a choice. You could have told me,for instance.

-It's not that simple.

-if you put yourself in my place, you'd have come up with a solution.

She stayed silent.

- But right now, we both have no solutions but to do what Lorenzo and Mattia ask us to...I have known Lorenzo for quite a while now, he did everything in his hands to protect me. Unlike..daddy.

I spoke sarcastically,

- listen to me, Ari. We have to accept what's happening, I know it's hard. But we need to stay alive.

-For what ? I don't see one reason why I should stay alive.

I put both my palms on her shoulders and for the first time, a sharp load voice echoed through my throat.

- For me, Aria. You need to stay alive for me. Do you still wanna disappoint me ? You wanna leave me all alone if you killed yourself ? Are you fucking for real ? Grow the fuck up.. you have to, no no, YOU MUST GROW UP.

She flenched as tears were collected at the corners of her eyes,

-Go with whatever options are provided to you..for my sake..for your sake.

Tears slipped down her face.but I didn't hold back from continuing,

-You're now safer here. You're not safe with daddy. He fucking sold both of us. You have to accept that.

-w-what ? Us ?

- Yes, later you'll know everything. For now, I need you to adapt. Just go with it. You have no choice but to.

She hesitated a little bit managed to talk,

-But they hate me, you didn't see the way he looked at me ? Like I am a fucking slut. You didn't see how he treated me since I came here. Why is he helping me then ?

-He doesn't hate you.Aria.

-He does. I can't stand to look at him in the eyes for more than two seconds. He loathes my existence.

-Can you stop this nonsense ?

She bit her lips trying to hold back her tears.

-Give yourself a chance,Ari. I promise you. You'll be fine. I mean look at me, I am okay,see ?

She doubtfully looked at me, nodded in utter silence.

I sprayed perfume on her to make her feel a little bit better about herself, kissed her head and went to the bathroom to get dressed. I choose a mini lime green floral dress, with a short slit on my left thigh, paired it a deeper shade of green of a kitten heeled sandals.

Some gold bracelets would do the perfect contrast.

As we went downstairs, Aria made sure to be behind my back, I could feel Lorenzo's firing stare undressing me, I love how he looks at me !

I have always loved that since the party, if I may be honest.

So alluring, like a lion ready to attack its prey !

We quietly ate, Aria ate nothing but a couple of grapes,  with a concerned look, she gave me an annoyed one back.

I looked at Mattia, he was so focused on his plate, like it would break from the power of his stare at it, Is he always this frustrated ?

Lorenzo, checking his phone, interrupted my thoughts and said,

- You've have something to say ? 

-umm-yes.

-What is it?

-I was wondering if Aria can go with me to Versace.

Mattia's hand stopped chopping the sausage from his plate, glanced at me with a cold stare, but Lorenzo replied,

- Mattia is the one responsible for your sister, Lana.

Why can't she ask him that ?

I looked at Aria, then to Mattia, who continued eating with a flash in his eye I couldn't define.

I poked Aria with my elbow to say something, she knew I needed her with me.

She looked at him tentatively,

-C-Can I go with her ?

Without even looking, he rasped.

-No.

she bit her lips, with her eye on her empty plate, said hesitatantly,

-Please ?

He took a last bite of his toast and gotten up from his seat, taking his jacket in a hurry and said while leaving the room,

-Don't be late !

I sighed in relief, So as Aria.

I looked back at Lorenzo, a faint smile was vanishing from his mouth, he followed Mattia outside minutes after we heard the engine of his car.

- whenever you're ready we can go.

We nodded, as I wiped my mouth and Aria took her purse. We followed him to the black porche waiting outside, as I caught Aria looking at the Mattia's car at the distance as he took off speedily.

————-

Once we arrived, memories of me and Aria shopping in Versace in Milan  a couple of months ago gleamed in my mind, I looked at her as she smiled at me, as Lorenzo parked, he warned,

- Only one rule apply,Lana

- What are you talking about ? What rule ?

-No.lingerie-like.dresses !

-You can't be serious.

-Try me.

-Lorenzo, I can wear whatever I like. You can't control that.

-Oh yeah,watch me control it.

-but I jus-

-No buts. I am serious. Isn't it enough for you already that fucking revealing dress you're wearing ?

- There's nothing wrong with my dress, Lorenzo.

-Lana !

- what ? Huh ? What ?

-Get out. You have two hours. I have registered my credit card there. Pick a dress and shoes for you and your sister and let's ge this over with.

I fired him an angry look as I opened the door, so as Aria, Lorenzo leaned forward and said,

- I don't need you to worry, my men are everywhere. Nothing will happen, okay ?

I didn't reply as he took off.

Aria and I looked at each other worriedly, entered the store in a hurry without looking back.

As we met Donatella Versace for the first time, she was the most professional, unique designer I have ever met. I have worked with a lot of designers at the time I launched my art canvas collection, they bought most of my paintings, but Donatella couldn't manage to meet me as she was in New York fashion week at the time I had my gallery, so she bought a painting of mine through her assistant.

When I finally met her, we had the most wonderful conversation about her latest collection and her vision of this season's style.

She knew Lorenzo personally from a party they both attended once. He called her three days ago, booked the appointment, and even sent her a picture of me to picture all sorts of dresses she can visualize me in.

Aria sat right in front of the dressing room, waiting for me while I change the multiple dresses Donatella and I settled for. She even teared up once she saw me trying on the very last one. The one.

I could be buried in this beautiful dress !

It had lots of tulle details around it in a halo-like tail, with a stunning figure hugging all my curves perfectly,and an unsymmetrical sweetheart neckline showing my cleavage seductively with my bare back showing all the way down to the end of it. But the tulle chapel veil.

He's gonna be mad.

Perfect.

Aria gave me a playful look, knowing just what I was thinking, she knows how hardheaded I am.

Waiting for his reaction would be hard.

It was Lana's turn to choose a dress, but she was too quite, on her contrary self, to let me choose one for her, my eyebrows ached in a sudden surprise.

I took advantage nevertheless.

After a couple of try-ons, we have agreed to a black and white formal blazer dress with four gold buttons on the right corner of her body. A red bold lip with a sleek ponytail would be absolutely ravishing on her.

After two hours, we saw a navy Aston Martin DBS Superleggera parked right outside, Mattia leaning down, crossed armed looking at us as we exist the store, kissing Donatella goodbye.

He opened both car doors, when Aria looked at me problematically on who would get beside him, I immediately took my seat in the back, allowing her to be next to him, against her wish.

She had to break the iceberg between them, maybe she won't talk, but sitting next to him will ease the familiarity between them, yet i know she's too afraid to say anything.

She knows he'd fire back a hurtful reply.

However, I couldn't ease things out, as long as my brain kept howling at me,

" Your wedding is tomorrow"

" Your wedding is tomorrow"

" Your wedding is tomorrow"

Fuck.