3. Negotiations

Next day

After having slept more than usual, since I went to bed very late last night and spending a relaxed Sunday at home; It's time to get ready for dinner with Lucas. I chose a set consisting of a short white skirt, a strappy blouse close to the body in the same color, and a black blazer with white details and matching heels. I look for my favorite matching Prada bag and make sure my light brown hair falls properly in waves above my shoulders.

"Perfect," I say to myself in front of the mirror and leave the room.

 I walk downstairs and say goodbye to my father; he reads a book in the mansion's main hall. "Will you go out?" He asks me with a shy smile.

"Yes, father, I will go to dinner with some friends," I lie.

I suppose he would not like the idea of me going to dinner with the man who will be his next partner.

"Be Careful," he says like he always does, and I throw him a kiss from a distance.

"I love you, father!" I say, smiling, and leave the house.

I get in my red Audi R8 and drive to the restaurant where Lucas has summoned me.

"La Savina Meditteranean Grill" is the restaurant that he has chosen and now I know this man knows where to take me for dinner. It is no other than the most luxurious restaurant in Miami, located in the heart of South Beach. I have been here before, and I love it. The restaurant is inspired by the Spanish island Formentera. The food is incredible, not to mention that the decoration is exquisite.

I went into the valet parking area, and once the man who works there opened the door for me, I got out of the car. "Your last name please?" He asks to write my name on the valet's paper ticket.

"Di Marco," I say, and he smiles at me.

"Thank you very much, Miss Di Marco. Welcome to La Savina." He speaks kindly and looks at me a little more than he should, but it doesn't bother me.

"Thank you," I answer and walk towards the entrance.

“Good evening. Do you have a reservation?" The restaurant hostess asks me upon my arrival.

"Mr. Sandonini is waiting for me," I let her know, and she smiled.

"Marc, could you take Miss Di Marco to Mr. Sandonini's table? Please", he asks the young man with blond hair next to her. He nods.

"This way, please," he says, and I follow him until I see Lucas.

He looks gorgeous. He is wearing a black shirt with the first two buttons unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and matching dress pants. His blue eyes look at me relentlessly, and he outlines a wide smile when I stop next to him.

"Buona Notte Bella," he says with his exquisite accent and stands up to give me two kisses.

"Good evening," I answer with a smile on my face. Lucas smells delicious. I could recognize that perfume thousands of miles away; Invictus by Paco Rabanne.

"Allow me," he says and moves the chair opposite him so that I can sit down. "You look gorgeous," he comments in what seems almost a whisper as I take a seat; it's incredible how nervous his voice makes me. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before.

"Thank you," I manage to say while smiling, and I watch him sit in front of me. It should be forbidden for a man like him to be so handsome and to smell like that.

"Champagne, wine, or a cocktail?" he asks me without taking his eyes off me.

"Champagne," I answer firmly and smile.

"Woman with exquisite tastes," he comments, and I have the feeling that there is a lot of double meaning in his sentence.

"You said it," I reply immediately, without taking my gaze from his.

The waiter approaches us and introduces himself; his name is Paul. "Paul, bring us the best champagne you have," he asks, and Paul nods.

"Have you invited me to dinner just to show off you're a millionaire?" I dare to ask with a sarcastic smile on my face.

He denies it and smiles. "No, but before I tell you why I invited you to dinner, choose your meal," Lucas asks me with his gaze fixed on me. Pretending that I don't care, I do what he asks. I won't let him intimidate me.

I choose for my plate and, once Paul returns, we order the food.

"I am listening," I start the conversation. At the same time, I get comfortable paying attention as he pours me a glass of champagne and hands it to me.

"I want us to talk business," sentences while his blue eyes fix on mine.

"You should discuss that with my father," I answer, and then I take a sip of champagne.

"This is another type of business," he answers firmly and with a sarcastic smile.

I don't understand what he is talking about. "Please Explain yourself," I ask.

"I don't know how much you are aware of your father's business, much less of his financial problems," Lucas comments, and I start to worry.

Is my father in trouble?

"Economic problems, what are you talking about?", I ask confused.

"Well, if my family and I do not sign the contract for the construction of luxury cruise ships, it is most likely that your father will have to sell more than half of his company. To cover the failure of his business with Ramiro Santibáñez," he speaks. I am too surprised that he is aware of what happened with Ramiro. Who is this man?

"What do you know about what happened with Ramiro?" I ask, pretty confused.

"Enough to know that you were going to marry him, but that you found him in bed with someone else," he says firmly, and I don't like that he knows so much about my life or my father's.

This man is not to be trusted. Why did he invite me to dinner with him? This question haunts my mind with concern.

"What are you looking for?" I ask sourly.

"That's the matter that I want to talk about," he says and smiles. "My family and I can save your father from losing his patrimony by signing this contract," he explains.

I know this won't be free.

"But?" I ask. I know that there is something else.

"But there is a condition," Lucas firmly admits.

"Tell me," I replied, narrowing my eyes.

"You have to marry me," he says so naturally, and I open my eyes widely.

"What?!" I exclaimed, and I leaned my body towards him. "Have you gone mad?"

"Certainly not. A year of marriage and we saved your father from losing everything", he repeats, and I think he has lost his mind.

"And why do you want me to marry me?" I ask, very confused.

"You are the ideal woman for me; you can accompany me to all the events that I will have to attend here in Miami. You are beautiful and elegant, in short, everything a man needs by his side. In this way, all the big businessmen will take me seriously”, he says, but it doesn't make sense.

"That is not the reason," I answer firmly, and he smiles.

"And you are smart," he adds in a mysterious tone.

"You won't tell me, will you?" I ask seriously, and he denies it.

"You don't need to understand anything, this is just a business. Just one year, and you save your father and his empire".

"And what do I say to my father?" I ask, wanting to understand his logic.

"He can find out everything after we sign the marriage papers," Lucas answers.

"You're a miserable man, taking advantage of the situation," I say angrily.

"Maybe, but it suits you. You will be the wife of Lucas Sandonini", he says in a way that makes me want to punch him in the face.

"If you're doing all this so you can get laid, you're wrong," I warn him.

"I never said anything about sex," he comments and takes a sip from his glass.

"Even better," I answer since I don't know what else to say. I had never thought I would live in a situation like this.

"You have until 9 am tomorrow to give me an answer. If your answer is no, I will call your father and drop the whole negotiation", he warns me, and I hate that he has me between a rock and a hard place.

I know the billions of dollars that my father lost with Ramiro. I also know that it was my fault for not marrying him but, how could I do it if he cheated on me a week before the wedding? I know there was a fortune involved, but I couldn't do it.

"I know the situation very well. Let's not dwell on the matter anymore, I accept the deal, but for the record, I will only be your wife in the name", I clarify.

"In name, but we will live together." Lucas sentences and I hate him so much right now.

"If there is no other choice." I finish my drink, trying to assimilate what I just did.

"Very good, future Mrs. Sandonini, you are an intelligent woman. In a few days, we will marry," He says triumphantly, and I want to be a widow before signing any paper.