THE BRIDE CHAPTER 31

The Bride
Chapter 31

Advice is like snow – the softer it falls, the longer it
dwells upon, and the deeper in sinks into the mind.
-Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Marco Orsini’s POV
“Are you going to frown, glare and grimace all day
here in my office or you’re going to tell me what’s
going on?”
The irritating question came from Lucca Cavelli—the
high mighty Duke of Caprielle. I should have known
that coming here was futile he can’t help me with my
problem.
“What?” The duke inquired again when I remained
silent. “Are you going to stare at me all day? Oh, wait
—do you have crush on me, Marco?”
“Funny, Your Excellency.” I replied acidly, glowering
in his direction. “If you ever get tired of playing the
CEO of your business you should try to be a
comedic actor.”
Lucca didn’t take my sarcastic comment seriously.
He just merely laughed. “Really, amico. What’s
wrong? Why are you in such bad mood today?
Remember earlier in my marriage I have jealousy
problems with my wife. You advice me with that
sarcastic wit of yours maybe it’s time for me to
return the favor.”
I sighed deeply as I remember why went to his
office early this morning. If I only have solution to
this problem of mine I will not seek for his d--n
advice.
“I have a question.” I started.
“Fire away.” He said gamely. “I will gladly to help you
with your love life, amico.”
How I want so badly to strangle this egotistical duke
but I stopped myself in doing so. I shifted in my
position across to him. Still trying to look sanguine
about the whole situation, when in truth I will reveal
a piece of information about my relationship with a
certain maddening woman. after out encounter at
my grandparent’s drawing room—after I poured out
my heart’s content to her—what replied I got from
her?
Stop playing games with me, Marco. That is not
funny. She replied with hurt in her pretty eyes. The
nerve of that woman. I confessed to her as I never
did to any woman before yet she didn’t believe me?
It’s bloody insulting! And before I can comprehend
her answer to me she runs off the room leaving me
staring after her escape.
“So I have this friend of mine who has a problem
with a woman.” I said after a moment, trying not to
flinch at the intense gray eyes that were busy
studying me.
A small smile fitted the duke’s face. “Who is this
friend of yours, Marco? Do I know him?”
“No.” I replied hastily, avoiding his knowing gaze.
“You didn’t know him.”
“Are you sure?” Lucca prodded, while he kept
studying me. “How odd I thought we share the
same circle of friends, Marco.”
“Not this one.”
“Is that so?” My good friend and sometimes pain in
the backside asked maddeningly. “So what was his
problem, amico?”
Do I really have to do this? I asked myself silently. I
suddenly want to back out from my plan in
discreetly asking for his d--n advice. But what
choice do I have? He’s happy married to his wife and
has children of his own now. I am sure he can help
me handling a stubborn woman.
I took a deep breath and gamble to this plan I think
will work out. “This friend of mine has a problem
with a woman. You see, he just confessed with the
woman he loves but the woman thought he’d just
play pranks with her.”
Lucca cocked an arrogant eyebrow in my direction. I
don’t think I want the tilt of his eyebrows. “Why do
you think the woman didn’t believe his declaration of
love?”
*
I shrugged. I have asked that question millionth
times to myself since my grandfather’s birthday
celebration. “I don’t know. Maybe because the man
was womanizer before.”
Like you? His eyes said silently. “Then the woman
has the right to doubt the sincerity of your friend,
Marco.” Lucca answered mildly, playing with his
pen. “If your friend proved to be a playboy before
course any woman will have reservations.”
“But he changes his playboy ways now!” I said too
passionately that made Lucca’s eyes glint with
laughter. “I mean—”
“I know what you mean, amico.” The duke
answered with laughter still visible in his eyes. Oh,
how I want to smack that laughter away from his
eyes.
“You do?” My eyes narrowed at him. If I didn’t know
better I will assume he’s playing games with me.
“Sì.” He replied with a private smile. “Tell your friend
that he can’t will the woman he loves with a single ‘I
love you’ you have to win her heart as well.”
I frowned. Win her heart? How can I win her elusive
heart? That’s too d--n difficult when the woman is
Francesca Marcolini. “But France—I mean the girl’s
heart was carved to the coldest ice.”
Lucca smiled a little. “Then if I were you I will show
France-I-Mean-The-Girl how much she means to
me.”
I glared at him darkly. “I told you that’s my friend’s
dilemma not mine.”
“Oh, right…” The annoying duke added, preventing
his lips from smiling like an idiot. “…your friend,
sorry, my bad.”
I am sorely tempted to tell him what I really feel
about him. But I calm myself. You can survive this,
Marco. I reassured myself silently. Without killing
your good friend.
“What do you suggest he should do?” I asked after I
thought I am calm enough to continue my
conversation with him.
Lucca shrugged. “Why not tell him court her?”
“Court?”
“Yes, have a courtship.” The duke said dryly, his
silver eyes held dare in their profound. When I just
stared at him blankly he added. “Amico, courtship
means the act, period, or art of seeking the love of
someone with intent to marry.”
“But what if he’s not into romantic stuffs?”
Lucca smiled like a man who experienced everything
in the name of courtship. “Ah, he has to go great
lengths in order to win the heart of the woman he
loves. If your friend is really serious about his
intentions—that is.”
If I need to court Francesca so she can admit that she
also loves me—I know she love me. Because a
woman will not give her body to a man repeatedly if
she didn’t feel something for him. Then I will court
her until she surrender everything to me body and
soul. Until she will finally agree to marry me and
share her life with me.
“That’s quite smile you got there.” Lucca dragged me
out of my reverie.
“You know what?” I casually said to him standing
from my chair. “I think I better go. I have lots of
things to do.”
I was about to escaped him when I heard him before
I exited on the door. “Be sure to invite me in your
wedding, Marco.”
Goddamnit in hell, he’s really sharp.
*
Tatiana Cavelli’s POV
“Are you really sure about this, Signora?” I asked
softly the elderly woman beside me as we both hide
in the newspapers that were buried in our nose
watching Laila Fiorenza through the glass window
inside the posh boutique. “What if she will realize that
we’re following her?”
“Yes,” She whispered back softly. “We’ve been
following her quite awhile now. I am sure she
doesn’t suspect anything.”
I sighed and continue to spy at the woman who
dresses in pure black. One thing I learned about the
woman upon following her discreetly like a common
stalker was her avid favor in the color of black for her
outfits.
She wasn’t like a Goth girl or something her makeup
was like any other woman you can collide with at the
streets. In my opinion she’s quite pretty in black it
only accentuates her unusual green eyes the color of
leaves during spring.
“Remind me again, ma’am, why are we following
her?” I eyed the elderly woman who gone too far
with this spying thing with her outfits, with a chic
trench coat, ankle length leather boots and a black
floppy hat with a small brim. Compared to her
stylish outfit for spying job I felt like an old aunt with
skinny jeans and turtle neck top.
“We need to investigate this woman and her
relationship with Marco.” Signora Claudia Orsini said
behind the newspaper. “And if she is a real threat to
Marco and Francesca’s upcoming wedding.”
I shook my head in resignation. It was no doubt
where Marco got his stubborn side not to mention
the scheming and deviousness. This woman was
really sure that there’s a wedding that to be take place
between Marco and Francesca.
“What if she’s a real threat, Signora?” I asked the
woman while I glanced at her personal chauffer that
who stared at us like we’re two crazy people in the
middle of the fashion district of Rome. Thank God,
we used her trusted driver. If we used my driver
chances of him reporting to Lucca about this stunt
was exuberantly high.
Claudia Orsini glared at me as if that’s the most
absurd thing she had heard. “Then, I need to pair off
this woman with some of my friends’ grandsons
those were all fine young men.”
“Have anyone ever told you before, ma’am, that you
are quite scary with your matchmaking skills?”
“A woman needs to work if she wants great-
grandchildren, girl.” She said with a youthful grinned
in her face. “You are lucky that I haven’t met you
before you married the duke or I paired you with a
fine young man.”
“Lucca is a fine young man.” I told her defensively.
Honestly, I couldn’t think of a better husband than
Lucca Cavelli. The love of my life.
“Oh, yes.” The woman answered somewhat
apologetically. “Forgive me I didn’t mean like how it
sounded, Tatiana.”
“It’s okay.” I smiled at the woman, glancing at our
subject. “Oh! Quick, she’s already finish. She’s about
to go out, Signora.”
We folded our newspaper hastily and run to the
waiting black Audi. People giving us weird stares but
Claudia Orsini took no notice. We just made in time
to hide in the car before Laila Fiorenza exited on the
boutique.
Ever since I met Claudia Orsini and help her with her
quest my simple life with my husband and my
babies just turn into an everyday adventure.
*
To be continued