ONCE UPON A TIME IN VENICE

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7

Giovanni walked into the dining hall, where his father, Duke Lucien, was already seated at the head of the long wooden table. He took his place at his father's right-hand side, watching as the servants brought in platters of food and poured glasses of wine.

"Good morning, Father," Giovanni said, trying to keep his voice even.

"Good morning, Giovanni," Duke Lucien replied, his eyes glinting with disapproval.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds coming from the clinking of silverware and the occasional cough or clearing of the throat. Finally, Duke Lucien set down his fork and looked at Giovanni.

"I hear that you've been causing quite a stir in town," he said, his tone icy.

Giovanni bristled at the criticism. "I haven't done anything that the other men in town aren't doing," he said defensively.

"That may be so," Duke Lucien said, "but you are not just any other man. You are my son, and you are expected to comport yourself with a certain degree of dignity and decorum."

Giovanni rolled his eyes. "Here we go again," he muttered under his breath.

"I have received an invitation to a ball at the Marquis de Beaumont's estate," Duke Lucien continued, ignoring his son's comment. "It would be a good opportunity for you to meet some eligible young women and perhaps find a suitable wife."

Giovanni groaned inwardly. He had no interest in settling down with one woman, let alone a highborn one who would expect him to be faithful and obedient.

"I'm not interested in attending your little ball, Father," he said, his voice tinged with annoyance.

Duke Lucien's face darkened. "You will attend, Giovanni," he said firmly. "You are not getting any younger, and it is time for you to start thinking about your future."

Giovanni leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "I don't need a wife to be happy," he said, his voice growing louder. "I'm perfectly content living my life the way I want to."

Duke Lucien slammed his fist on the table, causing the dishes to rattle. "You will attend the ball, Giovanni," he repeated. "And you will find a wife. Someone pretty, obedient, prim, and proper."

Giovanni shook his head stubbornly. "I'll never find happiness with a highborn girl like that," he said.

Duke Lucien raised an eyebrow. "And who do you think you'll find happiness with, Giovanni? Another tavern wench?"

Giovanni's mind flashed back to Sister Maria, the way she looked in her simple nun's habit, her hair tucked neatly under her white veil. He felt a pang of longing, a desire that he couldn't explain.

"No, not a tavern wench," he said slowly. "Someone...different."

Duke Lucien narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by 'different,' Giovanni?"

Giovanni shook his head, not wanting to reveal too much. "Just someone who's not like the other highborn girls," he said evasively.

Duke Lucien snorted. "Well, you're not going to find anyone like that at the tavern, that's for sure. You need to start thinking about your future, Giovanni. You're going to inherit the winery empire soon, and you need a suitable wife to help you run it."

Giovanni sighed, feeling trapped. He knew that he couldn't keep up his wild lifestyle forever, but the thought of settling down with one woman made him feel claustrophobic. And yet, he knew that he couldn't disobey his father forever, either. The tension in the room was thick, and Giovanni could feel his father's eyes on him, waiting for a response.

"I'll attend the ball, Father," he said finally, his voice resigned. "But I can't promise that I'll find a suitable wife there."

Duke Lucien nodded, satisfied. "Good. I'm glad that we could come to an understanding."

The rest of the meal passed in silence, with both men lost in their own thoughts. Giovanni couldn't shake the feeling of restlessness that had been building inside him for weeks. He didn't know what he wanted, but he knew that he couldn't keep living his life the way he had been.

As they finished their dessert, Duke Lucien cleared his throat. "I have one more thing to discuss with you, Giovanni," he said.

Giovanni raised an eyebrow, curious. "What is it?"

"I've received an offer from the Marquis de Beaumont," Duke Lucien said, his voice grave. "He's interested in purchasing one of our smaller vineyards."

Giovanni frowned. "Which one?"

"The one near the edge of town," Duke Lucien replied. "It's been struggling for years, and I think it's time that we cut our losses and sold it."

Giovanni's mind raced. He had grown up playing in that vineyard, exploring its winding rows and climbing the tall trellises. He couldn't imagine selling it to a stranger, even if it was struggling.

"I don't think we should sell it, Father," he said, his voice firm. "We can find a way to make it profitable again."

Duke Lucien shook his head. "It's not worth the effort, Giovanni. We have plenty of other vineyards that are doing well. It's time to let go of the past and move forward."

Giovanni clenched his fists, feeling a surge of anger. He couldn't believe that his father was so willing to give up on something that had been a part of their family for generations.

"I can't agree to this, Father," he said, his voice shaking with emotion. "That vineyard is a part of who we are. Selling it would be like selling a piece of our soul."

Duke Lucien leaned back in his chair, regarding his son with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "You always were sentimental, Giovanni," he said. "But sentimentality won't pay the bills. We need to make practical decisions for the good of our family and our business."

Giovanni knew that he was fighting a losing battle. His father had always been a shrewd businessman, focused solely on profit and efficiency. He couldn't understand the emotional attachment that Giovanni had to the vineyard, or to anything else that didn't directly contribute to their bottom line.

But Giovanni couldn't let it go. He knew that he would regret it for the rest of his life if he allowed that vineyard to slip away.

"I'm sorry, Father," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I can't agree to this. I won't sell that vineyard."

Duke Lucien's eyes hardened. "Then I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree," he said coldly.

The tension in the room was palpable, and Giovanni could feel his father's disappointment radiating from him like heat from a fire. He knew that he had just made a powerful enemy, but he also knew that he couldn't betray his own values for the sake of profit.