Chapter ONE

LUCY

All I had to do was get through the day _ My Wedding Day!

      For the umpteenth time, I thought of ending this wedding but I couldn't bear to hurt Maria's feelings. Today was all she had talked about for days. The day her son, Aurelio Vivaldi, finally settles down with the woman of her choice. 

      Thinking of him made my heart race badly. The man I was sexually attracted to but wanted nothing to do with. There were times when all I thought about was him. The image of his icy blue eyes flashed into my mind. I still couldn't place my finger on why I felt intimidated whenever he stares at me with those cold, calculating blue eyes of his. Weirdly, the fact that he was always emotionally controlled around me while he upsets my emotions pisses me off. I try my very best not to hold his gaze 'cause it's always as if he could read into my soul with those piercing eyes.

I nervously rubbed my palms together since I found it very difficult to not worry.  The thought of going into a loveless marriage with a man who hates me wasn't something to look forward to. It felt like it was going to be a waking nightmare. I do not doubt that he was going to torment me every single step of the way. For all he cares, I'm a manipulative money-graspingly bitch. A woman who manipulated his mother Into blackmailing him to marry her. 

      "Oh darling, you look so beautiful" Maria broke into my thought with her joyful voice.

      "Thank you" I stammered weakly, gazing everywhere else, not wanting her to see I wasn't optimistic about the event ahead.

       "My darling, I know you feel reluctant to marry Aurelio..." Of course, nothing seemed to escape Maria's notice. She continued, "but it will all fall into place. I have a good feeling about this union. Just give it time." 

      Before I could reply, my father entered to escort me down the aisle. Sadness spread through me as I remembered my father was the other reason I was hesitant to get married. The idea of beginning a new chapter of my life, a life where my father wouldn't be very active made me tremble. It has always been just us against the world, after the death of my mother and younger sister, Hope. I shivered at the thought of him falling back into depression. The death of my mother and Hope almost ruined my family. My father still hadn't gotten over the guilt that he hadn't been able to save them. How could he have saved them from a drunken truck driver? I wondered. I was suddenly crippled with regret. I should be the one feeling guilty. If I hadn't pleaded with my mom to take Hope along to the convenience store that day, then Hope would have been alive. I can't bear to watch him return to consuming excessive alcohol because of loneliness. How was he going to survive being alone? 

          As if he could read my thoughts, he said softly  "Pumpkin, I promise, I will be fine. Plus it's high time you stop worrying about me and focus on yourself. All I want is for you to be happy. For us to stop feeling guilty. I realize now that none of us would have been able to change the outcome of that day. I'm sorry I made you feel alone while growing up. It wasn't my intention. I'm ashamed that I couldn't deal with my grief properly, and I made you suffer for it."

        Reaching out to take his right hand, I choked out "Don't talk like that, you made me happy in your ways. I would trade anything to have them here with us. But most importantly Dad, I don't regret growing up with you. Not one second of it. I'm sincerely happy." 

          He pulled me into a tight hug, then planted a kiss on my  forehead, before he said "I love you Pumpkin, don't ever forget that." He withdrew slowly from me, then said with a smile playing on his lips, "Now, put on that beautiful smile of yours. Your groom must be waiting. We should not keep your groom waiting. We don't want him to come to carry you out of here on his shoulder like a caveman."

Maria snorted with laughter. " that I tell you, would surely be a sight to behold."

As if that would ever happen!

        At the mention of his name, I shivered with anger remembering how arrogant he was towards me the last time we met. He had requested I meet him at The Ritz Restaurant during his 1 pm lunch break. But, all I got was a cold attitude and insults. He scrutinized me with malicious eyes because I arrived a few minutes late. 

         "Look who's finally here. I thought I'd wait a lifetime for you." He spat out as he glances at his watch, not even bothering to offer words of greeting.

        "Aurelio, I'm sorry. I got held up ......."  I started to speak, only for him to cut me off as he carried on speaking as though he hadn't heard me talk. I sighed. I should have known he won't be any better today. It's as if he derives joy in interrupting me whenever I attempted to speak.

What's even his problem? I thought angrily.

 I was doing him a huge favor by deciding to marry him for only two years, though that's not what Maria had in mind when she suggested this marriage. Besides, who wanted to marry a man with an oversized, who isn't capable of loving anyone? 

           "I'm sure you realize that I'm a very busy man, with a company to run." He said, with a voice laced with bitterness and arrogance.

      I turned my face away from him, then rolled my eyes. As it were, no one in London or Italy isn't aware that he is the head of one of the biggest businesses in the world -- Vivaldi International Hotels and Resorts. At the age of twenty-five, immediately after his father died, he took control of the business. It was a good thing he was already enrobed in the family business before his father had died. We all watched him work tirelessly day and night to keep the business flowing. It wasn't all rosy because he had to fight against board members and shareholders, who were against a young man like him, taking over a huge company. It was a good thing they had given him a chance to prove his ability, because, in seven years, he'd turned Vivaldi International Hotels and Resorts into a multi-billion company.

         Aurelio's cold voice interrupted my divergent thinking. I heard him say "when you are done daydreaming, I'd like us to get down to business". 

         I grimaced at his tone. Having had enough of his rotten attitude, I regarded him with a narrow look, then shot back "if you won't at least act civil, I don't see the reason why I should indulge you." My attitude caught him off guard. I inhaled, trying to keep my temper in check. This man sure brings the worst out in me.

I watched him clench his right hand into a fist as he tried to control his anger.    

       "Listen, Lucie...."

     I released a helpless groan. Endeavoring to hide how that impeccable deep Italian voice of his, affects me in ways I certainly had no business with isn't a walk in the park. Especially when he calls me Lucie. Apart from my mom, no one calls me Lucie. Even my dad had stopped calling me that because it reminded him of her. I exhaled slowly, as I tried to keep my mind from digging out painful memories. A hot, unfamiliar riff of sensation dashed down my spine as I tried to collect my thoughts. I know deep down that desiring him equalizes my getting hurt. I never want to fall in love since I don't want to go through the deep pain my father felt after losing my mother. Loving someone only gives way to pain.

          "That's it!" Aurelio snapped his fingers to summon back my attention. "Just sign this agreement, so I can leave you to your imagination. Because God knows, I have better things to do with my time than to watch you fantasize."

         He drew out the contract from its' envelope and dropped a Dryden Designed blue fountain pen on it. Then, he shoved it toward me for me to sign. 

          I inhaled calmly. "May the Lord help me survive this infuriating man." I silently murmured. I felt at ease as the waiter in charge of our table came forth to take our orders.

         "Mr. Vivalde, I'm sorry to interrupt you." He said with an apologetic smile, before pointing at the menu cards positioned on the table, "Are you ready to order now?"

         "Yes, I will have a cup of dark coffee without sugar please." His piercing gaze fell on me, urging me to make my order. 

          "I will have a glass of water. Thanks." I smiled at the waiter as he walked away. Thank goodness he isn't lacking in manners like the human sitting across from me, I thought. I picked up the contract and glanced through it.

          "A prenuptial contract?" I asked confused. I looked across the table, only to be met with hostile eyes. "What for? " I asked again gingerly.

        He snarled even as he spat out the words through his clenched teeth "if you, for one thing, think I will get married to you without you signing a prenuptial agreement, then you must be joking. As stated in the agreement, you won't be entitled to any of my assets -- NOTHING--in the event of our divorce." 

        I braced myself for more hateful words but none came. When I realized he was waiting for me to speak, I choked out, trying to remain calm "you are delusional if you think I'm interested in your money. It shows you know nothing about me. You are blinded by your egos. I'm sure you are old enough to know that not everything is about you and that not everyone wants a piece of what you have. For goodness sake, I'm only marrying you because of Maria. I love that woman and owe her my life. No other reason."

It hurts badly that he indirectly labeled me a gold digger. Someone who greedily wants him for what he has.

         "Enough! Do you think you can lure me into marriage by professing unreal love and respect for my mother? I can't fathom why my mother doesn't see you for who you are. Now, I want you to understand that just because my mother failed to sense your true nature, it doesn't mean I am going to fall for your trick." He retorted derisively, then paused just as the waiter made his way to our table with our order.       

         He waited for the waiter to leave before he continued in a businesslike tone "since you are marrying me because of my mother, then you should as well sign this because of her. I promise, there would be no marriage if you refuse to sign the agreement. I didn't work my ass off just for you to reap where you didn't sow. So sign it."

         I studied him carefully for some minutes. What made him like this? Maria is one of the sweetest people I know, so he certainly didn't get this overbearing attitude from her. 

         I understood Aurelio meant every single word he uttered. Finally, I snapped at him angrily, "Damn you! You know I don't want anything from you..."

       "Then sign the god-damned contract Lucie, and save us the argument." He countered with a husky persuasive tone before I even finish what I wanted to say. 

       "Don't get all cranky on me, Aurelio. Do you think I want to be a meter close to you, talkless of marrying you?  I don't even like you." I said, breathing heavily.

         He gave me an emotionless smile, his tone uncompromising "I'm sure you know by now that I don't fancy you too, darling"

      Not wanting to continue this frustrating conversation that's leading nowhere, I straightened my quake-tensed shoulder, picked up the pen, then scrawled out my signature on the papers. I  wasn't a bit surprised when he picked up the papers immediately, crossed-checked them, then stormed out, without saying goodbye.