Chapter 3
1039 Words
Mara
The room feels stuffy.
I stared at Lorenzo as if he had spoken in another language I didn’t understand.
“You mean I should marry you?”, I repeated.
“Yes.”
His tone was indifferent, calm, as if he asking me what’s says the time.
“You have completely lost your mind”, I scoffed.
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his face as he stared at me as if I’m an impudent child.
“Nothing is free in our world,Princess.If you want something you have work for it.Moreover,I’ve calculated the odds.”
He then walked to his windows staring at the coast that was dotted with tiny creeks.
“You need protection and I need a wife. This is the easiest deal I have ever offered anyone .”
I let out a bitter and heart wrenching laugh. I wasn’t informed that the mafia king is also a comedian.
“You are asking a woman whose family was brutally killed in less than forty-eight hours ago to marry. Are you sick or something, this is genuinely disgusting.”
“I’m offering you a survival,a second chance. I don’t stand a chance to gain anything by helping you.”
“I’d rather lose everything.”, I said shaking with rage.
“Would you?.”
Without looking at me, He picked up a remote and he pressed a button on the remote in his hand.
A large television screen mounted on the wall came to life.
The screen flashes with breaking news.
AFTER THE CEO AND HIS WIFE OF DE LUCA EMPIRE WERE BRUTALLY MURDER , THE COMPANY SHARES PLUMMET.
Their son who’s the COO of the company is reported to be hospitalized, Our source says.
Before I could give my answer, a tiny pairs of footsteps echoed through the room.
“Daddy!”
Angelina ran inside, clutching her stuffed animal tightly.
Without hesitation, she wrapped her body around Lorenzo’s leg.
His cold exterior expression softened instantly and his body relaxed as he bend down to pick her up. He lifted her into his lap and pushed her hairs out of her face.
“You skipped your nap”, he mumbled softly.
“I don’t feel like sleeping, she pouted.”
I was dumbfounded watching the exchange in stunned silence.
This is not the same man that has grown peeing on themselves or am I in an alternate universe.
Angelina noticed my small smile.
“Are you staying for dinner?,” she asked.
I opened my mouth but no words came out.
Lorenzo keeps patting her head.
“Go find Sabrina.”
His daughter kissed his before running out of the room.
“She has you wrapped around her finger and you love her,” I said quietly.
“She’s my daughter of course.”
His expression hardened.
“Don’t mistake my love for weakness.”
“If you’re capable of loving your daughter, why don’t you marry for love?”
His jaw’s tightened.
“Love gets people killed.”
He stepped closer to me.
“My wife died when bringing my daughter into this world.”
For the first time, pain flickered in his eyes.
The room was extremely quiet.
“ I don’t need another love story,”he continued.
“I need someone who can stand beside me without expecting any affection.”
“And what makes you think I’m that someone.”
“I’m aware that you can’t stand me.”, He said.
His answer struck deeper than what I wanted to admit.
The ringing tone of my phone interrupted our conversation.
Giovanni is the one on the line,”Mara,I’m also at the Rossi estate, Lorenzo demanded my presence together with the members of the De Luca board.
“What do you think you are doing,”I questioned Lorenzo.
A knock interrupted us.
Uncle Gio entered carrying a thick folder.
He looks at me inquisitively.
“Send them in.”
Five seconds later,three smart looking dressed men walked into the room.
Members of De Luca board.
The familiar faces looked at me with disappointment,disapproval and disgusted look.
“We have a reached an agreement among ourselves,Miss De Luca”, oldest among them said stiffly.
My stomach tightened at the thought.
“What agreement?”, I retorted.
“Without your father’s leadership or your brother’s presence, the board believes you are not capable of running the empire.”
“We have voted anonymously to suspend your authority till further notice.”
“You have no right to question my ability to run my empire, my brother and I have been trained for this role since birth.”
“What an insolent!”
“We have every right, moreover you are lady. you are best suited for charities gala than leading multi million conglomerates.”, one of them said mockingly.
“Are you hearing yourself,what’s your insinuating,that’s statement of yours is misogynistic”
I’m boiling with rage.
One of the men slid several legal documents across the table.
He makes sure to look straight into my eyes to express his point.
“The De Luca empire will be dissolved.”
I gasped.
My whole body trembled.
Everything my parent had built with their blood,sweat and tears.
Everything My Salvatore’s had protected was slipping through my fingers.
Lorenzo remained quiet sitting,watching the scene unfold without a word.
Only when the members of finished speaking did he finally rise.
He gently dusted his hands.
His voice was extremely low causing chills in my body.
“Leave.”
The men shockingly exchanged confused glances among themselves.
Lorenzo’s dark eyes turned icy. It’s like a predator watching his prey before toying with it.
“From this moment, De Luca business is Rossi business.”
“If I heard about you guys sabotaging De Luca business, you wouldn’t live to tell the tales.”
The room fell into chilly silence.
I slowly turned to look at him hoping to be able to read him or his body language.
“Why was he declaring war on everyone threatening me before I even accepted his proposal.”
Had he just claimed my empire.
I’m doomed whether, I accepted his proposal or not.
- Writer
