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Eaully
1st ran from the table when Stefano Fanuc sat on the opposite side of me, but it turned out to be a good slang–because I didn’t duave to escape Domenico’s glance for much longer.
The two ways engrossed in their own conversation while I kept busy with Alessio. He couldn’t keep his Aunude by Auuuselt, and managed to touch my thigh every five minutes.
Of course I had to push but away because he was unaware what he could do to me. Just one touch was enough to make ane a hopeless waterfall.
He raulloved his hand from my thigh and transferred some food from his plate to mine. “Eat,” he commanded softly as a warm smile appeared on his lips.
“I am eating, “I said, looking down at my already full plate. If I ate any more, I was afraid I would explode.
“Yes, but not enough,” Stefano chimed in. I gasped, unable to say anything because I didn’t want to disrespect him. Although I felt comfortable around Alessio, for some reason, I had already decided that this man didn’t like me at all.
He leaned over the table to cut a piece of cake, and then he added it to my plate. It was an unexpected act of kindness, one which was not needed.
Domenico chuckled, and 1 turned to look at him. “When someone gives you food, it me about you,” he explained.
ney care
I gave a quick nod, not wanting to get on his bad side. The right thing to do was to show how much I appreciated it, so I did. First, I took a bite from the food Alessio had given me, followed by the piece of cake from Stefano.
“Thank you, Sir,” I smiled at Stefano, struggling to keep my lips from trEmilybling.
I hadn’t forgotten the way he looked at me when I bumped into him on the stairs. He seEmilyed like someone who would say what was on his mind without caring if someone got hurt.
Ever since that day, I had been determined not to be that someone.
Stefano let out a quick scoff, “You don’t call your uncle sir.”
So now he was my uncle?
I was puzzled by the sudden change of behavior. Maybe that day on the stairs was just one of his bad
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days. Maybe he wasn’t as cold as I had initially thought.
Alessio cleared his throat, “I’ve never seen you put any food on my plate before,” he told Stefann
“It’s not like you do much for me,” Stefano shot back, then glanced at me. “This one doesn’t even the me gifts for my birthday. Always keeps saying, ‘I haven’t forgotten about you,” he called him ont
“That’s not true,” Alessio defended himself, but their bickering only escalated from there. As the two were arguing back and forth, Domenico tapped my hand, trying to get my attention.
“These two? Always going at it, but it’s because they’re alike. He might as well have heen his son,”
Domenico shared.
I laughed, watching Alessio’s small smirk as he provoked his uncle. He was clearly doing it on purpose,
and Stefano was too serious to realize.
“Look, look!” Alessio clicked his tongue, rEmilyoving the expensive watch from his arm. He grabbed Stefano’s wrist and wrapped it around him. “This will make up for the presents you claim I haven’t gotten
you.”
Stefano smiled proudly, raising his wrist to take a better look at the golden watch. “This will do.”
He then locked eyes with me once again, “This spoiled behavior was bound to happen when we had to grow up struggling, while those after us were born into this.”
I was shocked by his confession. “So you weren’t born rich?” I asked as it was hard to believe that not all
Fanuccis were born into wealth.
Domenico and Stefano looked at each other as their laughter filled the table.
“Thanks, Emily,” Alessio leaned in, whispering in my ear. “Now we have to sit through their whole life story. Good job.”
At first I didn’t understand what he meant, but it didn’t take long for Domenico to begin his story.
“We moved to this country with nothing. Mom, Dad, and all twelve of us…” he paused, noticing Alessio’s eye–roll. “I’ll keep it short because Alessio is getting tired again.”
“No, he isn’t,” I said, giving Alessio a light elbow, feeling bad for the way he was treating his dad. I would’ve wished for my dad to tell me stories like these, especially if they were inspiring. A family that came from nothing and built something. “Please, don’t stop. I want to hear everything.”
Domenico’s eyes sparked as I told him to continue. “My father’s name was also Alessio,” he began. “Alessio
Fanucci.”
I smiled at the thought of Alessio sharing the same name as his late grandfather. A small but beautiful
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detail he had never shared before, “Then I’m sure he was a good man.”
“Oh, yes,” Stefano agreed. “The best Alessio Fanucci there was,” he took a jab at Alessio who had released
an exhausted breath.
“Dad worked at a factory, got treated terribly because he couldn’t speak the language, and was ridiculously underpaid,” Domenico shared.
“He must’ve had a hard time,” I felt a sadness in my heart, thinking about his hardships.
“Yes. There were days there was not much to eat. My mother and father used to starve, just so they could
feed us–but till this day I have never heard her complain,” Domenico spoke. He respected his mother,
and I could hear it in his tone,
When I met Alessio’s grandma, I would have never guessed she, of all people, would have gone through
all that. She looked so strong, so undefeated.
“Stefano and I were the oldest. We were aware we were struggling, but they tried their hardest to keep it
from the younger ones,” Domenico said. “They mostly rEmilyEmilyber him as a businessman.”
“How did he become a businessman?”
Domenico and Stefano shared a surprised look, and I could tell they were impressed that I was still listening to the story.
“When I was seventeen, my father and I build a vineyard from scratch with all the know e he had
from back home,” he spoke. “He had put aside money, I didn’t go to college and took a parttime job to help him with the money and his success began from there,” I could read the pride from his face.
That was something to brag about, and in my opinion, he had every right to do so. They faced hardships and looked forward, while I always looked backward.
“That’s incredible,” I said, amazed. “I thought my life was over when I couldn’t go to college–so I don’t know how you managed all of that.”
My thoughts drifted back to Alessio’s calm reaction at the dinner in Miami when I hinted I never went to college. He never asked further, nor did he make a big deal out of it like many others had–and now I could understand why.
“My father always used to tell me that true success comes from here,” Domenico said, tapping his fist against his heart. “We did it all from there, and all we have is because of him.”
Sitting there, listening to Domenico’s story, I couldn’t help but feel regretful that I never had the chance to meet the man who started it all. He truly sounded like the real deal.
I had so many more questions–rude questions, like how an innocent business ended up engaging in
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illegal activities and turned into one of the biggest Emilypires–but I had a conscience, so I wouldn’t dare
ask.
“When he passed away, I was naturally the one to follow into his footsteps.”
“When did he pass?”
“He passed when Alessio was ten if I’m correct, that was sixteen years ago, I was thirty–four around that time,” Domenico went into deep thoughts, turning into a human calculator.
“So, you had enough time to prepare to take over the business?”
Alessio who had been awfully quiet this entire time released a fake yawn as his hand crept up my thigh, but I quickly slapped him away again.
“You can never prepare for losing a loved one, but I think I did a good job,” Domenico replied, giving himself some praise.
“You did, and you still manage to keep the whole family together,” Stefano added, moving his hand to gesture to all the people around the table.
I smiled, moved by their bond and the respect they held for each other. They were close and almost always together, just like Alessio and his brothers.
“How did he pass?” I popped the question, but looking at the three stiff faces, I figured
“I–I mean-”
ouldn’t have.
“Unfortunate accident,” Domenico answered with a gentle smile, suggesting the topic was closed. “But he would’ve loved you. You’re just like my mother, curious and kind with a beautiful heart.”
“And she is beautiful to look at,” Alessio suddenly added, earning a chuckle from Domenico and Stefano. My cheeks flushed at his words.
I didn’t know if I necessarily found myself beautiful, but it felt good to be considered beautiful in someone
else’s eyes.
“Emily,” Domenico said, addressing me, “I’m afraid I was so caught up in keeping our family name high that I had forgotten what truly mattered and where we came from.”
“That’s okay,” I cracked a laugh, accepting his indirect apology.
“You put a smile on my son’s face, you and your daughter. I can tell you make him happy, and no amount of status could ever manage to do the same.”
I turned to Alessio, feeling puzzled about receiving the same comment for the second time, and once again, he had lowered his head with an Emilybarrassed smile. What would he say next? Would he claim
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we were some Oscar–worthy actors because everyone was ‘buying‘ it, while in reality, there was nothing
to buy?
No, I wasn’t going crazy–not this time. If his own family could recognize his feelings, it must’ve meant there really could be something there. For the both of us.
“Thank you,” I responded to Domenico.
“The two of you had me fooled at the beginning, but I really think this is it,” Stefano said, chewing his food. “I don’t think I will ever see my nephew with anyone else. I think it’s you, Emily.”
I really think this is it?
Those words didn’t sound good at all. The only thing I understood from it was that it would only be a matter of time before Alessio wouldn’t feel the need to keep me around anymore. Call me crazy, but I
didn’t want to leave.
Maybe he was just really good at pretending, and there was really nothing there.
I glanced at Alessio and caught him staring at me. Neither of us said anything–we just looked at each other. If only I could read his thoughts.
He leaned forward to brush a strand of hair from my face before pressing his warm lips to my forehead. “You’re not a perfect mess,” he whispered before kissing it again. “Just perfect.”
I couldn’t quite understand the reasoning behind his words or his reference, but hearing him call me perfect just made my day.
