Falling for my step brother

A merchant’s pride

It was a very sunny afternoon, the sun bathed the De Luca's mansion in a golden glow, the glass walls reflected the light like a mirror. A very sleek black SUV drove in, the courtyard hummed with the sound of tyres on the gravel. Lorenzo and Maria De Luca just arrived from their latest business trip to Milan, they packed their vehicles with all of their trades, it was full of boxes of the finest silk, a few luxury and high end gadgets they have purchased for clients and leather bound contracts. Their driver hopped out of the car to unload what they brought. Maria, a very majestic woman with so much grace adjusted her glasses as she stepped out of the car and walked towards the mansion, Lorenzo's broad shoulders squared as he stepped out of the car onto his domain.

Justin, who stood at the courtyard edge with his casual shirt streaked with sweat from an earlier chore, he had been trying to get the faucet fixed in the guest bathroom. Immediately he saw them, he jogged over with so much excitement to welcome them. “welcome back” he said in a very steady but warm voice. Lorenzo didn’t pay so much attention to the greetings, he was more focused on the mansion, he scanned the mansion like a king surveying his castle, trying to check if he met everything in great condition. He moved closer to Justin and clapped his shoulder. “good to see you Justin. I am sure everything is in order?” he said. Lorenzo trusted Justin so much, he trusted him like a son.

Maria embraced him elegantly in a cream blouse and tailored pants, her soft pretty eyes became tinier as she smiled. “Of course it is, I trust him”, she said with a her gentle voice, very sonorous. She reached into her handbag and brought out a designer piece which she got from Milan and also pulled out a small box, pressing it into Justin’s hands. “this is for you my boy,” she added, her palm patting his back. He opened it to find a carved customized wooden pen, its surface was smooth and dark, etched with tiny vines. “I hope you love it?,” she asked, she was more focused trying to watch his reaction to see if he loved it. Justin grinned, he turned it over in his palm. “Thanks, Mom. It’s so perfect.” Maria felt a great relief, she confirmed he loved it, Maria loved giving gifts a lot, she enjoyed giving small tokens to show her affection, and Justin was her favorite target.

The three of them moved inside, the cool breeze of the mansion was a great relief after the scorching afternoon sun. Their foyer shined bright, the marble floors shining bright like a clean mirror, the wide staircase curving up to the second stairs, the chandelier dripping with glowing crystals. Justin followed Maria and Lorenzo, he carried the box of silk that they had handed off to him. His mind ticked through his reports because he took his role so seriously. He is the eldest who kept the ship afloat and everything in charge in their parent's absence as they pursue their merchant empire. He had spent the week juggling between tasks and making sure Lora got to music lessons and driving Smith to fencing practice. He kept the staff on track. This was his second nature now, a habit he had built since he was very much younger.

Lora was in her room upstairs, pretending to be unaware that her parents have arrived. She scrolled through her phone. Her dark hair was packed in a fancy loose ponytail bun. She wore a casual outfit and her bare feet tapping the carpet. She was bored and was itching for something to break the boredom. She heard the car horn when they drove in and knew her parents were back, but she stayed put, hoping for Justin to come call her to come down from her room. She thought of him, his quiet laughter and how he held her hand, this made her smile, she held her pillow and hugged it tightly.

Smith on the other hand was in the gym at the basement, his fencing gear was scattered across the floor. He was so full of energy , his clothes were damp with sweat as he practiced his sport. His phone buzzed with a text from his friend. His friend asked him if he would practice later but he ignored it, he was so lost in the practice. He loved fencing so much, he loved the rush, he owed Justin for pushing him to stick with it and stay consistent after a very rough start. He heard the horn of the car, he was excited his parents were back but was more focused on his fencing, determined to finish up before he goes to meet them, knowing fully well that Lorenzo would want a full report of his skills.

Justin supervised the chef as she made dinner, dinner came soon after and the family gathered in the dining room to eat. The long dining table was set aesthetically with varieties of healthy meals; plates of pasta, grilled chicken, salad that had already been tossed together by Justin. Lorenzo sat at the head, and Maria sat beside him, their travelling bags were still unpacked by the door. Lora and Smith were seated as well, Lora was picking at her food while Smith was shoveling it in. Justin took his seat last, he made sure everyone was okay before he sat.

Lorenzo launched into a story about their trip, his deep voice was all over the clatter of forks.

Milan is a goldmine this time. He said, resting his back on the seat with a glass of red wine in his hands. “I signed a deal with a silk supplier, it’s of great quality and the best price I have ever seen. And remember the tech guy? He is sending us those new smartwatches in a few weeks” he expressed with a broad smile on his face. Maris nodded, adding , “we met a designer too, ohhhhh…..he has gorgeous scarves. I bought the samples.” She pointed to the box Justin carried in, she bubbled with excitement. Lorenzo and Maria thrived on those deals, their wealth was a shield around the family.

Justin listened as they spoke, his expression was neutral, he paused eating for a second and said, “that sounds like a win,” he sounded very honest. Lorenzo clapped his hands loud. “ Did you just say a win? It is indeed a triumph ,Justin! Don’t you know that, you should have seen how I haggled that supplier down, he was really sweating by the end”. Smith snorted with a lot of food stuck in his mouth. “I am sure he cried into his espresso,” he said. Lora added, “mummy bought out the shoe stores again?” Maria laughed, “wellllll ... .just one pair thank you, but maybe two, or three” they both laughed.

They all laughed over it on the eating table. The room was warm with the glow of the stunning chandelier overhead. But then, Lorenzo's tone shifted, his eyes looking towards Lora’s direction. “Speaking of wins”, he spoke frankly and pointed to Lora. “Your mom and I have been thinking about your future. “This family is so strong but alliances and power matter a lot”. a good marriage to a strong family could lock in our place you know? That means more wealth, even more power. That is a great one right?, I am sure you will love it.” he sipped his wine , letting his words hang. Obviously, Lorenzo had great plans already, he was only waiting for it to be executed. He had a chess game in his mind and Lora was the key piece.

Lora was so shocked, she froze, her fingers moving so fast and her fork clattering. Her pretty eyes flicked Justin, so quick and sharp, then back to her food. She lost her appetite immediately, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She knew marriage meant losing control and being handed off like one of her father’s contracts. She faked a smile, quite small and tight. “Hmmmm….. yeahh, sure” she mumbled, trying to push her hair behind her ear. Justin kept a blank face, suddenly she and Justin had a brief eye contact, his hands were on the table, he was no longer comfortable, he was uneasy. Lorenzo’s plans stirred something in him, a protectiveness he could not name.

Maria notice Lora and Justin very brief eye contact, her eyes narrowed slightly but she said nothing, she sipped her water slightly, her mind became a little bit bothered. Although she had noticed Lora and Justin’s closeness, the way she feels so excited around him. “it was innocent, isn’t it? Just siblings love?” She thought. But now that Lorenzo talked about their plans for her marriage, a doubt tugged at her, but she snapped out of the doubt immediately , her elegant painted fingers tapped the glass of wine, but she became silent.

Now, everyone was done eating except Justin and Lora, Justin was full already and could not finish his dinner, but Lora lost her appetite, half eaten. Lorenzo and Maria headed upstairs, their voices faded as they continued the discussion about their trip. Justin cleared the table, piling the dishes in the sink and instructing the maid to clear it. Lora offered help but he declined. She left to the sitting room, she replayed the words of her father in her head “marriage, alliances and wealth”. she bounced on the soft couch, staring at the rooftop, she was restless and her heart was quite uneasy.

Smith ran off back to the basement, his fencing sport called him back. He went ahead to text his friend that texted him earlier. Yeah, let us practice tomorrow, his energy was unshaken. He had not figured out anything suspicious yet. Smith didn’t really pay so much attention to Lorenzo’s marriage talk with Lora, although he heard but he didn’t really care, his focus was more on swords and games, not marriage or family deals.

Justin was with the maid in the kitchen while she finished the dishes. Everything was quiet now, he moved to the balcony again, at the garden, his favorite painting spot at night, the night breeze was cool and he felt the cold in his skin. The customized carved pencil was still sitting in his pocket, a gift he really appreciated. Justin was so much appreciated here and he was so proud of it. He remembered Lorenzo’s words about Lora’s marriage plan. He got irritated immediately, he frowned and stared at the city lights. Is that the best he wanted for her? He thought.

The mansion became so quiet, almost everyone had already retired to their room. Justin thought of painting that night but he was not in a great mood for it. His mind was so bothered and unsettled. Lora , who was still seated on the couch, brought out her phone, scrolled aimlessly, her only thoughts were on Justin. What would she do? She thought.