When I first went to see Fabio, he flew into a rage, smashed a vase at my feet and shouted for Serena. Meanwhile, Serena was already happily preparing for university due to our father’s arrangement even though her grades barely met the minimum score.
On our wedding day, my mother cried endlessly. She was talking about the hardships of our family, Serena’s sadness and my father’s gray hair. I stood there quietly.
None of that had anything to do with me. I agreed to the marriage only because of Fabio. I didn’t know if I truly loved him, but at least being with him would give me a kind of freedom.
I had read in the newspaper how Fabio fought bravely against the mafia who tried to revolt close to our borders and how he caught drug traffickers with his bare hands. The papers praised his courage and sense of justice.
I had always admired brave and selfless people, especially those police officers who gave their lives for the country. To marry such a man felt like an honor, not a shame.