Laura Conti's POV
"OMG, Lucca, how long has it been? Two months and now you decided to show up. I have missed you all those months," the blonde said as she was stroking Lucca's chest up and down with her long, red fingernail. Oh, how much I want to use it to claw her eyeballs out.
"Lucia, please behave. It is inappropriate. I would like you to meet my fiancée Laura Conti. Laura, this is Lucia Ricci, daughter of my business partner,' Lucca said as Lucia was throwing some dagger at me as soon as Lucca said the word 'fiancé'.
"Ooh, so you're the person that took Lucca's heart away. Very timid for someone like you. You're not even Lucca's type," she said as she crossed her hands in front of her chest.
"and what would my type be then, Lucia?" Lucca's authority voice fills in the void. Lucia cleared her throat before Auntie Sofia come into the living room.
"Ah, there you are Lucia. I was looking all over for you. I was wondering if you could help me in the kitchen, please?" She said before eyeing me.
"sure, auntie. I can help you," Lucia said before they all went out of the living room.
"we'll be having lunch in a moment," uncle Lorenzo said before my stomach growled. I blushed. He chuckled.
"Lucca, why don't you show her the house first and you can come to the dining hall afterward?" He said before Lucca nodded.
"Can I come too?" Talia asked but Lucca gave a sign that made her retreat. Talia and uncle Lorenzo leave to go into the kitchen.
"well, that's nice," he commented that made me shot dagger at him. He just chuckled.
"Okay, so here's the living room" he gestured around. They have a fire place and a set of sofas that were placed near it. They have some bookshelves with some antique books that were looked like they are the first edition. Then they have a family portrait that stretches out to the beginning of their family tree and I found it sentimental that they keep it to remind themselves who they are. I wished my family would have done the same.
Then we move to the next location upstairs. There were some bedrooms along the long, huge hallway and a family space room. There was also an attic upstair but Lucca did not show its interior before we went to the garden outside. It has a variety of flowers and plants and it was very nice that they keep it nice and clean. As Lucca described it, it was his mother's favorite place.
"come, I want you to see something," he said before dragging me toward the second floor of the mansion. We went inside a room that looks so cozy and familiar to me. Its wall was dark but it gave a calm vibe. The king bed was situated at the center of the room with each door at its side. One was the bathroom and one was the walk-in closet. Then there was a tv on the wall that was facing the bed. It has a lounge at the end of the bed and the shopping bag that Lucca brought for me was on it.
"what's this?" I said as I went to the drawer that has a whole collection of pictures. There he was when he graduated elementary, middle and high school. There was also a picture of him smiling at the camera when he received his degree back in the States. But there was one old photo that was a girl smiling so cheerfully and brightly at the camera when she was about 5 years old. That I realized in that photo was me when there were freckles on his face.
"Why do you keep this old thing?" I said as I took the picture and admired it.
"just for fun, I guess," he said as he leaned on the bedpost. I smiled at him before looked at the photo again. It has been years when this photo was taken and still, he had it on display. I heard a shuffle behind me and Lucca's hand took the photo from my hand and put it back where it's belonged. My heart was racing when I can feel his body heat radiating from behind. He slowly turned me around so that I can see his face. He pulled my chin up and I looked deeply into his slate orbs and can feel something that was showing in his frost eyes. He lowered his face closer to me as I can feel his breath on me. We were about to kiss when suddenly the door opened up.
"brother, sister lunch's ready… ooh, sorry, am I interrupting something?" Talia said as she was stopping at the door that made me jerked away from Lucca.
"I need to use the bathroom," I said as I hurriedly got away from Lucca. I closed the door of the bathroom and looked at my reddened face. It was as red as a tomato. I took a deep breath before splashing some water into my face. I need to calm the fuck down. I took another deep breath before went out of the toilet.
When I got out, Talia and Lucca were nowhere to be found. I was looking around for them because Lucca forgot to show me where was the kitchen was. I was wandering around when I heard a conversation from an ajar room.
"you said that I will be his bride. Now, he has brought his legal fiancée home. What are we gonna do?" The voice was expressing its concern about the current situation and I felt like they were talking about me and Lucca.
"don't you worry, we find a way to get him back. You always will. Beside his bride-to-be was nothing compare to you," the other voice comforted the first one. I was about to go inside to see who was it until Matteo came from behind.
"Ms. Laura, are you lost?" He said as I startled. I spun around to see Matteo was right behind me and I looked at the room that was holding a conversation before.
"Yes, Matteo, I am lost. I don't know where the kitchen is," I said politely to him. He nodded and gladly to take me there.
after a few turns and walking down the stairs, I was in front of a big door and Matteo instructed me to go inside, I thanked him and opened the door. The dining hall was much bigger than the one at my house. I was astonished to see it before Lucca got up from his seat and went to my side.
"where were you, you were late for 30 minutes. Everyone has already moved to the main course," he whispered to me, far out from his mother's earshot.
"Sorry, I was lost. This house is like a freaking maze," I said with my gritted teeth. "don't forget that you left me on my own before you even show me the dining hall!," I whispered at him.
"Sorry, it's my fault. I shouldn't have left you all alone," he said before help me into my seat next to him on the right and Talia was in front of me.
"Hmm, so much for being punctual," auntie Sofia said sarcastically.
"I'm so sorry. I was lost in the house and could not found my way back here," I said politely.
"so much for being an archeologist, no wonder you have been seen in years. Did you got lost as well in Albania?" Lucia snickered at me. Lucca glared at her before she cleared her throat.
"wait, you're an archeologist?" Talia asked enthusiastically. I nodded.
"cool, I always wanted to know what do you do?" She said.
"yes, Talia. I always wonder what do they do. Are you digging some artifact or just wandering around aimlessly," auntie Sofia asked me with a smug on her face. I make a fist at my side under the table. The servants come in bringing our foods before I have a chance to answer her.
"ah, the food's here. Shall we dig in?" Uncle Lorenzo said before we said a prayer and dug in our food.
"so, Talia, what are your plans after high school?" Lucia tried to make a conversation with her.
"don't know yet, I still trying to figure it out," she answered.
"you should take business, maybe you can help your brother out in the future," auntie Sofia said.
"eh, I don't know, working from 9-5, in a small room, no thanks. I am much more like a free spirit. Maybe I will join sister Laura to her expedition," she said as she looked at me. I smiled at her.
"you know, Talia, that kind of job is not our cup of tea. You should be more like Lucia, maybe she can help you," her mother inquired Talia.
"wonder how that's turned up," Talia mumbled.
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Lucia asked, Talia, shook her head before smiled. She turned around and rolled back her eyes. I chuckled at her behavior.
"so, Lucca, what's the plan for the wedding. Is it fixed yet? Have you chosen what date? I can't wait to see you, Laura, walking down the aisle. Oronzo would be so proud of," uncle Lorenzo said. I just smiled at him as he took my hand into his. Lucca cleared his throat before speaking.
"father I was thinking 3 weeks from now. I have arranged my team to prepare for the wedding ceremony and what not. I think that would be enough time for Laura to clear her schedule. We are so excited that we can hardly wait. I have considered eloping with her but she changed my mind to have you guys be a part of it," he said while taking my hand into his.
"What?!! You have considered eloping. What's got into you, Lucca? I did not raise you to abandon your family to be with her," auntie Sofia was now standing, fuming with anger when she heard Lucca's confession.
"no mother. I have planned the wedding and we will do it at the church. I did not plan to leave you guys out," he tried to reassure her when she was breathing heavily, she looked at me and then Lucca.
"well, if you excuse me, I seem to have lost my appetite. Excuse me," she said before Lucia also stood up and escorted her to her bedroom.
"ugh, drama queen," Talia scoffed.
"Talia," uncle Lorenzo warned her. She just rolled her eyes at her father.
"well, if you excuse me, Laura, Lucca, I need to see my wife," uncle Lorenzo said before he excused himself. Now there were three of us and nothing has been awkward than ever with the drama of Lucca's family.