Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Rafe Moretti's POV
I was not sure until this moment if my decision had been correct in calling the bold Spencer heiress and accept her proposition. I sighed deeply while waiting for her to arrive at the place we agreed to meet. But what other choice is left for me? My mother just called she told me that the bank would take possession of our home if we couldn't pay our debt in time.
As much as I hate to admit, I was once again on the verge of entering that stupid agreement with a different woman. I need to rich heiress to save our family's business and this woman needs a husband so she could get her inheritance from her dead grandfather.
I was sure as hell that this would end badly. I have escaped that fate the first time but I don't think I could escape this one. She's my last hope. Even if my conscience rebelled at the idea of marrying again for business purposes only. I didn't have a choice but to proceed. I hope everything would be all right in the end.
I took a sip of water as I glanced at my wristwatch. She might not arrive for a few more minutes since I called her so hastily. I was surprised when I saw her entering the restaurant with her signature whirlwind personality.
She scanned the crowd briefly probably searching for me. I couldn't miss the way men stared fascinatingly at her beautiful face. Wait, what? I blinked several times to make sure. Why I haven't noticed before that she's stunningly beautiful? Even though she plagued me like hell since the moment we met. Then it occurred to me since I was so busy sending her away I haven't had the chance to study her face fully.
No wonder she caught every male's attention in this restaurant. Do I really have to do this? I asked myself silently. Too late because she caught the sight of me, I slowly stood from my chair to greet her.
She smiled brightly in my direction and waved her hand happily. She started to approach my table. "Rafaelle!"
"Sorry to call you so sudden-" My words were cut off abruptly when she suddenly tiptoed and kissed me on the lips. This woman would be the death of me, I swear. I glared at her smiling face. "What's that for?"
She had the nerve to roll her eyes as if I asked the most absurd question she ever heard in her life. "A greeting kiss, what else?"
"I told you before, do not kiss random guys you just met." I tried to reason out her behavior. "Value yourself--"
She tiptoed and kissed me again once again. "That's enough, honey. I didn't come here all the way from Spencer Manor up to here in record time just to listen to your homily. So what do you want to talk about?"
I shook my head in resignation. Lectures were wasted on this woman. She's more strong-willed than Leila Fiorenza. The only woman I knew who broke every rule in history. I was starting to have headaches. Can I keep up with this woman? I pulled out a chair for her. "Sorry for the uncalled lecture. It's just I don't like it when women are the ones making advances to men."
"Wow, a gentleman." She commented when she saw I pulled out a chair for her before sitting on my offered chair. "But I also told you before. This is twenty-first-century women can do the first move."
"But I'm a traditional man," I answered back, taking the chair opposite to hers. "Back where I came from old custom still practice."
She rolled her eyes again, as the waiter approached us with the menu. "Are we back to the 'we-do-not-suit-each-other-because-we-view-life-differently' thing?" She took the menu to the waiter with a smile. "Gosh, don't you know the saying 'opposites attracts'?"
Before answering her, I gave my order to the waiter and she did the same. Once we were alone at our table I studied her fully. "We may be attracted to each other but that doesn't mean we are compatible. We are opposite as day and night."
She raised her hand to stop me. "Let's not talk about this 'we-do-not-suit-each-other-because-we-view-life-differently'. I didn't come here lightning fast to discuss our differences. If that's the reason why you want to talk to me, I can assure you I will create a scene in this restaurant." I couldn't help but smile at her warning. She smiled back at me. "So what do you want to talk about?"
I took a deep breath. Would I have to do this? I asked myself for the last time. I have no choice to do it. "About your proposition to me..."
"Oh my goodness, I'm all ears about this." She moved her chair even closer to the table. "What about it?"
I looked straight into her blue-grey eyes. "I have decided to accept your offer to save my family's business. But that is if you are still willing to marry me to get your inheritance. Are you willing to enter a loveless marriage with me? I will give you time to think about this before giving me your answer."
"No, need." She replied cheerfully.
I blinked and stared at her blankly. "What?"
"Are you kidding me?" She said happily. "You don't know I long I've waited for this moment since I saw you in that bar. I am willing to marry you in that bar that moment if you ask my hand in marriage that night even if you are slightly blurred in my vision."
I frowned at her intently. "This is a serious matter, Signorina. This is not a game, you will marry me. At the end of all of this, you will be a divorce at a young age."
It was her turn to frown in my direction. I was not sure but I think I saw sadness in her eyes briefly before blinking them away. "Why there's a divorce? Why are we talking about the divorce already when we haven't yet talked about the wedding itself?"
"Because nothing is permanent about our arrangement." I reasoned out. It's better, to be honest in our dealings. I didn't want her to get the wrong idea and being hurt in the end. "We both need each other to achieve our own purposes. When we both achieve it we will go on our separate ways."
She scowled at me vehemently. "Why are you so cold about this? Can't we just at least try to work out our marriage then? Who knows we might be the best match."
I shook my head in disagreement. "We will just be miserable. We have nothing in common if we tried to work out our marriage and make it real. It will just bring tears to your lovely eyes. I hate to see that."
"No, having too much in common is boring. You don't have anything new to try because you both like the same stuff together. Being opposites with each other is fun because every day you learn something new from your partner." She said stubbornly, her eyes held determination in their depth. "I will not agree to your proposal until you promise that we will try to live like a normal married couple and forget about this divorce thing. The first thing we should do is try to make it work, you know."
"But-"
She shook her blond head. "No, that's my deal. I will agree to everything you want but you have to accept mine."
I studied her for a moment. From the dead-set of her chin, she would not back down easily. "If I agree to your term you will follow my conditions too? Is that what you are saying, Signorina?"
She nodded with a serious face. "Yes, I will agree to anything except fake marriage. I don't want that kind of wedding. When I speak of my vows before God I want to live with them every day."
I exhaled a breath. This was more difficult than I thought. "All right, fine. Like I said before, I'm a traditional Sicilian. As of this moment, I cannot give you a grand wedding you deserve I can only give you a simple one. Are you okay with that? I don't want you to finance the wedding ceremony it will be an insult to my ego."
She nodded eagerly. The spark was back on her lovely blue-grey eyes. "All right, I wouldn't mind what kind of wedding it is as long as you are the groom. But can I buy my wedding dress? I already have a designer in mind that I want to hire. She's a rising star in the fashion industry. She launched her first-ever collection last week in Paris and the fashionistas went crazy over her clothes..."
I smiled slightly. I was not into female fashion. Laila has favorite designers back in Sicily that create her dresses from casual to formal all in the shade of black. Only recently she chose to try new colors for her outfits because of the suggestion of the Greek man she married.
"Are you okay?" I was dragged back to the present. I saw the concern in the face of the British heiress. "You seem so absorb by your thoughts."
I forced myself to smile for her benefit. I shouldn't be thinking Laila now. She's already happy with her life. All I could do was to be happy for her. She would be always dear to me. She would always have a special place in my heart. I should have closed her chapter in my life permanently. We wouldn't be together anymore whatever I do. "I am not, I'm listening to you. What is the name of this designer you want to create your wedding dress?"
"A Spanish woman named Lucia Salazar." She answered with glee in her eyes. "She's currently living in Paris. I want to go to Paris immediately to meet her."
I stopped drinking my water and stared at her. "Did you just say Salazar?"
"Hmm?" She stared at me impassively. "Why do you know someone by that surname?"
Was it possible...? No, I'm thinking too much this may be just pure coincidence there were so many Spanish families with that surname. Maybe this designer wasn't from Leila's husband's family. Going back to her question, I smiled at her. "No, I don't think so. I'm just curious that's all."
She nodded in understanding, completely believing my alibi. "Going back to our main topic are we really going to get married, Rafe? Or I am just hallucinating myself here."
I couldn't help but laugh. She's really something. "Yes, we're going to get married once I settled everything..."
"Yes!" She suddenly stood from her chair and jumped in her place happily. "We're getting married, people! This must be the happiest day of my life so far."
People dining inside the restaurant stared at us in awe. Some of them clap their hands and extended their wishes to us. While the Spencer heiress thanks them energetically. I couldn't help but feel the heat spreading through my cheeks.
"What are you doing?" I whispered to her a little embarrassedly. "Take your seat, Signorina. This is so uncomfortable."
Her eyes were bright with happiness as she took her seat again. "I'm just so happy to we're getting married that's why I couldn't contain myself and burst with happiness. I don't think I can contain this happiness inside me I will explode." She stared at me intently with a grin on her face. "When is our wedding day, honey?"
I smiled back at her. I still don't think if I did the right decision here. I don't think if I could keep up with a woman like her. She has a very strong personality. She's untamable. "When your wedding dress is done."
The grinned on her face was filled with deviousness. "Then I have to bully Lucia Salazar to create a wedding dress lightning fast for me."
I stared at her in horror. "You wouldn't do that."
The devious smile was still fixed on her face. "But I will."