Chapter 4 Kiss The Bride (TESSA)

The priest emerged from behind the confessional. He was trembling, and his face was ashen from the sight of the mess in his church. He muttered something under his breath. Perhaps he was praying for the people who had died in his church.

“I will marry this woman. Do it quickly, Father.”

“But is she willing to marry you?”

The priest cleared his throat softly under Zeal’s sharp gaze.

“I’m not willing.”

“So you’d rather I throw you into a brothel, huh?”

Zeal turned to the priest and gestured for the wedding to begin.

“I don’t want to end up in a brothel, but I don’t want to marry you either.”

“Don’t bother showing your tears. It won’t change my mind at all.”

“Asshole!”

Zeal said nothing. He focused on intimidating the priest into starting the wedding. I regretted giving Zeal credit for his kindness in saving me. He wasn't as good as I thought. He was as corrupt as everyone else in that church. He was as corrupt as his adoptive father.

"I, Zeal Ferhaag, take Quintessa Stewart to be my wife for better or worse—"

I didn't really listen to his next words. My mind and ears were fixated on the part where he said my name so firmly. It was as if he meant it when he said he wanted to marry me.

"Tessa, your turn."

"Wh-what?"

I stammered. My mind went blank. Everyone around me suddenly dissolved into smoke. Only Zeal and his cold face filled my vision.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and say your wedding vows now."

"I-I..."

Zeal pulled a gun from his belt. He pressed the muzzle to my temple.

"Now. Or never."

I closed my eyes, swallowing all the anger, disappointment, and sadness at my unfortunate fate. In one breath, I recited my wedding vows. Witnessed by God, the priest, and those damn mobsters, I was finally officially the wife of Zeal Ferhaag, the ruthless ruler of Chicago.

“Congratulations to you two. You are now husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

“What? No.”

I turned to the priest in panic.

“Please, don’t let him kiss me.”

“But he is your husband,” the priest said hesitantly.

“It’s okay, father. I’ll take care of my wife.”

“No. Don’t you dare…”

My breath hitched as Zeal wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled me in, and my body collided with his hard body. My palms pressed against his chest for space. He was perfectly calm. His heart wasn’t even pounding as hard as mine.

“Easy. I’ll just kiss you to seal our marriage. I won’t bite you, wife.”

“Don’t touch me.”

“I’ve already touched you. And I always get what I want.”

He cupped my face with his free hand.

“Let go of me, you bastard.”

He smirked before kissing me in front of God and everyone present at our blood wedding. His lips moved softly against mine. I bit him with all the anger bubbling inside me. Zeal pushed me away.

“I said don’t touch me.”

I didn't see any anger on his face. He just grinned and wiped the blood from the corner of his lips with the back of his hand.

"Let's go home to your new home, wife."

He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the church. Countless corpses were trampled underfoot. The hem of my dress was stained with their disgusting blood. But I couldn't find my father's body among them. The old man had truly fled, leaving his wife and two daughters in the midst of a horrific mafia war. What a shame.

"Put on your seatbelt."

"Where are we going?"

"Home."

"Whose house?"

"Our home."

"You mean your adoptive father's house?"

"His house is my house. I control the entire organization now."

"Are you sure? You're just an adopted child. You're not related to Anthonio by blood. As for Kris, he's his brother. He has the right to inherit his throne."

"I'm not going to argue with you now. I'm fucking tired, and I still have a lot of shit to do."

“You don’t have to bother arguing with me because that’s the truth. You’ll be kicked out of the organization soon, and Kris will take over.”

"Whatever. Anthonio's lawyer will read his will in three days. I'll accept whatever is written in the will."

That was strange. I didn’t see a flash of greed on his face. He truly didn’t care about Anthonio’s inheritance. I thought he was like most adopted children who always covet their adoptive parents’ inheritance, but Zeal wasn’t like that at all. Or he was just pretending to be uninterested in Anthonio’s inheritance to protect his pride in front of me.

“Why did you marry me?”

“So you chose to be thrown into a brothel? Trust me, marrying me was much better than any other option you had.”

“You could have let me go instead of marrying me. You know it wasn’t me who screwed up, it was my father.”

“Anthonio also knows that your father screwed everything up, but you think we care? No. All we care about is your father paying his debts.”

“Bastards. All of you disgusting, cruel mobsters. You should rot in hell.”

“Yeah, when the time comes.”

The rest of the journey was filled with silence. I tried to distract myself by staring at the boring scenery we passed. It was only then that I realized I was homeless after my father sold me to the mafia. The house I’d lived in since I was a child no longer felt like home. If Zeal hadn’t taken me to his house, I might have ended up sleeping under a bridge with the homeless.

“Welcome home.”