Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas) >>
Rhea was so angry she wanted to scream out. It was beginning to suffocate her inside that she wished to let everything out.
She wanted everyone here to know that she was more than a bargaining chip, a human being! Her uncle had no right to sell her off! This was against the law! She had dreams until they destroyed it! She did not want to marry big Joe but the love of her life when the time comes! She was worth more than a baby-producing machine! She did not want this kind of life!
However, even as her mouth opened, no sound was heard. Perhaps only the wild animals – that were nowhere to be found here – could understand the frequency of her wordless speech. It was just like she was stuck in a never-ending nightmare and there was no one to help her.
Thankfully, Big Joe did not notice her woes nor bother her with more questions that were sure to upset her because he was busy accepting words of congratulations from his guests.
It was at that moment that her gaze somehow connected with Kenith from across the room and she could see the apology in his orbs but she was not moved by it. If anything, Rhea glared at him that if eyes were bullets he would have been long dead. There was no forgiving him on this one.
“Congratulations on your new bride,” a woman’s chirpy voice caught her attention. Rhea made up her mind not to interfere with Big Joe and couldn’t wait to leave for her room however she could sense mockery from her.
“Of course, she’s beautiful, perhaps even more than the others before her,” The woman went ahead to say and that made her brows furrow.
Others before her? Rhea was quick to pick on those words. There were others before her? She glanced up at the woman, her curious gaze begging for more details.
“Perhaps she would be smart enough not to try to escape like the others and end up dead,”
“Juliet!” Big Joe scolded her.
The ones who tried to escape ended up dead? A chill traveled down Rhea’s spine and her dreams of leaving here seemed like someone just crushed it into smithereens.
It seems she had no choice but to adopt Cassie’s suggestion, but then, would she be able to leave with her decision? Dying while escaping seems a better option than living here unfulfilled.
So while Big shot was having a stare-off with Juliet, Rhea stood from her seat and at once, fell on the foot of his throne. There was no need to be ashamed, everyone in here tonight knew what her fate would be – none of them were innocent.
“I don’t want to get married to you immediately,” Rhea announced and she sensed the change in Big Joe’s demeanor, he was mad. However, Rhea was not thwarted, she had no choice but to force his hand in front of everyone. He wouldn’t harm her in public, hopefully.
She lifted her head to meet his gaze, “Give me one week, no, four days,” Rhea changed her mind when she saw his grim expression, “I want to get to know the man that I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. I have experienced a lot of shocking events in just a few days that I’m still a bit lost here,” She hinted at them kidnapping her, “And I’m not going to lie, your growth restriction bothers me,” She put it mildly.
Perhaps because of the way she framed his disability carefully, Big Joe wasn’t as mad as she thought he would be.
So she went on, “I’m not stupid enough to run off and I’ve made peace with my fate – where would I run off anyway when my own family sold me off. But from what I heard from the little time here, marrying you is not that bad anyway. I would get to have power and money. So please, give me a few days to get to spend time with you,” Rhea said, almost out of breath. She only hoped that this was enough to buy his trust.
A huge silence fell over the crowd as they waited for Big Joe’s decision. Sadly, the man sat on his throne with an indifferent expression while Rhea was still on her knees with her head bowed.
Suddenly, Big Joe burst into laughter that made Rhea bit her lips unsure. What now?
“I like her, she’s sincere,” Big Joe proclaimed then said, “Request granted,”
Four days…
The two words could barely leave Rhea’s head even after the ceremony went on as if nothing happened. It dawned on her that she had just four days to escape this hell hole. Like a patient with a terminal disease, it was just four days to live and Rhea was sure as hell that she would take full advantage of it.
It was as if Rhea became a different person after Big Joe granted her that favor. If there was anything she knew about men, it was the fact they valued their ego, and for someone like Big Joe with growth restriction, his own pride would be over the roof.
So she had a plan and it was to buy over Big Joe’s trust in three days. Yeah, you heard her, right, she had just three days to buy his trust and the fourth day would be her executing her plans of running away. And the best way to win over Big Joe’s trust was to stroke his ego.
In the Bible, it was said that on Herod’s birthday, Herodias’ daughter, danced before the king and his guests. Her dancing pleased Herod so much that in his drunkenness he promised to give her anything she desired, up to half of his kingdom. When Salome asked her mother what she should request, she was told to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Although Herod was appalled by the request, he reluctantly agreed and had John executed by beheading in the prison.
Big Joe craved attention and he must want to show off the fact he had an obedient beautiful wife to the world to boost his pride. Wasn’t that Kenith’s intention for bringing her here? Unfortunately, she would turn everything to her advantage. She, Rhea, refused to accept this kind of fate.
“Aren’t you going to retire for the night?” Rhea asked Big Joe, who was watching a dance performance by a group of lovely women clad in little articles of clothing.
“Do you want to sleep?” Big Joe asked back, his gaze staring right into her.
Rhea pulsed her lips, “I would say sleep is essential for your well-being….” and growth, she intentionally didn’t add that one seeing that he was quite sensitive to that, “But then early to bed, early to rise. I have just four days to get to know you so I have to take advantage of tomorrow, don’t you think so?” she threw back the question at him with her head tilted at the side with a smile.
Mimi always told her that her side features were a killer and she had to test that theory now.
Surprisingly, Big Joe looked dazed for a while as if he let down his defenses and that lit up hope inside her. As expected, men were men – tall or short – and they couldn’t resist a woman’s charm.
“A-hem,” He cleared his throat when he recovered from his daze, “I’ll have Kenith take you back then,”
At the mention of Kenith, the smile on Rhea’s face fell at once. That bastard!
“Must I leave with him?” She intentionally pouted her lips, appearing to be throwing a tantrum. Big Joe must not find out her suspicions about Kenith.
“He’s the one I trust the most amongst others and he’d take care of you,” He ended the conversation and in less than a minute, the always smug Kenith had appeared by her side.
“You called for me, boss,” He bowed his head with respect before his gaze flickered to Rhea who didn’t bother to look at him.
“She needs rest,” Big Joe said so nonchalantly that Rhea even began to wonder if she made any progress with him tonight. Big Joe seems so apathetic or maybe, he was pretending? Either one, she was not backing out of this challenge.
Rhea didn’t need to wait for Kenith to help her to her feet because she was already standing and before everyone’s watchful eyes, leaned over the armrest of Big Joe’s throne.
At first, Kenith seemed apprehensive and wanted to make a move thinking she was about to harm the boss but to his shock, she pecked him on the side of the cheek instead, saying with a sly smile, “Goodnight Big Joe,”
Everyone was shocked by her move – Big Joe included. He clearly didn’t expect that gesture from her. Truthfully speaking, Rhea could have been a lot cheesier but there was a clear borderline between being sweet and cheesy and Big Joe was not stupid enough to fall for that.
“Goodnight Rhea,” Big Joe said this time and failed to fully mask the goofy smile that appeared on his face.
Rhea wondered if he even knew that he called her by her name and names were the first step to a close relationship.
With a hidden smirk, Rhea turned dramatically and with grace drawing quite an attention as she retreated for the night. Unlike the first time she came in, she was now confident and proud.
Rhea didn’t speak a word to Kenith as he escorted her to her place and it wasn’t until he reached her door that she said, “Thanks for your good work,” And tried to shut her door on him but he forced his way through.