Nikos was walking down the staircase when he noticed the giant living room--- filled with familiar faces, as he recognized all of them. Especially those pretty faces who were currently looking at him with their eyes wide opened.
He felt very awkward as he made his way towards them, yet his face remained emotionally blank. If there was one thing he was very good at, that was to be frigid the whole time. Nikos didn't know how and why, but he could be seemingly detached of a person if he really wanted to.
"Well, good morning!" Graciella greeted him with a smile. "I'd take it to my heart that our humble abode had given you a very comfortable night"
Nikos smiled back. "Lola wasn't mistaken" he said, agreeing on Graciella. "I found so much comfort and because of that, I'd like to apologize for my tardiness. There is no excuse for this"
The young ladies in the room couldn't help but to be impressed on the greek God-like man standing in front of them. He was obviously well-raised, based on how he treated their grandmother.
"If you slept like a baby, then who am I to complain?" Graciella replied. "It would only make me a very heartless old hog" she added and made everyone chuckled.
Nikos felt his lips wanting to curve into a smile and he did. He admired this lovely del Diosa grandmother. She reminded him of his own grandmother in so many ways. There was no wonder why they were best of friends.
"Enough with the jokes, because for now, I would like to formally introduce you to my beautiful granddaughters" Graciella did the jazz hand gesture in front of her granddaughters, representing them to him like they were all some sort of valuable gems.
And they were! Nikos thought to himself.
During the introduction, Nikos found himself being confused as he didn't realized how each one of them could be so beautiful in their own very way. Each lady possessed a very unique personality that would make every man puzzled and tangled.
"Ah, dad. How about Red?" in the middle of enjoying their dinner, Chiara asked, facing her father.
Jacob stopped for a second and replied, "What about Red, honey?"
"Red is the only del Diosa who isn't here" Chiara stated and that caught Nikos attention.
Sitting acrossed them did not stop his ears from getting hightened as he wanted to find out who were they talking about.
"My twin is right. Where is Red?" Chianna joined the conversation that Chiara started.
She even wiggled both of her eyebrows at everyone.
She only stopped when her eyes landed on Nikos, but the latter was too focused on the main subject of the story to notice Chianna's admiration stare.
"Red doesn't have to be here" this time, Franz butted in. The coldness in his voice startled each person in the dining room, including the house maids who were currently serving food on the table.
So, he must be the terror guy in the family.
"B-but kuya.. Red needs to be---"
"I said, Red does not have to be here" Franz interrupted his sister in gritted teeth. "Let it go"
"Alright, kids... That's enough! Please remember your table etiquette" Bella sent Niccolo and Nikos an apologetic look for her children's poor behavior.
Niccolo just shook his head, trying to let her know that it didn't bother him. Not even a bit.
Chianna pouted and Franz ended up sending a message to his father-- Jacob, eye to eye, and Nikos caught that.
"I tried contacting the brat but got no luck yet. So, let's just say Red is exempted this time" Jacob explained and Nikos witnessed how Franz shoulders relaxed after that.
Nikos started to get intrigued of this certain Red and how this person could put some reaction on Franz emotionless face. He seemed like he didn't want Red to be part of any of this.
And how come he didn't get an intel regarding this Red del Diosa? Was the private investigator he personally hired forgot to include this person? That, he would surely find out.
"So, the legend Nikos Alexandrus is going to get married soon..." Chianna stated after the elders left him alone with the young ladies.
Nikos turned his head towards her. "Yeah.." he replied dryly.
"Oh, come on, Nik. Be friendly, you know" Chianna reminded him, giving Nikos a huge welcoming grin.
"I am being friendly" Nikos insisted and smiled at the lovely ladies around him.
"I don't think so" Chianna raised her eyebrow and gave Nikos her famous seductive look. Perhaps, challenging him to do something more interesting other than exchanging words with each other.
Nikos shook his head at Chianna's naughtiness. She had always been like this, always the seductive one.
"Oh come on, Chianna. Quit flirting!" Chiara scolded Chianna for her abnormal behavior which caused the other girls to laugh.
"Seducing a guy is rude. Do it better than that, will you?" Samantha joined in, still laughing.
If Nikos had to guess, Chianna's personality was more similar to Samantha than her own twin sister.
"Shut up!" Chianna chuckled, throwing a piece of leaf at Samantha.
"How I wish Red was here. You couldn't probably act this way, Chianna" Maria Constancia Corazon aka Stacey said between her sigh.
She gained a massive eyebrows raising up in the sky after stating whatever was in her mind.
"What?" she questioned, her forehead wrinkled. "Do you think Red would just sit back and watch you guys be in this kind of behavior?
Nikos who was listening carefully in silence tried his best not to look like he was interested in the conversation, but he knew he couldn't keep up his own facade any longer. As his mind had been wondering who the hell Red was and why would people talk about him like he was some kind of a big deal. Did his opinion really that matter? He must be a very interesting guy, then.
"So, how are you, Nik?" a moment of silence passed when the rest of the girls decided to retire for the night, only Chianna stayed.
"As you can see, I'm doing great!" Nikos answered, giving Chianna a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "How about you? How have you been?" he asked, curious to know how this woman had been after they parted their ways few years ago.
"I'm doing just fine, thank God!" she exclaimed and rolled her eyes.
"Glad to hear that" he sighed in relief hearing Chianna's answer. The guilt he had since the break up lifted and it was gone. His chest felt lighter than normal.
"My career has kept me busy after you know, that day..." Chianna paused and closed her eyes, reminiscing the memories she hadn't forgotten yet, no matter how hard she tried.
Nikos and Chianna had a history of being involved with each other romantically, but it was never known to the public. They kept their little romance a secret and Chianna regreted that. How she wished she didnt, she could probably had him still.
"Princess..." Nikos hated looking at Chianna who was obviously still hurting because of him. It really made him felt so bad for making her his flavor of the month in the past.
Chianna was naughty by nature, but she was far more precious than to be his bed warmer only. At first, he was having fun with her company until he slowly realized that Chianna was different. She was just a princess who thought she finally met her prince in the likes of him. And that was the reason why Nikos ended whatever was going on between the two of them.
He didn't want her hopes up as he wasn't capable on giving her what she exactly wanted. And Nikos hated every second of it. He hated seeing her heart-broken. He hated the fact that the famous Chianna del Diosa, adored by many bent down her knees, begging him not to leave her. But he figured it was for the best. She deserved better.
Chianna opened her eyes and formed a faded smile on her lips. It felt so good to hear him calling her that nickname. He just made her feel special again.
"Choose me, Nik" without any hesitation, Chianna suggested.
"What?" Nikos replied, confused and his perfect set of thick eyebrows furrowed at her.
"Because, I'm the only one who actually knew your situation. Plus, our history together can be----" Chianna turned her head away from him. "Counted" she seemed so pathetic but she didn't care.
Just whatever it would take her to have him, she would definitely do it.
Nikos sighed. Somehow, Chianna was right. He sure did not want another del Diosa princess to end up on his bed again. The last thing he wanted was to break an innocent heart again.
"Look, it's just easy to marry somebody, okay? But to love that someone is very hard for me to do" he explained, hoping Chianna would change her mind.
"I can handle, Nik" she stubbornly said, her eyes were full of determination while looking at him.
"I can't promise to be a good husband"
Chianna naughtily smiled and tiptoed forward.
"I'm ready for that" she seductively whispered in Nikos ear. Her hand was slowly sliding from his arm down to his lower abdomen, and she teasingly inserted the tips of her fingers in the hem of his waistline.
Nikos groaned, he didn't know how to react. It had been a long time since they had this kind of body contact and as ruthless as he may appeared, he only felt nothing but weirdness.
So, he grabbed her hand away from his body and pushed her backward a little bit. Chianna's burning desire died down and her eyes heated up.
"Chianna" Nikos uttered her name with no gusto.
Feeling embarassed at her failed attempt, Chianna couldn't find herself to lift her head up. "Well, I wasn't sorry" she confessed. At least she was being honest.
"It's late. I should go" Nikos turned his back on her and slowly walking towards the back porch door to get inside.
He halted mid-way when Chianna grabbed his arm. A displeased look in his eyes appeared while staring down on her hand barely wrapping his biceps.
He didn't like her touch! But she wasn't giving up either! She would have him no matter what!
If she wanted him to pick her, then she better made sure of that. She just got to be persistent and pushy about it. And this was one of her moves to get him to mary her, as she had all the advantages that the rest of the girls didn't have.
Though, she never saw them as her competition for Nikos. They were her family and she could never be that kind of person towards them. Chianna only wanted was to be Nikos bride and nothing more. She also knew that her sister and cousins were against this marriage.
They only participated because of their parents' wishes, but other than that, they were all family and family should stick together despite of all the odds that the world had given.
"You should go to sleep, Chianna" Nikos could only reply stuff that was out of the topic. In fact, he didn't want them to talk about it.
It was too soon for him to choose and he sure didn't want to be unfair with the others. Nikos had to agree that picking Chianna was the best choice, but he didn't want her. She already had an unrequitable feelings for him based on how she acted tonight and that was a big no for him.
He should marry someone who had no feelings for him at all, as it would be easy for him to do as he pleased without feeling any kind of guilt in his frozen heart.
Nikos didn't waste any second and he immediately went inside the house, leaving Chianna in desperate state.