Under the Italian Sun

Chapter 17

Domenico's POV

"What the hell is this?" I asked my mother angrily as she threw the morning paper on my desk. "Watch your tone Domenico!" my mother replied snidely. I huffed in annoyance as I looked at the picture and headline of the story again. It gives off the idea that I will be married soon, and it aggravates me to no point.

"Where did she get the ring? How could you give the family heirloom to her, mother? Do you even care for my happiness and what it is that I want?" I asked my mother. "I gave it to her, because whether you like it or not Domenico you have a responsibility towards your family. What's more important than family? A stupid fling with your South-African employee?" my mother retaliated.

My mood seemed to worsen at the mention of Mika and suspicion clouded my mind as I looked at my mother's smug looking face. "What have you done?" I asked suspiciously. A huge grin formed on her face as she watched me. "What have you done damnit?!" I questioned again, my anger rising at the fact that she didn't answer my question the first time around and no doubt in my mind that she did something that she did not regret in the slightest, but that I would have to make up for.

"I did what any good parent would've done. I got rid of the trash!" my mother replied as she turned around to leave my office. "She's not trash! You don't even know her!" I replied angrily. She stopped in her tracks right in the doorway and equally enraged answered: "Of course she is. Anyone who would come from the outside to trash something that took other people decades to build are trash. The fact that she's divorced and have children just adds to it. Not to even mention that she's black. Black Nico! Haven't I raised you better? Do you want to ruin this family with your escapades? Why is she even divorced? From the way she dresses I gather that she's quite loose and the fact that this is your reaction, proves to me that you've slept with her, again emphasizing that she's a woman with no moral compass. What do you even know about her? Wait-Don't answer that. I'll only tell you this once more; You will marry Arianna!" With that she left. Leaving me an angry mess. I was fuming because she's forcing me into a marriage that I do not want, not even in the slightest, but what's more aggravating is the fact that she insulted Mika's morals, after she told us what she went through with her ex-husband. But I know my mother well enough to know that hell would feel like paradise for Mika if I didn't leave her alone and married Arianna.