AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t have a doubt in my mind that he would. Julio wants power, and when he finds out Santos stepped in his way, I’m sure we’ll be facing yet another battle our family will have to handle,” I state, looking between my sisters.
“Well, whatever comes our way, we can handle. I don’t have a doubt about it.” Amelia pours some orange juice into a champagne flute and then pours a bit of champagne in there. Amelia hands it to me, and I take a sip. As the champagne and orange juice drift over my tongue, I glance down at my pink satin robe, still a bit shocked I’m getting married today.
No, it’s not a marriage made of love, but it’s something I chose for myself, and that makes me so happy. I’ve been lucky enough to decide this for myself, and I know it could’ve been very different. “You’re right. We’ll handle whatever comes our way.” More than anything, I appreciate how my family sticks together, no matter the circumstances. I take in a deep breath and look at Amelia and then at Emily. “My mother called me out of the blue the other day.”
“What?” both Amelia and Emily are completely shocked.
“Yeah, I was shocked too. Long story short, she was diagnosed with cancer and is trying to guilt me into having a relationship with her.”
Emily blinks over and over again from the pure shock of it all.
“I hope you didn’t give her an inch because she’s the type of woman who’d take a mile,” Amelia comments.
“I didn’t. I confronted her about everything she did, especially destroying all my artwork when I spent hours upon hours perfecting those pieces. She showed no remorse and instead made excuses for it. She isn’t a changed woman. She doesn’t care about what she did. She’s only trying to get me to be close to her again because she might be dying. It’s the only reason, and she thinks I’m stupid enough to believe she wants to repair our relationship.” I shake my head, beyond frustrated.
The sad part is, if this was a couple of years ago, I probably would’ve accepted her half-assed apology. I would’ve just wanted to repair our relationship, to keep the peace, but now I don’t give a fuck. I’ll be chaotic whenever I need to be, and now that I’m officially an Umarova, I understand it’s my only option.
I am the chaos.
I am the thing others should fear.
Chapter Thirteen
Santos
It’s hard to believe that I’m going to be a married man within the next thirty minutes. I’m already at the National Gallery, walking up the Portico Terrace, which leads into the art museum. It’s a grand entrance overlooking some of the best views in London. From the steps, you can see Nelson’s Column, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, and Westminster.
Someone on the museum’s staff opens the door for me, and I walk into the Mosaic Terrace. It’s just as gorgeous as the first time we saw it, with a domed glass ceiling and marble pillars. Eset loved this the last time we came here because it holds works by Virginia Wolf and Greta Garbo.
From the Mosaic Terrace, I head into the gallery’s Central Hall. Romantic music plays subtly in the background as men in black-tie attire are posted at each door. There are bodies packed to the brim, and I spot Lom with a couple of children. One I know is Karim, who is Ruslan and Amelia’s child. He might be about five months old, but I’m not too sure. The little girl is Sierra, the one my father was so upset about the Umarova family taking, who is Emily’s child.
“Santos, are you ready for this?” Lom smiles from ear to ear, obviously happy for his sister.
“As ready as I’m going to be. Eset isn’t going to leave me at the altar, right?” I laugh a bit nervously, and Lom busts out laughing.
“With my sister, nothing is ever certain. Know this. If she did, she’d have a good reason for doing it.” Lom’s words do little to calm me down, but I am wondering if Eset is going to change her mind. Sure, I’ve done everything she’s asked… but in the back of my mind, I’ve wondered if she has the capability to have me make claims to my uncle, only to leave me high and dry, to face the music with my father by myself, without any Umarova protection. I know she is capable of it, but I’d like to think that she wouldn’t do something like that. Until she walks down the aisle, I doubt I’ll be able to ease my worries.
“Mr. Ramirez, we need you to come with us. The ceremony will be starting within the next few minutes. The guests will be finding their seats momentarily.” A woman dressed head to toe in black comes over to me, and I immediately follow her. She takes me from the Central Hall into the Barry Rooms. The Barry Rooms aren’t different rooms, even though its name might lead one to believe that. It’s a massive room in a cross shape. I know Eset wants to specifically get married in this room because she thinks it’s the most architecturally stunning place in the entire gallery.
There are two sides filled with multiple rows of seats going back, and the aisle is massive, with a red carpet leading up to the arch where we’ll get married. “I need you to go stand up on the right side, Mr. Ramirez,” the woman tells me, and I walk past all the people. My side is packed, as is Eset’s.
Surprisingly enough, I find my father sitting in the front row, as is my great uncle Alejandro, cousin Gia, and cousin Leticia with her husband, Keeran. There are multiple other cousins, business associates, and other mafia family members in attendance. My good friends Ariel and Emilio are my groomsmen. I’ve been friends with them since I was a small boy, and I couldn’t imagine any other men standing up with me on my wedding day than these two. They’re both already in position, smirking and extending a hand to shake with mine.
“You ready for this?” Ariel questions.
“She’ll be the boss for the rest of your life,” Emilio says, jabbing me in the side with his elbow.
“I’m as ready as I’m going to be.” I chuckle, and music begins playing around us, echoing beautifully in the vast space.
I swallow hard and turn my attention down the aisle while the priest comes up with his bible and stands on the other side of me. Emily comes down the aisle first, walking slowly to the beat of the music, and heads to her position. Then comes Amelia, smiling so brightly. She goes to stand in front of Emily, and for a moment, I expect Eset to be coming next, but instead, it’s Sierra with a basket of flower petals, spreading them on the aisle as she takes each step.
The music changes to another song, and Eset is being led down the aisle by Ruslan, the eldest of her brothers. They walk slowly, arm in arm, until she’s brought close to me. “Who here is giving this woman to this man?” the priest questions.
“I am,” Ruslan speaks as clear as day, and Eset kisses him on the cheek before Ruslan goes to find his seat.
I hold out my hands for Eset, and she steps directly before me, looking more beautiful than I could’ve imagined. Her wedding dress isn’t like anything I’ve ever seen before, and I’m wondering if she had it custom-made for today. There are sparkles over the entire gown and even these small pearl-looking things scattered about. Eset releases my hands, and I remember we’re going to join them very shortly into the ceremony.
“Santos and Eset, have you come here to enter into marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?” the priest questions.
