The engagement
AMBROSE
I hurriedly got dressed in the car and tucked the red thong into my pockets. I had a feeling that I was going to meet that woman someday and I'd personally return this to her.
"Are you at the bar?" Nolan asked curiously and I could tell that he was upset.
I groaned deeply.
"Firstly, I deserve an apology, son, because you ditched your old man. I waited for you for hours, and you never even bothered to call or text to let me know that you weren't going to make it."
Nolan remained silent.
"Okay I'm sorry for not informing you, but please don't tell me that you're at some random hotel with a woman in your bed."
I chuckled softly.
"Actually, I'm in my car and the woman sneaked out while I was asleep."
Nolan scoffed in annoyance.
"Eww, dad, I'm hanging up. Just meet me at your apartment. I've already bought your suit."
I hung up and began driving to my apartment. Twenty minutes later, I arrived and spotted Nolan's car in the driveway.
I went to the living room and found him staring outside.
"You're late," he muttered quietly and turned to face me.
He looked very handsome in his blue suit.
"You never told the real reason why you ditched me last night."
He looked conflicted.
"Are you having second thoughts about the engagement? We can always find another way to get this deal."
He shook his head negatively.
"No... this deal means a lot to you and the company, dad, and I want to help you even if it means marrying a woman from the rebel's family."
He made it sound like I was forcing him to marry that girl.
"Nolan, you don't have to marry someone you don't love. Just think this through and let me know what you'll decide."
He nodded quietly.
"Just please take a shower so that we can start off early. I want us to leave early and make a good impression on the Rebels."
I had a feeling that Nolan was hiding something from me, and I was going to get to the bottom of the issue.
I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he gave me an assuring smile, but it wasn't enough to convince me or erase the doubts that had begun to creep into my head.
I went upstairs and took a long shower. Once I was done, my gaze lingered on the black suit that was perfectly laid out on the bed.
I sighed deeply.
That woman never even gave me her name but her scent is now embedded in my soul, and there's no way I'd forget it anywhere.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Nolan walked in, and he looked nervous.
"What if she doesn't like me?"
I gave him a puzzled look.
"Are you talking about your fiance?" I asked curiously.
He took a sip of his drink.
He was nervous.
"You'll be fine, Nolan, just be yourself, and everything will fall into place."
I've never seen him so nervous to meet a girl.
"Relax."
An hour later, we were driving to the Rebels mansion. Our agenda today was to have a small lunch and get Nolan and the Rebels' granddaughter engaged in the evening.
When we finally arrived, the mansion itself looked magnificent, and I could already imagine what the inside looked like.
I turned to look at Nolan, and he looked in good shape.
Security checked our IDs and later gave us the signal to go in. After a few minutes, we were parked at the entrance of the mansion.
The doors of the mansion opened, and an elderly man wearing a black tailored custom-made suit beamed at us.
He was definitely welcoming.
"Mr. Esteban, you've finally made it. Who's going to be my son-in-law between the two of you?" He teased, and I chuckled softly.
Nolan and I were the same height, but my white beard always gave away my age.
"Unfortunately, it's not me, Mr. Rebel," as I gestured to my son, Nolan.
He shook hands with him and handed him a bottle of expensive wine. I had ordered it straight from my vineyard in Italy.
Mr. Rebel smiled at Nolan.
"Please call me Charles. There's no need to be formal since you're now part of the family."
We were ushered behind the mansion where a few butlers were setting up the table for lunch.
Charles introduced us to his family, but there was no sign of his granddaughter.
"Will your granddaughter join us for lunch?"
Mr. Charles looked tense.
"You know how women are, they take forever to get ready because they want to look perfect. But don't worry, she'll join us this evening for the engagement as planned."
I turned to look at Nolan.
He looked a little disappointed.
I'm guessing he was eager to meet his bride.
Mr. Charles took out the contract marriage showing us that his granddaughter had signed it.
She was now legally bound to the contract.
"Benedykta, is that her name?"
Mr. Charles nodded quietly.
"Yes, and I personally chose it, but she shortens it, so she goes by 'Ben' now."
Nolan smiled.
"I think it's a beautiful name."
We kept engaging in small talk as Mr. Charles took the liberty of telling Nolan about his granddaughter and how she was the perfect girl for my son.
"She's hot-headed, so I advise you to get ready because my granddaughter doesn't like losing until she gets her way."
It brought back memories of the girl I met at the club.
She certainly got her way last night.
I snapped out of my daze and excused myself to go answer a phone while Mr. Charles was showing Nolan some childhood pictures of Benedykta.
The call was from the office.
"This isn't the right time, Matteo. What is it?"
Matteo was my best friend and second right-hand man when it came to the affairs of the vineyard in Italy.
"We'll need you back here."
He sounded worried.
"What happened?"
"There's been a fire... Ambrose, and half of the wine cellar is gone."
I let out a shaky exhale.
Fuck.
That vineyard belonged to my father, and I had promised him to continue the family business no matter what.
"How the hell did the fire start?"
I was getting worked up.
Matteo sighed deeply.
"Most of the cameras were burnt up, and with what we could retrieve from the other angles of the camera, there was a masked figure."
I ran my fingers through my hair.
"Let me just conclude with Nolan's engagement, and I'll get on the next flight tonight."
I stood there in shock, anticipating the damage that I was going to find back home.
"Dad, is everything okay?" Nolan asked in a worried tone, and I turned around to meet his worried gaze.
I wasn't going to burden him with the news of the vineyard since he was already nervous about his engagement.
I forced a smile.
"Just a few issues with the vineyard, but I'm sure that your uncle will take care of everything."
He nodded quietly and went back to our seats.
We spent the rest of the afternoon talking about the partnership we were going to have together.
When we finally concluded with the meeting, the press began to arrive, and it was time to head inside for the engagement.
Mr. Charles directed us to the ballroom that was filled with a few guests, and he was quick to introduce us even though I knew some of the people in the room.
A butler offered us some champagne as Mr. Charles introduced the arrival of his granddaughter.
She definitely knows how to make an entrance.
A woman stood at the grand stairway as a white shoulder-length dress curved her body sinfully.
Nolan had gone to help her get down, and she kissed him on the cheek.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and when her blue eyes met mine, I dropped the glass of champagne.
It was the only sound in the room.
All eyes turned to me.
It was her.
She looked away when she saw me.
Fuck.
This couldn't be happening.
A cleaner came to clean up the broken glass, and I apologized and turned my attention to Nolan and his future bride.
I've never seen Nolan so smitten over a girl in my whole life.
"Dad, this is Benedykta."
She offered me her hand.
The same hand that caressed me last night.
I took her hand in mine, never taking my eyes off her flushed face.
When I didn't pull away, she smiled softly and pulled her hand away.
I've never felt horrified in my entire life.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Ben, and welcome to the family, piccolo fiore."
Her face went pale and she shyly smiled at me.
"Thank you, Mr. Esteban," she muttered quietly.
She was my daughter-in-law.
My son's fiancee.
I grab
bed another drink off the tray because it was time for the engagement.
Nolan got on one knee and pulled out a box from his pocket.
I swallowed hard as anger and jealousy filled my veins.
"Benedykta Rebel, will you marry me?"
Our eyes locked in a frenzy.
"Yes, I'll marry you."
The room burst into applause, and in that moment, she smirked at me.