Chapter 3. A Scum Boyfriend

Delilah looked down at her shirts once Stefano spoke about them. Stefano had just finished eating when he sneered at her mockingly about Delilah's fashion style.

"Look at yourself! I've never seen a girl who wears an oversized shirt like you! You look older like a grandma! I even thought you were my aunt who lived in Sicily," Stefano abruptly mocked her for more. Delilah is not a girl who picks up an argument with someone. She is not a talkative person. Therefore, she preferred to back off instead. Stefano leaned forward by placing both arms and pressing against the table in front of Delilah.

"I'm ashamed of my friends. They start talking about you because we are dating. Huh, I don't know how to talk about this to you anymore. Didn't I say to buy new clothes and get rid off your ponytail?" Delilah held her hair in a ponytail and innocently examined herself. Stefano, who glimpsed at her, shook in disbelief.

"Another thing, I need 75 Euros. There is something I want to buy," Stefano chirped shamelessly, asking his girlfriend for money after he insulted her dress. Delilah's brows furrowed. Why else would Stefano ask for cash? They spent 15 euros on eating just now.

"But I don't have that much money," Delilah replied. Stefano gave a snide snort at her.

"Come on, the flowers you sold earlier cost 100 Euros. There's no way you don't have 75 Euros, didn't you!" Delilah took a deep sigh. Stefano might have a sixth sense when it came to Delilah. He even knew how much money she had from purchasing the flowers. Delilah was thinking. She would have nothing if she handed over those 75 euros.

"You love me, right? I think someone who loves each other doesn't mind sharing. I would give it to you too if I had the money. For now, the sports shop business is not doing well. My father's shop has lost a lot." Delilah was doubtful and silently listened to Stefano.

"But I can't give you 75 Euros. That's too much. How about 20 Euros?" Delilah returned, offering less money. Stefano hissed in annoyance.

"Seriously! Where can I get some stuff for 20 Euros? Second-hand shoes!" he sneered more. Delilah never wins an argument with Stefano over money. If he does not persuade her, he will speak about their love and sacrifice to lure Delilah.

"Why don't you let me buy the things that I want? If I have enough money, I wouldn't ask you for it!"

"What do you want to buy anyway?" Delilah finally asked him. It means that he almost swayed her heart.

"The new soccer jersey costs 100 euros, and I only have 25 euros in my pocket. Look at this. I'm not lying!" Stefano said by showing the money. Delilah opened her mouth in disbelief. She made money by making buckets and arranging flowers on the pots for customers for almost a week, and it would just run out of buying soccer Jerseys.

But Delilah did not have the strength to go against him. All she could do was renegotiate.

"Then let us split it in half. I'll give you 50 Euros, how about it? I need this money, Stefano! Otherwise, they would take my apartment for paying late this month, and I could be evicted," Delilah explained while negotiating with him. Stefano looked away in annoyance the glimpsed at Delilah out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, where's the money!" Delilah then opened her bag and gave out half of her money to Stefano. While insinuating that it was not what he expected, he even half-threatened Delilah.

"How can you claim to love me if you are a cheapskate? Next time you better save it for me too. I'm your boyfriend. I also want to get your attention, Delilah," Stefano chirped half sarcastically, yet Delilah heard it like a beautiful love song. She only nodded at Stefano as if she was being enchanted. He left her at the cafe after a car honked at him from outside.

He didn't even say goodbye to Delilah, who had given him money to have fun. Delilah was either stupid or innocent, and she waved to Stefano, who ignored her.

"I'm happy when he's happy," Delilah mumbled to cheer herself up. Delilah stood up and left the cafe to return to her shop.

Delilah would look after the little florist the whole day because that was the only place to make a living. Delilah's misfortune did not end today. After her boyfriend came to take her money, her brother, Oliver, also came to Delilah's flower shop. Delilah heavily sighed when Oliver took the money straight from the cash register drawer.

"How is your business!" Oliver snorted with a toothpick still tucked into the corner of his lips.

"Like every day. Nothing changes," Delilah replied to lie to him. She had to lie. Otherwise, Oliver would retake the rest of her money.

"I told you to sell this place. We can buy lotteries with the money. If we win, we can share them, hehe," Oliver said while leaning his elbow.

"But I can't sell it, Oliver. This shop is not mine. It belongs to Mrs. Julia Gilliano. If at any time her heir comes, I have to hand it over."

"Ah, shouldn't there be an heir appeared all this time? You've been handling this shop for three years. That means it's yours. Come on. We're brothers, but you don't trust me!"

"No, Oliver. I can't sell what's not mine. After all, if we sell this shop, where do I have to find the money for us? Daddy doesn't work, and neither do you. I have to fulfil our needs every day," Delilah explained with a soothing tone. An annoyed Oliver then punches the counter in front of Delilah until she jolted.

"What do you mean to talk like that? You want to say that Daddy and I are lazy, right?" Oliver pointed annoyedly at Delilah. Delilah got startled. If she assumed the wrong thing, then Oliver didn't hesitate to do violence. Her brother was rude and not afraid to hurt women.

"That's not what I meant."

"Your job is to take care of Daddy and me. What's the big deal? I've also been trying to find a job, but you know how hard it is to find one in this city!" Oliver rebuked curtly. Delilah silently chose not to argue with him.

"Ah, you are such a boring. I came here wanting to chat with you, but you always cursed at me. Damn, girl!" Oliver cursed angrily and turned to leave. Before leaving, he intentionally kicked some pots until they broke.

"Aaah!" Delilah shrieked shockingly as the pots shattered. Oliver didn't care. He walked out of the flower shop. Delilah stroked her chest to calm herself.

Moreover, Delilah crouched down to pick up the broken flower pots. Now she couldn't help but spend more money to buy new jars. Delilah was tired of her life. As she crouched down, she could not take any more then hid her face between hands and knees to cry.

Delilah shed tears from her bright blue eyes. She wiped her tears and, sobbed a little after cleaning up the scattered pots.

After that, Delilah still had to clean up some plants before returning home named hell. When she came home, her father had come home from nowhere drunk all day watching television. He had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room.

Delilah's small apartment only has three rooms, and she gets a stockroom space. It was small and cramped. But she had been in that room for the past few years. So she's used to it.

She will not infrequently get harsh treatment from her siblings and biological father, but Delilah never picks a fight and respects them.

Delilah might feel like her life is back to normal. She lives under the same roof with a drunken father and an older gambler brother. However, a more unusual danger was waiting to attack her.

Meanwhile, James Belgenza was gaining consciousness slowly after two days of sleeping in the hospital. When he glanced, his bodyguard stayed at the bedside to watch him.

"Are you awake, Sir?"