Chapter Five. The Clash.

Elena reluctantly got up from the bed, still feeling a bit dazed from the night of passion with Luca. She had yet to put away her clothes in the wardrobe, and the thought of sharing a bed with him again made her grudgingly sigh. After dinner, they were definitely going to have a talk about getting separate rooms. She didn't care what Luca's father thought anymore. It was clear that he was taking advantage of the situation for more than just the inheritance.

As she changed into comfortable clothes, Elena made her way to the dining area. The mansion was so large that it was difficult to locate, but she managed to find her way. As she walked into the dining room, she couldn't help but admire the immaculate table setting before her. The white tablecloth was perfectly laid out, with silver cutlery neatly arranged beside the exquisite china plates. The centerpiece of the table was a stunning floral arrangement that added a touch of elegance to the already impressive display.

Her eyes then fell upon the plates, where an array of Italian delicacies had been carefully placed. The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air, and her mouth watered at the sight of the deliciously prepared dishes. A bowl of al dente spaghetti sat beside a plate of creamy risotto, both dishes cooked to perfection. As she scanned the table, her eyes landed on a plate of succulent meatballs, made with the freshest ingredients and served in a rich tomato sauce. Beside it sat a platter of golden brown chicken Parmesan, smothered in melted mozzarella cheese and garnished with fresh basil.

Luca and his father were already seated and appeared to be deep in conversation. Luca noticed Elena's arrival first, smiling at her as she approached. However, she refused to meet his gaze. Andrea noticed her afterward and welcomed her to the table.

“Come on, join us," he said with a smile.

Elena smiled and nodded, taking her seat next to Luca without sparing him a glance. Andrea noticed the tension between them but chose not to say anything, instead watching the interaction between the two.

After finishing their meal, Luca made to excuse himself, but his dad stopped him. "There's dessert. Won't you wait?" Andrea raised a brow, hoping to catch evidence to prove that their relationship was a sham.

"You know I don't eat dessert, Father," Luca replied curtly, eying his father.

"Oh, I know that well, son," Andrea responded, with a sly smile. "But the lady here might be interested. Don't tell me you don't eat dessert too. I'll be bored all by myself."

Elena wanted to leave that place as soon as possible, but she didn't want to give Andrea the satisfaction of thinking that their relationship was fake. "I'll oblige, Mr. Romano," she said.

"Good!" Andrea exclaimed. "You can leave now, son. I now have company," he smiled at Luca.

"You wish," Luca said, knowing exactly what his father wanted. He wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of being alone with Elena. "You're going to have dessert now?" Andrea chuckled.

"Probably," Luca replied curtly and folded his arms. His father wanted to play this game, so it was game on!

"While we wait, I want to hear an interesting story from you, Elena," Andrea said, facing her while ignoring his sulking son.

"Dad..." Luca interjected.

"I wasn't talking to you, boy," Andrea snapped.

"She's tired. You can talk tomorrow," Luca said, trying to protect Elena.

"She didn't say that," Andrea countered. "And it's just a few questions. She'll have to give little or no answer."

Elena could feel the tension between father and son, and she understood what was at stake. Andrea was determined to prove that their relationship was fake, while Luca wasn't ready to reveal the truth. Elena knew that if she was going to remain part of the family, she had to help Luca navigate this situation.

"Babe," Elena placed her hand on Luca's to calm him. "Your dad just wants to get to know me. It's fine," she said, smiling sweetly at him. Luca just stared at her, trying to gather his thoughts. But before he could speak, Elena interrupted him by placing her fingers on his lips.

"I got this," she communicated silently, facing him away from Andrea's sight.

"Now that's it," Andrea said with a triumphant laugh as Elena turned her attention towards him. She knew Andrea well, having spent enough time with the family. But this man, she knew more than anyone else.

"So, Mr. Romano, what would you like to know?" Elena smiled sweetly, dreading what was to come.

Andrea's lips curved into a smile as he leaned forward. "Let's start with when you just met. How did you two meet?" he asked.

Elena looked from Andrea to Luca, knowing that she had to be careful. "We met on a rainy day," she said quickly with a smile.

Luca closed his eyes tightly and opened them again. Elena had messed up. "A rainy day, ugh?" Andrea asked, his tone teasing as he looked from Elena to Luca.

"Don't look at me like that, father," Luca hissed.

"I should, son. You have always hated rain. You never go out on a rainy day since your mother died," Andrea stated, pausing to watch their reactions.

Elena bit her lip, realizing she had messed up. She should have listened to Andrea and kept her mouth shut. But it was too late now.

“That was a different day," Luca spoke up, breaking the silence. His father, Andrea, looked at him curiously, waiting for him to continue. "I had this strong urge to go out, and then I met her," Luca forced a smile.

"I was talking to the lady, son," Andrea smiled at him.

"Well, what's the difference if I tell you or her?" Luca hissed.

"Well…" Andrea began to respond, but his phone rang, interrupting him. Luca had a triumphant look on his face. "We'll have to retire now, father," he said as he turned to Elena.

"Let's go, Babe," he said sweetly to her, and she obediently followed him like a puppy.

"Good night, Mr. Romano," Elena said to Andrea, who just nodded in response. "We'll talk some other time. We have plenty of time, Elena," Andrea smiled charmingly, his smile just like his son's - charming and breathtaking.

"Sure," Elena nodded, trailing after Luca.

As soon as they got to their room, Luca berated her. "What the fuck was that all about?!" he exclaimed.

"I was just trying to help," Elena replied, already irritated.

"And look where that got us," Luca hissed. "If you continue like this, we won't last in our so-called one-year marriage."

"Like I want it to last," Elena muttered in anger, even though she didn't mean it.

"What was that?" Luca asked.

"Nothing important for your ears," Elena said, walking away from him. But Luca caught her and pulled her to him. He wrapped his hands around her waist and stared down at her, their breath fanning each other.

"You are mine forever, Amora," he whispered. "Don't you ever forget that."

Elena just watched him, torn between her anger and desire for this man. Her heart wanted to pull away from his grip, but her body was telling her otherwise. She wanted this man now, even though she felt a burning sensation of anger.

"Kiss me, Amora," Luca whispered, and Elena did without a second thought. She was indeed crazy. Crazy over Luca, as much as he was over her.