NO ONE'S POV
Silvia threw Lucas another annoyed look for the umpteenth time since coming into the restaurant. Lucas pretended not to notice and continued cutting his steak with a table knife.
" Spill it out already. What's all this about? ," she said in an annoyed voice.
Lucas didn't even look at her .
" Can't l take my fiance out for dinner, " he responded calmly.
Silvia rolled her eyes at him.
" Spare me that shit, Moretti. I know you well. You are not a romantic type. You rarely took me out for dinner. You always preferred to spend that time in bed ."
Silvia grabbed her wine glass and took a huge gulp of the champagne. She replaced the wine glass on the table and glared at him with her arms crossed over her chest. Lucas grabbed his glass and sipped slowly.
"What's the big deal anyway? We are going to spend the rest of our freaking lives together. So l figured out we might try to get along with each other and try to get to know each other better and not just in bed only."
He winked at her afterwards . Silvia snorted at his last words.
" Yet it was you who told me that emotions had nothing to do with our relationship. You said as long as we are physically compatible there was no need for emotions. You said our marriage is to be strictly business. Merge and acquire."
Her voice was laced with pain. Lucas brushed the thought aside. He was imagining this. Silvia was the last woman to be emotionally attached to a man . That was the very reason he chose her.
Lucas shrugged slightly.
" The condition still stands. You know l don't do love. That's all crap and bullshit. Feelings are messy. It's best to keep everything professional but you are still my fiance and we have to get along at some point."
" Are you suggesting we become friends," Silvia asked in disbelief.
Luca's lips turned into a smile.
" Not bad. As long as you don't get clingy and possessive like before."
Silvia smirked at him.
" What tricks are you up to this time?Pretty tell coz l can see right through you. Are you afraid that l am gonna break off the engagement before the deal is through. Coz l won't do that . l will never give you up for some slut."
Lucas's smile spread into a wicked grin.
"You know me too well, sweetheart. I heard your father is acquainted with Mr Estavo. He is being stubborn and refusing to sell me his land."
" You want my dad to put in a word for you," she said in a scowling voice.
" Exactly. "
" Actually he is my mother's former classmate. You are aware of the fact that my mother hate your guts right."
"Tell me why your mother despise me that much."
" l understand her. What did you expect. You were all over tabloids as a famous playboy. My father then suddenly announces his decision to wed us without consulting me or my mum. She thinks you are going to hurt me someday. "
" That won't happen. As long as we stick to the contract , we are good. "
Silvia battled her long fake eyelashes at him.
"Whatever."
"If l am going to help you, l might as well want to know what you are planning to do with the land once you get it," Silvia asked with suspicion.
" l am planning on building an orphanage named after my mother," Lucas replied absentminded.
Silvia choked on her wine. She suddenly burst out laughing and a few heads turned their way.
" Don't give me that crap,Moretti. What's with the lie anyway. My dad will still help you out even if you do not have noble intentions . He is smitten with you. An orphanage , really!"
Silvia threw back her head and laughed again before she said,
" l know you don't give a damn about anyone. What a lame joke. I was thinking you were going to build a nightclub or maybe expand your chain of hotels."
" l know l am heartless. But only to the wicked. Believe what you want," Lucas responded in an exasperated voice.
****
JANE'S POV
After washing my hands , l stared at my reflection in the mirror for a long time. My face was pale and my eyes looked shrunken.
How worse could my life get!
I had just reconciled with Claudius and now l had to run into Ferracco's look like again. The very reason we had our first fight on our first date.
No matter what Claudius and Lola said , my gut feeling told me that he was definitely Ferracco . Or maybe l was being paranoid for nothing and it was only a case of mistaken identity. I silently prayed it was the case.
I reapplied my makeup and practised a fake smile in the mirror. I didn't want Claudius to know that there was something off with me. The poor guy was probably wondering what took me so long.
The door creaked open and l caught a glimpse in the mirror of two blonds entering the bathroom. One of them was dressed up in a black , tight little dress that made me wonder if she didn't feel suffocated by it. She looked like a duct tap was wrapped all around her. The other one was clad in a waitress's uniform.
" l can't believe Lucas Moretti finally has a fiance!," the girl in a scanty black dress exclaimed whilst applying more lipstick to her already blood red lips.
The waitress rolled her eyes at her friend and flipped back her long blond hair.
" That guy is a man whore. I have been working at this restaurant for three years and every time he comes in with a different slut dangling on his arm. Obviously the engagement is all business. I am damn sure he is still sleeping around despite being engaged," she said in a voice filled with sarcasm.
" You despise him a lot. Don't you ? ," her friend pointed out.
" He ruined my best friend. She could have married Daniel King if it was not because of that asshole," she said sharply.
" Whoo! You mean the smoking hot Daniel King of this restaurant," she almost screamed.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at them. What was wrong with us girls! The way we hero worshipped guys gave them an opportunity to hurt us without feeling any remorse.
I had made that mistake once. To me , Ferracco was like a king , a Greek god and a person who would never be at fault. Obviously l had looked like a pathetic fool to him. How he must have laughed as l whispered words of adoration and love to him.
" The very one. Milady was Daniel's girlfriend until Lucas Moretti decides to interfere and whisked her away only to dump her after a month ."
" Wow ! You friend had almost hit it big on both sides. Those dudes are rolling in real dollars. "
" Moretti has money , fame , power and looks but unfortunately his personality is full of shit."
" l feel pity for that pretty model . She will be locked away with a monster for the rest of her life," the stylist blond said with a sigh.
" They are obviously not in love. The girlfriend ordered sushi earlier not knowing that he was allergic to it. What a couple!," the waitress said with a snort.
They both burst out laughing and exited the bathroom. Once they left , l collapsed against the wall , my heart galloping. A bead of sweat had already appeared on my forehead. Numerous thoughts were reeling around my head at an insane speed that l thought for a moment l was going insane.
Allergic to sea food!
No! It can't be!
But it was too much of a coincidence!
Ferracco was allergic to sea foods and his look alike had the same allergy!
My legs suddenly felt weak and l sank down on the floor.
Ferracco!
****
I steadily walked back to my seat , still feeling my legs trembling. Claudius looked up when l reached our table. He looked worried and concerned. I passed him a small nervous smile before taking my seat.
He leaned forward .
"Are you okay? You have been in there for like an hour," he asked in a voice laced with worry.
" l think l ate something bad . My stomach is hurting," l lied to him.
"We are leaving. We have to stop by a pharmacy and get your meds," he told me.
I stole a sideway glance at the corner table. Luckily , his back was to me and he couldn't see me. If he was indeed Ferracco in disguise, l couldn't risk him recognising me. I watched him smiling at something the lady with him said.
Pain ripped through me as painful memories rushed through me.
That same smile had lured me right into the devil's trap!
He had smiled at me for the first time in that same lazy manner and my heart had did a flip flop.
My hands curled into tight fists under the table as a surge of anger rush through me. I hated and despised the man with everything in me. He took advantage of me during my weakest moment. He ruined me and my family.
I wanted to march towards his table and grabbed him by the collar , demanding why he betrayed my love for him in such a cruel manner but l knew it wouldn't be a good idea. He had changed his identity , changed his outward appearance and he was now powerful and more cunning.
I had to gather solid evidence against him that will have him locked away in jail for the rest of his miserable life. I watched him through narrowed eyes as he took the model's hand and kissed it gently. The model smiled widely whilst blushing to the roots of her hair. They looked very happy and so much in love.
I wasn't going to sit still and watch him being happy after ruining me. I was going to ruin everything he held dear especially the business empire he mercilessly stole from me. I was going to destroy him until he begs for my mercy on his knees.
I was going to strip him bare of everything he stole from my family to the last penny. And after tormenting him like that , l was going to have his poor ass thrown in jail for the rest of his sorry life.
Enjoy all you can while it lasts, Ferracco because l am coming for you!
****
NO ONE'S POV
Daniel King passed by their table, throwing Lucas another glare. Lucas simply smirked back at him. Silvia rolled her eyes at Lucas and cast him an annoyed look.
" What's the deal between you two? Last time l checked, you guys were friends," she said.
Lucas scoffed at her words.
" First, Daniel and l were never friends. I don't do friends. Second, he was once my business partner until he ruined that. "
" You were fond of him," Silvia pointed out.
Lucas burst into a laughter.
" Fond ! Really. I was just pleased with his work . He is damn good at what he does. I still regret losing him."
" So when did things turn sour between you two," Silvia asked with curiosity.
He gave her one of his infamous smirks.
" What!," Silvia snapped at him.
" l feel like this is the first longest conversation we ever had."
Silvia rolled her eyes and muttered a " whatever" under her breath.
" Just spill it out already!, " she commanded.
" Feisty huh . l like that!," he said in an amused voice.
"Lucas!"
" Daniel's girlfriend wanted me for as long as l could remember. She was beautiful and exactly my type but l chose to ignore her because l didn't want to spoil my business relationship with Daniel. Until one day when we were having a party at Daniel's place. Daniel passed out drunk on the couch. I was also pretty drunk and l crashed into Daniel's bedroom. Milady threw herself at me. I am a man and l was drunk . How the hell was l supposed to resist her."
" So Daniel thinks that you seduced his girlfriend?"
" Yeah. He was smitten by her and he didn't know that his girl was some slut. She was obviously after his money."
Silvia cocked her eyebrow at him.
" l don't blame him. Everyone knows that you go nuts at everything in a skirt," she said with a snort.
Lucas smirked at her.
" Was that meant as a compliment?"
"You wish! ," Silvia said in a scowling voice.
Something caught Silvia's attention. Lucas noticed that she was no longer paying attention to what he was saying so he snapped his fingers in front of her face and that forced her to look back at him.
" What's wrong?," he asked her.
"There was a woman seated over there. She has been glaring at you for a long time," Silvia said gesturing to the table with her head.
Lucas's head snapped around to stare at the said table but found it empty. His eyes moved to the entrance and he saw a couple leaving. The woman's arm was wrapped around a man's waist as they walked away.
She had long wavy blond hair cascading down her back in golden waves and the pretty little red dress she was wearing hugged her every curve in a way that caused him to have unpleasant thoughts running through his head.
Lucas couldn't see her face but there was something familiar about her back and the way she moved. Silvia's sarcastic voice broke through his thoughts.
" Maybe it's one of those sluts you hook up with and she is mad to see you with other woman," she said with a snort.
Lucas knew she was not one of those women even though he never remembers any of their faces nor names. He had refrained from dating anyone woman with blond hair.
Fake or not!
Blonds have always triggered unpleasant memories for him!
A/N : Don't forget to vote , follow and comment.
Buckle up my dear readers coz we are now entering one hell of a dramatic ride!