Part 55

Both Antony and Claire fell silent. Claire knew she had crossed a line. She shouldn't have asked such a personal question, especially since it might deeply hurt Antony's feelings, as he was forced to bring up a past he likely wanted to forget. She felt she had asked the wrong question. She was about to retract it when Antony spoke.

"Isn't it better to ask someone who knows me that kind of question?" he countered. Claire looked up at him, confused. "If you ask me directly, what if I turn the facts around?"

Claire fell silent. "That could happen. But hearing it from someone else might not give you the real answer either. They could exaggerate or twist the facts just to make you look better. But it could also be the opposite. So it's better to ask the person directly who experienced the actual events," Claire replied logically. Antony smiled.

"You are indeed different," he murmured.

Claire raised an eyebrow, puzzled. But Antony answered her unvoiced question with a smile.

"If I tell you all of that, promise me you won't dislike me even more," he said. Claire just looked at him silently. "Alright then. I give up," Antony finally replied. "If you end up hating me after this, I won't mind," he continued wearily. "Where should I start?" he asked again.

Claire shrugged. "From anywhere," she replied.

"Okay. If you want to listen, I'll start everything from the beginning," Antony said. Claire nodded slowly. "To you, this might just be an excuse. But I am the eldest son in my family."

Claire furrowed her brow. Isn't the correct term 'only'? However, she didn't correct Antony and let him continue his story.

"My father is one of three siblings, and all three are male. Arthur, my father. Benjamin, Altezza's father, and Gabriele, Gian's father. I am the son, grandson, and also the first nephew in my family, followed by Dilara, Gian's older sister, and then Altezza and Gian."

"I was always used as a comparison for my younger siblings. Without them realizing it, I was expected to be perfect because I was an example for them.

"I learned how to be a good older brother so that they could follow my lead later on. I attended the best schools and was trained to work at a young age so that my siblings could follow in my footsteps. Even during college, I was already working in a company from the ground up, just as Altezza did afterward.

"Sometimes, I forget who I am because the persona I've tried to show people is that of a strong leader. Someone who should be respected and admired, not feared. It's hard for me to do what I want. It's hard to be myself because I always have to be a role model for them. And because of that, I forget that I need friends.

"The only person in my family I could consider a friend was Altezza. The reasons being, first, he's a guy; second, he can be himself, acting just as he is; and third, we're not too far apart in age.

"The second person who allowed me to be myself was Flavia's mother" A bittersweet smile appeared on Antony's face after he said that last line. "I met her by chance when I returned to Italy. That chance meeting led to many others.

"In front of her, I could be the real Antony. I could talk a lot and not be stiff like I was known to be. I had a serious relationship with her. At that time, I was twenty-five, and for the first time, I fell in love.

"I loved Flavia's mother. I loved her deeply. She was the center of my world at that time.

"She was a beautiful and gentle woman. She was so kind and affectionate. At least, that's what I thought of her.

"Beautiful, smart, and capable of doing all the things I hoped a woman could do. In my mind at that time, she was the perfect type of wife and mother. She was not much older than Altezza, and at that time, she was still in college, deciding what she wanted to become afterward. I was just there to support her."

"I decided to marry her. I introduced her to my extended family. But it turned out that my mother and Altezza's mother opposed my wishes.

"My mother approved of me dating her, but she did not approve of me marrying Flavia's mother At that time, I thought my mother didn't have a clear reason for her disapproval. How could I have a serious relationship with a woman without thinking about marriage in the future? Instead of having to break up halfway, wouldn't it be better not to start at all?" Claire did not respond. Antony suspected the girl had fallen asleep; he looked down but saw Claire was actually looking back at him. "I thought you were asleep," Antony said.

Claire shook her head. "Continue."

"I defied my mother's blessing. I still wanted to marry Flavia's mother because at that time, she was everything to me. I was convinced my life would be perfect with her in it. And then I married her.

"Don't think I married her without my family knowing. It wasn't like that.

"I celebrated my wedding on a grand scale with the support of both my parents. My mother, Altezza's mother, Gian's mother, and Flavia's mother family all worked together to organize the luxurious wedding that Flavia's wanted. We were happy at that time—very happy.

"Then, after our wedding, Flavia's mother finally knew what she wanted to do. Knowing Altezza made her become familiar with many models, and knowing them made her feel like she wanted to be like them.

"I didn't mind; I always supported her if that's what she wanted. Then she asked me to help her get into a modeling agency. I sought Altezza's help, and as a result, she became a model. Although she only landed small roles and had to start from scratch.

"A year after the wedding, Flavia's mother finally got some projects that kept her busy.

"We were both busy, actually. I was preoccupied with company matters that were facing major problems at that time. And Flavia's mother was busy with her modeling projects that were located out of town. When we met, we were both exhausted."

"People say the first year of marriage is filled with significant challenges. But I never expected it to be like that.

"We started to argue frequently. Flavia's mother said I was a cold husband who couldn't pay attention to her needs. Always busy with work, I forgot I had a wife who needed pampering. Meanwhile, I never disputed her words and chose to remain silent.

"I thought ignoring her was the best course of action. Because if I got caught up in my emotions and retaliated, everything would only become more complicated.

"At that time, I decided to take her on a vacation anywhere she wanted. For a month, I traveled with her, spending my savings just so she could be happy. Until our vacation ended in France, where she discovered she was pregnant."

"Pregnant?"

"Yes, pregnant, Flavia," Antony replied with a wide smile on his face. "I was happy—very happy. Everything felt perfect for me at that time: my job, my wife, and the baby she was carrying. There was nothing I wanted more than for the child in her womb to be born healthy and perfect.

"But everything didn't go according to my plan. When she found out she was pregnant, Flavia's mother rejected it. She didn't want to lose her opportunity for a major project she was about to get. Pregnancy would only be a burden for her because she wasn't ready to be a mother. At that time, she was only twenty-one. She wasn't sure she could give birth and take care of a child.

"I tried to persuade her. I told her I would even create a production house for her so she could be the only model there and get exclusive projects. I promised all that without thinking twice.

"Flavia's mother agreed. But she said she didn't want to return to America for a while because she was happy living in France. For her happiness and for the baby in her womb, I fulfilled her wish. I returned to America alone, with the intention of starting a new business for her."

"I asked Altezza for help, and I also sought assistance from my mother. We established a new business amidst my busy schedule and Altezza's to further develop Coskun.

"Month after month, Flavia's mother kept questioning me about the big project I had promised her. But building that business wasn't as easy as flipping a coin," Antony said, and Claire nodded in understanding.

As someone who was currently starting a business in the culinary world, Claire understood all too well.

"I didn't want to make Flavia's mother sad, as it could negatively affect the baby she was carrying. Spending my time managing Coskun, not to mention the new company I was starting, and finding time to visit her in France was not an easy task.

"And every time we met, it resulted in arguments and her demands that I had to fulfill.

"I thought it was all due to hormonal influences. I'd heard from pregnant women that they tend to be more emotional and sensitive during pregnancy. So I assumed Flavia's mother was the same.

"But it turned out it wasn't just about that," Antony replied sadly.

Claire looked up again. She chose to sit up from her previous position. She saw Antony smiling sadly, and his eyes wouldn't meet hers. "What happened?" Claire asked, wanting to know.

"Something inappropriate?" Antony answered hesitantly. Claire furrowed her brow more.

"What is it?"

"Are you sure you want to hear it? I've already told you that I might exaggerate everything, Claire. This is a shame I shouldn't be sharing," Antony said doubtfully.