One Night Stand with My Husband's Brother

CHAPTER 9

I remained silent by Giovanni's side as we watched his grandfather's coffin being lowered into the grave and then buried. It had been the strangest funeral I had ever witnessed; there were only a few people present, and I could have sworn Giovanni had mentioned having a large family, including his aunt Ginevra, who lived with him and his grandfather. However, she wasn't there, and I hadn't had the opportunity to visit Giovanni's family home, as we weren't serious partners until then. Another strange detail was the absence of Giovanni's younger brother, Mássimo Cordopatri, whom he had mentioned before, making the situation even more unusual.

After the ceremony, I couldn't bear the silence any longer and turned to Giovanni:

"How are you? Are you okay?"

"Relieved... But also worried about the days to come," he replied sincerely.

"You know, I didn't want to say anything, but where is your brother? You said your grandfather had a lot of respect for him, and now he's not here."

"Mássimo has always been like that, ungrateful," Giovanni commented with slight irritation. "I wasn't surprised he didn't show up. He's always been unpredictable and selfish. That's why I can't allow him to take over the family business."

"You said there's a possibility of a will, right?" I asked, curious.

"Yes, Luigi, my grandfather's Consigliere, mentioned to me that he had made a will. If it exists, I believe my grandfather may have determined that Mássimo becomes the next boss, and I won't allow that."

"I'm here for whatever you need, Giovanni," I said sincerely.

Giovanni approached and gave me a gentle kiss on the forehead, his touch comforting me amid the emotional turmoil.

"Thank you, Mirela. I appreciate your support," he said softly. "However, we need to part ways now. I appreciate everything you've done so far, but I need to deal with my family's 'business' and secure my position."

I felt a tightening in my chest with worry, but I trusted that he would handle the situation as best as possible.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked, wanting to offer my assistance in some way.

Giovanni smiled warmly but shook his head.

"No, Mirela, it's better for you to stay away from this part of my life. But don't worry, we'll see each other again soon."

I nodded, understanding the complexity of his situation, and took a deep breath to reassure myself.

"Alright, I'll wait for you," I tried to sound confident.

Giovanni approached again and gave me another affectionate kiss on the forehead.

"Until then, Mirela," he said softly.

As I watched him walk away toward his car, leaving me alone, I observed his departure with a mix of emotions. I admired his strength and determination, but I was also concerned about what lay ahead for him and how it would affect our relationship, even if it was just a façade.

Standing there, I couldn't help but question the mysteries surrounding Giovanni's family. Why was his brother Mássimo absent, and what was the true reason for Ginevra's absence? My mind was filled with questions, but I knew Giovanni would share what he could when the time was right.

For now, all I could do was wait and trust that our paths would cross again soon.

And so, as Giovanni's car disappeared from sight, leaving me alone with a mix of emotions, I felt both excitement and apprehension for what the future held. Our fake relationship had taken unexpected turns, and I had a feeling our journey was far from over.

***

And now we go back to where we were...

A month before my fateful honeymoon...

"So, how was the will reading?" I asked after taking a sip of my beer.

It had been a week since Giovanni's grandfather passed away. Guido Cordopatri had not told anyone about his terminal cancer and let everyone believe he was fine. His decision had made everything even more complicated, especially since his brother hadn't shown up. He didn't even give any news, which was typical of his irresponsible brother, Mássimo. I bet the irresponsible one would show up at the will reading, but I lost that bet because he didn't even do that.

"My grandfather left everything to me," Giovanni revealed as he took a big sip of his beer.

"That's great, just as you expected. I just don't understand why you look so serious," I said, looking around the bar. "Who would be the ideal one? Maybe the blonde sitting at that table... or that beautiful brunette dancing without music... no, not her... the Asian girl, she seems pretty serious..."

"Mirela, I've already found the ideal girl," Giovanni said, holding my hand.

"That's good then. So, there's no reason for you to look so serious. Smile, you're our Cordopatri family boss," I said, raising my beer for a toast.

My toast wasn't just for that, but with Giovanni's grandfather's death, I no longer had to be the fake girlfriend, and my love life would go back on track.

"But she doesn't know yet... I'm afraid she might reject me. Also, she's the only one Pablo approved of."

"Well, you'll only know if she accepts if you ask her," I said as I finished my beer.

"Mirela, will you marry me?"