The Italian Tycoon's Bride

Father's Deadline

The sun rays shone on the serene and beautiful estate of the Russo’s villa on Lake Como, casting a beautiful and wonderful scenery which will leave any beholder in awe. But the once beautiful atmosphere was interrupted by Giovanni’s father voice Leonardo Russo, his voice dripping with anger and contempt for his son.

Giovanni stood in the grand library and study of his father with his eyes fixed on him. Leonardo Russo face and expression was unreadable with fierce and stern determination.

“ Giovanni you are 30 years old now and I think is high time you settled down take your rightful place in the family’s business “. Leonardo said, his voice weighty and authoritative.

Giovanni felt a surge of dissatisfaction and resentment. He always knew that his father was against his flirtatious lifestyle but never thought he would force him to a life he didn’t want.

“ But Dad I’m not ready to settle down yet and get married”, Giovanni objected. “I’m still young and vibrant and I want to focus on my career “.

Leonardo's expression turned glacial. "Your career?" he repeated. "You mean your foolish pursuit of art? That's not a career, Giovanni. That's a hobby."

Giovanni became bittered by his father’s words leaving him shattered and helpless. He always had passion for art and wanted to be recognised and known star in the art world.

“ Another thing “Leonardo stressed, his voice dripping with disgust and contempt. "Your lifestyle is becoming an embarrassment to the business and family. We have lost a lot of deals just because you couldn’t keep it in your pants! Maybe if you stuck to one female and tried to build a family, you would become more responsible.”

Giovanni felt his face heat up with shame and admitting that his father was absolutely right and never wanting to stay long enough with one woman to maintain and establish a connection with the intention of settling down.

“And to this effect I'm giving you a deadline. Hopefully, you will become more responsible now. “ Leonardo said, his eyes blazing with fury. “You have one year to find a suitable wife and settle down. If you don't, I'll cut you off from the family business and disinherit you”.

Giovanni expression on was like one who was slapped in the face . He could not comprehend what he was hearing from his father and didn’t believe that he was actually threatening him.

“You can't be serious,” Giovanni said, trying to maintain and keep his tone calm and neutral

Leonardo's expression was unyielding. “I'm dead serious,” he said. “You have one year to comply. If you don't, Luca will inherit everything.”

Giovanni felt a wave of anger wash over him. Meanwhile Luca, his stepbrother, was the son of his father's second wife, and Giovanni had always felt like he was an outsider.

“This is not fair,” Giovanni said, his voice rising. "I'm your rightful heir, not Luca."

Leonardo's face turned red with rage. “You are not behaving and acting like my heir,” he thundered. “You are acting like a selfish, arrogant playboy.”

Leonardo’s words made a heavy impact on Giovanni. He always knew that he had been selfish and arrogant in the past, but he was trying to make amends and change for the better.

“I'm sorry, father,” Giovanni said, trying to appease him. “I'll try to do better.”

But Leonardo was unmoved. “You have one year to change and make amends and if you don't, you're out of this family.”

Giovanni became grieved and helpless and felt his nemesis had finally caught up with him and not knowing what he was going to do, but he knew he had to find a way of getting away from his father's suffocating expectations.

“I need to think about it,” Giovanni said, trying to keep his tone neutral and calm.

Leonardo nodded. "You have one year," he repeated. “Utilize it well.”

And with a sense of uneasiness, urgency and desperation, Giovanni walked out of his father’s study and out of the villa entirely into the night with a feeling that he was walking into a death trap, knew he needed to look for a way to regain his father's trust and make him believe in him again and could not ignore the deadline his father gave him and understood that this time his father meant every word he said, and his inheritance was really on the line and at the brink of losing it to Luca his stepbrother.

Moreover, his thoughts were intercepted by the sound of his phone ringing. He reached out you his pocket thinking it was his best friend Alex who could offer a solution to his predicament, but his heart sank as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line. It was his stepbrother, Luca.

“Hey, Giovanni,” Luca said, his voice dripping with smugness. “I hear father's given you a deadline.”

Giovanni felt a surge of anger. How did Luca already know about the ultimatum?

"What do you want, Luca?" Giovanni growled.

I’m informing you that you're running out of time,” Luca said. “You have one year to find someone to marry and settle down. If you don't, everything will come to me.”

Giovanni felt a wave of rage wash over him. He couldn't believe that Luca was gloating about his misfortune.

“You'll never get away with this, Luca,” Giovanni said. “I will look for a way to reclaim my rightful position and place in the family business.”

“Oh, I'm getting afraid” Luca scoffed. “You will never be able to accomplish it, Giovanni. You're too selfish and arrogant.”

Giovanni's anger boiled over. He ended the call and hit his fist against the wall, feeling a surge of pain and frustration.

“I will show them.” He said that I am the rightful heir to my father's empire and I rather die than allow Luca take what rightfully belongs to me.

And with that he felt a profound energy and determination to fight for his rights as the heir the Russo’s empire no matter the cost. He had to go to the bar over at Lake Como. It was the only place he ever got inspiration from. Sipping the bourbon in his hand, he smiled into the dark. He really did get his best inspirations down here. He would prove them wrong, and he had just the best way to do it.