Chapter 4
1393 Words
Leo hurled the glass against the wall, and it shattered into a thousand glittering pieces.
"So this was his plan all along," he growled, his voice raw with disbelief. He turned from his right-hand man to the man he had known since childhood. his grandfather's best friend, practically family.
"I'm sorry, son," Giancarlo said quietly, the weight of grief pulling at his features. "He was like a brother to me. And this-this was his final wish."
Leo scoffed and looked away, jaw clenched. "Even in death, he's still tormenting me," he muttered under his breath.
He loved his grandfather deeply. The old man had always teased him about marriage, often joking that Leo would die alone if he didn't change his ways. Leo had always laughed it off, never thinking the man would make good on those jokes-especially not in his will.
And yet, here they were.
If Leo wanted access to the remaining 30% of his grandfather's shares-the shares that would give him full control of the company-he had to get married.
Married.
The idea alone made his skin itch.
"This is ridiculous," Leo snapped. "We can talk this out. Grandfather's not here anymore. We can-rewrite this."
But Giancarlo shook his head firmly. "I can't, Leo. His last wish isn't negotiable. It's binding, and it's all in the document. If we breach the terms, the other shareholders will challenge the will. It could spark chaos in the boardroom-and you know it."
Leo paced the room like a lion in a cage, hands clenched at his sides. The idea of being forced into marriage-for shares, no less-was infuriating.
"Do you know how insane this sounds?" he snapped, turning sharply toward Giancarlo. "You're telling me I either tie myself to someone I don't even care about or risk losing everything I've built?"
Giancarlo's expression remained composed, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of sympathy. "It's not just about the company, Leo. Your grandfather wanted more for you than boardrooms and balance sheets. He wanted you to have a life."
Leo laughed bitterly. "A life? He thinks marriage equals happiness? The man barely spent time with Grandma and after she died, He lived alone and practically haunted that estate."
Giancarlo sighed. "He loved you, Leo. He just didn't want to leave you with power and no one to share it with. He thought this would push you to open up... maybe even fall in love."
"Well, he failed!" Leo shouted. "I don't need love, and I definitely don't need a wife!"
His voice echoed against the marble walls, and for a moment, silence filled the room.
Giancarlo didn't flinch. "Then you'll lose the shares. And possibly the company when the others start circling like sharks."
Leo stood frozen, his jaw ticking, chest rising and falling with shallow, furious breaths. His eyes burned-not with tears, but with betrayal.
Then without another word, he grabbed his jacket from the chair, shoved it on, and stormed out of the room.
The heavy oak door slammed shut behind him.
Giancarlo stared at the shards of broken glass still glittering on the floor and whispered to the empty room, "You'll see, Leo... sometimes the best things come disguised as the worst.
~~
The bar was dim, the lights low, and the music soft-just the way Leo De Luca liked it when he wanted to disappear into the silence of his thoughts.
He nursed his third glass of bourbon, his sharp jaw clenched tight as he sat in the private lounge of the bar. Across from him sat Matteo Romano-his oldest friend and most trusted right-hand man. Matteo had been with him since college, and over the years, their relationship had blurred the lines between business and brotherhood.
Leo exhaled sharply and poured himself another glass.
"So this is how he gets the last laugh," Leo muttered, his voice rough with irritation. "Dead and still trying to run my life."
Matteo leaned back in his seat, swirling the amber liquor in his glass. "Your grandfather loved you, Leo. Maybe this was just his way of... making sure you weren't alone."
Leo scoffed. "Bullshit. This was control. Just another way of reminding me that no matter how far I go, I'm still a De Luca. Still expected to play by their rules."
Matteo let him talk. He knew better than to interrupt when Leo was spiraling.
Leo sat up straighter, his eyes narrowing. "Get married to get the thirty percent? That's insane. You know how many people would kill for that kind of control and I have to be married to unlock it? He's punishing me for living the way I wanted."
Matteo shrugged, calm and reasonable. "Or he was trying to force you to grow up."
Leo shot him a glare, but Matteo didn't back down.
"I'm not saying it's fair," Matteo continued. "But thirty percent, Leo. That's more than enough to keep your enemies at bay. With that, you'd practically have a chokehold on the board."
"I don't care," Leo said, leaning forward. "I don't need to marry anyone just to prove anything to a bunch of old men in suits."
"You wouldn't have to love her," Matteo said casually, finishing his drink. "Hell, you don't even have to like her. Just marry someone on paper, act the part when needed, and walk away when the time's right. No strings. No emotions. Just business."
Leo stared at him, eyes narrowing slightly. "You make it sound like hiring a secretary."
"It's not far off," Matteo said. "You've signed worse contracts."
Leo didn't respond immediately. He ran a hand through his thick hair, then leaned back in the leather booth.
Matteo pressed on. "You could pick anyone. Literally anyone. Someone who won't give you drama, someone who knows the deal and stays out of your way. You marry, collect the shares, lock down your power, and... if you want, disappear again."
Silence lingered.
Leo looked at the bottom of his glass, then at the ceiling. His jaw ticked, and Matteo knew he was thinking it over.
"I'm not agreeing to anything," Leo finally said, his tone guarded.
"I didn't say you should," Matteo replied. "Just think about it, Leo. That's all I'm saying."
Leo didn't respond. He stood up, tossed some cash on the table, and grabbed his coat.
"Let's go," he muttered, his voice gruff. "I need air."
Matteo followed him out without another word, leaving behind the empty glasses and the heavy weight of what could be Leo's most important decision yet.
~~
The cold wind hit Leo's face as he stepped out of the bar, the night darker than usual. The city was drenched in silence, broken only by the hum of distant cars and the rustling breeze. His eyes flicked to Matteo and the driver waiting by the sleek black Maserati.
"I'll drive," Leo muttered, reaching for the keys.
Matteo raised a brow but didn't argue. He tossed him the keys with a silent nod.
Leo got behind the wheel, shutting the door harder than he intended. The engine came alive with a low growl, matching the storm brewing inside him.
He needed to be alone.
The streets blurred past as he drove aimlessly, letting the neon lights and long stretches of road distract him from the weight of expectations. Thunder rumbled overhead, followed by the soft tap of raindrops on his windshield. The sky cracked open, releasing a sudden downpour.
Leo cursed under his breath and flipped on the wipers, but his thoughts were spiraling-his grandfather, the damn marriage clause, the company.
His phone rang, vibrating loudly against the console.
Without thinking, he reached for it and glanced at the screen.
Unknown Number.
A second's distraction.
By the time he looked up, it was too late.
A figure darted across the road-a blur soaked in rain.
Leo slammed on the brakes and jerked the wheel, but the tires skidded on the wet asphalt. The car jolted forward with a sickening thud.
The body hit the hood and rolled to the ground.
Leo froze.
His chest heaved, and his heart pounded in his ears. Rain lashed against the windshield as he slowly stepped out into the storm, eyes fixed on the motionless figure crumpled on the side of the road.
He still couldn't see clearly. The rain was too heavy.
All he knew was that he'd hit someone.
- Writer
