Page 111 of Bound in Obsession
“I think I do.”
I try not to think about what Nico means to me, but when I’m honest with myself, I know it’s love.
A smile spreads across her face. “Then I'm happy for you.”
Her words make my chest ache. I squeeze her hand tighter and continue. “Thank you, Sienna.”
She sighs. “So, what now?”
“He proposed to me the other night.”
Sienna’s eyes go wide. “He what?”
I nod. “He wants to marry me.”
She stares at me, processing. “And… what did you say?”
“I told him I need time to think about it,” I whisper. “I haven’t given him an answer yet.”
I tell her about Gallo, how he no longer wants her, but has set his sights on me instead. How he’s pressuring our father to arrange the marriage. Sienna’s face pales, but she doesn’t look surprised.
“So that’s why Nico wants to marry you,” she says slowly. “To keep you away from Gallo.”
I nod, feeling a strange mix of emotions. “Partly, yes.”
Sienna is quiet for a moment, then she looks at me with surprising strength.
“You should marry him, Ellie.”
I blink. “What?”
“At least with Nico, you’ll be safe. You’ll be happy. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. That’s not the look of a man who just wants to use you. That’s the look of a man who wants you.” Her voice softens. “You deserve that. You’ve spent your whole life protecting everyone else. For once, let someone protect you.”
Tears sting my eyes. “But what about you? What about Rosalia, Daniela, and Camilla? If I marry Nico, I won’t be part of the family anymore. I won’t be able to protect you girls. What if Gallo goes after one of you next? Or Papa decides to punish you because of my decision?”
Sienna squeezes my hand hard, her eyes fierce despite the redness.
“Stop,” she says firmly. “For once in your life, think about yourself. Stop carrying everyone else’s weight. You deserve to be happy, Ellie. You’ve already given up so much for us. Let yourself have this.”
Her words hit me deep. I don’t know how to respond.
“You’ve always put everyone else first,” she says softly. “Even trying to marry Gallo in my place… you were ready to throw your life away just so I could be happy with Domenico.”
I blink, confused. “Of course, I did. I wanted you to be with the man you loved.”
She raises a shaky hand, stopping me. “But it didn’t work out, did it? Look where we are now. Domenico is dead. And you’re here, still trying to carry everything on your shoulders.”
Her words hit me hard.
“You’re missing the point, Ellie, “ she says quickly, shaking her head. It doesn’t matter what you sacrifice or how hard you try to save everyone. Sometimes things are just beyond your control. You can’t keep throwing yourself in front of bullets for us. You need to put yourself first for once. Stop trying to save the day.”
She takes a shaky breath, her voice softening.
“You have a chance at something real with Nico. And you care for him too. I can see it. So stop hesitating because of us. If any of us has even the smallest shot at a real happy ending right now… it’s you.”
I’m stunned into silence. Her words sink deep, stirring something I’ve been avoiding. Part of me wants to argue, to say that I can’t abandon them. But another part, a quieter, exhausted part, just wants to be selfish for once.
Maybe Sienna is right, maybe I’ve been using them as an excuse not to reach for my own happiness.
