C8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Luciano's office.

" I can't believe this! How could you pick a fight with her just on the first day?" Marcella said while clicking her tongue.

" Quit nagging, I'm trying to work. You know I should fire you, Marcella and Marie from my life, you women are such gossips."

These women, had made it their duty to pry into his personal life, and make him a subject of their gossip whenever they wished.

"You know I couldn't stop feeling guilty that you had to work late into the night on your wedding day and now you won't be going on a honeymoon. It makes me feel like such a worthless assistant, I hope Karen forgives me, no woman wishes for such on her wedding day."

She said with face like one who had been acquitted for a serious crime and was now remorseful.

" I just wonder how Jim copes with such a dramatic wife like you. Poor Jim! You could be a bag of trouble most times." He said nodding his head in disapproval.

" Oh, he copes just fine with a capable wife who is able to fend and take care of the kids in his absence."

Jim was a sailor for the American navy team and was often times not available. He had met Amanda during their college days just before he joined the navy and had gotten married to her. Luciano was good friends with the couple and their kids.

" And I'm sure Karen knows better than to expect any fairytale romance." He said typing away on his laptop, face masking his true emotions.

" But of course, after the stunt you pulled during your breakfast this morning. Whoever makes such outrageous rules?" She said giving him an incredulous look.

" Well I do. It's my house and I make the rules and if she wants us to get along peaceful, she should abide by them." He said.

" You know Luc, you might be a very knowledgeable and proficient business man but in actual sense you may really not be that knowledgeable."

He raised his left eyebrow questioning her silently.

"You should take her on this trip with you and while at it, act every bit as a couple in love, the media are watching out for this things.

You don't want to have them believe you married to secure the contract, especially after the mess you made on the wedding, you'll only lead the Russians to wonder on the main reason of your shotgun wedding. And what better place to have a honeymoon than Paris the city of love."

Luciano looked like he was considering her for awhile. She had a point but his schedule was quite tight and he couldn't possibly drag her to all his meetings just to give the lingering media something to talk about.

" We'll have many times to pose for the media as a couple, I would be too busy to even glance her way. This meeting is very important to me almost as important as my contract with the GIP group."

Amanda was well aware of how important the meeting with the sub-contractors from Paris was for Luciano and the company. The company's financial report has been showing a decline in the company's finances of late and there was need for immediate actions.

The new government policies in France has been a major cause of this decrease and it was essential he had this meeting with the sub-contractors as soon as possible to remedy this plight.

" It shouldn't be that bad, Luc.

Even as a workaholic, you can't be as busy as a beaver especially when you just got married."

Apart from the fact that the paparazzi were on the lookout, Amanda also felt that spending more time together would draw them closer as a couple and make Luciano fall in love with Karen, even though he had married her just to secure the GIP deal. Amanda believed he would eventually grow to love her.

"I'll have to repeat myself then again Amanda. We are not the regular lovey dovey couple, this is merely and purely for business. And I doubt if she would want to be anywhere around me." He said indifferently.

" Who do we owe that to? I don't even doubt that. You had to pick a fight on your first day as married couples. You just have to be kinder Luc, even though it's a contractual marriage, it's no biggie you know?

But then again, I guess even that is so big a deal for the great Luciano Pavarotti, the well known playboy and ruthless millionaire even on wall street."

Luciano was well aware of his fast rising fame even on the most popular business street in America, being as successful as he was it was not surprising. He could deal with good fame but never with gossip especially when it came to his relationship with women. He would leave the gossips for Marie who loved the attention.

"We are in the office right now and any discussion aside work related stuff is highly prohibited."

He was already tired of her whining. Amanda was one difficult person to let go once she gets her nosy self into a topic.

" You can as well tell me to shut my mouth, you've never been one to be polite." she said giving him a stern look.

" Well I'm glad I got a very intelligent assistant who is capable of understanding the underlying message in the things I say." He said giving her an ingenious smile.

" I trust you to take care of the fund raising auction while I'm away." He said confidently.

The fact that she was great at her job was a good cover for her flaw of prying excessively.

" Of course, benefits of having a capable assistant." She could never be prouder of her job.

" Whatever! Please have the jet ready by six, I would like to believe this new management team are capable than the previous ones. I wouldn't want a situation where I have to board public again and listen to people gossip with my name."

" Copy that. They are, I selected them myself based on their experiences." She said standing up to leave.

"Have a safe trip."

" Thanks!" he said glad she was finally gone.

.................................................................

In the mansion.

Karen was having a time of her life, touring the magnificent home she now lived in. She had been introduced to all the helpers in the mansion earlier and they were amazing, they had all welcomed her with gusto and enormous pride, almost like they approved of her as their master's wife and it had all seemed strange to her.

Marcella had assigned Lily, the young maid as her tour guide, the one whom she had found friendship in.

They were now seated in the lounge across the pool area, drinking the juice she was served by the butler, Tom.

" Lily, you should have a drink as well."

Karen said, she wanted all the helpers to feel as relaxed and at ease when they were with her, regardless of the fact that she was married to Luciano.

" No, I'm fine, I'll just watch you " She said feeling quite shy.

" Alright then." Karen knew Lily was just being shy but she was going to let her go.

" How long have you been working here?" She asked curious to know.

" Since I was a kid."

" Really? " karen asked surprised.

" Yes Miss, my mother died from leukemia. She was the only parent I knew. Marcella had found me on the streets and brought me to this household. Mr Luciano had been kind enough to take me in. He is a good man." She said asuringly.

Lily saw a flicker of disbelief in Karen's eyes.

Karen was doubtful. She felt lily had only spoken in favor of her boss to put him in good light since she worked for him.

Karen had since known for herself how arrogant and insensitive he was.

He could be a very know philanthropist to others, but to Karen his behavior was that of an uncouth human. He was rude and every bit of an arrogant jerk.

" Then have you been in this city for a long time?" She saw the need to ask, as Lily's accent couldn't possibly be that of a person who had been in America for long time.

" No, I lived in Italy for a while taking care of old Andrew and only came here after he died. He was a such a vibrant man."

Karen could see the tears swimming in the yong maid's eyes, almost like they would drop down her cheeks anytime from now.

"And who was he?" She asked.

" Oh!, He was the elder brother of Diego, Luciano's father." Marcella said, walking straight to them. She had a nack for showing up unexpectedly.

" He was Luciano's favorite uncle, that kid had loved him even more than his own father. After Diego and Layla died in that dreadful car accident, he took responsibility of the kids and welcomed them into his home, while Roberto was by then busy frolicking and gambling the family's fortune away, and had only visited for money in pretense of seeing his sister's kids from time to time when he got himself into trouble." She said with nostalgia.

" Did he die of a terminal illness?" Karen asked.

" Oh! not illness my dear, Andrew was married to the devil's heiress. Betty, Andrew's wife was the devil herself. Andrew's only crime was to love her and she killed him instead. She had toyed with his poor heart, after years of endless sacrifice and love. She took it all for granted."

Karen felt bad for the poor man, she already could tell how good of a person he was and was loved by others.

" So, I want you to understand that kid. He sometimes may be arrogant and cold but he's a good kid. And I'm glad he's married to you cause I can tell you are the right one for him." She said giving Karen a warm smile.

Karen was well aware that she regarded Luciano as her son and loved him dearly. She knew she could trust her and was safe with her and for her sake she was going to give herself a chance to co-exist with Luciano, even if he was being impossible.

She could only nod her head in response to the old lady.

" You are a good woman Marcella, and I'm glad you saved me from dying on the cold street." Lily said tearfully, coming over to sit beside the old lady.

" Hush child! No more tears." She said then gave her a hug, wiping the tears trickling down her cheeks.

Karen was touched by the display of affection. She had never felt a real motherly presence in her life, as her own mother was always too busy conceding to the whims of her Papa, and had built her life solely on him.

Being with this women felt like home and she was glad she would not be lonely in this big mansion. She was not going to dwell on the sad event of how she got married but she was going to make good memories while it last.

" Would you love to help me make lasagna and pancakes?" Marcella asked turning suddenly to Karen.

" I would love to, but my cooking is bad. I would only be a bother to you, disrupting your cooking."

" Not a problem dear, I could teach you" she said brushing Karen off."

"Marcella makes wonderful

lasagna, I bet you'd be delighted to learn her recipe." Chipped in Lily

" Well, I'd be glad to learn." Karen

said smiling.

She was an affirmed terrible cook, a total mess in the kitchen. Eleanora had always been the goddess of the kitchen amongst the three girls, and they had always left cooking for her. She was a better seamstress and that covered up for her lack of cooking skill.

" And might I add, those are Luciano's favorites, he would often times sneak into the kitchen when he was a kid at night whenever I made those." Marcella said winking at Karen, who burst out laughing at the thought of little Luciano sneaking into the kitchen to steal pancakes.