THE BRIDE CHAPTER 37

The Bride
Chapter 37

There is always a sneer in Las Vegas. The mountains
around it sneer. The desert sneers. And arrogant in
the middle of its wide valley, dominating those
diligent sprawling suburbs, the downtown city
sneers like anything.
– Jan Morris
Francesca Marcolini’s POV
At the age of twenty-one, I have this simple and
intimate wedding attended by a number of guests
from the cream of Italian society. And when my
husband suddenly died in our wedding day I
thought from that moment I will never wed again.
But seven years after that faithful day I met and then
slowly fell in love with my infamous adversary,
Marco Orsini. Since the day I met him he’s so much
for my piece of mind. I guess at that time when I still
worshipping my late husband’s memory I thought I
will betray him if I started to feel something to
another man.
That’s why I always cold and rude to Marco in those
years before I feared that one day he might replace
Lorenzo in my heart.
And I’ve never been wrong. After I learned about my
late husband’s betrayal—the truth that he never really
love me as much as I loved him. That he was in love
with someone else. It opened my eyes that I should
get a life and let go of the past.
Now once I again I am a bride. It is my wedding day
to Marco Orsini. I stared at the full length mirror in
the suite Marco and I shared in one of the most
luxury hotel in Las Vegas. At twenty-nine I feel like a
blushing bride again.
I don’t know why Marco was so eager to get
married. We’ve been just engaged two days ago and
after our hasty visit to his grandparents we flew
straight to Vegas to get married. Honestly, it doesn’t
really matter if we wed today or next year as long as
we love each other I’m fine if we just live in sin. For
me marriage is just formality to what we really feel
for one another.
I wore a simple white knee light cocktail dress I
brought awhile ago. The simple white bouquet
Marco purchased before he left the suite to get
another room so he can change into his tuxedo
before the wedding ceremony.
He told me that the groom can’t see his bride before
the wedding it’s a bad luck. I smiled at the thought
who would have thought that he believed that my
myth.
I never thought that I will marry again after my first
husband’s death—but I certainly never come to my
mind that when I tie the knot again it will be in Las
Vegas with Elvis presides the ceremony. It’s hilarious
we might as well can consider this as elopement
when we didn’t invite ay family member to witness
our wedding. When I tell Tatiana about this sudden
wedding I could almost picture her laughing so hard.
My mobile phone rang. I went near the bed to pick it
up. I smile when I saw Marco’s number I pressed
the answer button. “Hello?”
“Are you ready, my beautiful bride?” Marco greeted
in the other line.
My heart leaped at his words. “How did you know
that I am a beautiful bride?”
“I just did.”
I laughed when I heard the signature arrogance in his
voice. How I love this man with all of his arrogance.
“Flatterer.”
“Are you ready? Marco laughed loudly in the other
line. “Come down at the lobby I want you to meet
my—well, I think I could consider him as my friend
when he’s not in his obnoxious self.”
“Hey!” I heard a reprimand from another male deep
voice on the phone. “I am right here beside you, you
know.”
“Has anyone told you it’s rude to listen to someone
else’s phone conversation?” Marco replied to the
man. He must be our witness to the wedding, the
Greek billionaire Nikos Pallis. “Francesca?”
*I’m still here.” I told him with a smile.
“Come I want you to meet him.” Marco said. “I think
he can spare us with his sarcastic wit.”
I laughed at the easy banter Marco and Nikos Pallis
shared. Clearly, they were good friends more than
they care to admit. I hung up my phone and went
out the suite. I walked straight to the elevator and
waited until it reached the lobby.
Once I was inside the slightly over crowded lobby I
scanned for my husband-to-be and his friend. After
a few seconds of walking inside the huge lobby I
saw the familiar back talking to a very handsome
man at the far end of the reception area.
When I approached them the very handsome Greek
man nodded in my direction that made Marco turned
to look at me. The sight of him in his tuxedo knocked
my breath away. He’s painstakingly handsome I
never miss the longing glances women inside the
hotel give Marco and his Greek friend.
“Francesca…” Marco said extending his hand towards
my direction.
I took it without hesitation but I am still aware of the
burning gaze the Greek god threw in my direction.
He’s as if, studying me with his unusual pale blue
eyes like the color of the clearest sky during summer
in Italy.
Marco dipped his head to kiss my cheek. “You look
ravishing, darling.”
I tried to fight the blush that wanted to escape in my
face. Why does he behave like this when we were in
front of his friend?
“Aren’t you going to introduce us, fíle mou?” The
Greek god spoke forcing us to acknowledge his
presence with his assistant standing behind him.
Marco straightened and performs the introduction his
friend demanded. “Francesca, this is Nikos Pallis, the
Greek b-----d that lent us his villa in Sardinia out of
the goodness of his heart.” He raised an eyebrow to
his friend’s direction. “Do you have a heart, my
friend?”
“Not that I am aware off.” Nikos Pallis replied his pale
blue eyes gleamed in delight. “But let me clear this to
you, Orsini. As far as I am concern I was born in
wedlock so if you will just be careful with your
words, fíle mou.”
“You are?” Marco retorted back to his friend dryly but
the Greek man ignored him.
“I am a good friend of Lucca—the Duke of Caprielle
and this humorless man who is about to become
your husband any moment back in college.” Nikos
Pallis said to me with a quite smile on his ruthless
face. “Pleasure to meet you, thespinis.”
He boldly kissed my hand that made Marco glared
darkly to his friend. This man was worst than Marco
when he’s still at the pinnacle of his bachelor’s days.
This Greek man was lethal he can get any woman he
wanted without as much as trying. Anyone who will
try to win his heart will need as much luck as she
can get.
But then again, he just claimed awhile ago that he
doesn’t have a heart right?
“Stop charming my wife-to-be.” Marco practically
dragged me to his side.
Nikos Pallis grinned evilly in Marco’s direction. “That’s
no way to treat the man who will act as your
witness to your wedding, my friend.”
“Then stop being alluring to my Francesca or I will
give you a black eye before the wedding.” Marco
threatened darkly.
His friend sighed deeply. “You join the duke in the
jealous husband clubs, aren’t you? Now I am an
island to myself, fíle mou.”
*
Marco grinned at his friend while he sneaked his
hand on my waist. “You should marry too so Lucca
and I will never leave you behind.”
The Greek billionaire feigned a look of horror. “Curse
your tongue, Orsini.”
My fiancé just laughed as he looked down to me. His
dark eyes dance with laughter. “Being married to the
woman you love is the best thing that will happen to
your life.”
Nikos shook his dark head in acquiescence. “You are
really fallen, Marco.”
“You will too.” Marco said cheerfully to his friend.
“Someday. When you meet the right woman.”
He snorted as he looks away. “That might be billion
years from now.”
Marco laughed out loud. “Don’t lose hope, amico.”
Nikos stared at his friend like he just spoke dirty
words in front of the ladies. “Let’s get this over with,
shall we? Then I can go back in New York.”
“What a great idea.” Marco agreed brightly. Tucking
my hand to his we walk inside the chapel like room
in the lobby of the hotel.
To my immense relief Elvis was not waiting for us in
the small makeshift chapel. But a man dress in priest
attire.
“I hope he’s a real priest, Marco.” I whispered to him
once we are now walking down the aisle. “I don’t
want a hoax wedding.”
“I know you want to be married by Elvis, my love.”
He whispered back evilly as we near the altar. “But
sadly he took day off today.”
I couldn’t help but to laughed at his humor but deep
inside I am freaking nervous right this moment. The
priest opened the bible and started the rite of the
wedding ceremony. Nikos and his personal assistant
took the place near us.
“Do you Marco take Francesca Marcolini to be your
lawfully wedded wife—?”
“I do.” He replied cheerfully without waiting for the
priest to finish his words.
The priest looked at Marco dryly. “At least wait for
me to finish before you answer.”
“Do you Francesca take Marco Orsini to be your
lawfully wedded—?”
“I do.”
The man shook his head. “By the power vested in
my I pronounce you as man and wife. You may kiss
the bride.”
Marco didn’t waste time before he encircled me to his
arms and bend me backward for a deep kiss. I am
officially married to Marco Orsini.
“So, Signora Orsini…” Marco said after our first kissed
as married couple.
“So, Signore Orsini…” I mimicked him with a smile in
my lips. I felt like we are the only people inside the
room. We never look at Nikos and his assistant
when they left us after they gave us their
congratulations.
“About we start with our wedding night, wife?”
I laughed as I hug him tightly. He’s really incorrigible.
But before I could reply his mobile phone rang.
He frowned when he fished out his phone in his
pocket. “Excuse me, darling.”
Marco moved a little farther to me as he answered
the phone call. I visibly heard him. “Hello, Lucca.”
Marco Orsini’s POV
“Haven’t I told you to invite me to your wedding?”
I mentally cringed when I heard the accusing voice
of Lucca Cavelli on the other line. “How on earth did
you know about it?”
“Imagine this. I am in the middle of a very gruesome
board meeting when I received a phone call from a
certain egotistical Greek babbling that he’s going to
act as your witness in a wedding in Las Vegas. That
he will not miss it for the world—that he’s so sorry
that I am not there to watch our good friend tie the
knot.”
I cursed as I scan the place looking for Nikos Pallis. I
want a word with him now! Too bad he’s nowhere
to be seen.
“So you won Fran-I-Mean-The-Girl, after all?”
“Stop playing games with me, Lucca!”
I heard the duke chuckled. “Are you going to tell me
who is your bride?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because she’s my good friend, you know.”
I loosened the bowtie around my neck. It seemed to
be too tight that the moment. “How did you—”
“I’m not idiot, Marco.” Lucca said confidently. “I
know there’s something between the two of you
long time ago.”
I guessed he’d been right. There’s hidden sparks
since then. “Does your wife know about this?”
Lucca took a deep breath. “No.” He said after a
paused. “I think she works for your Nonna. She’s
acting suspicious since your grandfather’s birthday.”
“I think that too.” I agreed with him glancing at my
bride briefly.
“She’ll have your head in a silver platter, you know.”
Lucca warned frankly. “Your Nonna. You rob her the
opportunity to plan your wedding. Expect her wrath
when you come back.”
“I know.”
“I can only give you few days to have honeymoon.
After that Tatiana will start to question me. You know
that I can’t lie to her with anything.”
“Thank you, Lucca.” I said to him honestly. He’s
really a good friend when he’s not teasing me
mercilessly.
“Take good care of her, amico.” He said seriously.
“She’d been through a lot with her past marriage.”
“I love her, Lucca.” That’s all I replied to him before I
disconnected the phone call. “Ready?” I asked my
wife. God, she’s my wife now.
Finally.
I extended my hand for her and she took it without
hesitation. We rode the elevator and I couldn’t wait. I
started kissing Francesca with such fervor. I
probably look like an impatient bridegroom but I
don’t care.
At last, we arrived at our penthouse I nearly reap her
clothes in the elevator. I swung her to my arms and
she squeaked a little.
“It’s tradition, my love.” I said once we crossed the
threshold.
“Marco!”
We finally arrived at the bedroom I carefully brought
her back to her feet. I stared at her pretty hazel eyes.
There was now piece of paper stating she’s mine.
“You are now officially mine, Francesca Orsini.”

To be continued