The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
-Audrey Hepburn
Leila Fiorenza's POV
"I got the information you need, little one." Finally, after two weeks and two days of patiently waiting for the information, I need the phone call I've been waiting for finally arrived.
"Oh, really?" I asked with a slight smile on my face as I studied my appearance at the full-length mirror inside my room. My baby bump got more pronounced as the weeks passed. I could see the unexplainable glow in my eyes right at this moment.
"Yes," Marco Orsini answered on the other line. Ever since my brother-in-law said that he's the one who could help me with my quest in searching for Leandro's mother. I've been skeptical at first. I think he's not the type of man that could do such work but Nikos reassured me that beneath that sarcastic mouth of his. He's damn good with locating missing persons. He has a connection with the devil himself as my brother-in-law proclaimed.
I guessed that praise wasn't overrated. He finally had the information I need in two weeks in time. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Orsini."
"It's nothing." I could hear the laughter in his voice. "This is all I could do to my pitiful friend who is so sick with worry to his pregnant wife."
I raised my eyebrow at his statement. In the past two weeks that we're constantly talking to each other about the progress of his search, I think we became close acquaintances. "Based on your speech you aren't least concern about my brother-in-law's agony. You even sounded that you enjoy seeing him sick with worry about my twin sister's severe morning sickness."
I heard him barked a burst of laughter on the other line. He's a devil as he claimed to be. "You know me, little rebellious princess. I love seeing him in torment—the man who swore that he would never marry a woman—not in this lifetime, at least."
I snickered, walking near the window of my room, and stared outside. "That assertion came from a man who probably felt the same way if you haven't met your wife, correct? You and Nikos wouldn't be best buddies if you don't share the same view in marriage."
"I beg to disagree," Marco Orsini contradicted playfully. "My Nonna always believes that I have a long marriage line in my palm and it's only a matter of time before I wed that's why she's always shoving unmarried ladies under my nose in my bachelor's days."
I couldn't help but scoff at him. "Marriage line in your palm?" I repeated with a laugh. "I thought that's just what the fortuneteller would tell you to get your attention."
"Oh believed me," He said dryly. "My grandmother would believe in anything if it means that I would walk down the aisle at the end." I heard someone spoke in the background and Signore Orsini answered. "Yes, I'll be there in a moment..." Then he spoke to me again. "...as much as I want to have chitchat to you, little one. My secretary told me it's time for a boring board meeting. Do you have a pen and paper to write down the address of this woman you asked for me?"
"Oh, yes." I went to the bedside table near me and pulled the drawer to get a piece of paper and pen. "Okay, I'm ready." I wrote down the address Marco Orsini dictated on the paper. Once his dictation finished I look at the address making sure that I wrote it correctly. "Thank you for your help. It means a lot to me, Signore."
"You don't have to thank me, Your Excellency." He said with such a serious tone but I could still hear a hint of mockery in his voice. "Just take care of yourself there for the sake of your twin sister. She's so dear to me."
I laughed as I rub my baby bump. I heard from my twin that she agreed to be in a fake engagement with this man before. That's why he never missed the opportunity to rub that fact to Laila's husband. "I can take good care of myself. Don't worry about me."
I disconnected the phone call and at the same time, the door in my room suddenly opened. Leandro entered my room with a walking stick. "Who's that?"
"Huh?" I asked in confusion, trying not to drool at his sight. We were about to leave the estate for the charity ball in the city tonight. He looked sinfully handsome in his tuxedo. He commanded power and wealth even though he still needs a walking stick to support him.
"Who just called you, Leila?" He asked again, as he moved further inside my bedroom. "I've been waiting for you in the living room for at least half an hour. You said that you'll only need five minutes to get your purse in your room."
"Oh, it's nothing," I said with a laugh, placing my mobile phone inside my purse. While I put the piece of paper inside the drawer. "Just a friend. Let's go?"
"Who?"
I stared at him for a long moment. I hate it when he's being so persistent because I knew that this will lead to another argument. "Just a friend back home."
"You ex-fiancé?" He asked conversationally, but I could see the darkening of his eyes. One wrong answer he could slash me.
I shrugged, deciding not to start a fight with him when we need to attend a party in Seville. "Does it matter? Let's go. I thought you said with we're running late for the charity event?"
I was about to move out of my room when he clamped my upper arm like a vice. "You need to answer me first. Who called you? Lately, I've noticed that you're always talking on your mobile phone with someone. What are you hiding from me?"
"I told you just a friend back home," I replied with slight annoyance in my voice. "Look, I'm not plotting something against you, all right? I will tell you at the right time about it. Just trust me, okay?"
"Let me know now." He announced arrogantly.
I shook my head and stared at his intense eyes. "No. you are not ready yet to hear it. When the time comes I will tell you about it." I slowly removed my arms from his dead gripped and held his hand to mine. I smiled at him serenely. "Let's go?"
He reluctantly followed me but held my hand to his refusing to release it. We descended to the staircase slowly and went outside the huge palace where the waiting black Rolls Royce was. I certainly hope that he would stop asking questions about the person who constantly calling me. But from the look on his face when we settled at the back of the luxurious car I knew that I was just deluding myself here.
Leandro Salazar's POV
I stared at the woman sitting beside me in my car as we drive to Seville to attend a charity ball organized by the matron ladies of the Spanish society. At first, I refused to attend the charity ball and told them that I would just donate money but the organizers insisted that I should attend with my countess. If I didn't know better they were just curious about the woman I married.
Looking at her now she's so beautiful. Her pretty green eyes glowed like gemstones. I could also see that she's hiding something from me. It made me curious who was the mysterious person who was constantly calling her. Her twin sister? But if that's the case why couldn't she just tell me that's her twin?
"Don't you think that Lucia did a good job on my gown tonight?" My wife filled the growing silence inside the car.
I glanced at her evening dress briefly. "I'm surprised that you asked Lucia to create your own for tonight's event. I thought you would want to wear an evening dress created by a famous designer on your first appearance as Condesa de Parama in the society."
She made a face in my direction that somehow lifted my bad mood considerably. I suddenly wanted to laugh at her cute expression. "Your younger sister is a talented designer and a good sewer too. Don't you think that this dress is magnificent?"
"Yes, you look beautiful tonight, mi esposa." I agreed while kissing the back of her hand. I liked seeing her eyes lit with fire. I hope tonight after this charity ball we'll end up in the same bed together.
"I think so too." My Leila agreed unaware of my wayward thoughts right this moment. "I feel like a princess tonight thanks to Lucia."
"You are a princess." I pointed out to her teasingly, playing with her fingers seductively. I hid my smile as I notice how she prevented herself from snatching away her hand from mine. She's silently telling me that she's immune to my touch. "Haven't you forgotten that you always reminded me during the first few days of our marriage that you are a princess?"
She threw me a disapproving frown. "Are you making fun of me?"
I gave her a self-satisfied grin. As I continue to play with her fingers. "Why would I do such a thing? It's the truth, isn't it?"
She shook her head, as she tried to snatch back her hand but I held it fast. I liked teasing her this way. There's no way I would let this drive in the city be boring. "You are just making fun of me, Leandro. I won't take the bait."
"I don't know what are you talking about, darling." I kissed again her hand but this time in the middle of her palm. I couldn't miss the darkening of her eyes. Good, I thought with satisfaction. She wasn't as immune as she thought she was to me.
"So tell me again about this charity event that we need to attend," Leila asked completely changing the topic. I could see the pink stains on her cheeks. Even though that she has a backbone like steel she's still a butterfly to me so fragile that I want to protect with my life.
"You know the usual thing that people will donate money," I answered, stretching my aching feet.
She stared at me for a moment. "You don't like to donate money to a charity? Why don't you share your blessings with others?"
"Don't get me wrong, cariño. I like helping charity organizations but I like to do it in the background—meaningless public appearance. I hate to be in the center of the public eye."
"Ah, you and my twin sister would get along so well." She said with a fond smile on her face. "She also disliked showing herself in public often. That's why she's dubbed as a reclusive princess by the Sicilian society."
"While you are her complete opposite?" I asked casually. This was one of those rare times that she opened up herself to me to see a glimpse of the real Leila Fiorenza.
"Maybe," She answered tonelessly, her eyes became unreadable. "But I just don't care what other people with say about me. I will do whatever I want and to hell with them. I don't need to please anybody."
"Little rebel princess."
"That's me!" She announced cheerfully. But before I could answer we finally arrived at the venue.
We slid out of the car at the same time. I waited for Leila to be by my side. I tucked her hand into my arms and gave her a reassuring smile. "Are you ready?"
"I think so." She took a deep breath and gave me a shaky smile in return. "Let's go and shake this stiff and boring party, darling."
I lead my wife on the marble foyer and went inside. I wonder what kind of surprise we would encounter inside.