Chapter 2

★ANGELITA★

The clinking of my nails, the thundering of both my and my sister's heartbeats, and the raging fury of my father's anger were the only sounds that could be heard in my father's study.

I was still in my Chanel two-piece, while Celeste wore her sundress. We had broken the news to our father like a dam bursting, and I knew it was taking all his restraint not to pounce on my sister.

"What did you say, Celestina?" he repeated an earlier question.

Oh no! He never uses Celeste's full name unless he is furious.

"I'm pregnant, Father," Celeste responded. She wasn't the least bit scared, yet here I was, trembling as if I were the one who was pregnant.

"Celestina!!" He glowered. "You were promised to Zavarelli De Luca! What the hell do you want me to tell him now? Huh?!"

"I don't know, Father!" Celeste rose from her side of the couch. My breath hitched. She had never yelled at him this way. "I never asked to be promised to De Luca or whoever like a goddamn asset! I'm a person! A person who has feelings, Father!" She heaved for air, and I rose to place my hands on her shoulders and back.

"Calm down, Ces," I whispered in her ear, but she was still shaking.

Father finally got the message and visibly relaxed. "What do you want me to do now, huh, Celeste? We have already signed the deal. What do you expect me to do?"

Celeste didn't speak; instead, she clenched and unclenched her fists, warring with herself inside. I bit my lip. There was only one option, and that was me.

"I'll marry Zavarelli De Luca instead." Celeste's eyes snapped to mine while Father widened his.

"No you won't. Lita, you're still young," Celeste whispered.

"You didn't remember that little detail when you were opening your legs for a man?!" Father's words struck like a whip. Celeste's face paled at his words. My eyes widened as I snapped to him.

"That was too far, Father." She bristled and clenched her fists. I knew she was holding back. "And I didn't open my legs for damn men; I opened them for a man I love. But you wouldn't understand that anyway when your heart is made of black stone." She scoffed and then left the study, but I didn't miss the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

I attempted to chase after her, but Father's booming voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Did you forget what you just said? You're the one getting married in Celeste's place. Zavarelli will arrive tomorrow to collect his bride." He sneered and stood up, leaving my heart thumping in my chest.

"It's alright," I whispered to myself. "It's okay; what could go wrong?"

Later that evening.

Father might have been so angry that he called Gerard back from New York. Now we had two angry men to deal with.

"You can't give Angelita to De Luca, Father. She's too young." I rolled my eyes at Gerard's words. Yeah, twenty-three is too young—I might as well be sixteen. "And Celeste, how didn't you tell anyone you were seeing someone?"

"When I was promised?" Celeste raised an eyebrow. "I couldn't because Father would probably find the man and threaten him and his entire family just to leave me alone. You think I was going to start yelling that I was in love?" Celeste sneered as Father chuckled. Gerard only twitched his lips while I watched the whole thing unfold like some K-drama.

"You're not in love with anyone, Celestina. I doubt you even know what you're feeling," Father said.

"Yeah? Gonna say a twenty-five-year-old is young too? I'm tired of this, Father. I've made you happy for too long; let me be happy too!"

"You're happy here, Celeste! All of us are!" Father growled.

"No we are not! We have never been since Mother die! I've felt an emptiness surround me when she left this world, so no Father I'm not happy; I was never really happy until I found Williams, and I'm going to remain with him!" By the time she finished, she was flushed and huffing for air while her eyes rimmed with tears. She stood up and turned to look at me—who had been by her side all this while. "I'm so sorry this had to come down to you, Lita. I just wanted to get lost in the new happiness I found." She sniffed as I stood up immediately and hugged her tightly against me.

"Hey... It's alright. I suggested this myself okay? I'm happy doing this for you." I said against her ear, "You should be happy. You really should, Ces. You've been making sure we are all happy; now it's your turn to be happy! I'm not even mad that I'll have to marry De Luca, okay?" She nodded but was still sniffling, so I pulled away and wiped her tears. "You shouldn't cry this way; it's not good for the baby."

"Ha!" Father scoffed as we all turned to him. "You can't stay in my house with that bastard child, Celestina. I am your father—not a fool! Find whichever man you opened your legs for and go to him!"

"Oh I will!" she yelled back and turned, stomping toward the door but before she could leave through it, she stopped and turned back. "I hate you so much, Father. I really do." And with that, she left the sitting room.

As usual, I was about to chase after her when Father's words—again—stopped me: "Sit back down, Angelita. We have an unfinished discussion."