Alessio
Stepping into dad’s office felt different this time. It wasn’t the usual bad news I came to deliver. The deal was closed, and Diego agreed to do business with us.
Dad smiled, reaching for the champagne, and then he poured uncle another glass. “This,” he said, holding his drink up, “is a big achievement, Ales. Pulling Diego in is not something just anyone could have done.”
I looked back at Donni and Levi, who stood at the door. “I have Donni to thank for that,” I admitted, giving him a nod of acknowledgment. He was the one who got me the meeting in the first place.
“I wasn’t even there. It was all you,” Donni wouldn’t take the praise.
Uncle Stefano rushed towards Donni and patted him on his back. He’d always had a special affection for him. “I see big things in your future,” he told him.
So now what?
All sudden he was psychic?
I chuckled to myself, thinking about the drastic change in their behavior. Dad and Uncle were practically shitting themselves. Now here they were, toasting to success as if they hadn’t doubted the outcome for a second.
“But let’s not forget,” I spoke. “The issue with the Donati is still hanging over us. We don’t know their next move yet.”
Leonardo Baldini settling with ruining just one partnership and accepting the outcome didn’t sound like him. This wasn’t the end, and I was sure of it.
“Now that you mention it,” Uncle began, his gaze drifting towards Levi, and I did not know for what reason. “I often hear you with the guys, you are a deep thinker., look wise.”
I turned to Levi who was caught off guard and looked my way for any sign of what to do next. I blinked my eyes, giving him the silent approval to proceed.
“You have a daughter, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Sit, let’s talk.”
Levi hesitated, but ended up sitting down after giving me a quick glance. Everyone waited for whatever Uncle Stefano had in mind. He always had a lot to say, and about eighty percent of that was rubbish.
“If someone were to marry your daughter, and then broke off the engagement, humiliated her in front of everyone while the family just stood there-what would stop you from killing them?”
See? Rubbish.
“A personal apology.” Levi answered without a stutter. He couldn’t be serious.
“Thank you-an apology!” Stefano hit the desk as if he had won the lottery.
I couldn’t believe my ears. “I’m not going over there to apologize.”
The suggestion seemed crazy to me, almost as if Levi was trying to sabotage me. The idea of going over there to offer a simple apology to the man who had forced others to spread his nickname ‘the Leone’ seemed more like a suicide mission than a peace offering.
Dad tapped his fist on the table, two times. “Listen to your uncle,” he said. “You will go over there and apologize for your mistake like the man I’ve raised you to be.”
My mistake?
I told these people the Donatis were going to fuck us over either way-but it was my mistake?
“You didn’t break off the engagement for a better offer. You ended it for a maid.” Uncle added.
I had the sudden urge to protect Jimena, and this time it wasn’t pretend. “She has a name. Use it.”
Dad furrow a brow. “Since when do we call our maids by their name?”
“She’s not our maid anymore,” I argued. “She’s a nice girl, and if you took the time to get to know her, you would realize that.”
I could hardly believe that those words came from my mouth, but it was my final conclusion about Jimena. She wasn’t a bad person, just naive and confusing. I believed she needed a bit of guidance, sure, but she wasn’t bad at all.
The conversation took another turn, “Diego also has a daughter, hasn’t he? How about you marry her instead?”
Pilar flashed through my mind. She was an interesting character. The way she eyed me, as if she had found her long-lost brother, terrified the shit out of me. Each time she stared-I stared right back at her, trying to figure out what the fuck she wanted from me.
Not to forget, the thought of Diego being in a position to control me through his daughter made me cautious. Marrying her would be like marrying Maxine.
Last, she had become Jimena’s friend.
“I’m marrying Mena,” I stated, making my stance clear.
Dad’s face turned red. “Then marry her!” he snapped. “Stop giving me a fucking headache and marry her!”
“Oh, I will.”
“Will you? Because I feel like all of this is just some way to get back at me.”
“Get back at you, how?” I asked.
Dad began explaining, “All of it looks fake. From the way you look at her, the way you talk about her, I can tell there’s no love between you two.”
His words stuck hard. He had practically unraveled the truth, and in this scenario, not even my mom could protect me. I knew I had to come up with a convincing response, and quickly.
“I don’t love her?” I repeated his words, buying myself some time. Meanwhile I was cracking my brains over how I was going to get myself out of this one.
Then it struck me.
If he didn’t want to believe it was real, I had to show it toom him.
“Wait!” I ordered, marching out of the office as they all looked at me. “I’ll be back.”
I roamed the mansion, hoping to find Jimena, and I did. She was sitting in the living room, smiling to herself while reading a book.
Her blonde hair hung over her shoulder at one side, falling just above her cleavage.
I didn’t meant to be a creep, but I couldn’t help but to stare. She used to look cute, bearable, but this new look changed everything. I knew I was fucked from the moment I saw her with that hair and that tight dress.
She looked sexy as hell, and when she asked me about her new look-I kept my mouth shut to keep myself from saying something I shouldn’t.
I took a breath, pushing aside any emotions as I remembered the purpose of my mission.
Without a word, I put down her book. Mena who hadn’t noticed me, smiled for a second. I took her hand in mine and pulled her from the sofa. As she got up confusion was written all over her face, but there was no time to explain.
“You need to come with me,” I demanded urgently.
“Come where?”
I ignored her curiosity and made my way back to dad’s office. As I swung open the door, revealing Mena, we were met with four surprised faces. Dad’s mouth was slightly opened. He didn’t want to believe? I would make him believe.
Driven by a need to prove a point, I pulled Mena to the center and rested my hand on the back of her head, feeling the silkiness of her hair between my fingers. Mena, who had seemed to grasp the situation, swallowed her breath. I looked deeply into those soft brown, asking for consent, and when she gave me that reassuring smile, I pressed my lips against hers.