Out of damp and gloomy days, out of solitude, out of loveless words directed at us, conclusions grow up in us like fungus: one morning they are there, we know not how, and they gaze upon us, morose and gray. Woe to the thinker who is not the gardener but only the soil of the plants that grow in him.
~ Friedrich Nietzsche~
Lorena Ciecro POV
It's not every day that my father, Paolo De'Longhi Cicero, called for me in his old custom traditional book library; it is known by everyone that is connected to the Cicero. It's an old stately home for a chat —And I bet that you won't like to be called into the chat room because it gives chills and unwanted fatherly advice and decision—a place where frustrating choices are made and stamped.
My elder sister, Verona, and I knocked on the old thick wooden door to find out. On the second knock, an ancient roman voice was heard.
"You may enter!" Said the commanding voice in the old roman dialect.
Verona looks at me with eyes full of panic, praying to God it should not involve what happened to her. She straightened her blue dress.
I straightened my chaste emerald green dress before I let myself enter the space where my father had been entertaining newcomers either to impress them with our family wealth —Or to intimidate them. I was not sure what was his primary motive.
"You wish to talk to me, Padre," I asked in the same dialect.
"Sit down, Mia figlia," He gestured for Verona and me to sit down by the brown old leather chair by his right.
I sat down by his right while Verona sat at the left, looking into his infamous emerald eyes that have governed the name of the Cicero family for centuries, the same color as mine. Still, Verona Cicero, my elder sister, has the eyes of my mother, sea-blue eyes. I sat regally as if hell is by my side, as the lady of etiquette that my father trained me to be; I sat down properly, according to the way a woman should sit by the teachings of my father.
I manage to clear my throat to notify him that I am still sitting closer to him. I know it's a bad habit, but I just had to because sitting next to him burns my whole body. With this, his wrinkled eyes were lifted to me. I quickly looked away.
"You'll be getting married soon," He voiced out with no sympathy or emotions. He announced without preamble as if it's the most logical statement of the decades.
"What?" Verona cringed in terror.
Will I be getting married soon? —What the heck? What is going on here?
"Pardon, Padre?" I would not be surprised if my father said that I should bring back my dead mother.
I will be getting married.
"Why would I be getting married, Padre?"
With this, my father rests appropriately on his chair —or his moderator, as my elder sister had called it. He studied me, thinking whether he would tell the truth or not.
"You see, Mia Figlia, it's high time to honor the promise I made with an old friend of mine for you to marry his son. And it would help if you don't act like your wayfarer sister."
The joy in my heart died this instant. I frowned. I had always known that my father would be the one to choose a groom for me since he did the same thing with my sister. I wasn't aware that he had already had one for me for long.
Just two months ago, I nearly got married to the mayors of Rome, only stupid and casanova son. But thank goodness the blockhead had an accident that caused his father to get rid of the proposal, and then I escaped the loveless arranged marriage.
"Why all of a sudden, Padre?" Verona asked with a startled face.
Emerald's eyes flashed back at Verona. "An Italian, talk not even less of a Roman Patrician, we honor promises not break them, Lorena. You may thank me later or maybe not,"
"But Padre, Lorena is not in love with the man; she barely knows him. Padre, you are doing the same thing that you deed with me," Verona voiced out on my behalf.
Just like that, I thought he was still mad at me for being the cause of the mayor's son's accident. My father doesn't forgive either does he forget about your sins.
"But father, you're double-crossing your last daughter again. Father, how can I get married to someone I don't know?"
"How dare you, Lorena. Have you forgotten your principles? Where are your manners? Why address me in English? Address me in Italian, Mia Figlia," My father reprimanded me with a slip of the tongue for calling him—father.
I cringed at his harsh chastisement. "I'm sorry, Padre,"
"Do not argue with me now, Lorena. You know the consequences of disobeying me for violating the man that puts food on the table. Don't act like your stubborn sister here; Verona was a pain in society, and I guess you don't want to anger me," His irritation was visible in his wry eyes.
With his word, he murdered Verona, who was sitting beside him —For goodness sake, she's beside you. She looks away, feeling embarrassed and irritated.
"But Padri-" I was cut off.
"A well-educated Roman noble do not question the wrath of her guidance. Now, prepare yourself for his arrival! He will be here by four o'clock tomorrow evening with his father, my perfect friend."
"Yes, Padre!" My voice died down.
"And for your information, I won't tolerate any misbehavior from you like the rubbish that your sister portrayed when she heard about her engagement party with the powerful Stephan Verrotti," My father indeed doesn't forgive or forget.
"I won't, Padre!" I bowed.
"And for you, Verona, you need to fly back to your home. I'm done with the reason I sent for you," He looks coldly at Verona, my elder sister.
"Yes, Padre," She looks deeply at my already red face.
Just like that, my angry sister and I were dismissed. Just like that, I'm going to get married. And just like that, my single life is coming to an end, turning soon into another loveless marriage.
-
"Lorena..."
I looked up from my bed, where I was busy arranging my bed and the whole of my room for the arrival of a total stranger. My heart ached at the sight of my sister, Verona Cicero, who is now known as Verona Verrotti, in my doorway looking super troubled.
"May I have a word with you, Loren?" She gave me a weak smile.
I turn to look at her. "Leave us for a moment, Francesca and Roselina," I told the maids, who were my most prominent companion and partner in crimes.
With their dismissal, Verona walked into my bed-chamber slowly as she closed the door with her beautiful blue gown that swirled between her legs.
"What do you wish to talk to me about, Sorella?" I look down at my bedsheet.
"Sorellina, I'm sorry for not being about to fight for you about fathers terrible decisions. It pains me that mother is no more." she looks sadly at her hand as she slowly sits on the edge of the bed.
Verona is so beautiful. Mere looking at her and watching her speak made me feel so bad for how she was forced into a loveless marriage. She looks so tall, pale skin, slender waist, blue eyes, long brown hair, and overall the finest. Her husband is a renowned CEO of his car company. He's a nice and handsome man —according to how Verona Called him.
"It's okay, Sorella Rona, it ain't your fault. The same thing was done to you, so it's not shocking to me because I was expecting it but didn't know that it would be sooner,"
"Sorellina Loren, You don't know or love that man; how about Ciello?" She asked.
Hearing Marciello's name. I felt my heart melt. Marciello Gavinchy, my childhood crush. He's a plumber, but he's still from a well affluent family. He has been a lovely man but not in the likes of my father.
"I'm entirely in love with Ciello, but the father doesn't know much about my feeling for him," Suddenly, a terrific thought rushed into me. "Should I flee with Ciello, for away from the whole of Italy? Maybe to America? What do you think?" I made a suggestion.
"Are you mad?" Verona cringe. "Don't you know what happened to me when I fled away with Emilio? It was the biggest mistake of my life. I came back home because I found out that Emilio had a wife and two kids. Father was furious, and that led to why he sold me out, and now it's your turn," She stares sadly at me.
I took a deep breath. It was the first time that Verona had shown her weakness to my face. She has been the strongest and most rascal etiquette of beauty, brain, and principles. It felt so good to hear her speak after six months of being away from home since her marriage.
"You cannot do that! You might find yourself on the wrong side of father. I won't let this happen still; I will talk to him about it and also plead with my husband to help us," She sounds concerned.
"No, you can't talk to Father; everything is settled now. You can not change your father's mind, and you know well than anybody." I feigned a smile. "For all we know, it will anger him more," I smile at her.
"Oh, my Lorena," She muttered with faith in her voice.
"You should go now; your flight has been booked for your comfort. Don't worry about me," I sniffed on my depressed mind. "I don't want our father to shout at you again,"
"It's okay, he won't," She sadly mumbles. "I would like to see this man. Don't you think that I deserve to see him?" She looks unappealing at me.
"Yes, it will be nice if you're here to see him because I will kill somebody's son after the marriage ceremony," I knack on my lower teeth with the upper one.
"Calm down, Loren," She taps my shoulders. "I will surely tell my husband about it. I need to come to see who our father is selling my sister to this time," said the family's decent yet rascal queen.
I smile. "Okay, please be here tomorrow,"
"I will; Milan is not too far from Rome, so I'll see you tomorrow then," She taps on my shoulders with a kiss to my forehead and smiles at me, and waves, reaching the door. "I'm so proud of how hardworking and beautiful strong you've become!"
"Thanks a lot, Sorella Rona," I waved her goodbyes before the room became empty again.
Could you help me? Mother? I'm getting married to a total stranger by the destructive declaration of your so-called husband.
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In times of great stress or adversity, it's always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.~Lee Iacocca~Lorena Cicero's POVAfter much thinking about my late mother, Morena Cicero, I felt my heart weaken at the thought of my carbon copy, my very own lookalike. I was getting prepared to go to work in the orphanage since it's in the evening my father's choice will be coming to visit his Unabridged wife. "My lady, where are you going to?" Francesca asked with furrowed eyebrows. Looking at me dressed up in a relaxed state. "Have you forgotten you'll be having visitors today by evening, and your father gave us an instruction not to let you go out today," she added."He said that?" I grimace in shock. "I'm not running; why would I run? When I know that if I run, then I'm forever ruined. So, allow me to go out, please, please, please I need to visit the orphanage before time," I pleaded.Francesca looks deeply into my green eyes. "My lady, promise me
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"Love can start as a war or friendship, but it is better to be pleased than to be displeased about your part of love," ~Unknown~Lorena Cicero POVEntering the luxurious White plus elegant penthouse, I was stopped by a young lady who looked my age—ignoring her as I clipped my gloved palm together. She bows at me slightly."How may I be of help to you?" She asked, looking sternly at me.I looked from her feet back to her face. "And why are you like this?" I asked, looking disgusted by her maid outfit. It looked so seductive, exposing the coverage of her breast slightly. She looks down at herself. "Who are you?" "Who am I?" I looked around once more, then back to her face. "Where is your unflattering boss?" She immediately looks shocked at my face due to my statement. "I'm so sorry, My lady, you must be lady Cicero. The resemblance is true," she bows apologetically."Indeed I am, and what resemblance? If I may ask," I asked, confused."Your sister, I've been seeing her on the tabloi
Unedited versionLORENA CICERO'S POVGlancing through my phone with my leg crossed, feeling refreshed in my room, suddenly, my phone rings, it was from an unknown number calling; I frown as I pick up, taking the phone closer to my ear."Who are you, and how may I be of help to you?" I frown at the silence.I was about to hang up when a baritone voice was heard from the other side of the phone. "Hello, emerald,"Hang on, that voice it is...That good for nothing taut."How did you get my number, you freak?" I flamed up again."My dearest soon-to-be wife, I can get any number that I choose to; as long as you're my soon-to-be wife, I have every right to know your number." He voices out in a cocky tone. "Listen, as my woman, and you have to remember...firstly, you can't turn off your phone, secondly, on no account will you hang up on me, or else, the orphanage-" "Blah blah blah blah consistently whining, I have heard you, don't talk about the orphanage. Are you happy now?" I Yelled at hi
The smell of waffles woke Lorena up. She opened her eyes to see Tanika setting a small table beside her bed."Good morning, my lady." The maid bowed when she noticed Lorena was awake.Lorena rolled her eyes in-between a yawn and a stretch combo. "We're not in the sixties, Tanika. You don't need to bow to me.""Oh." She blushed and bowed her head in wait for Lorena's following command.Shaking her head, Lorena pulled out of the bed into a sitting position. "These smell good." She said, rubbing her hands together, her feet wobbling beneath her."Go on, and take a bite." Tanika urged on happily, with a big smile on her pretty face.Lorena returned her smile and took a massive bite from a piece of the waffle. Her eyes widened as the flavors hit her tongue. She broke into an even wider smile."Tanika?""My lady." "Did you make this yourself?" She asked, taking a more significant bite."Yes, my lady." The happy girl bobbed her head in excitement. She wanted to be on good terms with the futu
"This is not funny, Signor! What are you doing in my room?" She said, covering her body with her hands. That action alone drew his attention from her ethereal face to her body. He didn't know what color that dress was, but it was divine on her. He had never seen anything like it before, never seen a woman like her before.He laughed, amused by the pure fire her eyes were spitting toward him. His soon-to-be wife had some wildfire in her, but even the heavens knew she was beautiful. "Trying to help with your zipper." The sarcasm dripped out of his tongue, further enraging her."Like hell, you will!"She bit her tongue immediately. If her father heard her speaking so vulgarly, he would have her whipped. However, she couldn't help the rage Makris always sparked in her."You can't go to the luncheon with your zipper down." He winked and began to walk towards her."Stay right where you are." She warned, taking a step back. "Oh, common Emerald. Why do you have to be so mean?" He pouted mo