"Love can start as a war or friendship, but it is better to be pleased than to be displeased about your part of love,"
~Unknown~
Lorena Cicero POV
Entering the luxurious White plus elegant penthouse, I was stopped by a young lady who looked my age—ignoring her as I clipped my gloved palm together. She bows at me slightly.
"How may I be of help to you?" She asked, looking sternly at me.
I looked from her feet back to her face. "And why are you like this?" I asked, looking disgusted by her maid outfit. It looked so seductive, exposing the coverage of her breast slightly.
She looks down at herself. "Who are you?"
"Who am I?" I looked around once more, then back to her face. "Where is your unflattering boss?"
She immediately looks shocked at my face due to my statement. "I'm so sorry, My lady, you must be lady Cicero. The resemblance is true," she bows apologetically.
"Indeed I am, and what resemblance? If I may ask," I asked, confused.
"Your sister, I've been seeing her on the tabloid since I was nineteen; she's tagged the—Beautiful Ruffian noble. You look so much like her," She grins.
"Oh, that," I smiled, but immediately, I frowned. "Tell the guards to bring my bags inside, and I won't be pleased if a stain gets attached to my belongings."
"Yes, my lady!" She bows once more, about walking away from me, but she halts, walking back to me. "My Lady,"
"Yes?" I darted unwittingly at her.
"Is it true that you and young master Andino are getting married in a week?"
"And how did you come to know of that?" I asked, astounded.
"I heard it from the young master two days ago. He was on the phone," She explained.
I like her for some reason; I think we'll make a good team under this roof. I keep on a straight face. "May I know your name?"
She bucks up at me with fright written all over her face. "My lady?"
"It's okay; I won't bite, just wanted to know your name, that's all." I relieved her of her worries.
"Tanika...Tanika Coletti, I'm twenty-five years old, and I have been working here as an assistant head-maid for four months. The head-maid is the sixty-four-year-old Signora Loletta Lambardi; she works at the Grandmasters home in Greece. So I was assigned here."
"That's good. Lovely name, Tanika. I think we're alike, Feisty." I nod at her.
She blushes. "Thank you, my lady; I appreciate your kind gesture. Your room is upstairs at the center loft to the right, a brown critic door. I've made great decor to your taste. Let me tell Draco to take your bags in. Oh, the young master is out on business, but he'll be back Shortly,"
"Good. Grazie Mia Cara, I'll be upstairs then; I'll call you when I need you after my bag is up."
"Oh, before I forget, if you need my assistance, there is a bell closer to your bed shelf; just press on it, then I'll be of service to your honorable establishment." she looks at me with a smile. "You're so beautiful in person." She ran off immediately.
A few minutes later, I stared at the luxury room that was perfectly mine. Don't get me wrong, my household is five times more extensive, but the furniture and decorations are old-fashioned like my father's. Still, this right here is what we call the generational fashion sense of decorative experiments.
The room is gigantic and well decorated to fit my taste. Thinking about my father spoils my mood. I miss Francesca and Roselina so much; soon, I'll have to talk to father about taking Francesca or the both of them.
I miss Verona too. She even told me about the luncheon coming up just after my unwanted wedding ceremony. She and her husband, the duke, will be present at the function, and I'd love to be present at the process, but the thought of this good for nothing soon-to-be husband is making me mad. Must I get married to a billionaire like my father? I loved Maricielo so much; I'm a billionaire too. The thought of Marcielo makes me sad; I need to clear my head.
I looked around. "Hmmm..." I mumbled at the old portrait of the Mona Lisa that was sitting on the edge of the mirror stand; slowly, my eyes diverted to a familiar face—Goodness, it was a giant portrait of me, the picture of my back. It was the picture that The selfish boss took without my permission. Maybe he's a psycho. It looks so beautiful.
The creme wall and the high Chandelier ceiling light was a massive turn-on for me—Hello, baby girl. His voice was all over my head. Why is that freak voice in my head?
"Go away from my head, you unfitted squamous man," I yelled at myself as I closed my ear, trying to get rid of his voice.
"My lady—"
"Go away!" I yelled, then the realization hit me at the voice that immediately mixed up his voice in my head. I turned to see Tanika starring at me as if I were psychotic.
"My lady, why are you squatting down and closing your ears? Are you alright? I heard you screaming from downstairs, so I rushed up to check if something was wrong. Or you don't like the decorations? My apologies, I'll work on it!" She sadly bows at me.
I looked embarrassed at her with a fake smile. "Ehm...Tanika, I'm okay, I'm okay, I love the decoration," I gradually stood up. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard your screaming from downstairs so I've to rush up to check up on you if anything is wrong!"
"It's okay; I was trying to see if the room can absorb sound. But it seems it doesn't," I toothed a grin at her, and she did the same.
"Are you hungry now, my lady? I've freshly squished apple juice and hot waffles ready if you're hungry now."
"Thank you. It's okay; I'm OK; I'll let you know when I like to dine. I want to relax my head a little; I need to take my afternoon nap," I smiled at her.
"Okay, my lady, call me when you need me, okay," I nod at her as she slowly exits the room.
—
An hour later, I squirm on the bed, not realizing when I dozed off. The room looks strange; I was not on my bed-chamber but an unknown bed—oh, I forgot that I no long bed on my chamber but the unwittingly home of the nasty man. I don't remember how or when I dozed off. The thought immediately rushed to me as I opened the duvet to check if I was intact, but indeed, I was. I picked up my phone to check the time; it was just three o 'clock at noon.
I slowly slide into one of my knee-length Emerald garden gowns with flower prints on it. My hair was cascading over my shoulders. I need fresh air; I want to go outside. I flip my toes into my black loafers shoe. I walked out of my room and took a step at a time on the stairs looking around the penthouse again.
"Tanika," I called at the maid who was busy cleaning the blue leather chairs. She turns to look at me in awe.
"My lady, you look so beautiful, and this dress matches the color of your eyes!" She washes me with praises. I blushed at her words.
"Thank you so much. I reckon my body fill stiff; I'm used to going out to see the city and also. I want to stroll ours to the garden. Is it safe outside?"
"Yes, my lady, it's super safe in this estate. Young master penthouse is well designed at even the ocean is not far away from here, but I'll be glad if you don't go to the ocean shore,"
"It's okay; the garden will do." I smiled at her. "Oh, is he not back yet?" I look forward at her.
"Oh, yes, he is back from work with a couple of friends, it was pretty early, and he asked after you, and I told him that you're resting and you won't like to be disturbed." She bows.
"Gratitude to you, Tanika; where can I find him?" I asked.
"The garden!" she replies with a smile.
I nodded at her as I walked at the gigantic brown door. I slowly walked to the garden; then, my eyes landed on three men sitting out on the Garden seat out. The first one was leaning on the pole that was attached to the sit-out; he was starring at his phone with his other hand tucked on the pocket of his elegant Italian trousers, and the other two were talking to each other, and I couldn't seem to sight the face of the thief.
"Beautiful piece of art..." The man with brown hair talking to the other with black hair said as he noticed that I was already staring fully at them with eyes filled with complication.
The man on his phone turned around, and I felt that my heart couldn't beat again, as the pair of recognized eyes stared warmly at me. It was that fine man from the thief's company. That handsome masculine man.
"Tha boroúsate na mas afísete?" A voice was heard beside me that made me cringe in shock. I turned around as they all nodded; it was my nemesis; his face held no emotions. His smoky blue eyes were cold; with undisguised authority, they gave in a slight bow.
"Vevaíos aderfé!" The man with black hair and smoky grey eyes voiced out a smirk as he checked me out.
"An eínai aftí, tóte eínai kaló," The brown-haired man with neon eyes voiced out with a smirk.
Greeks.
So, they are more handsome Greece men in Rome? I thought they all moved out to the west, the east, the north!
"Welcome home, the majestic Lady Cicero!" The guy that directed me months ago at the Lanfonsy company when I came to confront this thief came to me as he held out my palm and kissed it. They all did before leaving the garden except for the brown-haired man.
"See you later, Adriano, and we'll introduce ourselves next time to your diligent bride," The brown-haired man winks at me before joining the rest.
The thief that calls himself my soon-to-be husband walks up to my front with his striking blue eyes. "Come, let's go inside, Mia Car—"
I shook my head. I'm good at everything but not too good at the Greek language; I frown at the thought of not understanding everything they say.
"Don't you dare touch me, you taut!" I cuss.
I smirk. "You'll be mine in just a matter of days, Mia Cara; you should calm down because I won't like my kids to be too aggressive as you,"
My frown tightens. "And who told you that I'll be giving you kids?"
He giggles as he grabs me by the waist. "That means you are allowing me to have sex with you but not make kids out of you?"
"What in the world—Are you mad? Must you say it out like that? And to get you up on the right track, nobody is doing a sinful act with anybody, so keep on dreaming if that's what you're thinking,"
"You're my woman, Lorena; it's just a matter of days." He holds my waist closer to himself this time but tighter. "Lady Lorena Cicero. Do you get what I'm saying? Or else the orphanage—"
"Don't, with the orphanage, don't take back the land; I'll agree to anything you say but under terms of agreements, and I want you to handover the land papers to me as my wedding gift,"
His eyes were immediately filled with surprise. "You want the and land papers as your wedding gift?" He inquired about.
"Yes!" I looked away. "Or if you don't want to give it to me for free, then I could buy it!"
"No, I'm not selling. If you want it as a gift, I can do that. But what will I get in return as my wedding gift? Because I'm also getting married too,"
"How about a car? The newest model of Lamborghini?" I asked with a negotiated expression.
"No, I want something else," He smirks.
I looked up at him. Is this man a psychological problem? His smirk sends me an evil vibe.
"Okay, name your price; what do you want?" I frown.
He socked on his teeth. "I want...You...Your body...Sex that forms babies,"
"Are you insane?" I yelled, covering my body from his preying eyes.