fifty-one: italian devil

thank you!

not proof-end!

He looked terrible to put it bluntly. He had dark-circles underneath his eyes, he had a look of frustration and even his suit was messed. Basically he looked like a complete mess, but somehow I was attracted to the messed up ones.

"She's fine, Marco." Rita said reassuringly. "She's getting induced as we speak."

Marco let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God."

There was a small pause before Rita spoke up again, "I'm going to get something to eat."

Thanks a lot, Rita.

"Do you guys want anything to eat?" She asked Marco and I.

We both shook our heads. "No." He muttered, taking a seat besides me.

"Okay, I will be right back." Rita disappeared to get food for herself.

There was another space of silence...

I said I would talk to Marco, but what do I exactly say? It is not exactly the right time to talk about the very...Eventful incident.

"So..." He began to say. I fidgeted in my seat.

"So..." I repeated. This is really uncomfortable to go through right now.

"How have you been?" He asked, trying to sound polite as possible.

I put on a tight smile. "I've been good. How about you?"

"I've had better days."

Yeah, this is getting very uncomfortable...

Marco sighed. "Ophelia, I-"

"WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?!"

Thank you, Reece. Thank you so much. I freaking owe you my life...

A bit much now that I think about it.

"She is getting induced." Answered a very calm Marco. How he looks so calm and casual after we were interrupted puzzles me.

"I need to see her."

Marco narrows his eyes at Reece, like he is starring at an idiot. "She is getting induced." He repeated very slowly which almost makes me want to snort out a laugh.

"So?" He challenged.

"You are not allowed to see her until she is done."

"And?"

"You will see her later."

"My wife is in labour. I need to see her."

"My sister is in labour. I'm not stupid like you, I know that I will see her. AFTER she is finished being induced."

"She is having my child."

"She is having my niece or nephew."

If I didn't know any better, I would think that I was in a room with children.

I twitched in irritation. They are disturbing everyone in the hospital, only an idiots would do that. Oh, wait I am with two idiots!

"Reece calm down, Michelle will be done soon. Marco stop provoking Reece." I snaped at the two.

Reece frowns, but none the less sits down next to Marco.

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A soft, but deep voice woke me up. I stirred out of my sleep, and slowly opened my eyes; rubbing them slightly.

"She's given birth already." The familiar voice of Marco said, making me shoot up from my seat.

"What?!" I screeched out loud, earning a fair few scowls sent to my direction.

"Michelle gave birth to her first daughter."

My face softened. "What's her name?"

"April."

I smiled. What a cute name. But how I slept through when one of my good friends was giving birth beats me. I think the power of sleep just overcame me and I fell asleep.

"We should talk-"

Without thinking, I stood up. "I should go see how Michelle is doing."

Marco had a look of hurt for a moment before his expression changed. "Yeah." He says quietly.

I harshly bit my lip. I felt terrible for turning away from him.

After walking for a few seconds, I managed to find where Michelle room was. I twisted the door knob, opening the door as a result.

"Hi there." Michelle whispered tiredly, holding her new born baby. She had sweats all over her face, she looked exhausted. But she had a look of happiness.

"She's adorable." I chuckled softly as I take a few strides to Michelle.

She had no hair and she was definitely a tiny little peanut. Her eyes are tightly shut as she sleeps heavily. She definitely reminded me of Michelle.

"She was stubborn to come out, but she did." She smiled, staring at April lovingly.

"How does it feel? Knowing that you are now a mother?" I questioned with a slight grin.

She returns a grinned. "Strange, but I love it. You don't except it to happen, but it does. You know what I mean?"

"No, I don't." I teased.

She rolled her eyes. "Be quiet you."

"Now, sit." She pointed to the chair near the bed. "Rita and Dante told me everything. They actually wouldn't shut up about it." She laughed.

Hesitantly, I stepped to the chair and sat down. "Is it even the right time to talk about it?" I asked nervously. "You are still tired from the birth."

"I'm fine." She scoffed. "It's you I'm worried about."

"I didn't just give birth to a human being." I pointed out.

Her eyes rolled. "Ophelia." She said sternly.

I leaned against the chair. "Alright, fine."

"Reece hurt me badly once. I fell apart. Why wouldn't I? The pain felt to so fresh and raw every day. After a while he came back. He wanted to talk. I didn't. He made it loud and clear to me about his feelings. I wouldn't let him explain. It just made me feel worse. Let him explain to you first, I am sure there is more to what happened. I am not saying go back to him straight away, think before you decide what you want to do. If you still feel that you do not want to be with him, which I highly doubt, then don't return him. Let him know that you want things to be over for real. But think first after he finished explaining."

I heaved a sigh and let my head throw back. "Trust me, I know this. I want to let him explain. But I just freak out every time and find an excuse to get away from him. Maybe I am afraid of finding out what really happened. I am scared that he just used me and there's now ifs and buts."

"You won't know if you don't try."

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Lorenzo and Francesca came rushing in Michelle's hospital a few moments later. They had a worried look itched on there faces.

The couple apologised to Michelle about how they missed her birth. Michelle laughed it off and introduced them to her daughter.

Francesca bursted out crying, whilst Lorenzo stared at April softly.

Dante soon after came in, ruining the happy little moment. Lorenzo looked at Dante with a scowl.

"So, how was running away from home and living with Marco?"

I stepped out, not wanting to deal with this family-type of situation. I returned back to the waiting area.

Marco was still there. He still hasn't moved one bit since I left him like that when I went to see Michelle and April.

"Your family are in there. You should join them." I told him. "Dante is being scolded by your father." I laughed nervously.

Not one smile or laugh came out of Marco. He had solemn expression, which just made me nervous.

"Marco?"

"You hate me, don't you?"

"What?" His question surprised me. "Of course I don't hate you, why would you think that?"

"Every time I try to explain myself you run."

Guilt started to sink in. "Marco I-"

"When the first time I said 'I love you' I didn't mean it." He started. I try to ignore that prick in my heart, I waited for him to carry on.

"But every moment I spent with you, I grew to love you. Sure, you were irritating at times. But I guess that what made me love you. I tried to tell myself I wasn't in love with you. I tried to tell myself that the acting just got to me. But then I realised that I needed to stop denying it. I fell for you. I fell hard for you. Fuck, what did you do to me Ophelia Kokinos?"

He carried on. "I love you, you may not believe me. But I do love you. I love you so fucking much. I may not deserve you. But I said this to you before, and I will say it again. I am selfish. I am so fucking selfish. I will not let anyone take you from me, because I love you. You are worth everything to me. You own my heart, my soul. You may not feel the same for me, you may hate me. But you are worth suffering for. I love you and those aren't just words to me. I love you."

I didn't know I was crying until a sob escaped me. It didn't matter how much Marco hurt me, because I love him. I always will love him.

"God." I sob. "You never left my heart. No matter how many times you did hurt me, you never left my heart. I love you too. I love you so much."

He pulls me to him, instantly smashing his lips on mine. "You are mine forever."

"Whatever you say, Italian Devil."

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a few weeks later

somewhere in italy...

Dante walked to his father's office. He knocked on the door, waiting for his father's signal for him to enter. He was not as nervous as he was before.

He knew that this is what he wanted.

"Come in." Lorenzo said. He didn't bother to see who it was because the last person he expected was his youngest son.

"Father." Dante nodded his head.

Confusion spreads through Lorenzo. Why did Dante want to speak to him? This rarely happened. He must have wanted something.

"What can I help with you, son? I was about to write a letter to your eldest cousin, asking him for the companies." He stated.

After Michelle's birth, Marco suddenly announced that he did not want to take over the Donati Empire, he said that he didn't want to take over something that nearly cost him Ophelia and Marco was more than happy to start his own business.

Lorenzo had no other option but to turn to his eldest nephew. It upset him that none of his children wanted to have his companies, but he understood and was actually proud of Marco, Michelle and Dante.

They all wanted to make a name for themselves on their own.

Lorenzo was very proud indeed.

But what Dante said certainly shocked Lorenzo.

"I want to take over the Donati Empire."

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