CHAPTER 5: Don Lorenzo Armani

*ALORA*

      Did he want more money perhaps?

No!

I can’t give him the chance to blackmail me!

       “Do not ever call this number again! Or else, I’ll have you taken care of.” I tried to sound as tough as possible.

He burst into laughter.”Oh really?”

      “Fuck off!”With that, I hung up.

What the hell?!

Getting my number through God knows where.

Doing a background check on me over a failed one-night-stand?

The nerves of him!

   I jumped when my door was kicked open and Gael rushed in.

He shut the door and glared at me.

       “So while I was away, you completely succeeded in brainwashing my family!”He accused.

  I sighed. “I…”

        “I am the heir to this family’s fortune, their first born! Why won’t they accept what I want?! Why do they keep looking out for you?!”

        “Your family are only worried about the election.” I replied, calmly.

         “No, this is all because of you!”

        “Will you stop blaming me for everything? They gave you a choice, didn’t they? They said you could go be with Cami but you’d have to drop your title as a Torres? What? You don’t love her enough to give it up?” I taunted.

           “Shut it!”

           “I want a divorce too, Gael. This marriage has become a humiliation ritual. Don’t worry, I’d find the right time to bring it up to your family. For now, just do what they want for the sake of the election…”

       “Don’t you dare think that I’d be faithful to you during this period. I am with Cami now and I’d never abandon her.”

          “I don’t expect you to do that either especially now that she’s with child.”

        “Don’t act so self-righteous.”He snapped.

        “How do you expect me to act? Cry my eyes out and beg you to stay with me? Gael, you’re not worth my tears anymore.”I informed him.

        “You…you…”He suddenly went speechless.

Did he really enjoy making me cry?

***************

         “Tonight, we’ll be attending Armani Group 50th anniversary and also the welcome back party for the CEO.” Javier announced over breakfast the following day.

Armani Group was the biggest company in Argentina.

  They owned airlines, high end malls, TV station, even a university, amongst others.

They had the kind of wealth that could never fade even in a millennium.

          “Are the rumors true? Is Lorenzo back this time to settle down in Buenos Aires?”Gael asked.

        “Yes, that is why you need to suck up to him this time.”Julieta urged.

          “Suck up to him? Since childhood, he had always kept to himself, he’s a fucking snob.” Gael snapped.

          “I already talked to my sister and she spoke to him, she said he gets along fine with people now.”

         “I doubt that. He still rarely grants interviews, people are barely able to take pictures of him at occasion but oh boy, I am still pained that man is my cousin, gosh, he’s a Greek god.” Gael’s sister who was in her second year of college, spoke.

           “Alma, stop lusting after your cousin.” Julieta warned.

        “He has full authority over Armani Group since his father’s death. Gael, you need to remind him that we’re family, he could teach you more about business and we could have the support of Armani Group. That would secure my spot as governor of this state.” Javier explained.

I sighed as I continued to eat.

Don Lorenzo Ortega Armani was someone I had always heard about but never seen. Even the women at my office had talked about how gorgeous he was.

He was the most powerful and most sought-after Bachelor in Buenos Aires.

I was sure that kind of person was indeed a snob as Gael had said.

  

***************

    That night found us beautifully dressed for the anniversary banquet.

Alma kept talking about how she couldn’t wait to see Lorenzo.

   I for one just wanted this night to be over. If there was one thing I hated right now, it was Gael holding my hand and us pretending to be a happy couple as we posed for the cameras.

     Every minute I was reminded that Camila was carrying his child and that I needed to end this marriage, for my sanity.

        The hall was arranged, gloriously. Javier led us to greet some guests.

  Once we were finally seated, I tugged my hand out of Gael’s.

          It wasn’t enough. I just wanted to be away from him. His presence made me feel angry.

I got up and walked up to the champagne tower.

        “I heard that Mrs Armani has her eyes out today, she’s going to pick a lady for her son to marry.”

         “I heard that too. My mother made me get glammed for more than four hours because of it.”

        “Can you imagine the honor of being married to Don Lorenzo?”

         “That is my ultimate dream.”

I glanced back to see some ladies talking and giggling.

They were indeed beautifully dressed. Some even seemed to be overly dressed.

I grimaced recalling the time of my life when I badly wanted to be married.

Gael had really broken me.

Right now, the only thing on my mind was to get divorced and start my life all over again.

This time, I’d stay away from men.

I really do not need any drama in my life anymore.

        

    “Announcing the arrival of Don Lorenzo Ortega Armani!” The MC’s voice sounded.

Those sitting immediately stood up. The hall fell silent as everyone gazed at the door.

I crossed my arms.

Weren’t they doing too much?

I guess that he was wealthy and all but he was still human.

They were literally treating him like a god.

The double doors flung open and his loud footsteps could be heard.

  I looked towards the door too.

I had never seen him before so I wanted to know what the hype was about.

I mean, I needed to see the man that had the ladies losing their minds, had the men jealous and the elders so respectful of him.

       I caught sight of his long legs first, the man was tall.

     He was dressed in a formal, high-end customized suit with a dark blue tie.

      A potent aura of raw sexuality and gorgeousness surrounded him.

His suit looked expertly tailored.

Well, one wouldn’t expect anything less from someone like him.

  But I had to admit, I’ve never seen anyone look so magnificent in a suit.

And when my gaze landed on his face, I couldn’t deny it.

He was worth the hype.

     Hell, the hype didn’t do justice to his looks. I can’t even find the right words to describe how handsome he was.

His handsomeness was overwhelming.

      But the more I stared at his face, the more familiar he seemed to me.

I haven’t seen him before though.

I didn’t even see him online, on the news.

I heard he wasn’t really a huge fan of the media.

Suddenly, a memory flashed through my head. A memory of a man coming to sit on the bar stand…we agreeing to spend the night together.

      We had walked to a nearby hotel together and I had been fidgeting the whole time, wondering if I really wanted to sleep with a stranger.

At the hotel room…giving him money.

    Realization dawned on me and I gasped, loudly, I quickly placed my palm over my mouth.

   Luckily, everyone around me was too focused on Lorenzo to notice.

  Shockwaves rolled through my body.

I had met Don Lorenzo last night!

    I had given him 10 million, to discard him like a prostitute that I had changed my mind about sleeping with.

No!