VINCENT
"Our grandparents have found a 'prospective' bride for you.", my cousin, Aurelio, said through the call.
That halted me in my tracks.
"What?", I asked, faintly frowning.
"They aren't searching for a bride. They have decided on one already.", he replied.
"Since when did they get an impression that they have any right to decide for me?", I asked, continuing to my home office.
"They have always been crazy, it's not even a surprise at this point.", he scoffed slightly.
"Do they think their opinions and decisions matter to me? I have not given a single signal of obedience, neither voluntarily nor in a daze.", I replied calmly.
My grandparents, uncle and aunt lost my respect three years ago when they chose to betray my trust by not informing me about my sister's abduction while I was away on a mission.
Shaking that thought off, entering my study, I settled on my chair, removing the blazer and loosening the tie.
"Well, that's why I'm the one being forced to relay this news to you.", Aurelio replied dryly, displeased.
"Elio, you know my answer, you didn't have to ask.", I said.
"I know, but I thought maybe you'd have a change of mind. Considering you haven't found anyone yet, I thought you'd give this a chance.", he replied casually.
"Well, I'm not even remotely interested.", was my curt reply.
"Fine. But, it's strange. Our grandparents have been suspiciously persistent about this alliance. It was as if this is not a choice, but as if this was the obvious and the only option.", he wondered out loud.
"What do you mean?", I asked, my eyes narrowing at his words.
"I'm not sure myself. They told me that she is going to be the eldest daughter-in-law in the family and that you should be informed about it. They never mentioned asking your opinion on this.", he replied.
"I don't know what their intentions are and I'm not bothered about it either. Tell them, I said 'no'.", I said firmly.
"Consider it done. By the way, have you met any interesting women yet?", he asked, mischief lacing his tone.
For a split moment, the smug image of Raelynn Baker popped in my brain, but I shook my head.
"No.", was my short reply.
"You don't plan on being 'bachelor for life', do you?", he questioned dryly.
"You haven't found anyone yourself.", I commented flatly.
"But I have met many. You know what I mean.", he replied smugly.
"And you know I have no interest in knowing about your many unless you're very serious about one among them.", I replied, displeased.
"Fine, relax. What about the recent operation we held, any news?", he asked, getting serious.
For a few minutes, we talked about work and finally I cut the call.
Dylan had come in five minutes ago and waited until I finished my call.
When I looked at him, sitting on one of the two chairs on the other side of the table, he stiffened a little.
I didn't say or ask anything and kept looking at him firmly.
"Fine, I'm here to explain my actions, Vince.", he said, exasperated, after a few seconds in silence.
"That bast**d was misbehaving with my uh friend. Verbally. In an inappropriate way.", he answered, choosing his words carefully.
Leaning back in my chair calmly, I waited for him to continue.
"I got angry and punched him.", he completed.
"What was this friend of yours doing during your fight? I didn't see him nor hear of him in the principal's office.", I stated calmly.
He was bouncing his leg in anxiety and sat quiet for a moment.
"It's not a 'he'.", he said cautiously, not meeting my gaze.
"A girl?", I frowned faintly, surprised.
He nodded slowly.
Pressing my hand hard against the table, I masked my displeasure.
The rule was clear and simple. No dating until at least 21. I don't want any of my siblings to jeopardize their education by getting swayed by immature and impulsive relationships.
"Dylan, are you in a relationship?", I asked calmly, concealing the displeasure.
"What? NO!", he replied immediately, looking up at me, his nose scrunched up slightly.
I looked at him stoically.
"She's my friend, Vince. We are just friends. I didn't like the way he was talking to her, so I got angry and thrashed him on impulse.", he explained in a hurry in all seriousness.
"Why didn't you tell this to your principal?", I asked, still unsure about the 'friends' part.
"He would've asked me what exactly did that bast**d say and I didn't want to humiliate her by telling it in front of everyone.", he replied.
I didn't say anything to that. He's not entirely wrong.
But does he truly view her as just a friend?
That question stuck in my mind.
"You're going to accept a two weeks suspension.", I said calmly.
"What? Why? I told you it's not my fault.", he argued.
"Defending your friend was not a mistake. You punching the kid wasn't either. But you should've held back a little while punching. Your classmate is just a kid, you didn't have to punch him that hard.", I replied firmly.
"But-", I cut him off.
"I'm not negotiating. You are accepting the suspension.", I replied.
"But that would make me the one at fault.", he said, agitated.
"You chose not to give an explanation, so you will have to take the consequences. This will teach you to choose your actions wisely and consider if the aftermath is worth the decision you take.", I explained.
"Fine. How many days of grounding?", he asked, sighing.
"Since you've confessed the truth to me, I'm letting you off the hook this time. Go to school tomorrow and accept the suspension notice.", I concluded firmly.
He nodded, understanding.
He then stood up and walked to the door, but paused when I called him.
"Is that friend of yours okay now? Make sure she doesn't feel guilty for your impulsive behavior.", I instructed him, surfing through the papers on my table.
When he didn't answer for a few moments, I paused my work and looked at him.
When my sight fell on him, I saw him smirking smugly.
I raised my brow in question.
"No matter what or how angry you get, at the end of the day you're still 'Vince'.", he said, smirking.
"What's that supposed to mean?", I asked, my brow still arched up.
He shrugged, grinning, walking out, closing the door behind his back.
My phone started ringing and I soon got engulfed in work.
-*-
RAELYNN
"You could at least say 'thank you'.", I said flatly.
"You could at least say 'sorry'.", he replied calmly.
I don't know why, but the moment the coffee fell over his hand and I looked at him, his expression closed off into a stoic and his gray eyes blank, his tone devoid of all emotions.
From that moment on, he had been completely blank, making it difficult to gauge his thoughts.
He was walking away, but when the kid called him, he paused, turning around.
"Sorry.", the kid said softly, extending a toffee towards Mr. Marino.
I stiffened at that.
I'm going to swear this man to hell if he hurts the kid with his rudeness.
But to my utter surprise, he crouched down to the floor, in front of the kid.
Wrapping the kid's tiny hand around the toffee, he spoke in a completely foreign tone.
"It's okay and thank you for the band-aid.", he said in a tone that would've been gentle if his voice had not been so deep and bold.
This man who is petty and, according to Liam and Mr. Brown, dangerous, is talking to a kid this calmly even after his hand is burnt and clothes stained and soiled?
Astonishment would be an understatement to describe what I felt at that moment.
As the kid ran back to his mother, Mr. Marino stood up and walked away, his gaze casted at me for a brief moment.
I looked at his retreating back in a daze, until the woman spoke up, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"I'm sorry, Miss.", she apologized guiltily.
"It's okay. Kids are bound to be hyperactive.", I smiled politely.
Turning around, I walked out and drove back to my office.
It was late afternoon, almost evening.
When I reached my office, I took the elevator to my floor and as I was going into my cabin, my secretary, Mr. Brown, greeted me.
"Your friend is here to see you, Ms. Baker.", he informed me.
"Friend?", I frowned, confused.
"He's waiting in your cabin.", he said.
He?
Frowning, I opened the door and when my sight fell on the tall man leisurely sitting on the couch far away from my table, my expression went flat and stoic.
"Hey!", he greeted me with a grin, waving lazily at me.
Clearing my throat, I stepped in, closing the door behind me.
"What are you doing here?", I asked calmly.
"Wow, hello to you too, Raelynn.", he said sarcastically.
Ignoring his comment, I moved forward and took my seat, placing my bag and phone aside.
"Raelynn", he drawled my name annoyingly.
I looked at him sternly.
"Greeting someone doesn't cost you a dime, you know?", he sassed.
"Why did you come here?", I asked.
"Greet me first and I'll answer. I will wait here all day if you don't greet me.", he said, looking at me smugly.
"Good afternoon, Milan.", I greeted in a stiff tone.
This tall, brown eyed man, with brown hair falling over his forehead freely, dressed casually in a hoodie and pants, is an acquaintance of mine.
Milan Cello.
The only son of the first and major investor of my confectionary brand - George Cello.
He's a typical rich kid who loves wandering around lazily and endlessly while his mother is trying her best to force him into their family business.
During the initial days of developing my company, George Cello had introduced his son to me.
I was least bothered about him, but he wouldn't leave me from that moment forth.
He proclaimed himself as my friend and here we are, me unbothered and him pestering.
Walking to the table with a victory smug, he plopped on one of the two chairs on the opposite side of my table.
"Long time no see, dear friend.", he said, smiling.
"Why did you come here?", I asked seriously.
"That's no way to talk to a friend.", he shook his head.
"You are not my friend, Milan, you're just an acquaintance.", I replied flatly.
"Wow, rude. How surprising!", he rolled his eyes.
I ignored him.
He's not a bad person.
I know that.
But, I cannot let anyone close to me.
Someone genuinely liking me even if it's just as a friend starts bringing forth a suffocating feeling.
It just erupts the fear of them seeing my ugly side, my dirty past.
I don't need to be loved, I just wish to be respected and my dignity to be preserved.
And my past is so disgusting that I myself cannot help but feel nauseating seeing the reflection of my own body in the mirror.
That's the whole reason I am not contacting my childhood best friend, Sarah.
The moment she meets me, I don't think I can maintain my calm or stoicism. She knows every inch of my heart and behavior that it's scary.
To see disgust and disrespect in the eyes of those who had once cherished and respected me is my most terrifying nightmare.
I just do not want any emotional dents in my life at this point.
"Down to earth, Amber.", Milan's comment jolted me out of my thoughts, a chill running down my spine at the name he used.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!", I snapped angrily and defensively.
The name 'Amber' is a terrible trigger to all the anxieties I suppress deep within. It sends a horrible shiver down my spine, reminding me suddenly of those who used to address me vulgarly.
"Sorry, I forgot you don't like that name.", Milan raised his hands in surrender, guilt evident in his countenance.
Gulping the sudden panic and disgust that rose up within, I looked away, fisting my palms under the table, trying to control the faint tremble coursing through me, realizing I was safe in my office.
"I'm sorry, really. It's just that the color of your eyes glows so evidently under the bright light that it's the immediate nickname that comes to mind.", he said, frowning, his gaze soft in guilt.
Taking a deep breath to calm down and subdue my racing heart, I looked back at him.
"Why did you come here?", I asked firmly, evading his question, preventing my voice from coming out shaky.
"Mom invited you for dinner at our house tonight. Just you, me, dad and mom.", he replied cautiously.
"Tonight?", I asked, masking my displeasure.
He nodded.
"I -", he cut me off.
"You have to come. Mom gave you this invitation two weeks ago.", he said sympathetically.
Emily Cello is anything but pleasant when it comes to backing out at the last moment.
I'm too exhausted to attend this dinner, but I guess I have no choice since I've already promised I would go.
"So-", he trailed off, trying to gauge my reaction.
"I'll come.", I replied.
"Great! See you tonight.", he said, standing up, stretching his body leisurely.
"Have some manners!", I chastised.
"Who would have manners in front of a friend.", he rolled his eyes.
"You're not my friend.", I said firmly.
"Sure.", he replied dismissively.
Closing the door behind him, he walked away, humming faintly, twirling his car keys over his finger.
Can my day get any better!
After finishing my work early, I left for my home to get dressed for dinner.
Emily Cello is a conventional elitist who values appearances immensely.
After getting dressed in a gray knee length turtle-neck bodycon, I drove to the Cello mansion.
This is not the first time I'm coming here, but this house would forever stay foreign to me and I would like it to be that way.
Taking in a much needed breath, I walked to the main door, the door immediately opening, the butler greeting me politely, inviting me in.
"Raelynn", the sudden voice startled me.
I looked at Milan walking to me with his usual smug grin.
But before he could reach me, his mother, Emily, walked to me from the living room, dressed in a blue pant-suit.
"Good evening, Raelynn, glad to have you at the dinner.", she greeted me with an elegant smile, one that screamed of entitlement.
"Good evening, Mrs. Cello, thank you for the invitation.", I smiled courteously.
"You look absolutely beautiful today, Raelynn. Don't you think so, Milan?", she commented, the smile intact, looking at her son.
"She's always beautiful.", he shrugged.
Feeling uneasy, I smiled politely, masking my awkwardness.
"Well, come on in, George will be joining us at the table soon.", she said, turning to me.
I nodded.
Turning around, she started walking to the dining hall, me following her a few steps behind and Milan walking beside me.
"She's up to something.", he whispered so only I could hear.
I ignored him.
"Don't you think she's being overly cheerful?", he whispered again.
I felt that too, but I chose to ignore him.
Soon, the dinner was served after George and I exchanged our greetings.
George Cello is a man in his fifties who's as shrewd as a businessman needs to be. Outside business, he's a respectful and down-to-earth man who values each and every person's hard work. That's how he recognized my cafe and decided to invest in it after knowing I have a business administration degree too.
Out of the whole family, he's the most rational one, his wife being slightly entitled about her wealth and his son a little too free-spirited for his own good.
The dinner carried on with us discussing general business trends and Milan rolling his eyes now and then, bored.
"Well, Raelynn, do you have any boyfriend or are you seeing someone at present?", Emily asked, elegantly slicing the meat in her plate.
"Raelynn and a boyfriend? That will be the eighth wonder in the world.", Milan laughed.
Emily looked pleased with his answer.
"You're 26, right?", she asked thoughtfully, looking at me.
"Yes.", I answered.
"How great it is to see a young woman excel in the corporate world of elite.", she commented, her tone proud.
I smiled politely.
"So, after giving much thought to this, I have decided on proposing something to you.", she said, her focus now entirely on me.
I have a bad feeling about this. I could feel it in my skin.
What she said next proved my intuition right, freezing me in my place,
"I would like you to marry my son, Milan."
*********************************************************************************
Phew! That was a long chapter!
How was the chapter?
Vince straight away ignored his grandparents' proposal, but do you think this will be the end of that topic? 🤨
What's your first impression of Milan? 🤔
What do you think Raelynn's answer is going to be? 😰
Did you miss their bickering? 🤭
Don't forget to vote, comment and follow.
Do follow me on Insta with the same ID.
Yours lovingly,
Author.