Chapter 15 - Men She Loved

When Prisana opened the door, it was not her worst nightmare and best fantasy that stood on the other side but two men.

One of them, her father.

The other one, Giovanni.

Prisana's bursting heart faltered to one of terror. The first one to act was her father. Her father resembled the one she loved as dark circles prominent over his eyes came to light. His hair was unkempt, the suit he wore crumbled in disorderly fashion.

On cue, he stepped over the doorway and pulled her into his arms. Prisana didn't push him away. She could never push away his warm, and familiar loving arms. A moment of weakness prompted her to lean into his broad shoulders. It was everything she needed. Her father's shoulders that could carry the weight of her burdens.

"Daddy? Gio? How in the world?" she whispered under her breath.

Prisana quickly retreated from her father's loving embrace, scowling at herself for being so weak to his mere presence. She succumbed and even fell into his embrace—his trap that easily wrecked her resolve.

"It was Aunt Florence that told you, wasn't it?" she hissed, regarding them warily as they continued to invade her safe haven.

"She did it for your sake. Don't blame her," father reasoned.

Of course she couldn't blame Aunt Florence. She only felt betrayed that the last person she trusted went and deceived her. She shook her head and finally, shifted her gaze to the man who would never be able to keep vows or promises to begin with.

"And Gio? You still have the audacity to show yourself here in front of me, after what happened?"

Giovanni was the first crush she ever had and the man destined to be her happily ever after. Prisana's anger subsided to helpless sorrow upon raking over him as he stood there lingering on the porch. For the first time, she didn't feel butterflies in her stomach.

Butterflies from those bright alluring blue eyes that once looked at her with wanted passion but over the years wilted to need. From soft and carefree youthful features that shifted to hard edges of greed and power.

She could feel her heart waver. Two men that she once loved stood before her, breaking her heart all over again just from sight alone.

Giovanni invaded the cabin, apologetic blue eyes begging for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, for everything. Marry me, I promise I won't ever do anything to hurt you and make you hate me ever again."

A beautiful lie.

"Gio I could never hate you, no matter what you do to me. We both know that. But Erica, she's like my sister...How could you?" Prisana asked, not anger but hurt pouring out from her voice. "How could she? How long?"

"It was a mistake. She was a mistake. You were always my first choice. I didn't mean to," he admitted and she really did hear the sorrow laced in them. "Please Prisana, I'm begging you to come back and marry me. I love you."

Another beautiful lie. Lies so beautiful she couldn't stand around to hear them any longer. Giovanni and her father wanted to give her the beautiful lies. She wanted the ugly truths. But Prisana knew they wouldn't give it to her. To them, she was only worthy of the beautiful lies.

"No," she uttered, surprising herself.

The simple one word syllable was something she never uttered once before Giovanni or her father. She had to watch their faces warp into confusion to confirm that she did say those words aloud..

"No," Prisana repeated, more resolute and more commanding. "I won't marry you."

"Prisana," her father interrupted, his politician tone booming through her ears. "This is not a choice. You are my daughter and as my daughter you will do as I say. You will sign the marriage certificate. You will live with Gio as his wife and do as you are told. Don't make me make things hard on you because I can."

Prisana's father was the senator of state. Giovanni was the son of New Jersey's largest oil company and owned a portion of the stocks. Who was Prisana? She was only a senator's daughter. No assets or self worth. Both men had endless resources to find her no matter where and how far she ran. Prisana was only a pawn in their game of power. No matter what she did, they would no doubt search the ends of the earth to find her.

She made the choice. One that she was not proud of but one that only ignited her will to break free.

Prisana stormed through both men and walked into one of the sleek black cars, slamming it shut behind her. If they wanted to think she was going to be obedient and listen, they could. They could continue to control her desires and her life for the time being but from the moment she escaped her vows, Prisana was never going to become captured again.

A pawn could rise to be a queen.