THE BRIDE - By Shaxee
Chapter 33
Health is not valued till sickness comes. -Thomas Fuller
Francesca Marcolini’s POV
It’s been a week since my dinner date with Marco. Ever since that day
he gave me a bouquet of flowers and a beautiful dress,
almost every day I find a gift in my office. Those
gifts weren’t that expensive as I first thought. From office pillows,
personalized mug and one time he gave me a picture
frame with a picture of him in it. There was a
message inside the box to place the picture frame in my
office table so whenever I missed him I will
just have to look at his picture.
I shook my head as I pulled out my drawer to peek at the picture frame with his model-like posed image beneath the glass cover. I smiled like an idiot, his ego was really over the top.
I am patiently
waiting in my office for him to arrive. He promised me two
days ago when we last met that he would treat me to
lunch today. I glanced at my wristwatch it’s
almost 11 a.m. now, he should be here any moment.
I finished my work
early so I will have quite a long lunch time with him.
Who would have thought that I will enjoy his
company? Before I avoided him like a plague whenever we
have the misfortune to meet. But now I am enjoying
his company more than I should have…
My desk phone rang. I frowned, who might it be? But then a slow smile fitted my lips. It must be Marco and his new stunt.
I picked up the receiver and said. “Hello?”
“Signora Marcolini?”
I frowned again when a woman’s voice sounded
on the other line.
“Yes,” I answered, as I straightened in my chair. “Who is this?”
“This is Signore
Orsini’s personal assistant.” She said in her no-nonsense
voice. “He wishes to inform you that he has to canceled
his appointment with you today.”
Disappointment crept inside me. “Is that so?” I asked amiably, hiding my regret over our cancelled lunch. “Does he have a meeting?”
“Oh no, ma’am.”
I sulked, if he
doesn’t have an important meeting then why has he canceled our
lunch at the last minute. “May I know the reason why Mar—I
mean, Signore Orsini called off our appointment?”
There was so long
a pause on the other line that I thought Marco’s
secretary had hung-up on me already. “Hello…? Are
you still there?”
“I’m sorry, Signora.”
The woman on the other line answered. She’s
clearly distressed discussing the reason for Marco’s
last minute cancellation of our lunch. “But I am
under very strict orders not to tell you the reason
even if you point a gun to my head.”
Despite the fact that I'm distressed he withdrew from our date, I couldn’t help but smile at his tyrant's instructions to his assistant. Only Marco will think I will point a gun to his secretary’s head to get the information of his whereabouts. But he’s mistaken, I don’t have to do that. I can squeeze out the information I want without using drastic measure.
“Can you tell me the
reason?” I asked in a pleasant tone like I was talking to
an old friend. “I promise not to tell him that you told
me.”
“But Signora…”
“Tell me, per
favore.” I said in desperate tone. “What happened to him? Is
everything, all right?”
I heard his personal
assistant sigh heavily. “He threatened me
Signora, that if I told you he would throw me in the dungeon
of their family’s vineyard without food and
water.”
That just made me more interested in knowing the reason he
couldn’t come for our lunch. “I will defend you from
him I promise, just tell me the reason.”
“Signore Orsini…” His trusted secretary started after awhile.
“…actually, he’s been out of the office as of yesterday, ma’am.
The Signore has being suffering from severe fever.”
“What!” I nearly leaped out of my chair. “Why didn’t he tell me?”
“I believe he doesn’t want you to worry about him.”
“That’s ridiculous.” I muttered furiously. That man!, he’s suffering from a
sickness and didn’t bother to tell me. “Where is he right now?”
“He’s in his home,
Signora.” The secretary informed me. “Please, don’t
tell him I told you the reason. He will get back at me
once he recuperates from his illness. He’s quite
scary when he’s mad.”
“Don’t worry,” I reassured her, standing from my chair. “He can’t do
that to you. I will see to it.”
“Thank you, Signora.”
The relief in his secretary’s voice was palpable
before I hung up the phone. I
picked my bag and went out of my office.
I rapped on the door of his penthouse with my knuckle hardly. D--n, this man. He’s really impossible—is he eating and drinking his medicine in time? Is he alone to take good care of his fever? Dio, how I want to strangle him with my bare hands.
“Marco!” I said,
tapping his heavy door loudly. “Marco, I know you
are there open the d--n door now! Marco…!”
“Stop it, woman.” A
shirtless Marco finally opened the door, he was only
wearing his pajama bottom. I could see that it
took time for him to unlock his door.
“Do you want to take
down my door?” His eyes narrowed in my
direction. “I see my assistant spilled out everything when—”
“When you threatened to throw the poor woman in the dungeon of your grandparent’s vineyard? How very
kind an employer you are, Marco.” I supplied for him
when I entered his home without waiting for him to
invite me in.
“What are you doing
here?” He mumbled weakly.
“I'm here to check if you are
still breathing.” I told him sarcastically,
throwing my bag unceremoniously on the sofa nearby.
“I’m still
breathing.” He replied in an equally sardonic manner. “Now get
going. I don’t want you to get infected with my
virus, Francesca.”
“No.”
He scowled darkly in
my direction. “Now, don’t be stubborn, woman.”
I ignored his thundering look and moved closer to where he’s standing
half-naked. I placed my palm on his forehead. He’s
still feverish. “Do you eat and drink your medicine in
time?”
“Yes,” He said
curtly, looking away from me. “I am drinking my prescription
but I don’t have appetite.”
I glared at him.
“What did you eat since yesterday?”
“Instant noodles.”
I sighed deeply and looked at him helplessly. If it wasn’t for his
assistant I'd have no idea that he’s sick.
“Come let me take you to bed.”
A slow mirthless
smile fitted his sexy mouth. “Why, il mio amore? That’s
the best thing I heard from you in ages. Come let’s go
to bed together.”
“Behave.” I warned him with a stern glare. “Or I will crash that priceless
vase on your head.”
“Merciless woman.” He muttered to himself while I helped him to his room.
Once we arrived in his bedroom, I noticed
that it was a typical bachelor’s room with black and
white motif.
I tucked him into bed and pulled up the bedsheets to his waist. I was
about to go out of his room when I heard him say.
“Francesca, come to bed. It’s so lonely here.”
“Shut up.” I told him
with a smile. “I’ll cook something for you.”
I invaded his kitchen and looked for ingredients in his huge fridge. Wow, it's filled with everything; his housekeeper must adore him so much. I decided to make chicken soup for Marco. I pulled out the ingredients in the refrigerator and placed them on the granite kitchen countertop. I sliced diced and boiled, when everything was in order in the kitchen I went back to his room to check on him; he had fallen asleep.
I tiptoed into his room
and went to the living room to watch a movie on his
plasma TV while cooking the chicken soup. Once in
a while I went to the kitchen to stir the pot of soup
while watching his collection of
James Bond movies.
“Smells good.”
I nearly jumped out of my skin when someone breathed behind my
neck. “Marco! You scared the hell out of me.”
“What’s this?” He
asked while he placed his hands on the
countertop trapping me in my place.
“Chicken soup.” I
said a little breathlessly, my heart was galloping in my
chest right now. “My grandmother’s
recipe.”
“It’s not cooked yet.
Let’s go to the living room.” He pulled me out of the
kitchen and led me to the living room. I sat in
the sofa as I resumed watching the movie. Marco
surprised me when I laid his head in my lap. “This
feels nice.”
“You should be in
bed, Marco.” I told him, preventing myself from touching
his silky hair.
“I’m fine here.” He
murmured softy as his eyes drifted shut. “It so nice
to sleep on your lap, my love.”
We spent our day together in his penthouse watching James Bond movie marathon. His fever had gone down now but he kept his head on my lap as we watched. By 10 p.m. I was preparing to leave him but he stopped me.
“Please stay.” He said when I was about to grab my bag off the sofa.
“Marco…”
“I don’t want to be
alone tonight.” He said with solemnity in his eyes.
“I promise I will not touch you —unless you want it.”
“I can’t, Marco.”
“Why?” He said
stalking towards me. I instantly moved back until I was
cornered by the door. “Are you scared,
Francesca?”
“No.” I looked away
from his burning gaze. “I’m not.”
“We’ve been dancing around this
issue for awhile now, Francesca.” He said
dangerously soft. He’s too close to me. I could feel
his hot breath. “I think it’s time for us to have talked
matters of the heart.”
“Marco—”
“Do you love me,
Francesca?” He fired the question at me unexpectedly. I
don’t know how to answer.
“Do you feel the same way for me?”
“I—”
“I guess not.” He
said moving away from me. “You do not love me like I
love you, Francesca.”
What? Wait, what is he saying? I didn’t think twice and blurted my heart’s content. “I fell in love with you. I don’t know how. I don’t know when. I just did.”
The look on his face is a sight I will keep in my memory forever.
“Really, Francesca?” He moved back where I was
standing. “Say it.” He urged. “Say it. I want to hear
what it sounds like.”
I took a deep breath.
“I love you, Marco.”
“I love you more,
darling.” He answered while kissing my forehead.
“As much as I want to kiss your lips—I can’t. I
don’t want you get the virus.”
“You are crazy.” I
shook my head in amusement.
“And you’re like a
woman who has monthly period today.” He retorted
back playfully. “So prickly woman!.”
Monthly period… Oh goodness, when was the last time I had my period? But before I could deal with it he scooped me in his arms and went to his bedroom.
The following morning
I tiptoed from his bed and left his penthouse
silently with a sole mission. I have to confirm if my
suspicion was correct—if yes? I shook my head praying
earnestly I certainly hope not. Before I went home I
went to the pharmacy and bought a pregnancy
home test. My nerves were shaking badly as I
stood in my bathroom debating if I should continue
this. But I want to be sure. I have being suffering from slight
nausea and loss of appetite since last week.
I took a deep breath and faced my fears. I peed on the white rectangular thing and waited for the longest three minutes of my life.
I stared at the
pregnancy test kit and my world tilted upside down.
Two blue lines…
“Marco Orsini you are
dead to me.” I muttered to myself as I stared at
the two clear lines.
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