DIE! OR MARRY ME

A clear evening sky cools the campus courtyard. The light of the sun slowly faded, warming Selena Quintanilla's body, which was sitting leisurely under a shady tree. A classic novel opens on her lap, while large headphones cover her ears, playing music that brings calm in between the rush of her routine. Around her, other students pass by, busy with their own affairs, but Selena feels comfortable in her own world-a quiet world away from her family's dangerous shadow.

Selena enjoyed this rare moment. Despite her status as the only daughter of a well-known mafia family, she feels as if she is an ordinary girl, who only needs to think about books, classes, and music. Suddenly, the calm was broken.

Her phone vibrated on the bag lying beside her. She almost ignored it, thinking it was just a message from her friends, but the vibe continued. With a slight annoyance, she removed the headphones from her ears, put the book next to her, and reached for her cell phone.

The name displayed on the screen made her heart suddenly pound. ** Antonio* * - his father's personal assistant. He rarely calls, except for important matters that cannot be postponed.

Selena swallowed, feeling an uncomfortable feeling that slowly crept in. She knew, every time Antonio called, that something was going on. Her eyes looked at the phone screen for a few seconds, as if hoping that the call was just a mistake.

However, reality cannot be ignored. She sighed deeply, then shifted the screen to accept the call.

"Yes?" her voice sounded calm, although her heart was racing.

"Selena"" Antonio's deep voice sounded at the other end, leaving no room for pleasantries. "I need you to come home immediately."

Selena was silent for a moment, a sense of anxiety began to fill every corner of her mind. "What is it?" she asked briefly, trying to remain calm.

"Your father... Passed away this morning."Antonio's voice sounded deeper, loaded with seriousness.

Selena's world stopped for a moment. The novel she is holding fell to the ground silently. The music in the headphones still hanging around her neck suddenly sounded distant, like an illusion that was no longer relevant to reality.

"What do you mean?"her voice trembled. She needed to be sure, even though her heart already knew the answer.

"Your father is dead, Selena. And ... there's something you should know," Antonio continued, his tone more emphatic. "It's about the legacy and the choices he left for you. I'll explain more when you arrive."

Selena clasped her phone tightly, her eyes blinking without focusing on anything around her. She never thought that this seemingly ordinary day would turn into a nightmare. In the midst of the quiet of college, Selena's world begins to crumble, and she knows her life will never be the same again.

**

When Selena was a child she always looked at her father as the perfect figure. A respected successful businessman, who with one touch of his hand can change the fate of their family. Mansions, luxury cars and holidays abroad were commonplace in her life. In the eyes of little Selena, her father was a hero, a man who ruled the business world with unparalleled elegance and authority.

However, everything changed one evening, when Selena was 10 years old.

That night, she overhears a conversation between her father and someone who has just come to the House. The man in the black suit looked nervous, while his father stood in front of his study window, his back to his guest. Selena hid behind the door, intrigued by the seemingly unusual serious talk.

"I've given you enough time," her father's voice sounded cold, far from the gentle figure Selena knew. "If you can't pay off your debts, then your family will bear the consequences."

The man in front of his father begged, his voice full of fear. "Please, Sir. Give me some more time, I will definitely pay for it. I just need a little more-"

"There is no more time."His father turned around, his face hard and unforgiving. "You already know the consequences when borrowing from me."

Selena didn't understand all those words. But what she did know, that night something dark and sinister began to unfold. The man's fear, the coldness of his father's attitude, and the threat implied in every word made her fur bristle.

Since that night, Selena began to notice more and more things. The faint conversations heard on the phone, the tense-faced guests who came and went, and the presence of large men who always followed his father everywhere. The more Selena asked, the more secrets were revealed. Until finally, one day, she learned the harsh truth-her father was not just a businessman. He is the feared mafia boss in this city.

An indescribable sense of disappointment filled Selena's heart. Her father, the hero of her childhood, turns out to be a figure full of violence, threats and power defended with blood. From that moment on, Selena decided to stay away.

At the age of 15, Selena began talking to her father. Selena stood in front of the man she was once proud of.

"I don't want to be involved in the family business, Dad," she said in a trembling but determined voice. "I want to live independently, without the frills of our surname."

Her father just looked at her from behind the table, as if studying the decision her daughter had made. "You know it's not as easy as you think, Selena. The world is cruel, and without the protection of family, you will fall."

"I'd rather fall and stand on my own feet than live in the shadow of your power," Selena replied, her eyes full of determination.

Her father was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly. "We'll see how long you can hold out, Selena. The outside world is not as beautiful as you think."

Selena was undaunted. She's made up her mind. From then on, she worked hard to stay away from the big name of the family. She chose to continue her studies abroad, hoping to live as an ordinary girl away from the dark world of her family.

In college, Selena was known not as the heir to the mafia throne, but as an independent and intelligent girl. She occupied herself with her studies, friendships, and hobby of reading books. However, even though she tried so hard to escape, the shadow of her extended family always followed. Whenever she sees the news or hears stories about the atrocities of the mafia in her city, the image of her father always comes to mind.

Even so, Selena promised herself that she would continue to walk forward. The mafia world is not for her and she will do whatever it takes to stay on a different path-a path away from blood and violence.

***