Owned by the enemy

er the wedding,

felt cold. The silence of the room stretched lik

ty spot beside me. Dante hadn't come back. He hadn't even stayed in the room.

his wasn't a marriage bui

a tran

s the

-

oo still-every surface shining, every corner untouched. It looked like

didn't know greeted me with a gentle smile. She introduced hersel

aid, already plating up some

not re

but firm. "It's your first mor

. I didn't have

eating eggs I barely tasted, I

di

-

e Dante at a

the

andered room to room, unsure what I was allowed to touch or do. Everyone who worked here see

hird day,

the hallway and as

nreadable. "Mr. Roma

s of

east wing. "End of the hall. But

dn't

-

oor. Thick mah

raised my hand and

me the voice

ned th

rs in front of him, laptop open. He looked up

ve," I said,

ou," he re

ignore your wife

. "Do you usually barge into

loser. "Why am I here if you don

're here because that's w

erly. "Because women

ust a bargaining chip, Giulia. You're

sed to make me

posed to make

e was. How nothing

I didn't choose this? Th

nd presence towering, making the spa

nk I woke up one day and said, 'Let me marry the daughte

hy did y

more important than pride. Peace is more valuable

"So that's al

away. "Righ

esty was

humiliated, but hi

now who I am, G

dn't

l, blood, and war. I don't waste t

sked, turning back. "An ornament on

ching me, but close enough

belong to me now. Th

-

ormed

g to me the entire

-

ht, I cri

m. Not for

of myself that had

-

week passed i

spent most of my time alone, wandering the garden, flipping through books I co

ng was chang

ld with no say. But that didn'

y business. About the history. About the all

she gave me looks-quiet warn

g, she pull

l what you

" I wh

se, knowledge isn't j

-

ng to piece th

peace. He'd made a calculated move-putting me

he alliance, it would b

pawn on t

could be

-

t, I coul

nd myself outside his office a

d it quietly and saw him inside-pou

ither?" I asked, st

, surprised. "Some

hings on my mind. But

a brow. "An

hy

way. He poured a second g

it, su

ouldn't kill my own wife. That's why he offered

was ins

no

ink. It burned a

is," I admi

o I,"

t speaking. Just two strangers boun

silence, some

he man behind the cold eyes.

t a

e. Li