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Chapter 2 - The Wedding

When they disembarked from the plane at Turin airport, only Giovanni's mother was there.

She excused her son, saying he had to carry out some last-minute preparations, and accompanied them to the hotel, leaving them there and giving them directions to the courthouse.

After lunch, Brenda's mother insisted she go to the hotel's salon and start getting ready early, but she refused.

She decided to do her hair herself as usual and put on the simple white dress she had bought, rejecting the ostentatious wedding dress desired by her ambitious parents.

After taking a taxi, they headed to the courthouse.

Brenda got out of the vehicle and began to answer greetings from people she didn't know, elegant and refined people who had her parents ecstatic and herself on the verge of vomiting.

She felt watched and scrutinized by all the eyes present, putting her in a bad mood, but after several minutes, she didn't see Giovanni anywhere.

Suddenly, the sound of a motorcycle revved up in the narrow street and everyone looked in that direction.

"The groom is here," someone said.

It was a monstrous motorcycle, with a large engine, black and red in color. Riding it was a man with brown hair waving in the wind, wearing black leather pants and jacket.

"Wow, he looks so handsome!" several girls sighed at the sight.

That day, the elegant young man from a few days ago looked threatening, almost like a gangster, as he parked by the curb and everyone approached to greet him.

"Hi, Brenda," he said casually.

"What a way to show up to a wedding, even if it's fictitious," the girl thought, perplexed.

She felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Well, let's go," he said coldly. "The sooner we finish this, the better."

"Sure, why wait," Brenda muttered under her breath.

The judge spoke in Italian, and Brenda barely had any idea what he was saying. She just answered as she had been instructed, and in a short while, she was married.

Her head was spinning. Had she really done it?

Once the ceremony was over, they went to eat; Brenda and Giovanni accompanied by both sets of parents and some of the Italian's friends.

When they arrived at the restaurant, he introduced her to everyone, a mix of names and faces that Brenda couldn't match.

Throughout the meal, he barely looked at her, let alone spoke to her. He chatted and joked with his companions while she ate in silence, feeling overwhelmed by the imposing presence of her now husband.

She didn't even want to think about what would happen if she hadn't stipulated her conditions; she was glad to have them on hand in case of any eventuality.

After lunch, Brenda's parents left again for the hotel, as they had an early flight back the next day. Giovanni's mother was staying at the same place, waiting to return to Verona.

After bidding farewell to their companions, Giovanni invited her to hop on the motorcycle with him.

"Well, let's go home."

"On the bike?"

"I don't have a car."

"I don't want to die on my wedding day."

He looked at her mockingly.

"I'm not going to kill you, I haven't taken out a life insurance policy on you yet."

"Do you think you're very funny?"

"Well, if you don't want to come with me on the bike, take a taxi."

She looked at him puzzled, but nodded.

Giovanni wrote down the address on a piece of paper and gave her money to pay. Then he started the engine and quickly disappeared from view among the streets.

Brenda found herself standing on the sidewalk; dressed as a bride and not knowing what to do. Why did he have to be so rough?

Shortly after, a taxi passed by and she hailed it, giving the driver the address.

When she arrived, he was already there, with the motorcycle parked at the door and sitting on it, waiting for her.

"Well, I see you managed to make it!" he teased.

"Did you doubt it?" she frowned.

"Wait for me here, I'll go to the garage to park the bike."

Minutes later, he led her through a wide and not too steep staircase.

Brenda swallowed hard when she saw how tall he looked, taller than the last time. He was more than two heads taller than her and was strong, with broad shoulders.

Once he had opened the door with a key he took from his jacket pocket, he turned to her.

"Do I need to carry you in my arms?"

"Not a chance..."

"I thought it was a custom in your country," he smiled charmingly.

Brenda hesitated for a few seconds and then shook her head, seeing his eyes sparkling with amusement at her scrutiny.

Perhaps she had been so nervous before that she hadn't noticed earlier that he was much bigger than her.

Unlike Fiorella, who was almost as tall as him, Brenda was a petite nymph, with blue eyes and golden blonde hair.

She regained her composure and declared with her chin held high:

"I don't know if it's a custom in my country, but I plan to walk in by myself; I have legs for that.”

He stepped aside and gestured for her to enter with a nod of his head.

"Your new home... for now."

Brenda entered a large apartment with an entrance leading to the kitchen and living room.

The living room had a wide glass window overlooking the avenue they had come from. In the middle of the living room, a hallway led to the bedrooms and one of the bathrooms.

The other bathroom was inside the master bedroom. One of the smaller rooms was an office where Brenda saw her suitcases.

"They left your luggage here. You tell me where you want me to put it."

"I don't know which room is mine."

Giovanni opened a door, revealing a master bedroom with a large bed.

"I sleep here. If you want, you can share it with me or use the guest room," he opened the adjoining door.

"Of course, I want the guest room. You don't expect us to sleep together, do you? It's in the agreement..."

"Do you expect it?" he commented mockingly.

"Of course not."

He shrugged.

"Then..."

He effortlessly grabbed the suitcases and placed them inside the guest bedroom.