3.

I've always regarded my dad as a brave, stubborn, and fearless man ; seeing him scared makes me Shiver . what is happening ?

" But if that man is planning to kill us ..... why was he here ? why did you let him come into our home ?" I ask with a trembling voice.

"Because he just made me an offer : our lives in exchange for you ," he says .

I shake my head in disbelief .

In exchange for me? what does that mean?

" I don't understand... what does he expects me to do?" I ask in a whisper .

" Victoria, Nikolay Ivanov's offere is a very generous one ; he is going to spare our family if you marry his older son ," my father declares .

"That is ridiculous !" I exclaim bursting out in a laugh . " so crazy !"

I keep on laughing until I notice my father's grim look, he is not jocking . He is serious.

"Victoria, this is not a laughing matter. you have to marry Nikolay's son to save us ," he says firmly .

I feel a Shiver of cold prickle

my scalp. This is absurd , it can't be happening .

"No, I won't do it . Have you lost your mind ? I won't marry a complete stranger ! no ! I refuse ! " I should out raged . " How can you even ask me to do that ?"

"I am not asking you . I am ordering you ?" my father yells .

"I don't care. you can't force me to marry anyone , I won't do it !" I yell back before I storm out of his office and run to my room.

I slam the door and I slide down against my door . I can't wrap my mind around what is happening , it is too absurd. A few minutes ago I was planning to spend a semester in Europe and now my father is trying to marry me to the son of a Russian mobster . How did this happen ?!

my mother pushes the door to come in but since I am learning against it she can't open it all the way . I get up from the floor and go sit on my bed. my mother comes in with a disapproval gaze on her face .

" Mom have you heard what dad is planning to do ? He has lost his mind ! He wants me to marry the son of a mobster !" I cry out as I shake my head in disbelief " you have to talk to him, he has gone too far this time ."

luckily , my mother is the only person that can make my father come to his senses ,so I trust that she can stop this nonsense right away .

" Victoria, grow up our lives are at stake , stop being so selfish ," she says to me.

My jaw drops . Is she being serious ? Not wanting to marry a stranger is selfish ?!

" Have you lost your mind to ? I won't marry the son of a mobster ; how can you do this to your own daughter ?!"

my mother takes me by the shoulders and squeezes hard .

" Enough with the drama , Victoria . you need to stop being such a spoiled girl ! you have to marry that man and do your best to keep him happy," she warns me .

"what are you talking about ?! No!" I say as tears run down my cheeks . How can she be so cruel to her own daughter ?

My father comes in, he looks tried and dejected .

"I'm afraid we don't have a choice , Victoria . our future depends on you ," he remarks.

I shake my head . " No , you can't do this to me ." my eyes go from my dad to my mom and back .

" Victoria , If you don't marry that man's son, he is going to kill us all . This is the only way to survive ," my mother says to me.

" please, Victoria , I get that you are upset ,but we need you . The life of this family is in your hands ," my dad says in a kinder tone .

I shake my head even harder . I refuse to marry a criminal stranger .

" If you won't do it for us , do it for Jenny," my mom says ."Do you want your little sister to die ?"

The air escape my lungs. my lower lip starts to tremble . she just said the magic words . saving my sister Jennifer's life is reason enough to marrying whoever .If I refuse to marry and she dies , I would never forgive myself my sister is everything to me .

"Fine , I"ll do it , " I say , my voice shaking .

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