-Phil McGraw
Marco Orsini’s POV
“You want me to find what!” I nearly leaped
out of my chair as I asked my grandfather
again in case I just misheard him.
“A bride.” MyNonno, Alfonso Orsini, repeated
calmly. “I want you to find yourself a bride
before my birthday. Your birthday present to
me.”
I snorted, laughing at the idea about finding
myself a bride. “What makes you think I need
a bride,nonno? I’m still young to think about
settling down.”
“You’re already thirty-one,figlio.” Grandfather
pointed out flatly. “I married yournonnawhen
I’m in my late twenties. I should say it’s past
time for you to settle down, Marco.”
Right now, I am debating if my impromptu
decision had been correct in deciding to visit
my grandparents in their vineyard just outside
Rome. Maybe I should have just stayed in the
city instead of visiting their fortress.
Now I am stuck here inside my grandfather’s
study room–or throne room as I privately
called it, babbling things I am not interested
to hear with.
“I’m not interested in marriage.” I told my
grandfather arrogantly. “Marriage is not for
me.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do.”
My grandfather just laughed heartily, fishing
out an expensive cigar from the inside pocket
of his suit. He savored the smell of it. “I won’t
be arrogant if I were you, my boy. Look at
your good friend–the duke, he also once
sworn he will never walked down the aisle of
matrimony. Now look at him he’s already
happily married to his duchess and expecting
their first child. The dowager duchess couldn’t
shake off the smug on her aristocratic face
about the news that she will be a grandmother
at last.”
I knew that we will come to this conclusion
once this conversation started. Of course,
mynonnoalready heard the news about the
pregnancy of Lucca’s new bride and as a
proud Italian that he was Alfonso Orsini wants
his dynasty to continue through the next
generations. This enormous vineyard had been
passed to the next male heir of the Orsini for
centuries. Since I am my father’s only child,
grandfather might fear that the Orsini dynasty
will stop if I did not take a wife soon.
He probably thought that I’m on my dotage
age already that few more years I couldn’t
fathered even a single child.
“Aren’t you envious to your friend?” My
grandfather prodded, dragging me out of my
reverie. “That he finally settled down with a
good woman?”
“No.”
Grandfather held a private smile that made me
frowned, as he placed his cigar between his
teeth. “What a heartless answer.”
If he just knew the length Lucca had suffered
because of his wife. He’d fallen like a hapless
chap. Watching him suffered jealousy on
many occasions because men paid attention
to his beautiful bride. I couldn’t watch him
surrender to the thing they called ‘love’. The
great duke had fallen. I can’t let myself to be
like that. Not in this lifetime.
Falling in love? Surrendering your heart to a
woman?
What a laughed.
“Nonnawill skin you alive if she caught you
with that cigar.” I warned him as he lit the
cigar and puffed the smoke.
“I don’t think so.” My grandfather said
smugly, as he continued to puff his cigar.
THE STORY START TOMORROW
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