Council

Back again with a quicker update!!! Let's hope I can keep this up!

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Our first night together felt like our time in New York; Blissful. My arrival was kept a secret, so no one came to visit the estate. Dominic had to leave me alone in the evening to finish paperwork, which gave me time to unpack my things and get situated. Soon, he was back in our bed, showering me with love and affection.

I woke up after Dominic. He was already dressed in a black suede suit by the time I sat up in bed. He walked over to me to give me a kiss.

"Work so soon?"

"Yes, I have to prepare for the council's arrival."

"Council? What council?"

"The council of famiglias. It's just my uncles or my Father's friends over the years. We are a collective. We have a council to make sure that our joint businesses and famiglia name hold power."

"Why are they coming?"

"Because I went off the deep end. The council wants to come to see if I truly reclaim to my sense or if I need to replace."

Instantly the guilt of our past filled my stomach. I am to blame for Dominic losing himself and essentially ruining his business. First, his close guard had to take over the company because he was a drunk mess. Now, his business and livelihood are at risk because of me.

"Don't be worried. I am fine; money is coming in, and now your back. Besides, my meltdown doesn't compare to the other meltdowns in the council. Mine is minor compared to my uncles." Dominic reassured.

"Do I need to be there...you know to show a united front?"

"No, love, but there is something you can do. One of my Father's friends in the council has found a relatively younger wife. She's twenty-one and still adjusting to your lifestyle. But, unfortunately, he has to bring her with him because the last time he left her at home, she set the guest wing on fire." Dominic chucked.

"She set the house on fire!?" I shrieked.

I can't lie...I've contemplated setting Dominic on fire when I hated him, so I understand the hate this woman must feel for her husband. However, I can't believe she actually did so.

"Yes, I thought you were a firecracker, but that girl respectfully deserves that title. Anyways, I need you to entertain her while we meet. Keep her calm, tell her your journey...just keep her from setting our house on fire."

"How do you expect me to entertain an arsonist?!"

"I'll have the maids set up the Loggia near the south entrance. Sip some wine and talk. Let her know there are consequences for her actions. It's better to come to a resolution than continue this war."

"What consequences would she face?" I wondered. Dominic and I were at war once upon a time, so I wonder what my future would look like if I continued.

"She would be eliminated," Dominic said harshly.

Dominic continued to get ready as I sat in bed in silence. The thought of someone being killed because they're trapped and unhappy in a loveless marriage hurts me deeply. Who knows how she got into this world, but I can tell you that this like isn't for the weak. The mere idea that my fiancé is a drug-dealing killer who controls most of Europe is mind-shattering enough. She must be scared and angry as any woman should be. I can't wait to talk to her; maybe I can be a friend in this stressful situation.

I had only an hour to get ready for the council's arrival. After showering, I changed into a black turtle neck thigh-length dress with black sandals to match Dominic's suit. I made sure my hair and light makeup were absolutely perfect before meeting Dominic at the front door. Dominic took my hand and led me outside to wait on the front steps. The front gate was open already, and a line of black Escalades drove up to the main doors. In total, 6 cars pulled up and stop in front of us. Six men came out of the first three cars. It was a mixture of relatively young and older men and Dominic's Father, Leandro.

A few minutes had passed before the last car door swung open. A relatively young man came out with a scowl on his face. Behind him was a young woman with fiery red long hair and tears swelling in her beautiful green eyes. This must be the unhappy couple. The husband whispered something into the girl's ear that made her eyes widen and water more. She became stiff but nodded her head as he walked away to greet the other men.

Dominic walked over to the men to greet them. They were all smiles and laughter for a moment until Leandro caught a glimpse of me. To my surprise, he waved at me and sent me a wink, then continued his conversation with the other men.

I walked over to the crying redhead. She froze the closer I got to her. Then, I saw her husband eye me heavily from the corner of his eye.

"Hello, my name is Alessandra. What's yours?" I whispered to her. She quickly wiped her tears away before they could fall.

"Cassia," Cassia whispered back.

"You don't need to be afraid...well of me anyways. A few months ago, I was in your shoes. I'm going to go greet the men, then we can go to the back to have a drink, Okay?"

Cassia nodded her head in agreement.

I walked over to the men and stood slightly behind Dominic. He pulled me closer to his side before speaking.

"Men, you remember Alessandra from our engagement party."

"Ah, just as beautiful as that night. Ciao Bella." One of the older men complimented.

"Thank you, and welcome to our home."

They all seem to scan me with their eyes, and their attention stopped at my ring finger. They noticed my engagement ring sitting beautifully on my finger. I got the nod of approval.

"Well, gentlemen, let's head to the study," Dominic announced. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked back to Cassia.

I led Cassia around the house to get to the Loggia. This is definitely one of my favorite parts of the house. The furniture was all color-coordinated with black, white and royal blue. The plush patio chairs faced the beautiful view of the estate. A stone coffee table that converts to a table fire pit sat in the middle. There was also a bluestone bar in the corner that is fully stocked with the finest of liquors. Like promised, there were sizeable assorted charcuterie boards on the table and a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket with a small bell beside it. I sat on the oversized couch and waited for Cassia to take a seat beside me. Instead, she sat at the far end of the sofa away from me with her head bowed down.

"You don't need to be afraid, Cassia; honestly, I've been exactly where you are. Here take some champagne." I popped the bottle and poured her a glass. She hesitated but accepted and took a sip.

"What do you mean you were where I am?" Cassia wondered.

"I was angry and miserable with Dominic. We had an arrange marriage deal that was created way before our births. I resented him and did anything I could to make him miserable and vice versa."

"You look happy now..."

"I am. It took a lot of work, space, and patience. We also had a past fling back when we were younger, so maybe that contributed to us now. Can I know about your situation?"

"My papa owes Raphael money, a lot of money. We had to pay for mama's surgeries, and it was becoming too much. So he borrowed, thinking we had time to pay it off. Instead of payment, Raphael wanted me. My papa said no, but Raphael isn't the type to take no for an answer. So it was either I go with him, or he kills my famiglia one by one. So here I am..." Cassia confessed.

A single tear escaped her eyes as she looked at the view. My heart broke for her. What is wrong with these men? Can't they understand that women shouldn't be traded like property? We are human beings! Being put in a position where you either sacrifice your life or your famiglia is a horrible place to be in.

"How long have you been married to Raphael?"

"For a few weeks. I haven't seen my famiglia in a month."

"Is Raphael...abusive?" I asked hesitantly. If I found out this man is putting his hands on her while stealing her freedom, I'm going to kill him myself. I hope this isn't a good friend of Dominic because he's about to lose a friend.

"Physically, not really. Raphael hasn't hit me or anything, but he would corner me or throw me over his shoulder when I refuse to move. He does everything he can do scare me to submission."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Raphael made me sleep in another room because I can't be trusted, and that room has cameras all over the room and bathroom. Last week he made me sleep in the cold basement dungeon he has. You must have heard that I accidentally set the house on fire during my first week there trying to escape...Raphael made sure I never tried to escape again."

"How did you manage to set a fire?"

"Raphael knew I hated being in the dark, so for punishment, he took the lightbulbs out of the room and left me in there with candles. One day he left the window unlocked, and there was a dirt hill beneath my window from construction, so I thought I could jump. Instead, I knock the candles over when I tried to climb out. It burned so quick. Raphael thinks I did it on purpose." Cassia confessed.

"I am so sorry for your experience. I can't compare to your situation. Dominic was mean, but he wasn't that brutal. Although to be fair, he didn't want to be with me either. I also ran away but after my engagement party. It was the worse night of my life, and I had to leave for my sanity."

"Dominic, let you leave?!" Cassia shrieked.

"He didn't have a choice. I know he had people watching me, but surprisingly, my leaving is why I am here willingly. It was the best thing that ever happens to us."

"The moment Raphael lets me go, I am leaving and never coming back."

"What would Raphael have to do to get you to be more comfortable?" I wondered.

I don't want to pressure the girl into staying with a man who scares the life out of her but thinking of my situation...you never know what can flourish. Also, Raphael is a good-looking man, so I know he could get any woman he wanted. There was a reason he chose Cassia, but he has an absolutely shitty way of showing it.

"Stop being a scary narrative menace, for one; I want to be able to see my famiglia; I don't even know if my mama is okay. I want freedom and the choice to leave if I want to. Raphael is a good-looking man, but the demons in him overpower any positive about him."

"Well, now you have a friend who completely understands you and can help you. I can tell you that running away is useless. If you do make it, he won't let you get far. The power these men have is ridiculous. If you want to make it, you need to play the smart game. Stay quiet when necessary, remain quiet and recluse. Don't show him any emotion. Once he thinks he's broken you, you have the upper hand."

Cassia looked at me as she took in my words. Fighting is pointless with these people because they live to fight and break people. They're all literal killers! Hurting a woman's self-confidence and determination down is a hobby for them. Playing the mental game will go a long way.

"Thank you, this means a lot."

"Anytime."

We sat outside for the next hour until Dominic and Raphael joined us at the Loggia. Cassia didn't flinch or make eye contact when Raphael sat beside her. She's taking my advice! We all exchanged pleasantries until Raphael received a phone call, and he was needed elsewhere. I made sure to publicly invite Cassia back so she can have some relief from Raphael. Maybe she can stay here when he's away since he doesn't trust her to stay alone.

Dominic was much more relaxed after everyone left. We went upstairs to the balcony to have lunch together, away from all the guards and staff.

"How did the meeting go?" I asked as we sat and ate Steak with a spring salad.

"It was good. The council saw the books; money was coming in with extra income, and having you here was a big relief to them."

"Why is my presence so important?"

"If you left without me, it means you must have escaped. Having someone who knows about personal information running around without supervision or punishment is trouble for us. You'll be considered a threat, and threats need to be eliminated."

"YOU WOULD HAVE ME KILLED???"

"Not me, but the council would suggest it if I couldn't get you back home."

"Why haven't you told me. You told me to take my time in Milian. If I knew I had a target on my back--"

"Then you wouldn't have left, and we would be miserable in this house together. You left, we got better, and now we're together again. That's all that matters."

Dominic's right. I took the risk of leaving, but it made us stronger than before.