Elena raised an eyebrow at Luca, unsure of how to react. This wasn't part of the plan and she never expected any of this. "Are you playing with me, Mr. Luca?" she asked.
"No," Luca replied curtly. "I need you, Miss Elena."
Elena eyed him warily. "How?" she asked.
Luca sighed, realizing there was no use in hiding the truth. "I need to get married in order to access my rights as the heir to my father's wealth and the company I've worked so hard for," he explained.
Elena chuckled. "There are other women, Mr. Luca. Now, if you will excuse me, I have other things to do..."
But Luca wasn't finished. "Name it. Anything you want, Miss Elena. I'll do it for you to accept this marriage."
Elena stared at him for a moment before sitting back down. What was he scheming behind this proposal? If he had ulterior motives, it was bad news. But if it was truly about his inheritance, then it could be a catch for her. If she became his wife, one year would be enough time to execute her plan. She would be closer with the Romanos and her plan would go more smoothly.
"Why me?" Elena asked.
Luca paused for a second before responding. "It so happens that I am allergic to women's touch but yours."
"What is that? A disease or something?" Elena asked, sarcastically. She didn't believe this story. She knew everything about this man, how come she didn't find out about this before?
"I'm not sure what to call it, Miss Elena. That's not the point. What I want is your cooperation."
Elena bit her lip, considering the offer. So she was the first person the man ever laid with. Maybe Luca Romano was more mysterious than she thought. "Give me a day," she said. "I need to think about it."
"Sure," Luca said with a satisfied smile. "Let's exchange contacts. I'll call to know what you've decided."
As they sat in silence, sipping their coffee, they studied each other. "So..." Elena started.
"The night we spent together made you think you're immune to my touch?" She completed.
“Now you remember, Miss Elena.” Luca lips curved into a smile.
"I didn't forget," Elena rolled her eyes. "I just wasn't willing to talk about it."
"Why not?"
"I am not obligated to answer you, Mr. Luca. And about your marriage proposal, I hope we don't have to fulfill any marital roles since you are so intent on being immune to my touch. I find it uncomfortable," Elena said, her tone firm.
"That...we'd figure it out," Luca replied, rubbing his chin.
Elena raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he meant. But she decided not to push the issue any further.
*
*
Luca Romano quickly sorted through the remaining files on his large oak desk, mentally ticking off each item on his to-do list. It had been a long day, starting with a meeting with Elena and ending with discussions with some investors. He was exhausted, and all he wanted to do was head home and rest.
As he made his way to the parking lot, his driver was waiting with the car. "Good evening, Mr. Romano," the bald man in his late forties greeted him with a bow.
"Take me home," Luca said as he entered the car, ready to leave the day behind.
The driver started the engine and drove off, navigating through the busy streets of Venice. Luca leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as he tried to relax. The journey was short, and soon enough, they arrived at the mansion where he grew up.
Luca entered the house and walked into the living room, where he found his father reading a magazine. Mr. Romano was a handsome Italian, and he looked younger than his age. Luca greeted him curtly, not waiting for a reply, as he headed towards the stairs. Their relationship had been strained since his father had given him an ultimatum.
"Still angry at me, son?" Mr. Romano asked, breaking the silence.
Luca turned to him, staring into his father's eyes. "Do I have the right to be angry?"
Mr. Romano chuckled. "This is for your own good, Luca."
If only he knew about his allergy. But for some reason, Luca wasn’t willing to tell him.
Luca scoffed sarcastically. "Yeah, right, I guess."
His father leaned forward, an intrigued expression on his face. "So, have you found a woman?"
Luca started to answer, but his father interrupted him, "Not a fake bride."
He was stunned. Luca knew his father was smart, but he didn't see this coming. "What do you take me for? A desperate person?"
Mr. Romano gave him a bemused smile. "You've been avoiding me, and you rarely come home. It explains how frustrated you are, and I know what you do when you feel this way."
Luca rolled his eyes. "You're overthinking. And I've got a bride. A real bride," he spat, not wanting to engage in the conversation any longer.
Without another word, he ascended the stairs, leaving his father behind. He was ready to forget about the day and start anew tomorrow, but the conversation with his father had left him feeling uneasy.
*
*
It had been exactly three days since Elena and Luca had met. She had given him her answer on the fourth day, which was not the agreement they had initially made. The past three days had been tough for Elena as she had thought long and hard about Luca's proposal. However, she had come to a decision - she had to marry him.
As Elena packed her things, her best friend Lucia was helping her out. She was moving into the Romano Mansion, which was part of a crazy arrangement by Luca. Although Elena didn't agree with it, Luca had insisted that they needed to fool his father into thinking that they were madly in love and couldn't do without each other.
The sound of the doorbell broke Elena's thoughts. Lucia went to answer it and soon returned to tell Elena that the driver Luca had sent was there to get her. Lucia couldn't believe that her best friend was marrying Luca, the country's most eligible bachelor.
"You should follow him instead, you're way happier than me," Elena grumbled as she zipped up the last bag.
"I wish," Lucia replied with a sad expression.
Elena nudged her softly. "Don't be naughty," she said with a smile.
Lucia burst into laughter and then turned serious. "I still can't understand why you suddenly decided to settle down, Elena," Lucia said, not really asking her directly.
"Let's not keep the man waiting," Elena replied, and they said their goodbyes before she made her way to the waiting car with her bags.
As the car drove past the streets of Venice, Elena muttered to herself, "You can do this, Elena." She was nervous, but she knew she had made the right decision.
*
*
Elena clutched her handbag tightly as Luca’s driver led her through the mansion's grand entrance. A trail of house staff waited at the corridor, ready to assist her.
"Welcome, ma'am," greeted one of the maids as she approached Elena to collect her bags. "This way," she said politely, leading Elena to the mansion while the others followed closely behind.
The sight of the mansion's beauty left Elena stunned. The bright chandeliers illuminated the living room as they entered. "I'll take you to your room now," said the maid, and Elena nodded in agreement. She had guessed that they had been anticipating her arrival.
"Excuse me, do you know where Luca is?" Elena inquired as they made their way to her prepared room.
Suddenly, a familiar voice interrupted her. "Are you supposed to be asking the maid? Don't you even know where your man is?" It was Andrea Romano, her worst enemy, standing atop the stairs.
As Elena saw Andrea Romano descending the stairs, her body went stiff. She had thought she was ready to face this man, but this encounter proved otherwise. She tried to say something, but before she could, Andrea clapped his hands and approached her, his eyes beaming like Luca's."Luca never seems to fail me. You're beautiful," he said, and Elena thanked him quickly."But this isn't right," Andrea said almost immediately. "You don't know where Luca is?" he added, sounding suspicious. Elena realized she had been caught and began to make up a story, but a familiar voice interrupted them."Father," they both turned to see Luca, who looked handsome as usual in his white tuxedo."Ah, the man of the hour," Andrea chuckled. "I was just having a chat with...""She's tired, Father," Luca interrupted impatiently. He knew what his father was trying to do."You can talk tomorrow," he said and turned to Elena. "Let's go to our room, babe," he said, giving her a feigned loving smile. Elena recogniz
Elena reluctantly got up from the bed, still feeling a bit dazed from the night of passion with Luca. She had yet to put away her clothes in the wardrobe, and the thought of sharing a bed with him again made her grudgingly sigh. After dinner, they were definitely going to have a talk about getting separate rooms. She didn't care what Luca's father thought anymore. It was clear that he was taking advantage of the situation for more than just the inheritance.As she changed into comfortable clothes, Elena made her way to the dining area. The mansion was so large that it was difficult to locate, but she managed to find her way. As she walked into the dining room, she couldn't help but admire the immaculate table setting before her. The white tablecloth was perfectly laid out, with silver cutlery neatly arranged beside the exquisite china plates. The centerpiece of the table was a stunning floral arrangement that added a touch of elegance to the already impressive display.Her eyes then f
Luca and Elena's lips met in a fiery kiss, igniting a passion that had been simmering for days. Luca's hands found their way beneath Elena's top, caressing her breasts, until Elena drew back."I can't stay in the same room as you," she said, trying to catch her breath.Luca chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Scared you won't be able to get your hands off me?" he teased.Elena narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll sleep on the couch," she stated, trying to distance herself from the temptation."You can't," Luca said seriously."What?" Elena asked, confused."We can make a compromise that suits both of us," Luca proposed, and Elena eyed him suspiciously."And what is that?" she asked, unsure of where this was going."We can both stay on the bed, let's just divide it with a pillow. You on one side, and I'll stay far away from you," Luca suggested, his eyes twinkling with mischief.Elena hesitated, wondering whether she should trust him. "What if you try to...," she trailed off, not sure how t
Rio turned to look at Elena with a raised brow. “Ah…Luca. He has been my only friend since childhood. And I…” He started his last statement with a cocky smile. “…have been his confidant, his only one.” He completed, as if trying to claim ownership of something. Elena nodded knowingly. “You both make a great duo.” She forced a smile while Rio narrowed his eyes at her and turned to look at Luca, who was shining on stage while giving his speech. “Yeah, I know, right. But he still married you,” he said. “We aren’t married yet,” Elena corrected. “You will be. Soon. To my distaste,” Rio added unknowingly. Then he realized what he had said and quickly forced a smile. “I mean, it feels like my best friend will be taken away from me.” He said. “Something like that,” he added while Elena chuckled nervously. She couldn’t figure out what game Rio was playing. As her phone rang, she checked her caller ID, it was her spy at Romano group. They had an agreement not to call each other except on ce
Elena let out a sigh and wriggled out of Luca's grip. "I'm tired. I had a long day," she said as she walked up to the bed and laid down in her usual position. Luca stood there for a moment, brushing his hands through his hair in frustration before heading into the bathroom to wash up.As soon as Elena was sure he was out of the room, she turned onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "Is it worth it?" she muttered, her mind wandering back to the memory of her and Luca's first meeting. His intense gaze and the way he touched her cheeks flooded her thoughts, causing her heart to race."It must have been lonely for him," she muttered again, turning her gaze in the direction of the bathroom before quickly looking away. Elena wanted to do something for someone, for Luca, even though he was the son of her enemy."He doesn't love you, Elena. He's just obsessed with your body," she berated herself, biting her lip as she tried to give herself a reason not to give up on her revenge. "Even i
Rio watched as Luca smiled sheepishly, oblivious to his friend's presence. The smile on Luca's face was one Rio had never seen before. It was the smile of a high school kid in love. Rio swallowed, preparing to ask the question he dreaded."Are you in love with her?" Rio asked, finally gathering the courage to confront his friend.Luca's dazed expression turned into a scowl as he turned to face Rio."Do you love Elena? Or is she just a pawn in your games?" Rio asked slowly, carefully choosing his words."Love?" Luca chuckled, raising an eyebrow in amusement."So?" Rio pestered, anxious for an answer."Maybe," Luca said, a mischievous glint in his eye.Rio sighed, frustrated by his friend's lack of commitment."Maybe not," Luca added quickly.Rio watched him intently, waiting for an explanation."Well, the thing is that I've never been in love before, and I don't know what it means to be in love," Luca said innocently.Rio shook his head in disbelief. "Who would believe this grown, fine
Elena ran as fast as she could, her heart pounding with fear as she heard the sound of footsteps pounding the pavement behind her. She didn't know who the man chasing her was or why he was after her, but she knew she had to keep running if she wanted to stay alive.The streets were dark and empty, the only sounds the echoing of her own footsteps and the ragged breaths she was taking as she tried to keep up her pace. She was wearing high heels, and they made it difficult for her to run fast, but she was determined not to let the man catch her.She turned a corner, and her heart leaped with hope as she saw the lights of a convenience store up ahead. Maybe she could run inside and call for help. But as she got closer, she saw that the store was closed and dark. Her hope turned to despair as she realized she was still alone and being chased.Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her arm, and she stumbled, almost falling to the ground. The man had caught up to her, and he was much stronger than s
Luca stepped into the grand mansion, the opulent décor reminding him of how far he had come. He was relieved to finally be in the safety of his room, but as he reached for the doorknob, his phone rang. The Caller ID displayed Rio's name."Hey man," Rio greeted him from the other end."Hey," Luca replied, his voice lacking its usual enthusiasm.Rio sensed something was wrong. "What is it, Luca? You don't sound good."Luca took a deep breath before revealing the terrible news. "Someone attacked Elena last night. She's been admitted to the hospital.""What?" Rio exclaimed. "Did you catch the attacker yet?"Luca shook his head, even though Rio couldn't see him. "No, I'll head to the police station later to file a complaint. Talk to you later, Rio. I need to be with Elena now." Luca hung up and let out a heavy sigh.The thought of losing Elena made him shudder. Last night had been a nightmare. He had planned to surprise her by visiting her studio and taking her out to dinner, but instead,