THEO's POV
CHAPTER 52 - MEETING HER
I'm late.
And I hate being fuckin' late.
Despite leaving Tokyo earlier than I planned, I still got stuck in air traffic that I have no freakin' control of. Of all the days, why today when I will meet Amelia for the first time?
This tardiness might give her the impression that I am unreliable, lack punctuality, or worse--irresponsible, which is not the first impression I want to make.
I wanted to convince the Don to schedule the meeting after the funeral. Tell him to let Amelia grieve first, but I know it would be a waste to even try, as the Don is known for his opportunistic nature and relentless pursuit of business advantages, putting his own interests above everything else.
Thinking like a true mafia Don and, honestly, I am no different.
I, too, would have thought the same thing. If it was someone else, I would be the one to push this to happen as soon as possible while they're vulnerable. I would feed on their fears and insecurities, manipulate them into making decisions that benefit me.
I was just slightly apprehensive because Amelia was involved, but I shouldn't show that to anyone, even the Don. So, because of that, the only thing I could do was hope that I would make it in time for the meeting.
But I fuckin didn't.
I was still late.
I finally arrived at the meeting place set up by the Don. The good thing about it was that the place had a helipad. This made it convenient for me to arrive less late and avoid the heavy traffic on the roads.
But this still didn't please me that much.
Late is still late no matter what.
Upon landing, one of the guards, Franco, greeted me. "They're already in the room." He informed me, which just added to my annoyance.
"How long?" I asked, taking hurried steps towards the entrance, my irritation growing with every step.
Franco glanced at his watch and replied, "About fifteen minutes ago."
"Fifteen fucking minutes?" I stopped and growled at him.
Five minutes is bad enough for me, and fifteen minutes is just damn unacceptable!
"I told you to do everything in your power to delay it until I arrive," I hissed, my impatience mounting. "I shouldn't have trusted you with this task." I started walking again. This time, faster than before, my frustration fueling each step I took towards my destination.
Franco quickened his pace, taking long strides to catch up to me, his eyes filled with apology. "Sorry, boss," he panted. "I did my best, but it was Ms. Astoria who arrived earlier than expected."
I didn't have time to hear his excuses. All I wanted to do was get there as soon as possible and not waste more time.
When he showed me which room they were in, I dismissed him immediately. As I stared at the door, I straightened up, and composed myself. I knocked and stepped into the room where the Don and Amelia awaited.
"Sorry I'm late." I told the Don and bowed in respect.
The Don stood up. He didn't look disappointed, like I expected; in fact, he was quite understanding and nodded in acknowledgement of my apology.
And did I see a small smile form on his lips?
Well, knowing my history of commitment-phobic and aversion to marriage, I bet he was appeased that I had taken the first step by showing up. I could tell by the glimmer in his eyes that he was genuinely pleased to see me here. And despite being late, my presence reassured him about my commitment to our agreement, and he seemed relieved to know that I was taking it seriously.
His grandson, the next Don--his successor, finally agreed to marry, and he knew that his family's legacy would be secure. Little did he know, I was just doing a business deal.
Nothing more.
"Amelia Astoria, this is my grandson, Theodore Alastair Salvatore."
I turned my attention to Amelia, and this was the first time I saw her this close.
Her hair was black as midnight, long and cascading down her shoulders in a flowing wave. Her brown eyes, more hazel-colored up close, were filled with warmth and curiosity, making me want to look into them and know what she was thinking at this very moment.
She had a perfectly shaped mouth. Her lips slightly parted in either surprise or wonder that only she knows what. Her skin looks smooth and flawless, and her cheeks were flushed with a hint of pink.
She wasn't wearing makeup, it was all natural beauty radiating effortlessly. And even though she had an obvious mourning face-- sorrowful looking eyes, the elegance and grace of her features still shone through.
It's undeniable. Amelia was really... a beauty.
Exquisite.
Good thing Andreas wasn't here. He would surely lose his mind if he could see me and read what's in my head. He would assume that Amelia got me completely smitten and would probably never let me hear the end of it.
When in fact, I was just captivated by her beauty, nothing more. Whenever possible, I give credit to those who deserve it. And Amelia deserves one. It's just that Andreas tends to jump to conclusions and exaggerate things when it comes to her.
"Theodore is your future husband," The Don added, spilling out the words like it was an ordinary statement, not realizing the weight of those words could bring to Amelia. "Your grandfather and I made an agreement, to make our family as one. It all started with a promise, and this is a commitment I will carry out to the end," his voice filled with a mix of excitement and authority.
We sat down, and the Don continued to talk to Amelia about the family, the mafia clan she would be part of soon once she agreed to this marriage.
I listened, but my attention was mostly focused on her, watching her reaction to every word the Don told her. I was gauging her true feelings about the situation, and trying to decipher if she was truly willing to embrace this life or if she was being coerced into it against her will because of familial duties.
But her body language suggested that she was still in the process of processing the bomb the Don had just dropped--the future husband thing. Her brows furrowed in deep thought. Clearly, the news caught her off guard and she struggled to come to terms with it.
I found myself hating the situation we put her in. It would have been easier and better if Hector was the one who told her about this piece of information. This way, I wouldn't have to be here and watch her being coerced or even manipulated.
But he freakin died without even doing his part--his only task!
He left that difficult bit to me--convince Amelia to marry me. I just hope that the Don's stories and plans were enough to persuade her so that I wouldn't have to resort to any manipulative tactics or emotional blackmail.
Because I knew that no matter what, I had to do everything in my power to get it done.
For her protection.
While watching her, I kept catching her looking at me. And every time, her cheeks flushed with a hint of embarrassment before she quickly turned away.
She was curious about me, I could tell.
"Amelia, I know you're shocked to hear about the agreement your grandfather and I made. I understand this comes as a surprise. You are welcome to reject this arrangement if you wish." The Don said, his voice filled with understanding.
That's very reassuring of him, but we both knew rejecting this wasn't even an option. It was all a clever ploy, a game of reverse psychology. Having the option to reject the arrangement gives the impression that even though we're a family of mafias, we're not at all controlling. When in reality, every decision and move we make is meticulously calculated and planned.
And funny enough, I know what the Don's next words will be.
He would throw in some family stuff to entice her more into this marriage. Remind her that even though she had lost her family, he would promise to fill that void with his own version of a family that would love and protect her.
Well, I could only promise the protect part and not the other.
And true to what I predicted, the Don finished his speech strong. "Please consider this carefully. You're part of the family now. I promise you that you will be well taken care of. You have my word."
Amelia just nodded her head and gave us a small smile.
After that, we all stood up and said our goodbyes. Just when the Don and I were about to leave, I opted to stay when I saw Amelia's expression--deep in thoughts. She sat back down and her gaze fixed on her intertwined hands, a pensive expression on her face.
I bet she was having a hard time digesting all this. I couldn't bring myself to leave without finding a way to make her feel okay.
Okay? What the hell?
Who the fuck would be okay when strangers come and tell you you're promised to marry into, not just an ordinary family, but the influential mafia one, after your grandfather died?
No one!
Consoling others was not my forte and I wasn't even bothered to try. In fact, I take pleasure in exacerbating the situation, even if it means adding salt to the injury. That's me.
But in this situation, I knew I had to find a way to comfort her, even if it meant stepping out of my comfort zone.
I had to say something, and there was only one thing I could say that was definitely true, and not at all just for the sake of providing consolation. This was something she debated with herself. I was so damn sure of it.
I may not know her well enough, but for some unknown reason, I knew very well these were the words she needed to hear at this moment and what her grandfather would want for her.
"He left this world, but that doesn't mean he couldn't hear you play for him and make him proud." I said, trying my best to sound comforting even though everyone knew my tone was always icy cold and unaffectionate.
Amelia's eyes widened at my words, not with surprise, but with a glimmer of hope and understanding.
The satisfaction I felt when I saw her eyes light up was a great deal, knowing that my words had brought her some comfort and reassurance in a moment of uncertainty. It was as if this feeling had thawed a part of me, revealing a side I never knew existed.
And shouldn't be. I reminded myself as I quickly turned around, ready to leave.
"Theodore." Amelia called me. The sound of my name, spoken by her soft voice, echoed through the room, pulling at my willpower and making it impossible for me to ignore her.
I turned back to face her. "You can call me Theo," I said, not even thinking twice. I wasn't sure why, but I wanted to hear her say my name that only my closest friends and family had the privilege of using.
Because we will be a family soon anyway. I reasoned that out.
"Theo," My name rolled out of her lips like a song and I watched as her eyes softened. "I--" she hesitated to continue, her voice trailing off.
I waited for her to speak, not even forcing her words out like I do with everyone I talk to. When she gave me a small smile and shook her head, I knew she wouldn't open up about whatever was bothering her. "Never mind."
I nodded and respected her decision to keep it to herself.
I was surprisingly understanding and patient about this--so out of character.
"Guards will escort you back to your place, to ensure your safety. Take care, Amelia."
"Lia. You can call me Lia." Her tone was hopeful and her smile was optimistic, like being called by her preferred name would be the beginning of something new.
I felt a corner of my lips curl into a satisfied smile, a small and discreet one, at something that I just discovered.
She may not realize it yet, but it seems like she just agreed to be my wife.
"See you, Lia."
-END OF CHAPTER 52-
A/N: We finally knew what he was thinking on their first meet-up! Few chaps left before we jump to the present >.< I just want to show this side of Theo first to give justice to his character. Hahaha! He received a lot of hate, oh my poor baby.
Anyway, I'm excited to the club part when he saw Lia and Lukas!
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