Chapter 3. Uh-oh, They Hate Me.

Rose’s POV

Valerio chuckled, obviously pissed by Valentino’s statement, while Vicente scoffed. “I can’t believe you gathered all of us here, Marco.” He glared at the secretary whom he was supposed to scare, but he didn’t budge. “I am just following Mr. Giovanni’s orders. He asked me to gather you all here to make an important announcement,” he said as he looked from one brother to another.

“What is it now?” Valerio rolled his eyes at Marco, who pressed his lips in frustration at being cut short, while Vicente narrowed his eyes at me with a seductive smile. “Does it concern our pretty doll here?”

“Can you both shut up?” Valentino glared at them.

“You don’t get to call the shots… brother,” Vicente said in a degrading manner as Valentino stared fiercely at him as if he could kill him.

Are these people even related at all? The news didn’t elaborate on how much hatred presides among them, I thought, as I felt my palm become sweaty with someone's hand wrapped around my shoulder. I shuddered as I turned to stare at Vicente, who held me, smiling as my heart jumped. “Should we get out of here? These boys are getting on my nerves,” he said as I chuckled nervously and removed his hand slowly from my neck to turn and see the other brothers staring at me like some beings they’d rather not see.

“Respect the chairman’s guest, Vicente!” Marco said aloud as he came between them again.

“Arghh. Not again,” Vicente sighed with a frown and moved slightly away from me as he winked at me. Marco saw it and cleared his throat, as if calling him to order.

“You are incorrigible,” Valentino spoke up in a pissed tone.

“One trait I inherited from our daddy. He had so many women while he was alive,” Vicente smirked to Valentino's annoyance.

“Boys!” Marco said through gritted teeth as Valentino cursed in Italian, which made him sound so sexy. Oh my God, he was the one that had more effect on me. And Valerio, the way he stared at me, I wasn’t sure what was going on in that head of his.

“As I was saying, she would stay here for six months as per the chairman’s order,” Marco said.

“What?!” Valerio spat out almost immediately. “What rubbish?” Valentino glared at Marco.

“I know I love women, but having her stay with us. Isn’t that too much? Giovanni has so many houses, he could have her stay there,” Vicente said in a lower tone.

Great, they don’t like me. I’m literally screwed, I thought inwardly.

“Giovanni is the chairman, Vicente. Your manners, please,” Marco corrected with a tight smile, as if it wasn’t the first time he was doing so.

“Whatever. I prefer Giovanni. He doesn’t complain anyway, so why do you care?” Vicente rolled his eyes as Marco sighed. Poor man, I thought loudly. These bunch of spoiled brats was enough to send a person to their early grave. No wonder the chairman is barely alive.

“I don’t care what is happening here, but she can’t stay,” Valerio said with a note of finality. “She will,” Marco replied with confidence.

“If the chairman dies, I am the next in line. Are you sure you don’t want to get on my nerves, Marco?” Valentino asked with a cocky grin.

This brat! I thought in awe. He can’t wait for his grandfather to die.

“You—“ Marco made to say as Valentino walked towards him and placed a hand on Marco’s shoulder. “As it is, I can barely stand these people…,” he started, referring to his brothers. “Don’t get me irritated by bringing people here, Marco. I might go crazy, you see,” he said calmly, even though he was nothing close to gentle.

With a fixed gaze on Valentino’s face, Marco removed his hand from his body and smiled. “The chairman orders…” he said aloud as he stared at them. “If Vicente tries to rebel against my order, I will buy his record label and close it down. Any label that tries to sign him again as their singer will taste my wrath,” he said, his gaze lingering on Vicente, whose face was now red with rage.

“He must be crazy,” he muttered as Marco smiled triumphantly and turned to Valerio. “And as for Valerio, he won’t get the chance to know what he has always yearned to know about his mother,” he said, as Valerio's folded arms released unconsciously, as if he was ready to charge at Marco.

“I can’t believe he is so petty,” he glared at Marco, who wasn't moved. Finally, he turned to Valentino, whose face was now expressionless. “He wouldn’t dare,” he said, as if he already knew the condition his grandfather had placed.

“Yes, he will,” Marco nodded with feigned pity.

“Fuck all of you,” he sneered and turned to look at me. “I hope you enjoy your stay,” he said in a cold voice and walked out of the house.

“I wonder what that old man is up to now,” Valerio hissed and walked away as he ascended the stairs.

“I changed my mind!” Vicente's voice broke the silence that lingered with Valentino’s and Valerio’s absence. “She can stay,” his eyes glittered as he smiled at me. “Let’s ignore them and have fun ourselves. They are no fun anyway,” he walked up to me and held my hands.

“Right,” I said with a nervous chuckle, realizing this was the only word I’ve said since I met the brothers. “No touching of the guest, Vicente—”

Vicente raised his finger to stop Marco. “She is an adult, Marco. An adult…”

“There’s no need to linger around her like a hawk,” he smiled sheepishly as Marco turned to look at me. “He’s quite fun, Marco,” I said to calm him. If my days are going to be better in this house, I need to get used to one of them at least, I thought inwardly as I smiled at Vicente. Besides, he wasn't that bad, but the crazy attraction that kept drawing me to him scares me.

****************************

“Hey, pretty doll,” Vicente walked up to me in the kitchen where I leaned on the counter sipping a cup of coffee the next morning while chatting with the housekeeper who introduced herself earlier.

“Hi,” I said nervously, hating how much my heart jumped every time I saw him or any of the brothers.

“You good? How was your night?” He asked with a bright smile as I gave him a quick once-over. He looked exceptionally dashing this morning, with his hair ruffled from tossing on the bed.

“Great,” I lied. I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Countless nightmares of the brothers trying to throw me out kept me up.

“Hmm… you look stressed, though,” he said with a worried look as I stared dreamily at him.

How sweet. How the hell can I stop myself from falling for someone like him?

“Well…,” I tried to compose myself. “I was wondering why the others aren’t up for breakfast yet,” I swiftly changed the subject.

“Ah…,” Vicente scratched his head. “We don’t have breakfast together,” he shrugged.

“What? You're family,” I said. Even though I grew up in another home without my biological parents, I had a bit of parental love with my foster parents before they died when I was 15. And breakfast, to me, was meant to be shared with family.

“As you can see, we aren't exactly fond of each other. Don't get yourself worked up over them. We can have breakfast together, though,” he suggested excitedly.

“No!” I said quickly as he stared at me in surprise. “I mean…,” I brushed away the hair that was covering my face. “We are supposed to eat with the others, right?” I said in a pleading tone. Making them eat breakfast together would win her some points with the chairman so she would get the deposit.

“It’s not possible, Princesa,” he said in that way that made me blush immediately. “Why are you so intent on making us have breakfast together?” he asked with a frown.

“Ugh…,” I stuttered as I remembered the chairman’s words. They mustn’t know my real mission.

“Anyways, since you’re so invested in this, I think I can help,” he said as my eyes lit up.

“Tell me. Please.”