Chapter 3

The older woman had her hair long jet black hair braided in a ponytail that highlighted her gorgeous face.

She was in the same age range as Eleonora's parents but she looked way younger than the both of them put together.

Her blue eyes stood out, complementing her sharp jaw line and defined collar bones, she was fairly muscular and it'd come as a surprise to anyone that the woman didn't work out but it was obvious to see that she was pretty sporty in her high school and college days.

"Hello, baby. How are you and how was work today?" Her soft voice asked.

Josephine rubbed soothing circles on Eleonora's back. It was easy to do that since she was almost Eleonora's height and Eleonora was a tall woman who was almost 6 ft tall.

"Hey, Josy. I am exhausted and all I want to do is cuddle with you while drifting off to sleep and about work, I'd just say same old, same old, only that today was added with a twist because the demon and the demoness came to visit," Eleonora scoffed.

"And they gave me very lovely news that apparently, I have a fiance and the lucky man has to be none other than Viccorio Russo himself. Ugh!" She rolled her eyes.

Eleonora went on ranting while Josephine chuckled at the younger woman and just let her rant off. Though she was worried about the arranged marriage, she knew that she wouldn't be helping Eleonora at the moment by talking about it so she just comforted her with the warmth her hug offered.

After a few minutes, Eleonora stood straight while flashing a small smile at Josephine who was monitoring the younger woman's actions, observing her and when she saw the smile, the French woman leaned in to kiss Eleonora's forehead while cooing.

"Oh, mon chérie, you don't have to bother yourself about anything tonight and we will cuddle up under the blanket while watching a movie till you fall asleep, okay?" she blinked up at her.

"Okay." Eleonora nodded and they made their way out of the laundry room hand in hand.

Josephine was brought from France by her parents when she was four years old and Eleonora still thinks that bringing Josephine over to be her caretaker was the one thing they managed to do right.

Josephine quickly became Eleonora's mother figure even more than her own biological mother herself and she suited the role perfectly.

They became so close that anywhere Eleonora went, she always took Josephine with her even when she went on business trips.

Eleonora did wonder why Josephine didn't want to get married. She had never seen her in an actual relationship since she was a child and it bothered her a little, but when she asked Josephine about it, the latter dismissed the topic swiftly saying she didn't need a man to make her happy and she was just fine being with Eleonora and since then she never asked about the topic again.

They parted ways in the kitchen, Eleonora went to her room to get changed and prepare for movie night while Josephine prepared the snacks and took them to the movie theatre room before going to her room to get changed as well.

A tall figure emerged from the shadows, striding down the wide and luxurious hallway bathed in opulence as he made his way to the Russo family living room.

He looked mature with a perfectly chiselled face that had enough capability to drive any woman crazy. The dark sunglasses resting perfectly on his nose bridge protected his eyes from the bright lights that assaulted anyone that dared look at it.

With his straight nose and pointed, laying symmetrically between his dark brown eyes and luscious lips which were pink, plump, and kissable. All in all, he had the entire look of a Greek god.

His ink-black hair was neatly combed back in a sleek hairstyle with the sides combed upward and parted from the middle, with the appropriate amount of gel, leaving the unruly ends sitting elegantly on his broad shoulders.

He was dressed in a black retro suit that complemented his fitted body and hugged the masculine figure underneath. Out of the front chest pocket,  the corner of an ink-blue handkerchief could be seen peering slightly.

Glancing down, he had a pair of straight long legs that held polished black leather shoes which glistened as the light shone upon them.

The man had such an exceptional presence with a domineering aura that seemed to loom over him like a shadow being cast upon him but it just added to the strength of his presence.

He walked down the empty bright halls with a firm posture as he pushed the gigantic doors that stood tall and strong with their surface smothered in gold and silver. The excellent combination and contrast.

The door had an artful chinese design and the hall was decorated with an Italian-styled interior, well crafted and expertly adorned.

In the living room, sat Old Man Russo, Viccorio's grandfather along with Butler Chu. The old man had a very displeased look on his face and there sat a scowl on his face.

Even at his age, the man still had very defined features. Apparently, it ran in the family as Viccorio looked like the older version of the elderly man.

"Grandfather," Viccorio acknowledged with a curt nod while the old man scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"You little rascal, were you even planning on coming here tonight?!" The Old man asked his grandson who had such a thick skull that he never listened to his parents except him.

Viccorio took a seat on the black leather sofa and crossed his long legs before answering the man.

"Old man, I definitely wasn't planning on coming here tonight. Does it look like I'm interested in another of your well-known lectures on me settling down and the whole lot that follows?" Viccorio scoffed.

Now, Old man Russo wanted to smack his grandson's head so many times or at least till he started taking things seriously.

"You turn thirty-two in a few months and you haven't even thought of settling down, talkless of bringing someone home. Do you think my old bones will wait forever for you to finally pick someone, huh?" The old man hissed.

Old man Russo loved his grandson so much and was proud of his accomplishments but even if he had all the qualities every woman wished and dreamed of finding in a man, the rascal disliked any marriage talks, making the Old man result to such measures.

"No, you won't wait forever, old man. Now, stop putting so much thought into this and just let me be." Viccorio looked unfazed and the Old man wasn't happy with that. At all.

"I declare you are getting married in three days, period. There are many women from rich socialite families, just pick one of them and if you decide you don't want them then I'd contact your betrothed at once.

You two got betrothed when she was born so she's technically your fiance no matter the decision you make" the old man said as he watched the lines form in his grandson's head.

"She can be the last and only option if you want but I want you back home with a wife in two days and I don't care if it's a log of wood." Old man Russo concluded before he got up making his way to his room with Butler Chu following closely behind him subtly nodding his head at Viccorio who was still seated on the couch.

After arranging everything they needed for the night, Josephine and Eleonora cuddled up in a thick blanket to watch a movie.

They were having their quality bonding time and Eleonora was happy that she could spend time with Josephine while Josephine was worried about Eleonora.

It was clear to see that even though she wasn't her birth mother, she definitely loved her like she were hers and Eleonora made it clear to her that in her heart, Josephine was like her birth mother.

"Do you want to talk about it or just want to vent to me?" Josephine looked at the tired-looking woman in her arms as she asked watching closely for a sign of anything.

"No, I just want to cuddle with you, mother. We haven't had a movie night in a while and I really miss spending time with you. This came as a good opportunity,"  Eleonora closed her eyes and shuffled closer to the older woman.

She lay there calmly, listening to her heartbeats and not caring about the movie that was playing on the huge flat screen in front of her.

It still surprised Eleonora how she became so calm whenever she was close to Josephine.

The woman has been the only constant Eleonora had in her life and she was the person who singlehandedly picked Eleonora from the darkness and wild thoughts she filled her head with from a young age and she always helped her through everything.