Business dinner

Theodore POV 

I arrived at the Romano mansion with Pancho and walked inside.

My eyes immediately landed on Aria, who stood a few meters away from the door.

She had a shocked expression on her face which probably means she remembered me. I bit the inside of the cheek to stop myself from smirking.

I allowed my eyes to check her out subtly. She wore a blue dress that hugged her curves really well. Her hair was let down in waves. 

She was beautiful. 

A frown formed on my face as I found myself admitting that.

“Mr De’leon, you are welcome.” Giovanni’s wife, Celine, welcomed me with a broad smile on her face. 

“We have been expecting you. Come on, let’s eat and then we can proceed to business.” Giovanni added.

I cleared my throat and diverted my gaze from Aria to him. He had a stupid grin on his face,I twitched my jaw and clenched my fists to prevent myself from beating him up to a pulp right here.

“Alright.” I simply said.

Soon, we all settled at the table. 

I sat opposite Aria and she looked nervous throughout the meal. 

I couldn’t help but wonder why she felt uncomfortable. Could it be my presence?

I don’t think Giovanni already knows we met, he would have mentioned it. That means she didn’t tell him.

His darling princess is keeping secrets from him. I finally allowed a little smirk to form on my face as I fixed my eyes on her.

She avoided my gaze all through and instead hurried her food, then excused herself from the table.

 

We were done with the dinner soon and I wanted nothing else than to end this night. 

I felt choked. Sitting and eating at the house of an enemy isn’t something one would consider as pleasure. 

“I would really appreciate it if we could get to business now.” I informed him curtly, trying my possible best to keep my irritation at bay.

He nodded and stood up from the table, leading me towards his office.

  

“I have to confess , I was a bit surprised when you brought up the idea of the contract and partnership.” He mentioned with a chuckle.

“I heard you are a little too uptight as a business man, but I am sure we would be great partners.” He boasted with a broad smile.

I scoffed internally as I imagined punching that smile off my face.

If only this bastard knew my true intentions, he would piss his pants.

 I sat down on the arm chair with my legs crossed and adjusted my suit.

“I’m happy you think that way, Mr Romano. It would indeed be a pleasure to do business with you.” I affirmed with a little smirk.

“But I actually didn’t come here for that alone. What do you think about strengthening our bond as business partners? You would be the richest, unstoppable business tycoon here in Italy.” I offered enticingly, with my index finger resting on my cheeks.

He sat up immediately and I could feel the greed oozing out of him. He was really  super ambitious, which would even make it much easier to destroy him.

“I know what you are capable of, Mr De’leon. Of course, I’m interested. What’s the deal?” He asked, grinning excitedly like a child who had been given candy. 

“What better way to seal a business partnership than with a marriage” shrugged with a smug smile.

His broad grin fell as he realized what I was talking about. 

“You mean ... you are interested in my daughter?” He stumbled with surprise.

I nodded in response.

“Uh... I don’t know Mr De’leon.” He chuckled awkwardly. 

“Martina is still kind of young for marriage.” He concluded, resting back on his chair. 

 “If I remember clearly, you have two daughters. I’m talking about Aria, your first daughter. She’s the one I want to marry.” I clarified calmly. 

His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets with shock as he suddenly sprang up. 

“Aria?…how?.”

I scoffed. Of course, he wouldn’t want to give out his precious princess. 

“It’s not that complicated, Mr Romano. She is a beautiful young lady.” I commented.

Then I stood up, readjusting my suit. 

“Think about it and give me feedback, I deserve that much, don’t you think?” I asked with a raised eyebrow, challenging him to dare him.

“Huh?.. Yes, absolutely. I will definitely get back to you.” He agreed but it was obvious he was still very nervous.

“Good, I will take my leave now.” I concluded and walked out of the office briskly.

I released a deep breath I didn’t know I was holding. I wanted to get out of there so badly.

 I signaled to Pancho that we were leaving.

“So what did he say?” He asked in an amused tone once we got outside.

I smirked. 

“He went into shock immediately I mentioned Aria, he-“

I cut short what I was saying when I spotted Aria walking towards me.

“Uh, excuse me please.” She uttered softly, fidgeting with her hands and still avoiding my gaze.

I stared at her and observed as the wind blew her chocolate coloured wavy hair, her rosy lips were slightly parted and her cheeks looked flushed with a slight red tint. 

My gaze went a bit lower and I watched as her chest heaved. I took notice of the slight birth mark on her beautiful slender neck.

I suddenly felt an urge to touch her. I gulped and clenched my fist, trying to control myself.

Although, I didn’t want to and that was what shocked me most.

It almost felt as though I was attracted to this petite woman in front of me and I couldn’t possibly be.

“Uhm, I.. I just wanted to ask for..my necklace.” She stuttered nervously as she shifted from one foot to the other. 

I smirked as I decided to tease her a little bit. It would be more ironic if she ended up falling for me, her family’s greatest enemy.

I walked closer to her as she took a step back. I moved closer again and she retreated until her back met the wall.

I had her caged now, my hands still itched to feel her smooth skin. 

I took out the necklace and raised it to her face.

“Yes, this is it.” She squealed excitedly, which made me chuckle.

“Turn around.” I ordered. 

“Huh?” She asked in confusion.

“I want to put it on you.” I offered, still staring into her honey-coloured orbs. 

“Oh,” She stated and turned around.

I gently placed the necklace on her neck and hooked it.

My fingers grazed her neck, it was as soft as I had imagined. 

Surprisingly, I let my fingers linger on her skin longer than expected. 

Her vanilla scent suddenly hit my nostrils and I involuntarily found myself leaning into her to inhale some more, but she turned around quickly, her face still plastered with her beautiful smile.

“Thanks.” She mumbled shyly.

 I blinked furiously, clearing my throat and adjusting myself.

What the hell just happened?

“I thought I had lost it.” She whispered, placing a kiss on it. My eyes found their way to her lips and stared longer than I would have initially allowed.

I groaned internally, I probably needed to get laid.

“See you soon love.” I commented with a smirk, and got into the car,  leaving her utterly confused. 

She probably wouldn’t understand now. In a few weeks, she would be mine and she would totally be at my mercy.

That silly fluttering feeling I had felt earlier was completely replaced with the usual hate I harbored towards the Romanos.

Pancho cleared his throat and I turned to look at him, a stupid smirk was plastered on his face as he squinted his eyes at me suspiciously.

“What?.” I snapped.

He simply shook his head and chuckled.

“Nothing, she’s beautiful.” He winked at me.

I rolled my eyes, “She is my enemy.”

Giovanni’s POV

“That arrogant little bastard.” I growled, trashing my table angrily.

He thinks he can just talk to me anyhow? He should thank his stars I am gaining from him. 

 “Gio, what happened? How did the meeting go?” Celine asked with concern as she walked into the office. 

  

“He had a bigger business proposal,” I started.

“Really?” Her eyes lit up in excitement.

I nodded and then continued.

“but it came with a condition. He wants to seal it with marriage.” 

“Oh my heavens, this is even much better  news! Martina will be very happy,” She exclaimed excitedly.

I kept silent as I didn’t want to ruin her joy, but she noticed anyway.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? You gave him Martina’s hand, right?” She pressed further.  

“Of course I did , but..”

“But what Gio!” 

“He wants Aria.” I heaved as my jaw twitched in annoyance.

“What! that’s not possible. Martina is way better than that wrench.” She raged.

“I really don’t know Celine. He just clearly stated he wanted Aria, I don’t even know how he got to meet her..” I bantered angrily.

“Dad..” I turned around to see Martina at the door with tears in her eyes. 

“My princess.” I beckoned for her to come inside.

“Did he really choose Aria over me?” She asked in between sobs.

Celine pulled her into a hug.

“Stop crying girl, your dad would surely do something about it, right Gio?” She challenged me with a raised brow.

“Dad, please do something, I want Theodore. Don’t give him to Aria.” Martina grumbled. 

I sighed frustratingly and patted her hair softly.

“Don’t worry about it, my treasure. You know your dad always does what you want. Now show me your beautiful smile.” I urged, and her eyes lit up in a smile.

“Thank you daddy.” She hugged me and then left the office.

 

“So what are you planning to do, Gio?” Celine asked.

“I will let him know I have agreed with the marriage. When next he comes we will simply hand Martina to him and find an excuse for Aria.” I shrugged with a smirk.

Her face stretched into a broad smile.

“That’s perfect, goodnight my love.” She kissed my cheeks and also left. 

I sat and rested my back on the armchair. 

“As long as I am alive, Aria, I won’t let you be happy.”  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 .” I started.

“Really?” Her eyes lit up in excitement.

I nodded and then continued.

“but it came with a condition. He wants to seal it with marriage.” 

“Oh my heavens, this is even much better  news! Martina will be very happy,” She exclaimed excitedly.

I kept silent as I didn’t want to ruin her joy, but she noticed anyways.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? You gave him Martina’s hand, right?” She pressed further.  

“Of course I did , but..”

“But what Gio!” 

“He wants Aria.” I heaved as my jaw twitched in annoyance.

“What! That’s not possible. Martina is way better than that wrench.” She raged.

“I really don’t know Celine. He just clearly stated he wanted Aria, I don’t even know how he got to meet her..” I groaned angrily.

“Dad..” I turned around to see Martina at the door with tears in her eyes. 

“My princess.” I beckoned for her to come inside.

“Did he really choose Aria over me?” She asked in between sobs.

Celine pulled her into a hug.

“Stop crying girl, your dad would surely do something about it, right Gio?” She challenged me with a raised brow.

“Dad, please do something, I want Theodore. Don’t give him to Aria.” Martina grumbled. 

I sighed frustratingly and patted her hair softly.

“Don’t worry about it, my treasure. You know your dad always does what you want. Now show me your beautiful smile.” I urged, and her eyes lit up in a smile.

“Thank you daddy.” She hugged me and then left the office.

 

“So what are you planning to do, Gio?” Celine asked.

“I will let him know I have agreed with the marriage. When next he comes we will simply hand Martina to him and find an excuse for Aria.” I shrugged with a smirk.

Her face stretched into a broad smile.

“That’s perfect, goodnight my love.” She kissed my cheeks and also left. 

I sat and rested my back on the armchair. 

“As long as I am alive, Aria, I won’t let you be happy.”