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VINCENT
"ENOUGH.", I intervened sternly.
Standing at the entrance of the living room, a few feet behind Ren, I looked at my father stoically as the room went utterly quiet for a brief moment.
As Ren turned around, my gaze drifted down to her stoic face, her eyes looking at me sharply.
It was evident she's displeased.
I don't know what they were arguing about as I've just stepped in, but one look at her eyes and I knew she was extremely angry and the reason is my father.
"What is that woman doing in our house, Vince?", my father's stern tone grabbed my attention back to him.
"She's my guest.", I replied curtly.
"And you expect me to believe that?", he asked sharply, his eyes swirling with anger.
"I cannot change a fact to make it believable.", I stated calmly.
"You can lie as you want now, but don't forget our status and reputation. Whoever that woman is, she does not match our standard.", he said sternly, his gaze piercing mine.
Ren was going to turn to him to retort, but stopped when I spoke up.
"I'm afraid it's us who would not reach her standard, dad.", I replied firmly, looking him in the eyes.
In my peripheral view, I could see Ren looking up at me, taken aback.
Before my father could continue the argument, I beat him to it.
"Let's go talk in my study.", I stated stoically, leaving no room for argument.
Clenching his jaw, he nodded curtly.
Turning around, I started walking away, signaling Theo to handle my siblings.
As soon as my father and I reached my study, I closed the door behind.
Sitting on my chair, behind the large table, I looked at my father, who was sitting opposite to me on the other side of the table.
He was evidently furious, but he did not speak up immediately, letting some tense silence prevail.
I waited patiently, leaning back in my chair.
"Did you ask your nonna to apologize to Angelina?", he asked, his tone laced with evident anger.
"She herself proposed it.", I replied calmly.
"And you let her do it?", he questioned, his tone displeased.
"I neither asked her to do something, nor did I stop her from acting out on her whims. Whatever she did, she did it on her own will.", I answered in a neutral tone.
He clenched his jaw tightly in anger.
"What about the lady she introduced to you?", he asked, changing the topic.
"I've already said 'no' before and I stand by it.", I replied.
"What's not good about her? Her family has been loyal to us from the very beginning and she herself seems to be a good person who can blend into our family easily.", he stated in a neutral tone.
"Those reasons aren't remotely enough to say 'yes'.", I replied calmly, my face stoic, eyes fixed on him.
"But those reasons are enough not to say 'no'.", he countered.
"I've met her already and I'm not interested. It's an unambiguous answer. I don't understand your fixation on this alliance. Is there something nonna is hiding?", I asked.
He didn't say anything for a moment, but spoke up eventually.
"She just wants the best for you and she thinks Milena Greco is a great match. I think so too. Your uncle and aunt, your nonno and nonna, everyone thinks she's the best woman to be our eldest daughter-in-law.", he stated firmly.
I could feel a sharp pain surfacing in my head as the usual restlessness of talking to him crawled in.
"I've already given my answer, dad.", I said firmly, enduring the pain in my head.
"And I'm telling you to reconsider it. I promised Milena's father for a formal meeting between you and her. She might come here from Italy soon and I would like you to meet and talk to her properly and elaborately this time.", he informed me.
Before I could say anything, he spoke up first.
"I already promised, Vince, I hope you won't dishonor my word.", he said in a firm tone, looking at me.
Curbing the mixture of anger and restlessness I felt at the moment, I looked at him stoically.
"I'll meet her one last time. There won't be a next one irrespective of the reasons.", I said sternly, gazing into his eyes firmly.
He nodded calmly.
"About that woman downstairs, who's she?", he asked after a moment of silence.
"A guest.", I replied.
"That's not what I'm asking.", he commented.
"That's all I can tell at the moment.", I replied curtly.
"It's fine as long as she's just a passing fling you're enjoyi-", he was saying, but I cut him off.
"She's my guest, dad. Disrespecting her is disrespecting me.", I said in a sharp tone.
Pursing his lips, he went quiet.
Standing up, he walked to the door, but halted before opening it.
"You can enjoy your youth all you want, but when it comes to something important related to the family, don't disappoint me.", he said sternly and walked out
"Don't disappoint me"
I felt a sharp sting at those words.
Before my mind could ponder over it, Theo walked in with an irritated frown etched on his face.
"Why does this man always stir trouble when he shows up?", Theo exclaimed angrily.
"That man is our father.", I reminded him calmly, my tone a warning.
"When has he ever acted as one?", he muttered, his jaw clenched tight.
"What were you all arguing about?", I asked, ignoring his comment.
"He's angry at us for making nonna apologize to Angelina and for treating nonna badly during her stay here. Then he went on about some lady whose name I am hearing for the first time.", he answered, annoyed at our father.
"Don't argue too much about it with him. Tell the kids too.", I stated sternly.
Theo nodded, displeased.
"What was Ren arguing about?", I asked.
Theo stiffened for a moment before sighing.
"He was blatantly insulting her for no reason.", he replied dryly.
"What did he say?", I asked, concealing the sting of anger pricking me.
He hesitated for a few moments before speaking up.
"He assumed there's something between you and her and insulted saying she wouldn't meet our standards.", he answered, displeased.
Tsk.
"Fine. Go on ahead. It's dinner time.", I stated.
"What about you?", he asked.
"I'm not hungry now. I'll eat later.", I replied curtly.
Nodding, he walked away.
Rubbing my forehead in an attempt to reduce the throbbing pain in my head, I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes.
"Your dad is the best partner"
"Uncle Ric broke your trust too"
"Why don't you blame dad for abandoning us?"
"I don't consider him as a father"
"Take care of your father"
As restlessness increasingly skyrocketed, a constricting feeling engulfed me, forcing my eyes open.
Clenching my jaw in irritation, I picked up some files and my laptop to indulge in work in an attempt to curb the growing restlessness.
Hours passed by, but my father's words continued swirling at the back of my head.
Unable to focus any longer, I walked out of the study, to my room and changed into a black undershirt and black tracks.
Realizing all my siblings are asleep, I walked down to the dining room calmly.
I took the neatly closed dinner plate from the refrigerator and reheated it.
Sitting at my usual seat with the plate of dinner in front of me, I started eating in silence while my mind drifted off into numerous thoughts and subconsciously into memories.
***************
Third Person POV (Twelve years ago)
"Vinceeeee"
A five year old, soon turning six, Dylan came running to his eldest brother as he was getting ready to leave for training.
A fourteen year old Vincent looked at his younger brother while gulping down the juice he was drinking.
"Vince", Dylan kept bouncing on his heels in excitement.
Chuckling at his antics, Vincent crouched down to his height.
"Is dad coming home tomorrow?", Dylan asked, excited.
Vincent stiffened, but maintained a gentle smile on the exterior.
He knew it was Dylan's birthday the next day, but he was unsure if his father would come home.
"Is there something you want for your birthday, kiddo?", Vincent asked gently, ruffling his brother's hair.
"No.", Dylan giggled, swatting his brother's hand away.
"My friends celebrate their birthdays with their parents. Mom's not here, but dad would come, right?", Dylan asked innocently, looking up at his brother.
Vincent felt a heavy ache in his chest at his brother's words, but he was quick to conceal it under his smile.
"He might be busy, kiddo, but I'm sure he'll get you a great gift.", Vincent assured him.
Dylan huffed and walked away, sulking.
There was nothing Vincent could do to change the situation.
It had been two whole years since their father visited them. He would occasionally send some gifts or pocket money and come to monitor his training, but had never visited them after their mother's death. Despite Vincent's requests, he refused to visit the mansion.
Determined to convince his father, Vincent set out to his training. He knew his father was going to be there that day.
He was determined to perform well to impress his father and ask him to visit home for Dylan's birthday.
Alas, things hardly ever went his way.
In the sparring session, he was badly beaten up, his jaw bruised.
One look at his father's disappointed and angry eyes and he knew he had messed up the one chance he had to grant his little brother's wish.
After the whole training session, he mustered enough courage and walked to his departing father.
"Dad", he called out loudly as his father was getting into a car to leave.
His father, Riccardo, stopped, closing the door.
Reaching his father, Vincent looked up at his stoic face.
"Tomorro-", he started, but Riccardo cut him off.
"Why are you such a failure?", Riccardo said in disdain, looking at his son with an utterly disappointed frown.
Vincent took an involuntary step back at the intensity of anger and disappointment in his father's gaze.
"Dad, I -", he was yet again cut off.
"Why did you have to be born to me? Why did you have to be my first born?", Riccardo exclaimed in a low hard tone.
Fisting his injured palm and gulping the sharp pain and humiliation he felt at his father's words, Vincent maintained his stoicness.
"Tomorrow's Dylan's birthday, dad. He wants you to come home.", Vincent requested gently.
"It's infuriating enough that my eldest son is weak, I don't want the others to turn out like you. Birthdays keep coming every year. Stop encouraging them in wasting their time for unnecessary distractions.", Riccardo said harshly, annoyed.
Vincent froze in his place, having no words to say.
Riccardo looked away from his son's dejected face and drove away, leaving his son hurt.
The day passed by and the next day, Vincent flunked his training to help in setting the living room for Dylan's birthday party, knowing well he was going to get punished severely for missing out on training.
Soon, the house turned noisy as Dylan's friends swarmed around in the living room of the mansion.
Time flew by in organizing the kids, leaving them to play and finally cutting the cake.
It was time for opening the gifts and Dylan was overwhelmingly excited.
He saw a huge box and went to open it first.
'From Dad' - A gift card was stuck on it.
Dylan hurriedly opened it as his friends looked on, excited.
"Razor scooter!", they exclaimed once he opened the gift.
It was the newly released famous superhero themed razor scooter that was trending among the kids at the time.
"Wow, your dad's great!"
"I wish my dad had bought it for me!"
"I'm jealous."
The comments kept pouring in and Dylan's face beamed in happiness that despite his absence his father sent him a gift he had been eager to buy.
The kids gathered around him to check out the new toy.
Vincent, who had been standing afar, watching his brother, smiled in content seeing Dylan happy.
"You bought that gift, didn't you?", Theo asked, standing beside him.
Vincent did not reply.
"What's the point of giving false hopes about a father who wouldn't even bother about us?", Theo scoffed in disdain.
"Theo", Vincent warned calmly.
"He didn't even show up on our birthdays and you keep giving us gifts in his name. Sooner or later Dylan and the twins will also figure it out, Vince. They'll know what a useless man our fathe-", Theo was saying in frustration, but was cut off.
"Theodore", Vincent cut him off sternly, giving him a sharp look.
"I hate him and I hate you for supporting him!", Theodore exclaimed, slightly raising his voice, and walked away angrily.
"Theo-", he was going to follow his brother, but Dylan hugged him tightly, halting him.
"Vince, when can I thank dad for the gift?", Dylan asked happily.
Vincent could only smile in response.
His heart was swirling with restlessness at the situation.
He was not sure if what his father was doing was right or wrong, but he was doing everything his young self could to keep his siblings happy.
He did not want his siblings hating their father and he could not convince his father to visit them.
'You are a failure'
His father's words rang in his head continuously, driving his restlessness into acute anxiety.
He knew what his siblings felt towards their father and the extent of their resentment, but he could not allow them to disrespect him and neither could he ask his father to change his ways.
Years passed by, his siblings changed, he himself changed, but the restlessness he felt in his father's presence never changed.
Two conflicting sides. Too many conflicting emotions.
And amidst that restlessness, beyond his own frustration, his mother's words echoed loud,
'Take care of your father'
She had said that in her last moments and he would make sure to fulfill it at any cost.
And every time he felt restless, his mother's memories relaxed him and her gentle voice pulled him back up,
"Vincey"
**********************
"VINCENT"
A sharp voice forced my eyes open.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I was greeted by the familiar amber eyes.
"If you press that fork on the plate any more hard, you're going to break it.", Ren said flatly, pointing at the plate in front of me.
I looked down at the plate and found myself involuntarily stabbing the fork on it hard.
Closing my eyes for a small moment to compose myself, I looked back at her.
"I came to get some water. Don't assume I was searching for you.", she narrowed her gaze on me.
I nodded, averting my gaze to the plate.
I don't want her to gauge the restlessness storming my mind.
That's when I remembered Theo telling me how my father was insulting her.
Looking up at her, I found her drinking water.
"Ren", I called calmly.
She put the glass down and looked at me.
"Theo told me how my father disrespected you. I'm sor-", she cut me off mid sentence.
"Don't apologize on his behalf. I don't like someone else apologizing on someone's behalf. I don't accept such apologies. I won't forgive your father unless he himself says sorry, so there's no point in you saying it.", she said firmly.
I nodded, impressed at her stance.
"Eating this late in the night is a bad habit.", she stated bluntly, sitting two seats away.
"I had work.", I replied curtly.
"You could've done your work after eating too.", she retorted flatly.
"I wasn't hungry then.", I stated.
"That's hardly a reason to skip meals.", she shook her head.
"Are you scolding me?", I questioned, amused.
"I'm not. I'm just stating facts.", she replied with a straight face.
None of us spoke for a while and she sat there quietly while I was eating.
Eating alone was never a big thing for me, but strangely, it felt peaceful in her silent company.
It has been two weeks since I brought her to my mansion and ever since, I accompanied her on the terrace every night.
The first few nights were just out of responsibility to keep her comfortable for causing her trouble. But slowly, responsibility turned into a habit and now, I subconsciously walk to the terrace every night.
Her firm presence, harmlessly provoking words and genuine smile have become my routine.
Before I could think rationally, I spoke up.
"Do you want to come with me to a place?", I asked, looking at her.
"Where? When?", she asked, her brows furrowing.
"Now.", I replied calmly.
"Now? But it's just a few hours away from dawn.", she questioned, confused.
Standing up, I picked up my plate to wash it.
"Will you or will you not?", I asked firmly.
She pursed her lips, probably pondering over my words.
Giving her some time to think, I washed the plate and placed it back in the proper cabinets after wiping it dry.
As soon as I turned around, she gave her answer.
"Let's go.", she said firmly, standing up.
Satisfied, I led her out into the garage without anyone noticing.
Informing the guards not to follow me, I drove the car out of the mansion gates while she leaned down to avoid being seen together.
As soon as we reached outside the gates, she sat up, breathing out.
"Doing weird things at midnight instead of sleeping.", she huffed, putting on the seat belt.
"You could've opted not to come.", I commented calmly.
"I was curious, alright?", she defended herself.
"That makes you equally weird.", I pointed out bluntly.
"You cannot refrain from provoking me, can you?", she questioned, glaring at me.
"You made a provocative comment first.", I retorted.
"It wasn't provocative.", she argued.
"It was.", I stated.
"It wasn't.", she argued.
We continued the argument for the next few minutes, none of us backing down, until she suddenly asked to stop the car.
"Hey, stop the car!", she exclaimed suddenly.
Startled, I brought the car to an abrupt halt.
I looked at her with a raised brow, questioning her actions.
"I'm hungry.", she said seriously.
Before I could speak, she beat me to it.
"Give me some cash.", she asked, extending her palm.
Frowning faintly, I handed her some notes of cash.
She got out of the car without a word and walked into the convenience store a little distance away from the car.
After waiting for a few minutes, I saw her walking out with a paper bag in hand.
She got into the car and returned the change.
"Let's go.", she nodded at me.
"What did you buy?", I asked, curious.
"Ice cream.", she replied casually.
"Ice cream? You said you were hungry.", I questioned.
"I am hungry. Hungry for ice cream.", she replied seriously.
Shaking my head at her flatly, I started driving.
"Can you be any more strange?", I muttered, amused, focusing on the road.
"At least I'm less stranger than you.", she retorted, scoffing.
After driving while arguing for a few minutes, we finally reached the hill top I had intended to visit.
Whenever I feel restless, I visit this place. It reminds me of my mother.
Getting out of the car and walking until a few feet away from the edge, I sat down on the ground.
Settling down beside me, Ren opened the ice cream tub she bought a few minutes ago.
"So, this is the place you wanted to come to, huh.", she commented, taking a deep breath.
I hummed in reply, basking in the cool breeze, staring into the slowly brightening sky.
"Do you want some?", Ren asked, offering a spoon.
I shook my head, still staring into the sky.
Why do I feel relaxed already? It's as if I calmed down even before coming here.
Was it because my mind was diverted from my father's words to Ren's arguments?
My gaze slowly drifted to her, moving along the slightest changes in her expressions.
Raelynn Baker.
A very intriguing woman.
Her strength both amazes and renders me envious.
And over the past two weeks, I've noticed every small detail about her. The courteous smile she offers superficially when uninterested, the genuine smile that brightens her entire countenance, the pursing of her lips when displeased, the slight furrowing of her brows when angry, the provoking smirk when petty, the faint twitch in her brows when concerned, the innocent puckering of her lips when her sleep being disturbed by her own swaying hair strands and above all, the rare twinkle in her eyes that shines only when she smiles heartily, everything about her effortlessly grabs my attention and I subconsciously give in.
She makes my chest simultaneously light and heavy, curious and content, challenging and satisfied, anxious and relieved, caged and free, every moment is a mixture of conflicting emotions that doesn't let my attention waver from her.
And the moment her soft lips had grazed against my own that night, all the thoughts had come to an abrupt halt and so had my breath. It wasn't intentional, it was just an involuntary mistake and yet, it kept me awake that whole night as a foggy haze engulfed my mind.
Why is it?
I don't understand my own instincts when I'm around her.
Even now, I am staring right at her as she's busy savoring her ice cream.
The flowing wind was playing with her soft strands of hair as she struggled to brush them off of her face to eat conveniently.
I moved forward subconsciously and collected the strands of hair, gently brushing my fingers against her cheek, and slowly tucked them behind her ear.
She froze, turning to me, her gaze meeting mine, my eyes taking in the sight of hers as the light from the slowly rising sun illuminated her face.
She turned to the rising sun abruptly, stunned, when I said, referring to the sunrise,
"That's the color of your eyes."
******************************************************************************
Phew! That was a very long chapter!
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Riccardo Marino being himself as always. 😐
How was a small peak into Vince's childhood? 🥺
What's this heavy atmosphere between Vince and Ren! 😳
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Author.