She's only mine.

Charpter 3. I want to get married.

Diego

.

~

As Alex opened the door, he appeared happier than usual. Though not visibly smiling, I sensed his joy. As my best friend, he owed me an explanation for his unusual demeanor. "How was your night, Alex?" I inquired. Annoyed, he retorted, "I'm not gay, so stop with the questions," as he passed through the door. It took only five minutes for his usual aloofness to return. "Record broken," I chuckled, realizing I hadn't yet conveyed the real reason for my visit. I had searched everywhere for him. He needed to understand that the Rossio family felt disrespected, and his grandfather was displeased. Was it necessary for him to skip the meeting with the Rossio family? I hoped he had a valid reason, or else his grandfather would make him regret it. "Alex, wait up," I halted him before he reached the club's door. It was still active at 7:00 am, indicating that Alex Romano had overslept for the first time since I began working for the family. "Grandfather is furious because Mr. Rossio claims you insulted him last night by ditching the meeting," I explained the true reason for my search. I expected him to react strongly, but he simply chuckled and left me speechless. Was Alex losing his mind? Was he alright? Mr. Rossio would surely seek retribution, but Alex seemed indifferent.

Alex Romano

.

~

When Diego informed me about the Rossio drama, I paid it no mind. My thoughts wandered, pondering whether I would see her again, touch her again, if she would recall our encounter last night. After a quick bath at the club's facilities, I headed to the Romano mansion. I had no choice; otherwise, Grandfather would hand everything I built to a clueless loser. I refused to let Vladimir Romano, my weak half-brother, lay claim to anything bearing the Romano and Braichi legacy. He was merely a Romano, a mistake courtesy of my useless father, and he wouldn't own anything. Despite the Rossio drama, my mind lingered on her. After this meeting, I would search for her. Perhaps I should return her lingerie, a Fashion Nova piece, I held in my hands. "I will find you, baby girl," I vowed. "You're mine." I arrived at the meeting 29 minutes late, greeted by a multitude of fancy cars, indicative of the family's wealth. Romano's reputation for ruthlessness was matched only by their immense wealth. As I entered, all eyes bore into me, brimming with fury. "I warned you that appointing Selfish Alexander as the potential leader was foolish, Grandpa," Aunt Maya exclaimed before I could even take a seat. I remained silent, grabbing a chair without uttering a word. Couldn't she even pronounce my name correctly? It was Alexei, not Alexander.

Grandpa (Inavon)

.

~

"How dare you anger Mr. Rossio," I fumed. These young ones made reckless decisions that tarnished the company and the Romano name. "The Rossios are not to be trifled with; you will make amends by tomorrow," I instructed Alex, whose mind seemed elsewhere. Where was his focus? He sat quietly, seemingly indifferent to the gravity of the situation. "Alex Romano!" I bellowed. Alex glanced at me. "Fine, I will reconcile with the Rossio family," he finally spoke, but this wasn't the Alexei I knew. "Now, explain why you ended the meeting prematurely," I demanded.

Alex Romano

.

~

I remained silent, then uttered something shocking. "I want to get married," I declared. Shock reverberated through the room. Surely, everyone wondered what madness had possessed me. Grandpa appeared on the verge of a heart attack, while Yelena, the woman he intended me to marry, seemed ready to explode. Why was she even present at the family meeting? She wasn't a Romano or a Braichi; she had no place here. "You want to get married?" Denis, my older brother, asked, stunned by my announcement. "Yes," I replied simply. "To whom?" Yelena demanded angrily. "It doesn't matter; just know you'll soon have a bride. Give me five days. And don't worry about Mr. Rossio; I'll handle him." I left before Grandpa could reprimand me, instructing my driver to take me back to Sinner. The driver simply nodded.

Diego

.

~

"Damn you, Alex," I cursed under my breath. He left me stranded at the table, facing a barrage of questions. Sure, I'm his right-hand man, but that doesn't mean I can read his mind. "Diego!" Grandpa's shout snapped me back to reality. Hell, I didn't ask him to make that statement. I didn't even know the bride, let alone how to respond for him. "What the hell was that, Diego?" Grandpa continued his tirade. "I don't know," I admitted truthfully. "Tell him I reject the proposal; he's not marrying anyone except Yelena!" With a nod, I prepared to flee the tension-filled room. As I exited the dining room, Mrs. Romano rushed towards me. "Mother, I'm not lying; I genuinely don't know," I assured her. Yes, this family is like my own. They took me in when I was an orphan, and I've been Alexei's best friend since childhood. Yet, he hadn't divulged anything about his bride—no name, age, or family. Coming here was a mistake. We should've stayed in Sicily. I felt insulted. "I know Alexei is unpredictable, but I believe he'll inform you before the day ends, as he always does," his mother reassured me.

Abigail

.

~

I don't know how long I was asleep. When I woke up, Dad had already come back from work and prepared a big dinner for me. It was my favorite meal, Rice Krispies. He knew exactly what I needed. I can't believe I slept the entire day. From the look my father gave me, he wanted to know what happened. I wanted to tell the truth, but I couldn't. It was my first time lying to my dad. I told him I enjoyed myself at the club; Riley and I danced, and I stayed at Riley's house. At first, he didn't believe me, but since he knows I don't lie to him, he eventually believed me. I wanted to cry for lying to my dad, for breaking the rules, for lacking self-respect. I didn't finish my meal, and Dad was worried. I assured him I was fine and went to my room. I sent Riley a message asking if she was okay, to which she replied with "fine." I knew my question was foolish; of course, she wasn't fine. What was I thinking? I started applying for college. There wasn't a reason to cry over spilt milk. I had to move forward and forget everything about that day. I applied for myself and for Riley too because I want to attend the same college as her, and we want almost the same careers.

Alex

.

~

I've been looking at the CCTV footage of that room for the past seven hours. I put up the "Do Not Disturb" sign in the CCTV room; I wanted to see her again, even if it's on the screen. The bouncer didn't remember her name; nobody knew her—everybody was useless. Why didn't I ask for her name? I must find her by the end of the day, make her mine today. She's my goal. Forget the Rossio family; I want her. Deigo just opened the door, and he was mad, not that I care. "Deigo, do you have any information about her?" I asked. Yeah, I told Diego everything—why I cut the meeting short and who my wife was.