We entered, my eyes fell upon Zaniel and his parents- ‘he does’. Oh my God. He lives here as well.
Sending daggers at Prince Sir, another woman around Sir's age smiled at us nervously. Before I could comprehend their faces, especially the detest making me almost faint, a screeching voice came.
I looked up and saw a six year old girl with long blonde hair and glimmering sky-blue eyes, adorably running in our direction.
"Papa!" She yawped.
The constant grimace of Prince Sir's face faded and curled into a grin, bending on one knee and holding his hands out with an exhilaration as if he had found holy grail.
"Sky!" He called her happily and picked her up.
She is his daughter!
My eyes widened in disbelief, only watching him picking his daughter and kissing her forehead.
The soft impression on his face was something I have never seen, a genuine smile.
"How's my princess?" He asked, kissing her hands.
"Where were you!? I missed you so much!" She chirped, hugging him.
"Well, sorry. But Papa is here now and he is going to make up for the lost time. Deal?"
Grinning, she made a bump fist with him, "Deal."
"Great." The man in front of me was not the ominous Mafia leader I met, who devastated me.
He was just a father that time. Then that means, his wife must be here as well. This thought alone sends cold shudders to my core.
"She is my new Mama?" The girl, Sky, asked, looking at me.
"Princess, why do you think anyone can take Mom's place?" He asked, arching a brow playfully at her.
"She is your wife." She replied, tilting her head.
"Well, she is. Her name is Cinzel. Say hello to her." He smiled, taking her hand in his and waving at me.
"Hey Cinzel." She grinned.
I forced out a smile and waved back weakly, "H-Hey..." I feel stupid for thinking he was single.
"Sky, Papa has something to do first, why don't you go and play with Amanda till I come?" He smiled, putting her down.
"Oh, okay. Be back soon or else I won’t talk to you." She ordered him, running back to her caretaker.
"I will, Ma’am." He chuckled and the moment she was out of his sight his assertiveness came back, taking my freezing hand and walking up to Zaniel, motioning them to follow him.
We walked down a hallway and reached upon a patio, away from everyone. All of his family was present there, making me feel startled but not as much as his grip on my hand did.
I held an almost crying face, holding the hem of my dress.
"The expression on her face clearly tells her that her consent wasn't involved in this marriage." Mr Ayle said firmly with a frown.
"So what? I liked her." He replied coldly.
"Why doesn't it have to be my Son's fiancée?" Mrs Ayle asked sadly.
"I had my eyes on her when I saw her in High School."
"What?! Highschool?!"
"Yeah and I want all of you to keep it in your mind, she is my wife from now on. Astrid, make sure she doesn't have any problem."
He ordered while my eyes couldn't remove themselves from Zaniel who was looking down with contrite.
"Yes, Brother."
"This is unacceptable, just because she was young and beautiful, you stole her away from my son." Penelope argued, holding her forehead, barely holding herself back from grabbing anything and throwing it at him.
"You all should never forget."
His voice came exasperated, turning to look at me with a dark smirk, dooming my sense fixated upon me.
"I simply explore other means to get what I desire."
My heart stopped for a second when he said it and turned to them. I began to shake, not knowing how to react other than displaying fright.
"You're scaring her…" Zaniel whispered.
"She has to bear it until she learns to bear my very presence." He retorted.
"Prince-"
"Penelope, do not question me." He enunciated, shutting everyone and took me with him. My heart rate was abnormal, even hitting my chest by consternation.
When my eyes fell upon Zaniel, I wanted to cry, curse him for playing with me, for showing me a fervent life and then break it miserably. Giving irrecoverable scars to my heart. I tried so hard still a tear rolled down my cheek.
He climbed the stairs, opened the front giant door, leading to a long hallway and took a turn as by the end of it, we ended up in his unimaginably enormous room, adorned with beauty I couldn't fathom but the strangest things was even the vases here were empty and still no picture of anyone. A chandelier hung in the middle to complete the grace of his room.
I watched around in faze and turned to him.
"My younger Sister Astrid will take care of you. I acted in front of her saying that I love you for a while. So if she tries to induce any funny thoughts in your mind, better annihilate it." He explained, I only gave him a nod.
"Um.. Is it your room?" I asked hesitantly. He raised a brow, walking to me, lifting my chin.
"Darling, it's our room." He smirked, making my heart swing.
I suddenly felt light-headed just by the thought of sharing a room with him or what could possibly happen behind closed doors.
"Then what a-about your wife? T-That girl’s mother?" I stuttered, feeling dreadful in his presence.
My question faltered all his amusement, removing his hands from me, he moved away and left before saying.
"I am going to be with Sky for the rest of the day so don't bother me."
After he left, I sat on the bed, hiding my face in my hands, heartbroken at the point where life left me.
I'd be ruined if I had to live here with Zaniel as his Aunt because each time my eyes would pair with his all I could peruse was raze where I loved him all my life but he fragmented my feelings by his cruelty.
‘How am I going to survive here?’