The Sins of Duke Evander (BOOK III)

Chapter 13- Investment Opportunities

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"What was it that you just said?... Her husband is a pitiful man for letting his wife work in this environment where she is sure to be swept off her feet?" Slowly, I craned my head around, ripping my eyes away from my wife, and to the man that stood beside me.

"Um... Yes," He itched the back of his neck, confused.

I turned my head back around to look at my wife as she stood beside a tall man, nodding her head as he spoke to her, hands pointing at the mannequin that she had been working on, unaware of my presence, unlike all the other people in the room.

"But, you see, Mr Bianchi, not once have I ever thought of myself as pitiful..."

The words hung in the air for some time, and the man still didn't seem to be able to get it through his thick head.

"Nor has anyone ever dared to think of me as pitiful,"

His eyes slowly widened, and he gulped so hard that his Adams apple looked like it got stuck in his throat, I could almost see the sweat glistening on his forehead.

"I trust my wife... She is not one who will turn to adultery,"

And I turned my head back around, giving out a loud, fake cough, which did the job of announcing my presence as she turned to look at me, blinking in surprise.

I outstretched my arms towards her expectantly, and an amused smile crept onto her face as she rolled her eyes, taking the cushion of pins off her wrist and placing it to the side before running towards me.

Laughing, I picked her up in my arms, placing a kiss on her shoulder as I did.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as I set her back down.

"You didn't want to see me? I missed you too much," I kissed her cheek, and she laughed, wrapping her arms around my waist as she hugged me.

And only then did she notice the presence of her boss standing beside me, turning her head up to look at me with a confused look on her face. Placing a light kiss on her forehead, I wrapped an arm around her waist before turning to look at the man.

With an offended glare sat on my face, I scoffed.

"Mr Ademaro Bianchi... Meet Alina Moretti, my wife, and the Duchess of Ludovica," 

The gasp wasn't only heard from Mr Bianchi himself, but from a few other workers in the room as well, and I turned my head to glare at the designer whom Alina had been talking to a moment ago, Alessandro.

"Evan, what are you doing?" Alina whispered to me.

With a single blink, the foul look had been wiped off my face, and a gentler one sat down as I turned to look my wife in the eyes, smiling, I kissed her forehead.

"Nothing at all, Tesoro Mio... Just business. Mr Bianchi, and that man, Alessandro Solinas; We have some business to discuss..."

"Oh, do you?" I nodded my head.

"Oh... Then, I'll leave you to your business," She stepped back away from me, and then realised that she had forgotten something, so she jumped up, her lips pressing against my cheek, a cute, contagious, and cheeky grin on her face.

"Ti Amo," She whispered.

"Ti Amo," I replied. 

Laughing to herself, she spun on her heel and went back to work as Ademaro quickly ushered Alessandro over towards us and the man didn't waste a second to come running, stopping in front of me.