2 - ZARA

I hadn't been able to sleep all night. I'd been tossing and turning countlessly, unable to stop my sobbing and screaming. Crying and crying, my tears pit-pattering onto the floor, soaking my clothes, knocking myself sick. Crying until I could feel my windpipes crush, my heart explode, not having the energy to cry anymore.

I wished I'd ran away, just like my sister had.

At least by running away, she'd saved herself from having a forced marriage.

Now it was me that had to take the fall for her.

Pay the price for her leaving me behind, alone.

I needed to figure a way out of here, but it seemed impossible. Everywhere, I was going to be watched.

I knew that Marcello would beat me black and blue if I defied him.

As the night turned into day, I heard the door unlock, and somebody made their way inside. I could feel my heart fall into the pit of my stomach, just praying that it wasn't Marcello.

To my surprise, it was a woman that walked into the room. She was holding a plate of food in her hands. She had long, dark black hair, pale green eyes, pale skin, and she was wearing a loose pink maxi dress, her whole body covered from head-to-toe. She was absolutely beautiful. I wondered who she was. I definitely knew that if she was related to any of the people here, she was bound to be a bitch for sure.

"Who are you?" I asked, folding my arms.

"I'm Marcello's sister," she stated simply. "My name is Aurora."

The bastard had a sister?

Just my damn luck.

She was bound to be twice the psychopath he was.

"What do you want?" I spat back bitterly.

"You look like shit," she shrugged. "No offence. I brought you food, you're bound to be hungry."

I rolled my eyes bitterly. "Nice of you to show me some concern. Like you give a fuck how I am, or how I'm feeling."

"You're right, I don't," she said flatly. "But I've been asked to go shopping with you today, so you're going to have to put up with it. Have a shower, get dressed and put some make-up on. Make yourself look more presentable. News has already spread that you're Marcello's soon-to-be wife. We have a certain standard of appearance that needs to be met. Whenever you go outside, you're representing us. The Camorra."

"I don't want to go anywhere," I snarled. "Leave me the fuck alone."

She rolled her eyes, before making her way towards me, putting down the plate of food on my bed. There were buttered pieces of toast, orange juice and porridge oats. I could feel my blood boil as I stared at the food. Rage overcame me, and without thinking twice about what I was doing, I grabbed hold of the dish, throwing it across the room, allowing it to smash against the wall, and the contents to spill all over the floor. I let out a blood-curdling scream.

"I've been kidnapped, taken away from everything I knew, and you think I want to eat?!" I yelled bloody murder. "Fuck you, bitch!"

She cocked her head to the side, balling her hands into fists, rage written all over her face, as if she was trying to restrain herself from doing something she would regret.

"You can clean that up yourself, you whore," she snarled. "Starve for all I care. You're a fat ugly bitch anyway. I don't know what Marcello sees in you."

She let out a low chuckle, and I could feel my heart twist into knots.

"I'm not making you food again. Now are you going to get ready, or should I inform Marcello and tell him to come upstairs to beat you black and blue?" She folded her arms. "I'd slap you myself, but I'm not allowed to lay a finger on you. The only person that's allowed to have his way with you is Marcello."

Tears pricked in my eyes. I bit down on my lip, hard, doing my best to stop them from falling. I could feel my lip tear, and glisten with blood, but I ignored it, trying my best not to show any weakness. The last thing I needed was these pricks thinking they could walk all over me. The last thing I needed was them believing they were getting to me.

My chest heaved upwards and downwards, as I shakily got on my feet, and crouched down to the floor, to begin clearing the mess I'd made. I had to stop fighting this. I had to do as I was told. I would never be able to find a way out of this if I lost use of my arms and legs from being beaten too severely.

"Good girl," Aurora smirked victoriously. "Clean every last drop. I've left some clothes in your wardrobe. Let me know when you're ready to go."

I swallowed down a lump in my throat, before giving her a feeble nod.

She made her way out of the room, slamming the door behind her.