Chapter 29: The Deal

MARIA'S POV

I drove around in my Porsche, hoping to clear my head. Zia Benedetta had insisted I went with a driver at least, but I declined. I needed to be alone to think. When I narrated how my date with Roy went, I purposely ignored the details where Vincenzo appeared. I didn't even want to think about it, that is if my treacherous mind was willing to cooperate.

Time and time again, my mind drifted to that night. I couldn't tell if Vincenzo had been toying with me or if he was going to kiss me. It didn't matter, though; it was an awkward position. I had more important things to think about.

For example, Roy's information. After snooping around for information on the Santoro's, he had miraculously encountered an old employee of the family who told him about an aflash that allegedly contained every dirty secret of the Santoro's.

Of course, he didn't know if it was true, but it seemed convincing enough. At least enough for me to contemplate ways I could get that flash. This was the main reason I needed to drive around. I needed to think of a way to penetrate that family.

Scratch that. I already found a way. It was still up to someone to hear me out, though. I just needed to summon enough courage to go through with the plan in my head. It was going to be tough, but I needed to do this.

I noticed a red light blinking in the dashboard, signaling a need for fuel. I sighed, wondering why no one saw it fit to reserve gas in the tanks of all the cars at home. I was more pissed at my luck of picking the car with little to no fuel to drive. Thankfully, I spotted a gas station a few kilometers away.

I drove into the spot to fill up my tank and hopefully sum up enough courage to do the needful. Not until I felt someone's intense gaze resting on me.

I turned, and my eyes landed on the car beside mine. Its occupant was the culprit. A strange older woman kept on staring at me. She looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't put a picture of where I had seen her before. I shrugged and paid for the fuel. It wasn't my concern if someone was hell-bent on looking at me. I was used to it already.

People always stared everywhere I went. It used to be uncomfortable, but once I realized I had a face blessed by God himself (word to Ursula), I learned not to care anymore. I drove out and kept on going to my destination. However, I slowed down a bit when I noticed that a car from the fuel station was trailing behind me. I suddenly began to feel apprehensive.

There were so many questions on my mind. Who was she? And why was she insistent on following me? I increased my speed, praying to get to the restaurant in one piece. I didn't want to die on a lonely highway in the hands of a crazy stalker. I got to the restaurant and felt relieved.

I thought to quickly park and find the person I came here to see but trusted my luck to intervene. The restaurant was packed full, and that extended to its parking lot. "Did all of Milan suddenly decide to come to get lunch here?" I wondered, allowed.

When I finally thought it couldn't worsen, I heard a slight tap on my windows. I froze a bit and turned my head to see who it was. Of course, it had to be the strange woman from the gas station. I contemplated ignoring her and focusing on getting a spot to park.

However, another part of me urged me to give her a listening ear. We were also in a crowded place. Couldn't she murder me, or was it? She knocked again, and this time around, I was irritated.

"What do you want?" I asked, drawing my windows down. She just kept looking Strangely at me.

"Well, if you're not going to answer, I'll like to pull up my windows now."

"This is unbelievable!" She suddenly said. "You look just like her," the strange woman continued, staring at me.

"I don't have time for this, mam? Who do I look like? I'm in a hurry," I said, getting very impatient.

God knows I did not need this detour right now

"Maria?" She suddenly asked, unconvinced at first. My heartbeat stopped for a moment as I stared at her. Stared. She was becoming more familiar the more I looked. Her name was just at the tip of my tongue.

"Aunt Nora? Aunty Leonora?" I asked, and she screamed in delight.

"Oh, it's you! It's you," she repeated, still shocked. I was going to reply when my eyes landed on the figure I had come to meet. He was at the upper part of the restaurant staring down at me.

When our eyes met, he waved and smiled. My heart skipped a bit.

"Aunt," I began. "I'm delighted I met you, but right now, I need to do something essential. Maybe you could drop by the house sometime, and we'll talk properly," I said hastily.

Without waiting for a reply, I spotted a free space to park and got down. I turned back to see her still watching me in total disbelief. I mouthed an apology to her, hoping she understood I needed to do something essential. Striding with purpose, I climbed up to meet Vincenzo Santoro.

"You left that woman hanging. That was rude of you," he said at my arrival.

"You came," I replied.

"Shocked?" He asked, gesturing for me to take a seat.

"I just thought you were busier. It isn't so," I replied testily. I know it was best not to rile him up, mainly because of what I was about to ask of him, but I couldn't help it.

"Why did you call me out, Maria? How did you even get my number?" He dived straight into the point, obviously not in the mood to play games.

"I have my ways as I suppose you have yours," I replied to the second part of the question. "Before I answer your first, shouldn't we eat first? I'm starved," I said.

"But I'm okay. If you have nothing to say, Maria, I'll just leave now," he said, getting up. I hurriedly stopped him before he could leave. I wondered why he was so impatient.

"Fine, I'll go straight to the point" he sat back.

"I want my brother back, and I'm willing to make a deal for it," I said.

"Well, it better be a damn good deal, Mm. my prototype will not cut it anymore," he said. I took a long breath to calm down. He annoyed me, but I wouldn't let him control my emotions.

"You're right. The prototype will not cut it anymore, and rightfully so. I have a better offer," I said, watching him closely. If he was curious to know, he didn't show it. He had on a blank expression.

"Well, what is it?" He asked impatiently. It was finally time to do this. It was now or never.

"I'm offering myself to you in place of my brother. Take me as your servant and release him. I'll do anything you want me to do" I watched his face change from blank to amused. He suddenly began to laugh.

"You can't be serious," he finally said after calming down for a second.

"Oh, you are?" He asked, seeing the serious expression on my face. I nodded, and he smiled broadly, revealing his extra white and shiny tooth.

"Maria Caruso wants to trade places with her brother and be my servant. I'll admit I didn't see this coming. Unfortunately, I'll have to decline." He said; my face fell. Damn him! Did I need to beg?

"But I do have an offer of my own," he suddenly said, and my face shot up with an expressionless face.

"What's that?" I asked, filled with hope.

"You as my maid. If you do everything I say to my satisfaction, only then will I release your brother"

He was an intelligent man, and I'll give him that. I could tell he just came up with that. Of course, he needed assurance that I wouldn't run away when my brother was released. I didn't even think twice before I said that. "deal!"

He was taken by surprise as he searched my face for a sign that I was joking.

"You're sure about this?" He asked.

"Yes, I am. You know I'll do anything to get my brother back. I'll even become your slave, Vincenzo, to get my brother back."

"Then I guess we have a deal," he said, stretching out his hand. I took it, and just like that, it was sealed. I was going to move into Vincenzo Santoro's house as his maid.

"Oh, God!" I whispered silently.