THE BRIDE - By Shaxee
Chapter 17
On vacation, you can wear all the colorful and casual clothing that you like, but you must always be elegant. - Christian Dior
Francesca Marcolini’s POV
The last thing I expected when I woke up earlier this morning was to find myself abducted then carted to an unknown destination. And the unknown destination turned out to be on the island of Sardinia.
I knew that Marco Orsini was a crazy man but not this crazy. These past few weeks proved that I didn’t know him that well. His antics would leave an average man astonished.
“Yours?” I asked as soon as the car that fetched us from the airport pulled in at the magnificent seaside mansion.
He smiled devilishly in my direction. He was sitting far too close for my comfort inside the car’s backseat. “As much as I want to take the credit, my darling, I can’t. This beautiful mansion belongs to my good friend, the Greek billionaire, Nikos Pallis.”
I had heard of that man. He’s a well-known ruthless shipping magnate in New York and praised as a perfect lover by women like this man beside me. I guess I am not surprised that they were good friends.
“Stop judging us.” Marco growled beside me.
“I am not judging you.” I turned to meet his scowling face. I should be mad at him for abducting me yet I felt no anger toward him.
“Yes, you are.” He contracted, opening his door. “You were probably thinking that we share love for women.”
“I didn’t say that.” I hide my smile as I also slid out of the car.
“But you were still thinking about it.”
I shrugged and didn’t answer him. I am quite busy admiring the architectural design of the mansion where we are probably staying today.
“Beautiful home.”
“Come,” Marco invited, extending his hand to my direction. “Let me give you a tour inside the house.”
I didn’t hesitate to take the offered hand and walked hand in hand with him through the foyer. If the outside of the house was magnificence enough, once you were inside the house the interior left you breathless.
“Nikos Pallis spared nothing in building this house.” I commented glancing at the priceless art works that hang on the wall.
“He likes to show off his family’s wealth by building houses like this around the world.”
I nodded smiling at the thought. “I gather that much.”
“Enough of that b-----d, he had a grand time interrogating me before he lent this place to me.” Marco said, looking at his signature wristwatch. “Come, we’re past time for having lunch. Let’s invade the town.” “Now?” I inquired hesitantly. “Can’t we just have lunch here?”
“Not a bad idea, darling.” He suddenly smiled wolfishly. “Then, I will have the dessert upstairs.”
Not a good idea for me. The charming man a while ago was instantly replaced by this devil.
“You know what I think it’s better for us to hit the town for lunch.”
“That’s what I thought.” He grinned at me, placing a light kiss on my lips he runs to the stairs. “Fifteen minutes, I’ll just take a shower.” He threw a backward glance. “Do you want to join me?”
“No. Thanks.”
Marco threw a heart melting smirk before vanishing up the second floor.
Half an hour later we were seated at the best table inside the posh restaurant in Sardinia. We gave the waiter our order and bought an expensive bottle of Orsini wine.
Marco said ironically that he needed to pay much for an Orsini wine which he could have gotten at the cellar in the vineyard…
“What’s the frown about?” I glanced at Marco who was looking at me intently.
“Oh, nothing. I just feel like…”
“Orsini!” I was interrupted by the booming voice of a man who approached our table. He had a blond woman on his arms; I think she’s probably half his age. She wore a show stopping dress that could be considered immoral in certain parts of the world.
“Hi, Marco.” The blond woman purred sexily.
What the…I slowly look at him. He’s also obviously stunned by the unexpected encounter. From the look on his face he knew this woman…intimately? Was she a previous mistress of his?
An unexpected jealously filled my heart —wait, why would I be jealous? As far as I am concerned I don’t care about them.
“Voronov.” Marco acknowledged the Russian man and reluctantly did the same with the woman. “Anastasia.”
I knew it, she’s a previous mistress.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us to the new woman with you?” Anastasia purred again, eyeing Marco with such seduction in her eyes.
Is that the subtle way of saying that I might be the new flavor of the month?
I glared at Marco Orsini.
“Mikhail. Anastasia.” He cleared his throat, ignoring my glare. “This is Francesca Marcolini. My fiancée.” The three of us stared at him in stunned silence. What, did he say fiancée? Who is his fiancée again?
The blond woman threw an acid glare in my direction which I payed no heed.
“Bravo!” The Russian businessman laughed. “I am so happy for you, Orsini. And what a lovely lady you have.”
“Thanks.” Marco said smiling affectionately in my direction. He’s one hell of a good actor. But he will not get away with this latest stunt of his.
“You know what?” The Russian said, “Why don’t you and your betrothed come to my party tonight in my yacht, I am sure you will enjoy it.”
“Why not.” Marco replied, before I could protest.
“We will leave you in peace now, Orsini. Enjoy your lunch.” The man said with a smile before taking their table inside the restaurant.
“What the hell did you just do?” I asked him crossly as soon as we were left alone at our table.
“Here comes our food.” He said, completely ignoring my question.
“I am not coming with you!” I informed him as soon as we arrived at the seaside mansion of the Greek billionaire, Nikos Pallis.
“Oh, you will.” Marco answered dryly. “I’ve already promised Mikhail Voronov we will come to his dinner party tonight.”
“Your problem not mine.” I said hotly. “Besides, I don’t want to get entangled with your nasty situation.” “My nasty situation?” He repeated with a frown on his handsome face. “What is that?”
I glared at him vehemently. “I know that you and that anorexic woman with that Russian man have a past. She’s one of your long lists of previous mistresses, Signore.”
Marco snorted and shook his head in resignation. “That’s a long time ago. Moreover, she’s just thin because she’s a model, darling.”
Having suspected that they had a relationship before was one thing but it was an entirely different matter when he admitted it openly, for some reason his affirmation shot a dagger straight to my heart.
It’s so painful that I think I want to do something violent.
“I don’t want to be the hindrance when you rekindle your relationship with that anorexic woman.”
He rubbed his forehead in annoyance. “I don’t want to rekindle any relationship with her.” He said in irritation but then he smiled dashingly. “Why, my Francesca? You sound jealous.”
“I don’t care if you jump in bed with her!”
“You sound like a jealous wife, darling.” He accused with a maddening smirk on his sinfully handsome face. “For a prim and proper woman like you, you’re heartbreakingly beautiful when you get jealous over that gold-digger.”
“You wish!” I started to climb up the stairs when he stopped me in my tracks.
“Wait,” He said, looking straight into my eyes. “I don’t have a habit of picking up what I discarded before. Also, she has a new rich man to shower her with clothes and jewelries.”
That’s not what I saw in her eyes awhile ago, I thought silently. She still wants you. “I don’t care.” I said inertly.
“You will come with me.” He announced with every inch of the arrogance I hated. He fished out a black card from his wallet and gave it to me. “As much as I would like to come with you and buy you a dress for tonight, I need to make some calls; there is an emergency that at the Orsini Industries. Take the driver with you. I don’t want you to wander around town alone.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to refuse the credit card but I remembered that I didn’t have anything on me besides what I wore now. I don’t have any cash in my pocket.
As much as I want to shove that credit card down his throat I can’t. I don’t want to go to the party with this day dress I wore since this morning.
So I snatched the black card in his hand and strode out of the house. The ever efficient chauffer was waiting at the car.
“We’re going to town.” I told the driver as I slid into the cool interior of the car.
I will teach Marco Orsini a lesson that he can’t just rile me whenever he wants. No one irritates Francesca Marcolini and gets away with it.
Once the car pulled out of the sidewalk, I stared at the long lane of designer shops. I scanned for my favorite fashion house and walked inside.
“What can I do for you, ma’am?” The efficient sales lady smiled in my direction as she approached.
“I need a dress.” I answered, trying to calm my anger. My eyes had already scanned the racks of beautiful gowns. “I need a dress that will make a man drool over me at twenty feet.”
The capable sales lady smiled knowingly. “I think we have what you need, ma’am.”
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