FERRACCO'S POV
Breakfast the next morning was unusually quiet that even little Elena suspected that something was wrong and she kept shifting her eyes from me to Jane . l glanced up at Jane and l noticed some dark shadows under her eyes indicating that she too had not slept well.
I didn't know whether to rejoice or not , that l still had an effect on her. Her face looked pale and lacked some of it's usual radiance. She continued eating in silence not even sparing Elena and me a glance. I knew that she was still fuming inside over our argument last night. I could feel her anger rolling of her in waves from where she sat quietly munching on her toast.
She was angry with me , that l was sure. Though l didn't know what l had done wrong so early in the morning . I decided that maybe if l take her out for a walk , she would drop that haggard look on her face.
The day was sunny and a bit warm. The skies were clear and the fresh cool air outside was freshening. A perfect day to spend outdoors. I turned to Elena with a fond smile.
"Shall we go out for a walk in the park ?," l asked her.
Her small face immediately lit up with excitement She squealed before dropping a kiss on one of my cheeks. I laughed loudly at the look of sheer happiness on her face. It still amazes me how she got up so excited for little things. I loved bringing that smile on her face.
I watched Elena's smiling face with a feeling of awe and warmth. I still couldn't believe that this beautiful and intelligent little girl was my daughter. The only things she had inherited from me were my blue eyes , dark hair and my stubbornness. She knew how to get her way with me and Jane by pouting that cute little smile we both found hard to resist.
Looking into her face was like looking at Jane's younger version with teeth gaps and pigtails. I looked up at Jane who continued eating in a moody silence.
"Jane? What do you think?," l asked her as my hand reached for hers across the table.
"It's an emergency , Mr Moretti!"
My head of security , Reid came barging in shouting. He stopped by the dining table still heaving. I drew back my hand from Jane's and glared at Reid. I hated intrusions especially when l was trying to bond with my family.
"This better be important!," l warned him through gritted teeth.
"There are reporters camped outside. They have been there since early this morning and they are demanding to speak to you. Articles about you have been circulating since last night," he quickly spoke up and then handed me a newspaper.
I grabbed the newspaper from him. My face paled as my eyes slowly scanned the content. I felt my breath being knocked out of me.
The headline read:
"Millionaire made himself a fortune by robbing his wife's inheritance and then fleeing into nowhere!"
And below was an old picture of the innocent looking twenty three year old Jane and myself. It was our wedding photo from six years ago. I sucked in a shuddering breath as l realised the gravity of the situation.
Jane seemed to come out of whatever trance she had been. Her big dark curious eyes looked up at me questioningly.
"What is it? You look pale all of a sudden , " she asked me with a concerned frown marred on her forehead.
I swallowed as l felt my stomach tightening in fear. I forced a small smile at her before neatly folding the newspaper and handed it back to Reid.
"Just business crisis. I will see to it after breakfast. I guess that walk in the park is off."
Jane narrowed her dark eyes at me in suspicion.
"You have started lying again , Ferracco when you have promised me forty eight hours ago that you wouldn't lie to me ever," she said in a hurt voice.
"Jane. I ..," my voice trailed off as l took a huge sigh.
"How am l supposed to trust you again if you keep throwing lies into my face," she said in an icy voice.
I swallowed feeling the sting of her words. I turned to Reid and silently motioned him to give Jane the newspaper. I closely watched her face as she read the article in the gossip column. Her face drained of all colour. Her hands began to tremble uncontrollably as her eyes skimmed over the paper.
I noticed Elena watching her with curiosity. I knew that Jane was going to break down anytime soon and l didn't want Elena to witness it so l called Bertha.
"Bertha ! Take Elena to her room," l called out.
Bertha appeared and whisked Elena upstairs. My cellphone began to ring incessantly but l ignored it. I knew that it was the reporters buzzing my phone.
As soon as Elena was taken away , Jane's water works started. She covered her face with her hands and began sobbing piteously. My heart twisted in pain as l stood there watching her silently. Again she was reminded of her parent's death and my painful betrayal.
For the first time in my life , l was at a loss of words. I knew that nothing l said could ease the pain she was feeling so l walked up to her and lifted her in my arms. Her hands went around my neck. She buried her face into my chest and continued sobbing.
"Wait here," l told Reid with a glare before trudging up the stairs with Jane in my arms.
Damn Reid! Did he have to come running into the dining room with that damned newspaper. If he had half his brains , he could have waited to show me the newspaper privately.
I expelled a low breath. It was pointless to hide anything from Jane. She would have found out sooner or later. I hated to see her this fragile and helpless. It seems like all l have ever brought her were tears.
I gritted my teeth in anger as my mind drifted back to the newspaper. They were only two people who were set out to ruin our marriage.
Silvia and Claudius!
I ruled out Silvia since she didn't know of my past. That only left Claudius.
That piece of shit!
My hands itched to disfigure that handsome face of his . He claimed to love Jane more than l do yet he went ahead and released the article without considering Jane's feelings.
I looked down at Jane's petite figure rocking with sobs and l felt my heart squeeze painfully. I opened my bedroom door and walked in with a trembling Jane in my arms. I kicked back the door and it closed with a thud starting Jane.
She looked up into my face with big , dark teary eyes. My stomach flipped as l stared deep into her eyes. I didn't deserve her or even Elena. I was too broken. Nothing could fix me.
I gently placed her on the bed and pulled the covers over her. I leaned down to drop a kiss on her forehead when the door suddenly burst open and an anxious looking Reid stormed in. I narrowed my eyes at him for his sudden intrusion. He bowed down his head in dread.
"I thought l told you to wait downstairs!," l snapped at him.
"Sir , l have just received a call from Nina. She said that some shareholders have called an emergency meeting and they are planning to vote you out if you don't come up with a reasonable explanation within 24 hours. And word is going around that you will soon be locked up in jail , causing some investors to pull out."
"Shit!," l cursed under my breath.
"Sir! The car is ready," Reid told me.
My eyes went back to Jane . She was sobbing all over again after hearing Reid's words. I couldn't leave her in that state. She needed me. Hazel and Bianca had gone out early this morning and would probably be back in the evening. I couldn't leave her alone no matter how desperate l was. I loved the company but l loved Jane more.
"I am not going. My wife needs me now. Tell Franco to take care of it," l said still looking at Jane.
Reid looked like he wanted to argue but decided against it when l shot him a glare. He immediately closed his mouth and left the room. I slipped under the covers and wrapped my arms around her. Jane sniffed before snuggling up to me. My other hand gently massaged her head.
She has been unusually quiet since morning and it unnerved me. I wondered if she was thinking of leaving me.
"Jane?," l whispered against her hair.
No response!
I let out a slow breath. One of the things l hated was to be ignored but l would gladly bear with her mood swings because she was Jane. My Jane!
"This shouldn't have happened if you ..," she bit back her words but l knew what she wanted to say.
Pain and guilty ripped through me but l wouldn't change a thing even if there was a time machine to throw me back in my past.
"I am sorry Jane for the pain l put you through . l feel guilty but honestly l don't regret what happened. If l hadn't done that , l would never have met you and had our beautiful daughter. I don't regret it," l told her in an frank voice.
She raised her head and her teary eyes bored into mine. I sucked in my breath feeling my heart beat quicken. Looking into her eyes , was like being thrown into a sandpit . They drew you in.
"If you claim to love me as such as you do. Why didn't you look me up once you realised the injustice you had caused me."
My heart squeezed painfully at her words. I had asked myself the same question for years but every time l came up with no answer.
"I lost touch when you moved out of Lencois."
"Liar! With your money and influence , finding me wouldn't have proved much of a task. In fact you were busy living your high class lifestyle and screwing with that witch , Silvia while l worked my ass off to provide for Elena," she yelled at me.
I stared at her shocked. I realised that these were the words she has been meaning to say for a long time but couldn't. She felt bitter that l had left her to raise Elena all on her own. She was resentful that l had deprived our daughter of my fatherhood. It pained me to think that l wasn't there when Elena said her first word and took her first step. I wasn't there to witness it all happening.
"Do you know how much she cried asking me why she was the only kid in class who did not have a father," she quietly asked.
I swallowed the lump which had logged itself in my throat.
"I was afraid...l was afraid of seeing your face again. I was afraid of looking into your eyes and seeing that love you once had for me replaced by hatred and despise. I wouldn't have been able to take it. It would have broken me , Jane. I wasn't prepared to face you."
She let out a shaky laughter and angrily wiped away her tears.
"You are too selfish , Ferracco."
"I thought l was bad for you and that you were better off without me....l wished everyday that you were somewhere , happily married and with kids. I prayed in my heart for you to meet a decent and honourable man who loved you and cherished you like a gem like you though it killed me to think about it."
"So now you are convinced that you are no longer bad for me ?," she asked me in a mocking voice.
"We have a child to consider."
"So you proposed to me because of Elena! , " she exclaimed with a loud gasp.
"You are wrong. I didn't propose to you because of Elena. I did that because l love you and l want to build our family and love on honest basis. I truly love you. I do ever since.."
"I am tired , Ferracco. I want some sleep," she said as she turned the other side , facing away from me.
I felt my heart sank. I was slowly losing her and there was nothing l could do. I guess this was the price l had to pay for executing my revenge plan. But the heaviest price l had to pay was missing my daughter growing.
I watched her pretending to be asleep. It was pointless to argue with her. She looked tired and exhausted. I decided to let her rest while l go to the company and take care of the emergency. When l was about to reach for the door knob , Jane's voice stopped me.
"You bragged to her about what you did to me. Didn't you?"
I felt like a door has been slammed right into my face. For a moment , l stood there feeling numb and paralysed to the spot by her words. I turned back to her searching her face.
"Is that what you think of me?," l asked her in a low voice.
"I don't know what to believe about you anymore," she replied in a cold voice.
I swallowed slowly feeling the sting of her bitter words.
"Then suit yourself," l replied in the same cold voice.
I opened the door and went out . l slammed the door after me in anger.
~****~
NO ONE' POV
With a smirk plastered on her face , Silvia took up her coffee mug and sipped at leisure whilst her eyes skimmed over the recent newspaper in her hand. She placed back the mug on her desk and laughed loudly. She was sure Lucas's face was the colour of a beetroot by now , mad at whoever that had caused the sudden ruckus in his orderly company.
He was probably suspecting Claudius. Sparks were surely going to fly between those two and she was going to enjoy every moment of it . Silvia clicked her tongue in false sympathy.
Poor Jane!
She was probably crying her eyes out by now. And to make matters worse , she was caught up between two angry man. The door to her office suddenly burst open and an angry looking Claudius stormed in.
Silvia raised her head ready to snap at whoever who had entered without the basic manners of knocking. Her brown eyes widened when she saw a fuming Claudius standing in the doorway.
Her heart beat quickened in excitement. His face was hardened , eyes glinting with a murderous glare and beads of perspiration were gathered on his forehead. Her eyes racked all over him in undisguised distaste.
Claudius looked like he had walked out of some gutter. His clothes were creased and his shirt was wrongly buttoned. His brown hair was tousled and sticking out in every direction possible.
Silvia couldn't believe that she had fallen hard for this pathetic lawyer yet she did. He had the looks and the intelligence but he lacked the confidence and the wild energy that Lucas possessed. He was boring and he looked like someone who lived his life extremely careful , not taking any risks.
Silvia was sure that he was once a quiet bookworm in school who didn't date and spend every chance he got his nose buried in some book sitting in some corner alone.
In general , Claudius Kassius marked every wrong box in Silvia's ideal man list yet her heart didn't stop to flutter with excitement every time those steel grey eyes looked her direction. And her stupid heart was doing the same even now.
He had finally came to see her after days of ignoring her !
She noticed a newspaper in his hand and she felt her heart sink as she realised his real reason for paying her a visit. That realisation felt like thousands glass shards piercing her heart.
He had came because of Jane!
She felt pain ripping through her and it angered her. Till now Silvia Paula had never been jealous of anyone in her life but ever since that night she found herself doing that a lot. She had been zoning out during meetings too , something she rarely do.
Claudius was her first thought when she woke up and her last thought when she laid in her bed at night. All day long , he clouded her mind and senses. At night he invaded her dreams and pleasured her. It felt as if she breathed and lived Claudius.
She found herself coming to work daily , something she once despised , but now did only to get a glimpse of him from a distance. She hated to lose control over herself like that and her father has been taunting her a lot over her lack of concentration.
Nowadays she didn't like to hang out with her friends at parties or going shopping. Claudius had put out her fun at all these things. He had reduced her into this bothered creature and she despised him for it.
She looked into his eyes and hid her pain in the only way she knew. Sarcasm!
"To what do l owe this unpleasant visit of yours?," she started with a sneer.
Claudius moved away from the door and walked further into the room . He stopped before her desk and angrily threw down the newspaper on her desk.
"Do you have anything to do with this?," he angrily blurted out.
Silvia snorted in disbelief. She was right. Claudius had woke up from his bed and rushed to the company without bothering about his appearance , just for Jane. He really loved her. That realisation was like a stab to her heart.
She has always gotten what she wanted ever since she was a baby but getting Claudius to be hers alone was proving to be a difficult task. She had only gotten his body but his heart still belonged to slut , Jane and it saddened her.
She remembered how he had whispered Jane's name after the two of them shared such a beautiful and emotional moment. Silvia blinked back tears. She would be damned if she ever cry for a man again. Especially one who clearly didn't love her.
"Is that why you ran all the way here in that pathetic state?," she spat out.
"Did you do this?," he asked her , his steel grey eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Her sinful red lips curled in disdain. She wanted to see him in the same pain he caused her when he threw her away the morning after like some brainless call girl. She let out a small laugh before shrugging her shoulders in a careless manner.
"What do you think? I did warn you that no one uses Silvia Paula and expects to get away with it. It's unacceptable!," she spat out in a venomous voice.
Claudius searched her face then gasped in disbelief.
"I felt bad for parting with you on those bitter terms that for a moment l considered giving us a try. I thought that you were not so bad as you portray and that you still had a heart but now l know better. You are still the same heartless and vicious bitch who is unhappy and bitter with her life and thinks that she should make other's lives miserable too just to make herself feel better ."
Silvia swallowed feeling the pain of his words. Other people's opinions had never bothered her yet Claudius's words always did. She felt dull in comparison to Jane. Claudius made her feel like some villain in Jane's life.
"And you think l am the devil while your Jane is the angel?," she forced out the words past the golf ball lump in her throat.
"Jane is so different from you. She never feeds her ego nor drew satisfaction out of other people's misery. You only derive happiness from other people's suffering. I regret ever getting involved with you."
He turned away and began walking towards the door. Her voice stopped him in his tracks.
"That night , did you ever think of me or you imagined yourself with Jane all along?," she asked him in a low voice.
Claudius stiffened at her words. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he felt guilty swirling inside him. He looked back at her over his shoulder and said with difficulty,
"I am sorry."
Then he was gone. Silvia remained staring at the closed door for a long time , feeling too numb to even move. Then she dropped her head on the desk and cried like never before. His words had confirmed it. She never imagined that simple words could hurt this much.
A/N:
Aww! Two heartless devils aching over love. How romantic!
I have been thinking of Silvia and Claudius's story . What do you think? Or is it better mingled with Jane and Ferracco's in the same book.