The Mafia's Good Girl
The Mafia’s Good Girl – Chapter 68

~ Violet ~

– – – – – One Week Later – – – – –

“Oh my God, this is it!” Talia gasped and put her hands to cover her mouth. “It’s the one!”

“You think so? You don’t think it’s too much?” Violet asked as she twirled her body in front of the mirror, watching the reflection.

“Too much?” Talia scoffed. “Honey, there’s no such thing as too much on your wedding day. You’re the star of the show and nothing could possibly outshine you, including a diamond-studded dress,”

Talia was the best hype-girl Violet could ask for. From early in the morning today, she had been stuck with Violet inside the master closet as various designer houses brought dresses after dresses for Violet to try. After squeezing herself into a tight corset, Violet tried several designer dresses before fitting into this gorgeous Christian Dior diamond-studded dress.

“And they say the perfect dress doesn’t exist,” Talia tsked as she circled around Violet and fixed the bottom part of the dress. The lady that brought the dress over also brought pieces of jewelry and she put a sparkling diamond necklace around her neck.

Violet was literally glowing like a star. She smiled to herself as she watched her reflection in the mirror. She couldn’t believe how elegant and glamorous she looked in this dress. Funny how a dress could transform her into a whole new person. If she didn’t know any better, she could even pass off as Kate Middleton from the royal wedding.

“You really think this is the one?” Violet asked, sounding rather insecure since she had never been in a dress this marvelous before. “You don’t think the Marchesa one was better?”

Violet eyed the other dress sitting at the coat rack. It was one of the first dresses she tried and it had a simple design with flower laces embedded throughout.

“That one was nice too, but it was too simple,” Talia shook her head disapprovingly and stood behind Violet. “This one, on the other hand, screams the main character, and you my dear, is the main character,”

Violet couldn’t help but smile again. Talia was right. She felt like the ultimate main character in this dress. She felt like Cinderella getting ready to go to the ball. She felt like Elsa building a magical ice castle up from the ground. She felt fierce and unstoppable, and most of all, she felt beautiful.

This is it. This is the dress I’m gonna marry Damon in.

“Tal, thank you so much for doing this with me,” Violet said to her best friend. “I don’t know how I can plan a wedding in five months without you,”

“Don’t thank me, I’m your maid of honor. It’s my job,” she shrugged and smiled. “Plus, I’m excited about this wedding. It’s the best thing that’s happened around here in years,”

After all the terrible things that this family went through, Damon and Violet’s wedding brought a sense of hope. It was the start of a new era for the Van Zandt clan, one that was as bright as the diamonds in Violet’s dress, and Talia wasn’t the only person in the estate who felt that way. Everyone from Elena to the maids, to the bodyguards and all the other people who lived and worked in the estate could feel the change. They were finally done with revenge and dwelling in the past, and they were moving on to a happy future.

“How are you feeling about August 8th now that you’ve set the date?” Talia asked as she gauged Violet’s expression.

“I think it’s perfect. The weather’s getting cooler in August, but we still get the amazing summer sunset,” Violet replied.

“Hmm, I agree,” Talia nodded her head approvingly. “How did you two decide on it?”

“Well, I just want a summer wedding, but it was Damon who suggested the eighth,” Violet’s eyes held a glint of spark as she remembered the reason why Damon picked that date. “Did you know, August 8th happens to be the day where my contract ended with Damon?”

Talia paused for a moment and furrowed her eyes. She was thinking hard, trying to remember what contract Violet was talking about.

“Wait, you’re not talking about that contract?” she asked. “The one from last year, right before we went to Italy?”

“That’s the one,” Violet nodded her head. “The thirty day contract,”

In total, Violet signed two contracts with Damon. The first one was when she sold her virginity to him and the second one was the thirty days where she was to stay at the estate. August 8th was when the second contract ended, but instead of going their separate ways, Damon asked her to come with him to Italy. There, they began dating for real and the rest was history.

“Woah,” Talia said with a big smile. “Look at how everything’s coming full circle,”

“I know,” Violet was smiling too. It was surreal to think how everything fell into place. How a twisted and crude business deal could produce such pure and authentic love.

And now we’re about to sign our third contract, the marriage contract. This one will have no expiry date.

“Can I just say how proud I am to see how you two have grown over the year?” Talia said, pausing for a beat before adding, “I’ll admit, I was a bit cautious about this in the beginning, but now I’ve seen how serious you two are with each other. This is real love right here,”

Talia gave her best friend a meaningful look and Violet let out a smile. From the very beginning, Talia had witnessed all the ups and downs in her love story. For people who were just looking from the outside, it was easy to judge Damon and Violet’s relationship as unnatural or wrong. But once they saw what was really happening underneath it all, they’d become a believer, just like Talia.

“Thanks,” Violet said. “I just hope someday my mom and brother will see it the way you do,”

Talia grabbed Violet’s hand and squeezed it gently. She knew how much Violet had been struggling with the rejection she faced from her family.

“Have some faith, Vi. Your mom and brother love you. Once they see how great you two are together, they’ll start believing in it too,”

After the last time they spoke, Violet and her family had no other contact. They didn’t reach out to her and went as far as rejecting all her calls. And worse, Violet’s heart was broken further when she saw her mom and brother returning all the money she had given them.

The Carvey family used to be so close and they supported each other throughout everything. The whole reason why Violet came into this estate in the first place was to help her family. Everything she did, she did it out of love for her mom and brother. But now, they wouldn’t even take her call, let alone accept any money or help. Violet prayed and wished that her family would come around, but seeing the situation now, it might take more than a miracle for that to happen.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

~ Damon ~

“Don’t you think maybe you’re asking for too much?”

Adrian’s sudden question caught Damon off guard. The two men were sitting in Damon’s office, going through their weekly planning. They had finished talking about work and the topic moved on to the wedding. Damon thought Adrian would give him the usual updates and move on to another topic, but out of nowhere, Adrian posed a question Damon had been ruminating about for the past week.

“What are you talking about?” Damon narrowed his eyes at his consigliere.

“Don’t play dumb,” Adrian rolled his eyes. “Talia told me everything. Her family doesn’t approve and yet you two are going ahead with the wedding,”

Damon let out a sigh and went to grab a glass of whiskey from the table.

“I asked her if she wants to rethink the wedding and she said no,” he said. “She’s an adult. She can do whatever she wants,”

“She is an adult,” Adrian agreed. “An easily influenced adult,”

Damon narrowed his eyes again. What was Adrian trying to say with that? That Damon manipulated Violet into saying yes?

“Just make sure she’s not gonna regret this,” Adrian said again as Damon was silent. “Or you’ll have to bear the guilt,”

“Are you done?” Damon said rather curly.

“I’m done, that’s all I have for today’s meeting,”

“Good,” Damon put down his glass and stood up too. “’Cause I gotta go,”

Damon actually still had work to do in his office. There were people waiting in line for a meeting with him, but he decided he had to be somewhere else right now.

“Where are you going?” Adrian asked, but Damon didn’t respond. He simply grabbed his suit jacket from the chair and went to the door.

Walking with full conviction in his steps, Damon made his way over to the guest suite. He knew about Violet’s dress fitting today and where it was taking place. Without knocking on the door, he barged right into the guest suite and found Violet standing there in a white dress. Talia was standing next to her along with a seamstress.

“Damon!” Violet gasped in shock when she saw him in the mirror’s reflection. “What are you doing here?”

Damon had so many things he wanted to say, but the moment he saw her in that white dress, he forgot all the words.

“Hey, I… I just wanted to check up on you,” he stammered.

“No! Cover your eyes!” Violet exclaimed and she scrambled to hide herself with her two hands.

“What? Why?” he asked.

“I told you I’m doing dress fitting with Talia all day. You’re not supposed to see the dress before the wedding, it’s bad luck!”

Violet looked deeply stressed about this, but Damon was unfazed.

“Then it’s a good thing I don’t believe in luck,” he said simply.

Violet was glaring at him, but he just shrugged. Then he walked over to the seamstress and Talia and said, “Can you give us a second?”

“Sure,” Talia said. “She’s all yours,”

Talia and the seamstress soon exited the room, leaving Damon and Violet alone. She was still wearing the dress and she had given up on trying to cover herself.

“Damon, what’s going on?” she sighed.

“Nothing, I just really wanna see how you’re doing,”

Damon gave her a smile and stepped closer. When he walked through the door, he didn’t realize he was going to be greeted by the girl of his dreams in a wedding dress. Standing at an arm’s length away, Damon stopped his tracks and just watched her. She looked so damn beautiful, he actually needed a moment to gather his thoughts.

“Hey,” she said, studying his expression. “Are you still that worried about me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Ever since last week, you keep looking at me like I’m about to run away and leave the estate,”

Damon fell silent instinctively. He thought he was playing it cool, but she still noticed that he was worried about her.

Can you blame me? I’m asking for a lot. I can’t blame you if you suddenly change your mind.

“Damon,” Violet said as she took his hand in hers. She laced their fingers together and squeezed his hand gently. “I’m not changing my mind. I’m in it for the long haul,”

Damon felt his heart doubling in size. He was coming over here to make sure she didn’t doubt her decision, and now he got his answer. Letting out a soft smile, he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the top of her skin.

“You’re not still worried, are you?” she said with a smile.

“I’m not worried,” he said with a sigh. “But I know how important they are to you and I hate that you have to give up your family for me. Maybe I can try talking to your mom and brother—“

“I don’t think this is something we can solve by talking,” she cut him off and shook her head. “I think this will just take time. Once they see what they need to see, they’ll come around,”

Damon was mesmerized by the display of strength coming from Violet. For a second, he believed that he was manipulating her into saying yes. But no, that would be impossible. She was too strong to ever be manipulated.

“My mom and brother will always be my family by b***d, but you are my family by choice,” Standing on her tippy toes, she leaned in and kissed his cheek, whispering, “So no, I’m not giving up on anything or anyone,”

Damon couldn’t help it anymore. The moment she pulled away from the k**s, he leaned down quickly and captured her lips. He kissed her with everything he got, letting her know how much he believed in everything she said.

I promised to make all your dreams come true. I won’t ask you to sacrifice anything for me. Just you wait, sweet girl. I’ll make good on that promise.

“I love you,” he said as he pulled away, holding onto her gaze.

“I love you too,” she replied. “Now please get out so I can take off this dress,”

“Or I could just stay and watch?”

“Damon,” she warned.

“Alright, alright,” he laughed. “I’ll get Talia back in here,”

Damon gave her one last k**s before turning around and walking for the door. He was about to reach for the door handle, but he stopped and took a moment to look back again. For another second, he just stood in awe and watched his girl shine in that beautiful wedding dress.

Just five more months, sweet girl. Just you wait.