8. A Welcome Distraction

Aria’s POV

At breakfast the next morning, Matteo was absent from the table. I wondered what had happened in his office the night before and why Carter had stormed out of the room. I had never seen him so angry, and it made me uneasy. I ate my meal slowly, savoring every bite, but my mind was elsewhere. Something was not right, and I couldn't shake the feeling of unease.

Mrs. Fletcher was a very good cook. I had to give it to her. Carter joined me at the table. His mood was still off, but he smiled at me before taking a bite of his food.

“Mm”. He moaned. “This is good, Elizabeth”. Elizabeth smiled at him, taking another bite of my food.

“Aria”. He called out. “We’re having visitors. My favorite twins”.

“Who?”.

“Jones and Ben. You’ll love them”.

“When will they get here?”.

“In a few minutes”. He replied.

Just in time, two men entered the room, their appearances in stark contrast to one another. The first man's nails were painted a vivid shade of red, and his face was covered in dramatic makeup. The second man had a stern, serious expression, and his face was devoid of any color or adornment. The first was more breathtaking than the other.

“Hi, I’m jones”. The pretty man said. “That’s my twin, Ben”. He said, smiling from ear to ear. “I’m so excited to meet you. Finally, Matteo gives love another chance”.

“Hi jones. You’re really beautiful”. I said in a small voice.

“I mean, I’m a model. We’re always beautiful”. He laughed. “She's perfect!”. Jones squealed, looking at me, and I felt a bit embarrassed.

“Where is that stoned face devil? Where is Matty”. He asked, taking in his surroundings.

“I’m sure he won’t like hearing you call him that”. Ben spoke, his voice higher pitched than a usual male’s voice and almost sing-song in its quality.

“Oh, shut up! We all know I’m his favorite cousin, and there’s nothing you can do about it, Ben”. Ben gave a derisive snort, his face twisted in disgust, and he stormed out of the room.

“He’s just a bit jealous. Matty doesn’t give a fuck about him”. Jones laughed.

He was a cheerful fellow. A ray of sunshine. His smile, infectious and his demeanor cheerful. His presence was a welcome one, as the house had felt a bit lonely before he arrived. I was glad to have someone like him around, someone who brought a sense of companionship and joy to this place.

“C’mon girl, tell me all about it”

“About what?”. I asked, feeling nervous.

“The wedding night, girl”. He whispered.

I chuckled nervously and forced a smile “It didn’t happen”

Jones gasped, folded his fist and smacked the table “That son of a bitch!”. He exclaimed. “How about the honeymoon. Surely, he must have done something sweet. Maybe a romantic date or flowers or anything”. I shook my head, my expression conveying my disapproval. “Oh fuck it! He’ll get it today!”.

“No, just let it be. We didn’t want any of this. I’m perfectly fine and I’m glad he’s giving me some space”.

“Oh dear, you’re the cutest. Look how sweet you talk. He’s so lucky”.

“Thanks jones”. My face is already red.

“So, where’s the son of a bitch!”. Turning to Carter.

“Went for a drive this morning and isn’t back”.

“Is he fucked in the head? He shouldn’t be out! It’s his honeymoon and if he’s caught and we start having nasty headlines like Matteo Marino marriage in shambles? or shit like that!”

Carter shrugged “Does he care? Everyone’s looking for dirt on him. To bring him down”. He paused “You’re the only one who can talk him out of anything”.

Jones gave me a small, reassuring smile, and his hand rested briefly on my shoulder. In that moment, I felt a sense of belonging, of being home again.

Walking with Jones was a breath of fresh air, as he had so many stories to share and was a great conversationalist. He was thrilled about the way his career was progressing, and he couldn't stop talking about the love of his life, Maria, a beautiful redhead. He was clearly smitten, and it was clear that he thought of her all the time. It made me think about what I wanted in life, and I realized that I longed for the kind of love that Jones and Maria shared.

It was a love that would endure and grow stronger over time, and I didn’t have that. As we returned to the mansion, we spotted Matteo's extravagant car parked in front. Jones practically skipped with excitement at the thought of seeing his favorite cousin again. His enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself looking forward to catching up with Matteo, even though it had never happened.

“He must be in his study”. He said, pulling me along with him, pushing the door to his study open, we saw Matteo half-naked hands on each side of a blonde woman laid on his desk. I let out a gasp that was louder than I intended, and his eyes met mine. I could see the surprise in his expression, and I could feel the tears welling up in my own eyes. I turned and ran from the room, my hand over my mouth, unable to control my emotions.

I knew we had a loveless marriage, but seeing him with another woman only confirmed what I had suspected all along - that he did not respect me, and never would he love me. The realization left me feeling heartbroken and devastated. I cried as I ran to my room with Jones hot on my trails.

Locking the door behind me, I slid to the floor and weeped, Jones pounded on the door, but I refused to open it. He kept at it for a while but eventually gave up and went to bed. I wasn't sure if he had really given up or if he was simply waiting for me to let my guard down. Either way, I wasn't going to let him in. I was too upset and hurt to deal with anyone as I cried myself to sleep already thinking of ways to face Matteo from now on.