New Love

eight

Mateo's Point Of View

"What made you agree to my granddaughter's proposal, Don Mateo?" Mrs. Kingsley asks as we headed to the estate's lavish garden.

"She has convinced me enough for me to say yes. She is smart, strategic, intelligent and beautiful. Besides, it's only a marriage on paper Mrs. Kingsley, no romantic feelings will be involved between us." I answered as politely as I could

"Please, call me Agatha... You are going to be my grandson in law after all." she smiled sweetly "And if I had a dime every time I hear the words “it's only a marriage on paper” I'd surpass my husband's wealth already!" she shakes her head with a chuckle as we stopped by a bench

"What do you mean by that M- Agatha?" I frowned in confusion, she motions me to sit and I obliged to sit with her.

She exhaled a little before speaking "I was in an arranged marriage with my husband. At first, I was very against the idea of marrying someone I barely knew. But my father's business was failing and his enemies want to kill our family so he arranged a marriage between myself and Henry Kingsley's only son... The heir of the United Kingdom Ma-ia's English Chapter and Kingsley Publishings Incorporated... Robert Maxwell Kingsley" she says

"You fell in love with him right away?" I wondered

"Oh heavens no." she chuckles "We both didn't like the idea of getting married to one another, Robert had a fiancé back then and I was just starting my career out as a novelist, my mind was nowhere near the idea of marriage. Unlike the other women who were my age at the time." she added "But Robert's fiancé left him for another man. One night, he had asked me to drink with him which I accepted but thought nothing would come out of it. Fast forward 57 years later, we are head over heels in love and already have three children, seven grandchildren and a great granddaughter" she smiled sweetly

"You seem to have a wonderful family" I said with a genuine smile "But I don't think Elena and I will have the same outcome as you and your husband had with your arranged marriage." I sighed

"Because of what happened to your wife and Harrison." she stated, I looked at her as she smiled kindly at me "Being in this business has a price, it's heartbreaking but I'm one of the few people who are thankful for this way of life." she sighs happily

"Why?" I asked as she took something from her pocket

"If it weren't for the Ma-ia, I wouldn't have had my husband, my children and my grandchildren with me. And I will never have had them if it weren't for my father joining the ma-ia." she says as she hands the small box to me "This was my engagement ring...Robert told me when he asked for my hand in marriage that he bought a new engagement ring so that we can pass them to our children as a family heirloom. Sadly, my son and my sons in law opted for more modern rings to propose to my daughters and Elaine, Elena's mother" she shook her head at the mention of Elena's mother

"I want you to propose to Elena with this." she smiles

I open the box to see a vintage gold ring, with an oval cut emerald at the center of it.

The ring was beautiful, classically elegant and vintage. But I hadn't thought about proposing to Elena so soon...

"This isn't necessary Agatha-" I tried to protest and handed her the ring box back but she cut me off by telling me a story.

"Elena would often ask me if she could wear it when she was younger which I always obliged to because she was so careful and caring with it... I remember when she almost lost it, she wouldn't stop until she finds the ring and gives it back to me. She didn't sleep for two days" we both let out a chuckle "Though I didn't know why she would often borrow it." she shrugged

That woman is a determined girl when she was younger, I'm guessing she is still determined today. Seeing as to which she singlehandedly fought the Scots off all on her own.

"When Harrison proposed to her, I could tell she was a little disappointed that he didn't propose with my ring." she says "At least let this engagement be somewhat happy for her" She added, I took a deep breath and nodded as I closed the box and placed it in my pocket

"I will. I just need to find the perfect timing to do it" I promised with a kind smile

"Good." She pulls me in for a hug "Welcome to the family Don Mateo." she smiled warmly

I hug her back "Please, call me Mateo."

"Then when you're comfortable enough, call me Nana." she smiled back

---

*meanwhile; the other side of the garden*

Elena's Point Of View

"We need to talk Elena Jane-" my father began as he found me in the sh--ting range as I kept firing at the targets, hitting the middle each time

"No- you always defend her. H-ll you're still in love with her even if she married the man whom she cheated with!" I spat angrily "She's happy with her f-cking cookie cutter life and I'm happy being the leader of a ma-ia. I'm better off without her and so are you." I sighed, putting my g-n in my pocket and faced him

"She's the love of my life and the mother of my children! You wouldn't understand because you didn't spend almost half of your life with someone!" he spat angrily

"If she was truly the love of your life, where was she during your battle with leukemia? I'll tell you where, in her husband's arms happily on a vacation to Hawaii and doesn't give a sh-t about you and I... And If she truly was my mother, where was she when my period first came? Did she show up at every parent-teacher conference or any activity in school I participated in? She's nowhere to be found and it was Nana Agatha who was present in all those events." I sighed as I tried to open his eyes "Stop trying to defend her and look into my perspective for once. I'm going to entertain Don Mateo and introduce him to my men now, see you at dinner." I kissed his cheek before going outside the range

I know he hates me at the moment, but I just don't want to see him hurt... Especially by Elaine again...