CHAPTER 9: His Proposal (PART 1)

Diana Stallard Preface

I cried a lot.

Cried for my father who got betrayed by his brother just for money.

Cried for myself for being stupid to trust my uncle and Tina.

Cried because I felt too weak to got in their trap.

And cried because I am too weak to do anything.

I didn't realized how much time passed but then sudden realisation hit me that I was sobbing in the arms of a man whom I met few days ago. The thing that was more embarrassing was that I wet his shirt with my tears.

I could feel the faint smell of his perfume and his broad chest muscles which were in direct contact with my skin. His arms were wrapped around my shoulders strongly and he continuously consoled me by brushing his hands through my hair.

When I stopped crying like a miserable women and left his arms and looked at his shirt, "I'm sorry." I apologized.

God this is embarrassing!

I actually forgot the real reason of my crying because the sense of embarrassment evaded me.

"It's fine, I'll change." He gave me water. I drank it all in one go because my throat was all dry and dehydrated.

After drinking water he asked all of a sudden, "How do you plan to get revenge on your uncle?"

"I don't know." my eyes were glued to the ground and I really didn't know what to do. A moment ago I was acting like all brave and heroic and here I don't even know what to do after knowing about yet another antic of my uncle.

I lifted my head and looked at him, "He did schemed against you. Didn't he? ... How are you going to deal with him?" I asked after a long pause. My vision was blurry and my eyes were aching.

"Finally, you started a descent conversation without saying 'your excellency' thing Signorina.", he gave me a warm smile.

"Is it the time to note things like this?" I narrowed my eyes in his direction.

This man is impossible.

"Of course. It is necessary for the conversation which we are proceeding with." He said with a then added with a smug smile on his face, "And about your uncle..... Do you think that Deitrick Alexandro de Medici is such a weak person to be subdued by that wolf."

"You are so full of yourself, Your Excellency", I deliberately kept calling him formally. I feel that it's quite fun to call this duke 'your excellency' and he gets annoyed by it. Like this time, it is all written on his face.

For once I forgot about my uncle and was enjoying teasing this powerful man.

"Porco Dio, your excellency again." He exclaimed in loud voice, visibly frustrated by it "Never in my life I was reminded of being duke in such an odd way."

I smiled privately for my small victory against him.

To my luck he sensed me smile about it and narrowed his eyes, bringing his face in front of me when he bent down to my level.

"Don't underestimate my power Signorina.... One day you will regret teasing me.", instead of getting angry he smirked at my remark. I felt heat crawling on my cheeks, my breath hitched.

He is too close for my comfort

'This is not the time for you to blush' I chided myself. I controlled myself from doing anything stupid in front of this man like letting him see my flustered self.

Never.

"Things cannot always turn in your favour, your excellency." I replied keeping my voice calm.

"Let the time decide this for us. Shall we" he retreated his face when he stood straight with that arrogant smirk playing on his lips.

I let out the breath that I held for I don't know for how much time.

He is dangerous.

"I wanted to ask you what you want to do to punish your uncle?" He repeated his question "As for me..... Now that he is in my territory I can imprison him in an Italian jail for life time and make him pay in many ways which I prefer not to mention."

"This is not an enough punishment for his crimes.", I exclaimed. "Besides he did more harm to me than you. So it should be me who is going to pay for his deeds." The day of my father's funeral was flashing in my mind. The fake tears in the eyes of that snake of a man.

"So, you are asking me to stay out of this?", he asked with interest, bringing me out of my reverie. "I am not someone who leaves the people who try to mess with me."

"I didn't asked you to completely step out of this." I replied "I want us to do this together."

"I don't have time to seek revenge on the petty man." He said with a hint of deviousness "I'm very direct with my ways."

"But...." He took a pause "I can think about it if I can get something beneficial through this."

This man and his mind.

"I'll make sure that It would be beneficial for you your excellency." I said with a hint of mocking.

"Is that so?" He said with a smirk while he sat on his chair. There was a huge table between us. "I'll think about it after I get to know what I'm being offered." He said playfully.

I was feeling furious of his behaviour. "What punishment have you thought about that uncle of your?" he asked tactfully after a moment of silence.

"A death sentence..... A death sentence is a true retribution of his crime.", I said with utter seriousness.

"And how are you going to do that?", another question hit me by handsome Duke sitting in front of me.

Is he making fun of me?

"I need to marry first." I said with a straight face.