Scheming Heart (Available on Amazon Kindle)

Chapter 14

ALFONSO

That woman...

I couldn't help the frown on my face whenever I remember her. It's been three days since our disastrous countryside outing. Since Monday I have been trying to talk to her but for some reason, she's refusing to talk or see me which pissed me off.

Don't tell me that she's still smarting with the event last Sunday that's why she's refusing to talk to me over the phone or even see me in person. I tried to fetch her at their office yesterday and she didn't even bother to talk to me that made me irate even more.

She's so impossible!

Does she have any idea how many women want to hold my attention and then she treats me like this?

It's insulting. There were times that I want to wring that pretty neck of hers since Monday. How dare she treats me like one of her lapdogs? I am the great Alfonso Orsini, I am far more superior to those men who waggle their tails at her command.

"Why are you glowering like that?"

I dragged away from my dark thoughts when my friend, Luca, spoke to my side. I glanced at him only to see that he was eyeing me curiously. "I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, come on," the duke drawled lazily. "I have been studying you for a while now. You have this sullen look on your face. Tell me, what's bothering you?"

I sighed deeply, playing with the amber liquid on my highball glass. I wasn't still sure if I should tell him about my current dilemma. I don't want him to get the wrong impression about this but...

"Are you just going to remain silent?" Luca inquired, sipping his liquor. "Did you just drag me here to waste my time?"

I glared at him darkly. "I thought you guys were complaining that I am a no-show lately with our drinking session? Now you are complaining that you are wasting your time?"

His mouth curved with a smile. "Dio. You act like a woman on her period. Why so cranky? Are you going to tell me what's wrong or do you want to wait for our friends before you spill your predicament?"

I took a deep breath, drinking my liquor in one swig. I welcomed the bitter taste just like what I feel at the moment. I came here to meet the guys for a night's drink at our favorite club to clear my head and forget about that certain petite, blue-green-eyed lady with a machinegun mouth.

"Luca..." I started.

"Oh, look who's here." The newcomer stated mockingly.

I glared at him as he sat at the table with us in the private room at the gentlemen's club. "What are you doing here?"

His lips twitched with a smile. "I'm also a member of this club, remember? Besides, Luca tells us that tonight is your treat that's why I came."

"I haven't seen you in a while, Piero," Luca commented to the newcomer while pouring him a drink. "You're early the others are not here yet."

"You," I vehemently look at my cousin while enjoying his drink. "I still have a score that I need to settle with you. Did you think I have already forgotten how you used my name to seduce a young woman that made me at the receiving end of her older sister's wrath?"

Piero chuckled, looking at me with unapologetic eyes. "Ah, yes. I remember. What a funny woman. She nearly killed you in this very room if Gianna didn't arrive."

"Aren't you going to apologize?" I demanded, raising an eyebrow in his direction. To be honest, I want to smack that smirk off his face with my first. God only knows how many times he'd been doing this if he wasn't caught last time.

"Why would I?" Piero countered, pouring himself another drink. "From what I heard you've been enjoying the company of the said lady. Are you going to deny it?"

I scowled at him darkly. "Where did you hear that?"

Even if, I asked him, I already have some idea where he got that information. I threw an accusing look at the duke who was looking in the other direction at the moment while clearing his throat. I knew that he was up to nothing since he went to my office to inquire about my whereabouts.

"Are you going to deny it?" My bastard cousin prodded, looking at me with an evil glint in his dark eyes.

"You don't know what you're talking about," I told him irately, and then I faced Luca. "And you, I can't believe you started gossiping about me the moment you left my office."

"How harsh, amico." The duke remarked with a wounded expression that I don't buy. For all I know, he's rather enjoying spilling everything to our friends.

"Oh, come on, Alfonso," Piero said with a maddening tone. "Why don't you just admit that I made you favor with my little lie? If it's not for me you are not enjoying the company of Gianna's older sister."

I gave him a thunderous look. "Screw you. If you think that I will say 'thank you', you are highly mistaken. I sorely want to roast your bollocks in an open pit fire and feed it to the dogs afterward."

Instead of feeling insulted by my words, my cousin glanced at the duke with amusement on her face. "What's wrong with this one?" He nodded his head in my direction with an annoying smile playing on his mouth. "Why he's so triggered tonight?"

Luca's grey eyes gleamed while observing me. "I believe that has some problem with the lady in question, Piero."

"Oh?" He was halfway from drinking his spirits when my cousin glanced at me with interest. "Is that true?"

"No!" I snapped at them.

"I think it's factual given your reaction," Piero noted with a chuckle. "What happened to your notorious charm, cousin?" Is it not working with Gianna's sister? What's her name again?"

"Signorina Claudia." Luca supplied cheerfully.

Piero clicked his tongue. "Ah, si, Claudia. Just like Gianna, she's also a pretty little thing. I remember how fascinating she was."

I threw him a lethal glare. "Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself. If you don't want yourself to earn black eye this instant."

He made a meaningful exchange of looks at the duke. "Hey, somebody is being possessive with the Signorina, don't you think?"

"Is that true, amico?" Luca asked at me maliciously which I pointedly ignore. The last thing I wanted tonight was for these two bastards to roast me with my quandary. All I want was to find a solution to this discord I have with the woman so we can continue with our charade. When I didn't answer Luca nudged his elbow to my cousin's arm. "Why don't you help your cousin fix this little misunderstanding he has with Signorina Claudia?"

I grimaced in their direction. "Who says I have a misunderstanding with her?"

"You don't have?" The annoying duke queried with an innocent look that belied the expression on his grey eyes.

"I will not answer that," I told him, emptying my glass. This fucking thing burns my throat more than I want.

Piero whistled, as he sat back in his seat. He was gazing at Luca with an inquisitive look. "Don't tell me he got it bad? I can already see Uncle Salvatore's happy dance at the library of his house."

"You are mistaken," I snapped at him, pouring myself another glass. "I am not falling for the lady if that's what you are implying."

"Yet, he's still in a bad mood since Monday." My friend observed. "We're curious, amico. What's wrong with the lady?"

I sighed deeply, sniffing my drink. Before I had the chance to stop myself from saying anything I already blurted at them the source of my irritation. "She's currently not speaking with me."

Both of them laugh out loud which made me cringe. "I never thought that a day would come that the 'Alfonso Orsini' will be like this because of a mere woman."

Piero shook his head regretfully as if still couldn't believe it. "I'm speechless. Fine, I will help you with your predicament, cousin."

"I don't need your help." I rasped out.

My pride wouldn't let it be as simple as that.


CLAUDIA

"Claudia!"

I looked up from the book I have been reading when I saw my younger sister, Gianna, coming in my direction with a grin on her face.

"What?" I asked curiously. Now that I realized that I haven't seen her since the incident at the gentlemen's club where I unwillingly made fool of myself. I still need to reprimand her about that occasion but I don't want to do it when Papa was within hearing distance. I might get an earful lecture also.

The grin on Gianna's face was still fixed on her face, showing me two tickets in her hand. "I have some tickets want to come with me?"

I eyed her curiously. It's already midweek and Mama wants me to have dinner with them, so I went to their house straight after work. "What kind of tickets are those? If those were movie tickets I am not interested."

"No, they are not." She said in her singsong voice. She sat beside me excitedly. "A friend of mine gave me these tickets last night. Look, it's the tickets for the Night at the Opera. I know you mentioned to me the other day that you want to attend."

My eyes went saucer wide, snatching the tickets in her hand lightning fast. Goodness, it's the premiere of La Boheme. I stared at my sister with a guarded look. "Who gave you these tickets? They cost a fortune, you know."

Gianna avoided my gaze. "Does it matter? As I said, a friend of mine purchased those tickets but her boyfriend doesn't like Opera that's why she gave those tickets to me."

I looked at her with suspicion. Was she telling the truth? But I couldn't help but wonder if that's true since who would be in their right mind to just give away their tickets to one of the most sought-after operas for this year.

Absurd thoughts crossed my mind. I shook my head almost immediately. You are being paranoid, Claudia. There's no way he would go that far. Besides, he doesn't even know that I like Opera and we're not even on speaking terms after the disastrous date last Sunday. I'm still smarting that he went so mad at me because of that freaking motorbike. Whenever I remember that day I want to hit him with his beloved motorcycle.

"...Claudia?" My sister's voice dragged me out of my reverie. I noticed her worried expression. "Are you alright?"

I smiled at her reassuringly. "Yes, I was just thinking something unimportant."

She was silent for a moment as if searching for something on my face before she speak again. "So, you'll come with me tomorrow?"

"I don't know," I replied, I wasn't still sure about the whole thing. I want to come but in the back of my mind, something tells me that this isn't a good idea. But the thought was baseless if I have to be honest I do want to attend.

"Oh, come one," Gianna cajoled with a winsome smile. "Are you going to let these tickets to waste?"

I stared at the golden tickets in my hands. I muttered to myself. "I don't think I have suitable wear for such a formal event."

"Oh, please..." Gianna rolled her eyes. "...I'm sure you have something in your wardrobe for the event if not, let's buy something tomorrow."

I gave her a disapproving look. "I don't want to empty my saving for such a one-time event."

My sister gave me a dry look. "Don't start me with your penny-pinching ways, Claudia. We need to look at our best at the opening of the Opera tomorrow. Let's give the people a lethal dose of the Romano sisters' beauty tomorrow night."

Now, I was sure that there was something highly suspicious at tomorrow's event and my sister is involved with this.