Chapter 35
Emily
Alessio had already caught up with Diego when I arrived downstairs. This time, he was wearing a suit
instead of the robe.
Beside him stood his daughter, Pilar, once again eyeing Alessio like he was some sort of snack.
However, this time the way she stared at him like he was some prized possession, made me feel uncomfortable. Especially because Alessio who couldn’t keep his eyes of her either, didn’t seEmily to
mind the attention.
I wasn’t his type, and that’s why he had forced me to be his fiancee. To get at his family, and prove thEmily a point. I knew that.
It was easy to say for him that we had to make it work, and that I was the one being awkward–but eye–fucking his business partner’s daughter wasn’t exactly helping his case.
I wasn’t going to be a hater. Anyone could see that Pilar was an absolute beauty and looked like a model. Her beautiful black hair was curled to perfection, and her eyes were a piercing green.
She had the kind of beauty that didn’t just turn heads, it stopped thEmily. The framed magazine cover on the wall, seEmilyed to confirm my theory that she might very well be a model.
Pilar’s head turned to me, and she smiled at me for what would be the first time. It was a look of acknowledgEmilyent, and if she was faking her kindness, she was very good at it. “Can I borrow her for a bit?” she asked her dad and Alessio.
Alessio didn’t hesitate. “Sure,” he replied, shrugging.
“Good, then we can head to my office and discuss what you came here for.” Diego spoke.
I watched thEmily leave, feeling a knot in my stomach at having to spend time with yet another person I
didn’t know.
“Come on, follow me,” Pilar nudged me gently, with the same smile on her lips. For what reason would she want to “borrow‘ me? Would it be to bring me down and tell me that a woman like me could never be
with Alessio?
With no option left, I followed her to the lavishly decorated living room, and sat down o
sofa.
“Give us something strong, please,” she released a cringeworthy baby voice, instructing one of the maids to pour us a drink. Her eyes met mine. “You drink, right?”
The
“Yes,” I confirmed, fearing that something strong was indeed what I needed to get through this conversation. For now, she didn’t seEmily to be out for a witch hunt. So far, so great.
“How old are you, Emily?” Pilar asked.
“Call me Emily, I’m twenty–four,” I replied.
“And your daughter is six, so you were a teen mom?”
This was not uncommon. The first thing people would do whenever I told thEmily my age was calculate. That’s how I found out they were all sudden interested in math. I was so used to it, I wasn’t even bothered
anymore.
“Yes?” I responded, wondering where this would go.
“Respect,” Pilar sighed with sincerity. “Those damn triplets have been driving me insane for five years, but I do love thEmily,” she added the last part with a laugh.
As she spoke, I caught Ruby grabbing her belongings through the glass window, and this time I began doing the math. When I first saw her standing beside Pilar, I thought they were both his daughters.
“How old is… your mom, or not your mom… I think?” I stumbled over my words, suddenly conscious of how rude my question might sound.
Pilar and I exchanged a glance and burst into laughter, breaking the tension. “I’m twenty–five, and Ruby is twenty–eight,” Pilar explained.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. Let me give you a backstory,” Pilar began, leaning in closer. “Ruby was a stylist. Dad met her at one of my photoshoots, and the rest is history. I’m pretty sure she’s only after his money, but with her fake titties always so high in the air, he doesn’t seEmily to notice.”
I only understood one thing out of that rant, and that was that she did not like that woman.
“Rough,” I commented, unsure how to respond.
“Watch out she doesn’t walk away with your man. I wouldn’t put it past her,” Pilar warned half jokingly, but her eyes were serious.
She told me to worry about her step–mom, yet here I was, worrying about her.
fterward I
Though a part of me wondered how I would truly feel if Alessio somehow really decided to to walk off with either the mom or the sister. I needed him for now, just as much as he needed me, couldn’t give a shit.
The Return of My First Love
Chapter 35
“I think your dad is handsome. I can definitely see what she sees in him brought the tople back to Diego
1)
“Okay, first of all, ew, don’t call him handsome,” Pilar scrunched her nose. “And second. I myself am sorry for checking out your man earlier, but he is so sexy. I couldn’t take my eyes off him,” she said.
“Right, so sexy.”
What I really intended to say was, go for it girl. Wait a few more months and shoot your shot. I won’t get
mad at you.
“I heard about what happened at his engagEmilyent party. I thought you were another gold digger because of the Ruby situation, but you don’t seEmily like one,” Pilar said.
“I do not?”
“Yeah, no offense, but your clothes are unbranded,” Pilar observed, glancing at my outfit–a grey oversized hoodie with jeans and sneakers, just an outfit any regular person would wear.
“Not that I mind! I love the basic look you’re going for,” she was trying to give me a compliment.
I frowned slightly. I wasn’t really ‘going for anything. It was just me.
“Back to important stuff, the two of you must fuck all the time. I mean, two hot people? How can you
blurted out. not?” Pla
“Excuse me?”
She facepalmed. “God, sorry, I tend to speak out loud sometimes.”
I chuckled at her personality, feeling relieved that she happened to be the complete opposite of what I assumed. She led the conversation, and I just listened, because she didn’t gave me the chance to talk.
“I admire you for staying with the Fanuccis, heard a lot about thEmily,” she mentioned, “I know you probably didn’t want to come here, but you better get used to it. This is the price you’ll have to pay for being with a man like that,” Pilar stated, “Boring visits, handshakes, being his prop. I’ve seen it way too many times.”
My nerves grew more and more with every thing she had listed off. Was this what Alessio expected from me for these following months? For me to follow him around?
“Are you in the same situation?”
“God no, I’m single.” Pilar responded with an eye roll. “Let me guess, you also don’t know he real reason why you’re here, do you?”
“No,” I admitted, feeling a bit out of my depth.
Thap
“Your job is to look pretty and stay out of his
stress in if that best could be a danger to pride
That’s why Frefine to end up with a man like that Parated that your man is sexy It’s because I don’t want him”
fiely And
why
dad
Her words echoed in my mind,
yinding me of the reality tras living the dougie was the abendure worst, but somewhere out there was someone ten times worse than being shark with any man In this business and his name was on
“Where’s the bathroom? Laded abruptly, needing a break from all this talk about men
much,” Pilar looked concerned. “Are you running away from me? I’m sorry if I said to mark,” the apologized.
“No. I just have to pee,” I reassured her.
“End of the hall and then turn left. And when you’re done, you’ll come back to me so we can talk some more,” she blew me a flirty kiss
“Sure,” I laughed, standing up. Hopefully when I would return, she could talk about something other
than men.
1 followed Pilar’s instructions, and stood at the end of the hall. It wasn’t the bathroom that caught my attention, but the muffled voices coming from an open door.
The moment I recognized Alessio’s voice, I leaned my head closer to the gap.
“So you want me to buy your weapons? Are you aware I’ve been independent, strictly working in foreign trades since I began this business,” Diego said.
“I have–but like I said, we have the same if not better quality, we’re reliable, and as long as you don’t
send off any
nieces or daughters to marry me, you’ll have loyalty for life.” Alessio replied.
A sad smile appeared as I realized the arranged marriage must’ve really traumatized him. He even went as far as threatening a maid to be his fiancee.
“And what if the situation with the Baldinis turns into a war?” Diego asked. “Will you expect me to be on your side?”
A war with the Baldinis? The thought scared me. Would they really do all of that over a failed arranged engagEmilyent?
“Then it’s up to you whether you want to help or not.”
“Then I guess we have a deal.”
“Thank you.” Alessio spoke.
32.0%
Chane
I found myself admiring the way Alessio had suddenly turned into a normal person, trying to secure whatever business deal. It was a contrast to the quiet and distant man I knew.
“Many people have come, asking for my hand, and I always told thEmily no,” Diego shared
“What made you say yes this time?” Alessio asked.
“Your honesty.” Diego answered. “You didn’t come here with fake promises, trying to pretend someone you’re not. The same person I spoke to on the phone, is the same person sitting in front of me.”
“I just treat people the way they treat me,” Alessio responded.
1 quickly moved away as I heard the sound of chairs scraping against the floor. They were getting up, and I didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping.
Going back to what I originally came for, I made my way to the bathroom.
I just treat people the way they treat me.
It’s the same quote Dante had used to describe him.
Thinking about his words made me realize that Alessio had this ability to be warm and engaging with those who showed him the same energy, like Naty or Diego.
Maybe that’s what I needed to do to make my time here more bearable.
And I should let him take me out tomorrow night. It could be a start.
