CHAPTER 3

  Alexander

  

  "I will marry her, father. I will, I'm only asking for some more time." I pleaded as I stood before my father in the company's conference room. A meeting had just been concluded and all board members had evacuated the space, all except my father, my twin brother, Frederick and myself. My father had yet again, brought up the issue of marrying Darlene Bernardo, the daughter of the baker. I was not opposed to it, simply because no one could ever say no to my father, but I was only concerned about the time frame. I was definitely not in the right frame of mind to get married in the coming month, like my father had informed me.

  

  "You will be given no more time, Alexander. You are thirty already and I just clocked sixty. A little too old to handle an entire Mafia ring, don't you think? You need to get married, any time from now. The date will not be shifted any further." He spoke, a trace of finality laced in his words as he took a drag of his cigar and blew the smoke directly at my face. I didn't flinch, already used to the familiar stench. I could feel Frederick's gaze boring through the side of my head but he said nothing, still.

  

  I was never one for drama. It was the reason I still begged my father to shift the date. The couple of times I went to the bakery, I had noticed her immediately; her presence could not be missed, even with how reserved and shy she seemed to be. She did not seem like a lady who would dive into a marriage she knew nothing about without a fight. I wanted to give her more time to adapt to the information before marrying her as I dreaded having to argue with her every day, for the rest of our lives. Even if the marriage was not based on love, I wanted a peaceful home.

  

  "I'm not asking for a year, I'm only asking for some months. I want her to get used to the idea." I reasoned and my father kissed his teeth, looking annoyed as he lowered himself onto his office chair.

  

  "Son, I hope you aren't trying to start a argument with me. I do not have patience for such nonsense." He snapped and I sighed, taking a seat, too. Frederick followed suit.

  

  "I'm not. I'm only pleading for some more time." I said and he replied,

  

  "There will be no more time."

  

  Frederick spoke now, finally coming out of the silent spell he casted on himself, "Three months, dad. Three months more and Alex would definitely get married to the girl of your dreams." He outstretched his hand like he was making a deal with my father, his new set of pearly whites glaring boldly at the man. I could see my father's lip twitch but he said nothing in response. Frederick continued, "Okay, two months and half. That's my last offer. After that, I'm going to make sure Alexander even signs a different contract from the one you have set up, just so he'd never leave her."

  

  My old man sighed heavily, rubbing his temple with his eyes closed for a brief minute, before opening them and staring straight at my brother.

  

  "Frederick. This is not your fight, do not make it your business." He warned but Frederick wasn't known for listening to warnings or instructions. So he spoke again,

  

  "You told me to wait behind as well, father. It is my fight now." He reminded him.

  

  Another drag at his cigar and another graveyard silence.

  

  "The Bernardos have responded already, with a confirmation to get married anytime soon. I do not know why you think anyone would have seconds thoughts about belonging in a family such as ours. I'm sure a handful of women the wish written in their letter to Santa Claus; the baker's daughter included."

  

  I did not think so. Would she?

  

  He leaned forward to me. "Matter of fact, her family has been accepting my gifts, I was even sent a video of her with the necklace I gifted her family, around her neck. She's ready to be tied to us." My father told me and even if I was shocked to hear it, my expression was indifferent, like I could not care less. Frederick looked as surprised as I felt.

  

  "Wow. She did? Darlene looked like a girl who couldn't care less about material things. Wow. Seems all girls are the same, then." He sent a glance my way, but I didn't return his gaze, hardly believing anything that escaped my father's lips. But the man slid his phone, the latest iPhone version, across the table to me and I took the device up, my eyes zeroing in on the expensive branded necklace on her snow-white skin. It stood out from the rest of her less pricy clothes, like a sore thumb. Maybe I spent too much time staring at her face instead of the necklace, but it was not my fault she resembled a porcelain doll. L

  

  Frederick was staring too much as well, so I pushed the phone back to my father.

  

  "Do you still see any reason to push the wedding any further?" A victorious grin spread on his face as he accepted his phone. I still did, and I was going to keep pressuring him about it, but I wasn't going to tell him that, at least not right now. I planned to visit her bakery, and observe her or preferably speak to her on her opinion about the arrangements. Until then.

  

  "This doesn't fully mean she'll accept it, though. She still seems different to me, like a woman of principle." Frederick spoke and stressed the word ‘principle’, in his ever unserious manner.

  

  "I also think so, father." I added. He cracked his knuckles, breathing out harshly.

  

  "Too bad. I'll get back to you with the wedding date in no time. You both are dismissed."