The Deal That Ruins Everything
1273 Words
The restaurant was silent.
All the individuals present in Café Aurora were staring at Giulia.
Her heart beat was so great a wailing she could scarcely hear anything more.
Matteo was standing before her composedly.
Alessandro was on the opposite side of the table, and he was grinding his teeth with fury.
And now her future was between them.
Matteo was lazily checking his watch.
“One hour,” he reminded her.
Giulia glared at him.
“You’re insane.”
“Probably.”
You think I would fake a relationship so that you can go ahead and irritate your brother?
Matteo smirked.
“Annoy? That is a very gentle term for what I intend to do.
The voice of Alessandro was as sharp as a knife.
“She’s not part of this.”
Matteo raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t own her.”
The eyes of Alessandro shifted to Giulia.
“You should refuse.”
“Why?” she shot back.
Since my brother destroys everything he touches.
Matteo laughed.
“That’s rich coming from you.”
The brothers looked at one another with pure hatred.
Now Giulia suddenly knew something.
This was not an in-fight within the family.
This was war.
And she was standing right in between.
She turned to Matteo.
You are putting ten thousand euros.
“Yes.”
“For pretending to date you?”
“Yes.”
“Why me?”
Matteo didn’t hesitate.
His brother has taken care of me already.
Slamming his hand on the table, Alessandro dropped his head onto it.
“I don’t.”
Matteo shrugged.
You have brought it yourself to interrogate her.
“That’s different.”
“Is it?”
Giulia’s head spun.
No more talking about me behind my back.
Both men looked at her.
“Good,” Matteo said. “You’re angry. That helps.”
“Helps what?”
“Our story.”
She stared at him.
“Our story?”
“Yes.”
He leaned closer.
“We need chemistry.”
Alessandro again caught Matteo by the collar.
“This ends now.”
Matteo didn’t fight back.
Rather, he gazed directly at Giulia.
You want to know what the rest of the offer is.
Giulia hesitated.
That was enough.
Matteo smiled.
“I’ll give you fifty thousand.”
The whole restaurant staggered.
Giulia blinked.
“What?”
“Fifty thousand euros.”
Why, why, she said to herself,
“For six months.”
Her heart skipped.
Six months to play my girlfriend.
Matteo was pushed aside by Alessandro.
Dragging her into it you are not!
Matteo fussed with his jacket.
“She has free will.”
Giulia swallowed.
Fifty thousand euros.
It was a lot of money than she had ever seen in her life.
With that money, she could—
Pay off her debts.
Leave this town.
Start over somewhere else.
But her voice still shook.
Why do you require a fake girlfriend?
Matteo’s smile disappeared.
Since my brother does not like losing.
The eyes of Alessandro became lethal.
“Don’t say another word.”
Matteo ignored him.
Our family business is divided between you and me, he said.
Porto Vento is controlled by my brother.
“And you?” Giulia asked.
“I control the investors.”
Alessandro scoffed.
“You control chaos.”
Matteo shrugged.
“That too.”
Giulia frowned.
“So where do I fit in?”
Matteo’s eyes darkened.
“You’re the weakness.”
Alessandro came up at once.
“Enough.”
But Matteo kept talking.
Five years back, my brother robbed me.
I did not rob anything, Alessandro replied huffily.
“You took everything.”
There was another outburst of tension in the room.
Something heavier than herself fluttered against Giulia.
What did he take, she asked herself?
Matteo never took his eyes off his brother.
“The woman I loved.”
The words hung in the air.
Giulia looked at Alessandro.
His expression didn’t change.
But the silence confirmed it.
“Oh,” she whispered.
Matteo looked back at her.
Now I am stealing something out of him.
Giulia’s stomach tightened.
“You want revenge.”
“Yes.”
“And I’m the weapon.”
“Yes.”
Her heart was like aflame with humiliation.
“You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.”
“What does that mean?”
Matteo fluttered his fingers in the restaurant.
“You’re beautiful.”
Giulia stiffened.
“You’re bold.”
She didn’t answer.
My brother does not wish me anywhere near you, the last, he continued.
The voice of Alessandro was chilled.
Since I am just certain of the way this goes.
Matteo smiled slowly.
Out of fear she will fall in love with me.
Giulia almost choked.
“That is not happening.”
Matteo winked.
“We’ll see.”
Alessandro reverted to her.
You will regret that deal if you accept it.
“Why?”
Due to the reasons, Matteo ruins lives.
Matteo laughed softly.
“Brother, please. Let the girl decide.”
Giulia’s heart pounded.
This was insane.
Two powerful brothers.
One offering money.
One offering warnings.
And yet in a way... they both were dangerous.
She took a deep breath.
“Fifty thousand,” she repeated.
Matteo nodded.
“For six months.”
“Yes.”
“And after that?”
“You walk away.”
Alessandro cut in sharply.
“He’s lying.”
Matteo looked about with a brief flicking of his eyes.
But he said nothing.
Giulia noticed.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Matteo leaned closer.
Our counterfeit relationship will be open.
“How public?”
“Very.”
Giulia frowned.
“Meaning?”
Matteo smiled.
“We’ll attend events together.”
“Events?”
“Parties. Business dinners.”
She stared at him.
You would like a waitress to act like she is part of your world.
The voice of Matteo became not quite so rough.
And you may be one more than you reckon.
Alessandro shook his head.
You are committing the greatest error of your life.
Giulia turned to him.
“Why do you care?”
For the first time…
Alessandro hesitated.
And such stammering told all.
Matteo saw it too.
His smile widened.
“That’s why.”
Giulia experienced a twisting of her stomach.
Something was going on here of which she did not know.
Something dangerous.
Matteo stepped closer.
“Decision time.”
Alessandro spoke quietly.
“If you say yes, you’ll regret it.”
Matteo countered.
Nothing in your life will be different if you say no.
Giulia was peeking around the restaurant.
The same tables.
The same customers.
The same country life which she had never left.
Then she looked at Matteo.
Dangerous.
Arrogant.
Tempting chaos.
Finally…
She made her decision.
“Fine.”
She could not help uttering the word.
“I’ll do it.”
The whole room was filled with whispers.
Matteo smiled as though he had won.
Alessandro looked furious.
You do not know what you have just bargained.
Giulia crossed her arms.
“Then explain it.”
But Matteo answered first.
I have just accepted, you see, he thought to himself,
to act like the girlfriend of the man that your boss dislikes the most.
He leaned closer.
“And tomorrow morning…”
His voice had fallen to a whisper.
“You’re moving into my house.”
Giulia’s eyes widened.
“What?”
Matteo smiled.
I forgot to state that part, did I?
The voice of Alessandro was ice cold.
You have joined a war you are not going to live through.
And suddenly…
Giulia did not know which was the greater mistake.
- Writer
