Marie's POV.
I slowly opened my eyes, my head ached as well as my whole body. I felt drained, more like I had a nightmare I couldn't remember. I tried to make do with my environment as I realized I was in JFK airport, I just stepped out of a plane and boarded to New York. I was waiting for my bags to be checked.
It felt so familiar; I had done this before, hadn't I? I looked around, trying to remember how I got there.
The last thing I remembered was… My mind was a thunder of memories, but one thing stood out: my father's death. I remembered pain, fear, and frustration. It all felt so alive, so real. But was it just a dream?
Everyone at the airport wore the same clothes, it felt like I was reliving my past. It was so familiar, and I couldn't believe it when I saw the same worker who helped with my bags. I had seen this young man before.
I could not shake how uneasy I felt. Everything looked familiar, but still different.
"Ma'am, I have this SUV booked already; you can discuss the price on your way. I noticed you would be needing it." He repeated these same words and helped me pack my bags into the back of the SUV. I tipped him as I did.
When I arrived at the apartment, my heart raced, wondering if I would walk in and find his dead body lying there. I was so scared, gently pushing the door open as I dropped the boxes.
I slowly opened the door, and I marvelled when I saw my father alive and well, and that was when I realized the truth. I had travelled back in time.
The events of recent days flooded my mind, and I knew I had another chance. I was determined to save my family, who had inadvertently stopped the tragedy.
"Marie! Oh, my baby girl! I didn't know you were coming! You should have called or at least sent a text. What's wrong with you, Marie?" My father embraced me, and I didn't even realize that tears were running down my chin. I was grateful he was alive.
As soon as he broke the hug, I wiped my eyes while he opted to show me my room. While resting in my room, I watched my luggage being arranged. I allowed them to do their job while I went to wash up, hoping I would regain my strength after a long bath.
I rested in the bathtub, trying to place my thoughts together, I washed up and rinsed off my body. I changed into proper clothes, and while wearing my shirt I saw a scar on the exact spot where I was shot. My eyes were bewildered by this discovery, I realized I was here to save my family.
After the meal, I went upstairs to my room. I rested my head on the bed and dozed off. I was awakened by the alarm again, went out to run and by the time I returned, I realized Mancini was standing in the same position as before. His elegance and his smile, charming looks but his possessive dark mind eludes him.
"What is he doing here?" I growled, wishing I could go over there and strangle him to death for shooting my dad.
"My name's Mancini and I guess you're Marie, Roberto's only daughter. Nice to finally meet you" He paused in his words, keeping his eyes glued to mine.
"Your father owes me a large amount of money, Marie," he stated, his voice dripping with threat. "Ten million dollars, to be precise. And if he can't pay it, I'm afraid I'll have to take… alternative measures."
"Do you mind if I talk to my father for a minute?" I asked as he turned his eyes away from us.
"Take your time," he chuckled, winking.
We went to his study, closest to the living room, my heart racing with anger and worry. Mancini's words surged in my mind, and I couldn't believe that my father had gotten himself into this kind of mess; it was happening just like it had the last time.
"Dad, what is happening?" I demanded, slamming the door shut behind me. "How did you owe Mancini ten million bucks?"
My father looked up from the papers on his desk, his eyes worn and concerned. "Marie, I… I made a few terrible investments," he said, his voice hesitant. "I wanted a lot of profit. I got greedy; I should have pulled out when I had the chance. But I failed. I needed to settle the investors. That sole aim led me to borrow money from Mancini to cover my losses."
It was the same feeling, that frustrated look on my face. I hated why this was happening again. My father should have gone to the bank or better still someone other than Mancini.
"Why did you borrow money from Mancini?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. "You know he's a ruthless man. Why did you think you could trust him? You and I both know who he is."
My father sighed, rubbing his temples. "I was out of options. We would have lost a lot of our properties. I couldn't afford that; I had nothing else to do, Marie. At that moment, Mancini seemed like a good choice. He offered me a loan with an affordable interest rate, and I thought I could pay it back in time."
"So what do we do, Dad?" I asked, sensing what he would say. I stopped him from saying anything as I held his hand this time and led him out of the room.
"What kind of alternative measures?" I asked, skipping the part where I had to confront my father. There was no time for that.
Mancini's smile was cold and calculated. "Oh, you're bold, and I like it. If your father can't pay me, then he can settle his debts through marriage, of course," he said, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"You, Marie, will make an ideal settlement by being my wife."