Liliana was hiding in the kitchen that afternoon when Sebastiano found her. The older man had taken one look at her - a deep frown etched onto his forehead - before he commanded her to leave the cooking to her aunt and the other women.

"You should go see Marcello, he's beginning to resemble a disgruntled bull after having to socialise for so long. I'm worried if he doesn't escape those idiotic nephews of mine, they won't survive until wedding tomorrow."

Liliana swallowed harshly, shaking hands untying the apron around her waist. She wasn't sure whether of not Sebastiano was joking. She certainly didn't know the man or his son well enough to know for sure. Was Marcello one to execute his own family for such trivial matters?

She dared one glance towards the other women of the room, her aunt the only one she recognised, a noted the way they all kept their eyes downcast to their tasks at hand. It seemed she was not the only one fearful of this D'Onofrio patriarch.

Liliana found Marcello exactly where she had last seen him, with what seemed the exact same men he had been with since this morning on the villa's deck. From the way they had all been knocking back their glasses, and the number of drinks on the table now, she was sure they would have to be drunk by now.

No one noticed her as she approached the small group of men that remained, most of the wedding guests having had already retired to their own villa's to ready themselves for the dinner.

Marcello had his back towards her, sat down beside his brothers. From behind, it was easy to forget just who he was. He was simply another tanned, broad shouldered man with a head of dark hair - the kind that enticed so many women. But one good look at his hard, stone carved faced would send a spark of fear of any woman who had enough intelligence to recognise danger when she saw it - even the most money hungry of women would think twice before wishing to fall into his bed.

Liliana wanted neither his good looks or his money, and yet she was marrying the man anyway.

When she was no more than a metre away from him, Liliana found herself pausing momentarily, all too aware of the thundering of her heart in her chest. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and escape back into hiding, and yet she knew she had to do as Sebastiano commanded. She had to play the besotted fiancé, a woman who wanted to marry Marcello D'Onofrio despite the immense empire that followed, a woman attracted to the man whose expression rarely shifted from anything but a scowl.

Breathing deeply, Liliana continued forward and leant in close enough that her lips brushed the shell of his ear.

"Brooding, are we?" she asked, allowing her hands to first grasp his strong shoulders before sliding lower across his chest and wander dangerously south across his torso.

She had expected at the very least to muster some form or reaction from him, be it surprise or irritation. Instead the infuriating man barely even glanced back at her as he twisted, his arm curving around her waist and tugging until she fell ungracefully into his lap.

She heard the cheers of Marcello's cousin's and hated the heat that surged her cheeks. One glance at Marcello showed just how amusing he found her attempt to be, as a smirk curved across his mouth.

"Well this is a first," he chuckled darkly, only to be interrupted by one of his brothers.

"When did this happen," Giovanni questioned lowly so that the others around them wouldn't hear. Amusement flickered in his eyes as he gestured at them with a drink in hand - the amber liquid sloshing freely against the rim of the glass.

"That's exactly what I wondered when they teamed up against me yesterday," Angelo added, just as quietly.

Liliana wanted to throw herself from Marcello's lap but was all too aware of those that still watched them. Instead she settled for forcing herself to smile tightly at the gleeful brothers, hating how amused they seemed by the entire situation.

"Yesterday?" Giovanni queried with a worrying amount of interest. He met Liliana's blushing gaze, a slow smirk forming as he turned back to his older brother. "So quick to go against your earlier words?" he teased - of what, she had no idea.

Marcello grunted beneath her and sent both his brothers a scowl.

"Why don't you both leave my upcoming marriage alone. I think you're beginning to forget whose in charge, everyone here is forgetting. Just because I'm marrying, all of my family seem to forget just who it is they are disrespecting."

Marcello didn't snap or snarl at his brothers. His words were quiet and measured, but the anger behind them was all too clear. Quickly his brothers sobered their expressions and even she felt uncomfortable with the sudden turn of atmosphere.

She shifted in his lap and thankfully Marcello let her escape to her feet.

"You all need to prepare for supper. The food will be out soon," she muttered, her words barely above a whisper as she glanced cautiously towards her fiancé. He didn't look towards her, his focus set heavily on his now sombre brothers.

Liliana didn't for a second consider staying any longer.

So much for saving him.

***

Before long the two families had gathered once again on the beach, where long tables had been set up so there was enough room for everyone to be together during dinner. Had this been a real wedding, to someone she loved and cared for, Liliana might have spent more time admiring the expensive table cloths, the flower arrangements and pretty candles the decorated the area. But frankly, she didn't give a damn about any of it.

Sebastiano was positioned at the head of the main table, on his feet with his glass held high to offer a toast before the meal could begin. He hadn't even needed to clear his throat to gather the attention of every single man and woman in attendance. He commanded a room so succinctly, there was absolutely no question as to how powerful he really was. The only man she had ever seen to hold such control over others was her grandfather - a man who took place at the opposite end of the table.

"I would just like to say my congratulations to my oldest son, my heir, Marcello and his fiancée Liliana Fiorenza. I am so thankful to have the pleasure of welcoming a daughter as beautiful as she into my family." Sebastiano's attention was no longer the crowd that hung on to his every word, but solely placed on her. "Tomorrow you will become a D'Onofrio and I know I'm not the only one who wishes both you and my son a long and happy marriage with a hopefully a few bambini in the coming year."

Most people laughed. Liliana's cheeks burned - the appropriate reaction of a young bride embarrassed by her father-in-law's blunt teasing - yet it was dread that weighed her heart in her chest and had her stomach churning.

"To Marcello and Liliana. Per cent'anni," Sebastiano toasted. The laughs turned to cheers and applause as Sebastiano raised his glass one last time before reclaiming his seat.

A hundred years, Sebastiano's words echoed in her ears. It was a traditional Italian phrase that served no other purpose other than to mock her. A hundred years. That was an awfully long time to be married to his son.

Everyone began to eat and talk amongst themselves, Marcello turning to talk to Giovanni at his side. That left Liliana with no one to speak to other than her father who sat opposite her, or Angelo who sat on her right.

"The food's delicious," Angelo complimented, nudging her side gently to get her attention.

"It is," Liliana sighed, taking a swig of her wine as she poked at the pasta on her plate, doing her best to keep a sullen expression from her face.

"What's wrong?" From the corner of her eye she saw Angelo shift towards her.

Liliana bit at her lip, toying with her food one last time before abandoning the meal altogether. She certainly wasn't hungry at a time like this. The very thought of food had her feeling queasy. Instead she shifted closer to the youngest D'Onofrio, leaning towards him with her back to Marcello.

"Where's your mother?" she asked in a hushed tone, forcing her voice to go as low as it could for fear Marcello, or worse Sebastiano, would overhear her. She didn't want to pry but Liliana hadn't seen or even heard a word of Gabriella D'Onofrio since the D'Onofrio men arrived on the island and she hadn't been able to shake the curiosity that had been plaguing her all week.

She couldn't think why the woman wouldn't be here for oldest son's wedding and her absence had Liliana worried.

Now as she watched Angelo squirm in his seat, avoiding her gaze, she that worry was not eased.

"I wouldn't hold too much hope to seeing her here. She might show up for the wedding but...."

Liliana's eyebrows drew together in a frown.

"Why would-" Marcello's arm reaching out to rest on her shoulder, effectively cutting her off mid sentence. He was watching her closely with one eyebrow cocked in question.

"Are you not hungry?" Marcello's gruff voice asked. He glanced down at her full plate and hesitantly Liliana picked up her fork once again. Marcello didn't remove his arm, or his attention for the rest of the meal, and Liliana wisely decided to keep her questions to herself. She only spoke when spoken to, trapped against the hard side of Marcello's body as if they really were a young couple unable to keep their hands off one another.

"So Liliana," someone spoke up from across the tables near the end of the meal. Suffice to say many more bottles of wine had been emptied along with a crate of prosecco, a few large glasses by Liliana herself. She didn't get to drink often so she took the chance while she had it. And from the way this man's words slurred, it was clear he had drank more than his fair share this evening. "What is a gorgeous looking girl like you doing with such an recluse like my cugino here?" the brave man dared to question. She recognised him as one of the cousins the D'Onofrio brothers had been drinking with but hadn't yet been introduced to him.

"Do you not think your cousin's a good catch?" She queried tersely, though a smile remained spread across her lips so as to remain polite and teasing. She reached out for the hand Marcello rested on the table and clasped it in hers, leaning further into his side. "I find I much prefer the company of well mannered men than the more flamboyant characters." The sickly sweet smile she sent Marcello's way had her fiancé sending her a quick wink and Liliana almost choked on her own breath at unexpectedness of it. Her eyes quickly darted away from his gaze.

More boisterous laughs were scattered across the table and someone thumped the cousin roughly on the back as he too laughed at his own expense.

From the head of the table Sebastiano gave her a nod of approval and Liliana hated the surge or pride she felt as a result. It was a dangerous sense of thrill she got from meeting his expectations, and she didn't want to begin to crave that approval in fear of losing her own sense of morals along the way. Never the less, for today - when all else felt as if it were going so terrible - it felt good to please her new family.

***

Marcello didn't have to seek out his youngest brother that evening. He was in his room unbuttoning his shirt as he prepared for bed when there was a sharp knock on his door followed by the sight of Angelo ducking inside.

"What was that about at dinner?" Marcello questioned as soon as the door closed, not bothering to turn around as he dug around in one of his draws. Angelo shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and leaned against the closed door watching his brother for a few seconds before finally deciding to speak.

"Nothing really," he assured though Marcello knew that was a lie. "Liliana was just curious why mamma wasn't here. You stepped in before I could say too much."

"Thankfully," Marcello muttered under his breath. With a bit more vigour than was needed, Marcello shouldered off his shirt and chucked it on the bed. He was beginning to get insanely irritated every time he turned around to find Liliana and his brother chatting away.

"Hey," his brother laughed. "Your woman's hard to say no to. I can't help it if I get carried away when I'm talking to her," he confessed with a self satisfied smirk.

Marcello scoffed, sending Angelo a look of disdain.

"Don't blame your lack of control on my fiancée." Then as an afterthought he added, "And stop flirting with her." Angelo's eyes flashed with humour and his smirk transformed into a wide, genuine grin.

"Why, you worried big brother? Afraid she'd fall for someone closer to her own age rather than a senile, old man like you?" Angelo laughed again. Marcello rolled his eyes and bit back his grunt of annoyance.

"Surprisingly, I do trust you not to go too far. Liliana's the one I'm afraid will be corrupted by your idiot mannerisms."

"Wait, hold on a minute," Angelo held up his hands, walking forward slowly. Marcello sighed and dropped the clothes in his hands, turning to face his youngest brother with his arms crossed and a tired expression on his face. "Is my famously cold and detached big brother actually jealous?" Angelo's eyes narrowed in mock curiosity, his amusement rising.

Though Marcello's expression didn't waver, his stomach tightened and his hands clenched. He wasn't jealous, not at all. He just didn't enjoy the prospect of the rumours that would be sure to follow Angelo's flirtations with his wife.

"Are you actually worried that Liliana's won't be faithful? Marcello, I know you don't know her, and the fact that she's Antonio's daughter isn't much of a character reference, but I don't think she's the type to ever betray you. Father wouldn't have picked her otherwise. Hell, from what I've seen already she seems like she's going to be fierce as hell, a force to be reckoned with, and the perfect wife to sit on that mighty throne of yours with you."

Despite the joking, Marcello could appreciate that for once Angelo was actually trying to be serious with him. But the sense that Angelo knew more about his fiancée than he did didn't sit right with him at all.

"Alright," Marcello clapped his youngest brother on the back with too much force to be considered comforting. "Thanks for that lovely speech of yours. Truly heart-warming. Now get out of my room," he grunted, shoving Angelo towards the door.

"I can't wait to tell Giovanni all about this," Angelo laughed. Even with his door shut he could hear Angelo's cackling down the hallway.