“You don’t have feelings for me, and I’m sure it won’t reflect badly on you that our wedding got canceled. I thought being left at the altar would look better in your CV than a divorce, especially with conservative voters,” I said with a teasing smile, but Clifford didn’t smile. He looked dead serious and so did his parents.
“Couldn’t you have decided this before our wedding day?” he asked. “I thought Santino was only a fling.”
He was meant to be only a fling. But he was everything. I should have realized it sooner and been brave enough to act on my feelings. After all, I’d visited him every day despite Enzo’s disapproving gaze and had spent almost every moment worrying about him and not my wedding.
“Excuse me,” Clifford said in a clipped voice. “My father requires my presence. I assume he needs to brief me on how we can destroy your family in the most public way.”
I didn’t get the chance to say more because we walked off. My heart sank. The Clarks would undoubtedly cause major trouble, unless we stopped them. Judging by Dad’s calculating expression, he was already trying to come up with a plan.
I wished I could help him but my mind was a mess. Mom appeared at my side and ushered me through the side entrance, and then back into the room where I’d waited before.
“I can’t believe you stopped the wedding,” I whispered with a stunned giggle.
Mom shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it either. “Your father isn’t happy with us, and I can’t even blame him. He’ll have many sleepless nights trying to figure out a way out of the mess.”
I nodded. Despite my guilt, a relieved smile once again tugged at my lips. I wanted to dance in joy. I’d never felt more relieved in my life, as if suddenly the future held promise again.
“The look on your face is the one of a happy bride,” Mom said with a small smile, touching my cheek.
I bit my lip. I could hardly contain my happiness, even if today marked the day my reputation would be shredded. Maybe things wouldn’t be as bad because many Made Men had been against a bond with a politician. Still, they probably wouldn’t be happy with how things had gone down.
“I know this is because of Santino, and I want you to know that I don’t approve of your bond. I stopped this wedding because I knew you’d be unhappy in it.”
“Is it really so bad that Santino and I have feelings for each other? He took several bullets for me, Mom. He would do everything for me. You shouldn’t be angry at him. I’m the one who put him through hell.”
Mom pursed her lips. “We’ll see.”
Santino was well respected, especially among the soldiers. I knew he’d eventually win Mom over as well. Dad, however… I was anxious about facing him. “Does Dad suspect anything?”
“About you and Santino? Even if he didn’t want to suspect anything before, he’ll certainly come to his own conclusions now, and a failed wedding always makes people assume there’s someone else.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to protect the Outfit from the waves I’ve caused, okay?”
Mom kissed my temple. “We’ll all handle it together as a family. Now wait here while I try to talk to your father.”
I nodded quickly, and Mom left.
I stared at myself in the mirror. I glowed. Glowed like a bride should on her wedding day. Glowed because my wedding had been canceled.
The door swung open and I expected Dad or Leonas, but Sofia and Luisa slipped in, their faces slack with shock.
I gave my best friends a sheepish smile.
“What the hell just happened there?” Sofia shouted.
Luisa seemed incapable to find words.
I shrugged but a relieved grin split my face. I couldn’t put into words how glad I was that I wasn’t going to marry Clifford, which was totally unfair toward him.
“Mom had something against me marrying Clifford, and I couldn’t go through with it either.”
Sofia widened her eyes comically. “Anna! The press is all over this. Tomorrow everyone will be talking about this.”
“It’s bad, isn’t it?” I asked, but I couldn’t feel regret. Guilt for bringing this down on Mom and Dad? Yes. But not regret.
I should have put a stop to my bond with Clifford a long time ago. I’d clung to our arranged marriage out of some misguided sense of duty, wanting to be the good, virtuous daughter everyone thought I was.
Luisa touched my arm. “You really love Santino, don’t you?”
I bit my lip. I’d never said it to him and hardly dared to admit it to myself. “Yes.”
“I mean, if he’d been present, it could have been straight out of a romantic comedy. With him in the hospital in a coma, it has potential as a drama though.”