SUMMER, 1955

ALFONSO

"You want me to find what?!"

"A wife." My father, Salvatore Orsini, announced calmly, sitting at his study table in the library of the Orsini Vineyard.

I snorted at him while sitting back in my chair across from his table. "I am still young to take a wife, padre."

My father's eyes narrowed in my direction. "You are not getting any younger, Alfonso. As the heir to the Orsini Vineyard, I think it's time for you to take a wife and have a family of your own. You are not getting any younger, boy."

I snorted again, stretching my legs in front of me. I know coming here to chat with him was pointless when we would start lecturing me again about life. "I am still young to think about settling down."

"You are already twenty-five!" The old man snapped at me. "When do you think is the right time to get married? When you are too old enough to produce an heir?"

I grimaced at my father's words. Why my parents are so eager for me to get married? Hell, I think I am still too young to think about settling down. And there's this woman I like but I don't think she will accept my proposal since she's starting to get recognized in the film industry. Besides, I only dated her once and it never happened again because the paparazzi might get a wind of our rendezvous. Her manager was very strict about her dating life which might ruin her budding career and I understand that.

"Do you have problems finding a good woman to be your wife?" Padre stated, dragging me out of my reverie. "Do you want me to tell your mother to find you a suitable wife?"

"No!" I replied repulsively. "I am not yet ready to settle down."

My father's dark eyes flashed irritably in my direction. "When will you grow up, Alfonso? Haven't you had enough of your name always associated with different women in the tabloids almost every week? How will you be able to manage the Orsini Industries with your irresponsible nature?"

I snorted at him. "Dio. I am not aware that you are reading a gossip column."

"Thanks to you." The old man replied sarcastically. "I need to keep track of my playboy son's antics through those trash papers."

I pointedly ignore my father's sermon. I knew coming here would end like this. This is not the first time we have had this conversation. He's very vocal about wanting me to take a wife since I graduated from college. Salvatore Orsini thinks that if I start my family now I might be eligible to take the reign as the head of the Orsini Industries.

"I'm warning you, Alfonso." My father said strictly. "I don't want to see your name on the tabloids ever again with your escapades. Or you will leave me no choice but to disinherit you."

"You can't be serious!" My eyes widened in disbelief in his direction as I sat up straight from my chair. "I am your only child."

Salvatore pointedly looked at me with his stoic face. "I will make your cousin, Piero, as my sole heir."

I exhaled a loud breath as I leaned back on my chair. "Why do you need to be such a pain in the ass, Padre? How can you give me such an ultimatum?"

"You leave me no choice, figlio. Your womanizing ways along with the Duke of Caprielle are giving me a headache every morning. I think the only way for you to stop dragging our family name in the mud is for you to take a wife."

I groaned loudly. "Oh, God! Are we back to this thing again?"

My father smiled thinly in my direction. "We never left the subject, boy."

"Stop meddling in my life, will you?" I informed him irritably. "I will get married when I am ready not because you are forcing me." Besides, the woman I like is not ready yet.

"I'm serious with my warning, Alfonso." He stated firmly. "Don't wait for me to lose my patience with you or you will find yourself disinherited. At least, have a serious relationship if you are not yet ready to get married. That's the only way you can convince me that you can lead our company."

I made a face in my father's direction. This old man was a pain in the ass most of the time. I stood from my chair. "I'll see what I can do about that, Padre."

I was already at the door when Salvatore spoke again. "I'm serious, figlio. One more scandal in your name and you will be as good as homeless."

I didn't bother to answer him as I went out of the door. I marched back to my room and dialed my best friend's number. After a few rings, he finally answers. "Gianluca? Are you free? Let's meet at the club tonight."

CLAUDIA

I was putting on lipstick when my younger sister barged into my room. I looked at her through the reflection on my dresser mirror a frown mark on my eyebrow when I saw her crying as she made her way to my side.

"Oh, Claudia..." she sobbed on my legs, burying her face on my white fluffy skirt. Great! I thought helplessly. Now she was about to smudge her makeup on my skirt.

"What's wrong?" I asked curiously. What could be the reason why she's sobbing this afternoon? Did she have a row with Papa again?

Gianna looked up from my legs, her eyes misted with painful tears. "I need your help, Claudia."

My eyes narrowed in her direction as I eyed her cautiously. I don't think I like the way she's looking at me right now. "What kind of help?"

"I need you to help me avenge this man I met at the nightclub last night."

"What?!" I stated indecorously. "Are you crazy? You went to a nightclub again after Papa forbid you?"

"Shh..." She put her index finger on her lips. "Lower your voice, will you? Papa will hear you."

"That's the plan," I told her darkly. My eyes narrowed in her direction again. "What happened to you and this guy you met in the club, by the way? Did you sleep with him?"

"What? No!" She looked away from me, biting her lower lip.

"Gianna..." There was a warning in my voice.

My younger sister looked at me straight in the eyes. "I swear to you, Claudia, I did not sleep with him. Though I might be if he asked me last night. But we kind of kiss a lot."

"Gianna Romano!" I looked horrified at her words. "Sweet Maria! What are you thinking kissing a man you just met?! Are you crazy?"

"Lower your voice, will you?" She suddenly snapped at me. "Do you want Papa to hear you screaming like that? If he learns about this he might send me to the nunnery."

I scoffed at her. "Papa should send you to the convent. He and Mama didn't raise us to be such ladies."

Gianna rolled her eyes on me. "Quit the drama, Claudia. You might be three years older than me but I know your secret."

I frowned at her. "What are you talking about?"

She smiled slyly in my direction. "I saw you kissing your suitor when he dropped you off the other day--"

I covered her mouth with my hand to stop the words. I think I paled beneath my perfectly applied makeup. "Did you tell Mama or Papa about this?"

She removed my hand that was covering her mouth. "Of course not. I am waiting for the perfect time to use this to my advantage."

I shook my head and sighed deeply. This woman... I thought with resignation. She could be as devious as me sometimes. How could I let my guard down and let Dante kiss me the other day knowing someone from my family could see us?

Now my worst fear came to life. Gianna was blackmailing me against it. "What do you want me to do then?"

"Please avenge this man for me."

My eyebrows drew together. "What did he do to you to make you cry this afternoon?"

Gianna sniffed again. My eyes narrowed in her direction. I think she only did that to make her more pitiful with her drama. "You see, I met him in this nightclub and we kind of flirted throughout the night and this morning I bumped into him but denied any involvement with me saying he doesn't remember me. The most heartbreaking part is that he has another woman I feel so ashamed being denied by the man you like."

"Jesus, Gianna!" I exclaimed to her. "What are you thinking?! That man is probably a womanizer how can you fall for his sweet but meaningless words? You are smarter than that!"

"I know that now..." My sister bit her lower lip. "...I thought he was different from the others."

It took every ounce of my self-control not to roll my eyes on her. Sometimes this woman could be so naïve when it comes to men. I thought Mama already made it clear how to read men to save ourselves from unwanted heartache. I guess Gianna was still young to differentiate a good man from trash.

"What is this guy's name, by the way?" I asked nonchalantly.

My younger sister's face brightened in my direction. "So you're going to help me with my plan?"

"Don't get your hopes too high just yet," I warned her sternly. "I still don't think revenge is necessary in this case, Gianna. Maybe just take this as a lesson never trust men so easily."

My sister's eyes shimmered with tears again. "How can I let it just pass, Claudia? He and his date humiliated me a while ago the woman calls me delusional."

Anger bubbled inside me. "She tells you that?"

Gianna nodded. "Yes."

"What is the guy's name anyway?" I asked curiously, though in my mind I already plotted how to make this man pay for what he did to my sister.

There was a small smile playing on Gianna's lips that she was keeping so hard to hide. "His name is Alfonso Orsini."

"I see." I took a deep breath, caressing my sister's cheeks. "Don't worry about it. I will take care of this."

"What will you do?" She asked curiously.

"Leave it to me." I smiled at her. "Get back to your room and compose yourself before Papa sees you like this. I need to finish dressing up."

My sister nodded reluctantly. She kissed my cheek before standing to her feet. "Thank you, Claudia. You're the best sister."

I rolled my eyes on her. "I am your only sister."

She grinned at me. "I know that's why you are the best."

Once she left me alone in my room. I continued to put the red lipstick on my lips and put some powder on my face.

Alfonso Orsini...

You will pay dearly for hurting my sister like that. I will find you where the hell hellhole you are hiding. I will not stop until you grovel at Gianna's feet for forgiveness.

I went to my bedside table and dialed my best friend's number. "Hello, Anna? I need your help..."

******

A few hours later, I stood in front of a high-end nightclub with my best friend. I turned to my side to look at her. "Are you sure that he's here?"

"Yes. Hundred percent sure."

"Let's go." I was about to march inside the club when my friend stopped me in my tracks.

"Wait!" Anna demanded. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," I replied resolutely. "No one can humiliate my sister like that. I will make sure he will pay dearly for playing with Gianna's feelings."

Anna took a deep sigh. "I don't think this is such a good idea, after all. Don't make harsh decisions. I know that you love Gianna but what if you could be in trouble because of this?"

I smiled secretively at her worried face. "Relax. I am Claudia Romano. I am way smarter than most people think. Let's go."

My best friend reluctantly followed me inside the club and it didn't take long before I found the VIP room where the bastard Alfonso Orsini and his friends were having a good time. What better way to announce your arrival than with style and probably catch them off guard?

So I kicked the door that nearly ruined my favorite heels and strode inside the room. Several pairs of eyes drew in my direction with gape mouths.

"Who the hell is Alfonso Orsini?"

Everyone else sitting at the table pointed their fingers at the man smoking a cigarette with a dark-haired woman in his lap. My eyes narrowed in his direction instantly.

"Buonasera, Signorina." The devil had the nerve to smile merrily in my direction as he pleasantly greeted me.

You're going to die tonight, you bastard.