Matthew Santoris recently took over the business. The Santoris family was one of the oldest mafia clans whose lineage dated back to the last century.

He had been the only child and was therefore brought up in a very strict household since he was next in line to inherit such a vast empire.

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His personality fits the future heir, stern, calculating, and uncompromising. He was very handsome, yet he was very unreachable, just like all the Aristocratic heirs. His intelligence quotient was through the roof, and he was capable of handling anything except for reading the emotions of the people around him.

Matthew though low in EQ had easily fallen in love with Jane, he had the chance to meet her when she came by to help her mother at one of the social gatherings typically hosted by the Santoris'. Her father worked as a security detail for Matthew's father, and her mother worked in the kitchens.

Though Jane's family was not well to do, her parents strived for their children to be educated and well refined. Her beauty was not exceptional, but she had attracted Matthew's attention because she was very polite and kind. She loved animals and was very patient with children.

It was not love at first sight or some kind of instant connection for Matthew. Their romance was like a slow-burning candle, it gradually developed and bloomed.

He had his choice of women from prestigious and opulent families, but Matthew wanted someone gentle, virtuous, and someone who wanted children. Most of the women he met were very materialistic and vain, so it turned him off a lot.

Jane was very timid, and he liked that she did not appear to be over-enthusiastic when he asked her to be his girlfriend, she had him wait two days before she gave him her answer.

Unfortunately, Matthew's parents were not happy with his choice. They objected by saying Jane was not suitable to be the next Mrs. Santoris. Their name carried a great empire, and the lady of the clan should be strong and smart enough to stand and make decisions with her husband.

Jane had been the opposite of what they were looking for. They thought she was very homely, and they needed a captivating person. There was also the fact that she always appeared to be weak. She easily gets nervous when faced with a crowd of people, and if somebody raises their voice, she would automatically burst into tears.

Then there was also the matter of her status, it would be degrading if people knew that her parents were but mere servants in the Santoris household. But Matthew was adamant about his decision, there was only one woman for him, and that was Jane. The house was in an uproar, but despite the arguments, threats, and coercion, nothing could shake Matthew.

He threatened to give up his title just to be with her, so they had no choice but to accept his decision.

-=-

Matthew was sitting on a garden bench reading a book when Jane came to see him bearing fresh cut flowers in her hand. She was wearing a white dress that made her look pure and virginal. And this image of her being almost angelic made him smile, his eyes shone as he gazed at her.

She sat beside him, and in a sweet angelic voice greeted him, "Congratulations! Father told me you've taken over the family business."

"Thanks! It might be difficult for us to spend more time together, is that okay?" Matthew asked, his voice a little sad as he took her hand in his.

"Don't worry about it. It's not going to be a problem because my internship will be starting next month as well, so I'll be just as busy. How about we celebrate now and worry about it later?" she asked.

"Okay, I agree. Where is it that you want to go?" he asked.

"Let me think about it, but let me tell you about my day," and so she droned on and on about her school, her friends, and some funny stories. "You know what, last week…," she halted when she noticed that Matthew was not listening, putting a frown on her face.

She understood that he was a workaholic, achieving to be the very best, and to do that, he needed to study a whole lot. But even during his free time he had no other interests but to read business journals and theories on business principles. Aside from the business aspect, he also had to be on guard all the time, predicting what his enemies will do next.

"Why did you stop? You were telling me something about last week," Matthew asked when he finally noticed her silence.

"So last week, my mother taught me this new dish, I want to make it for you tomorrow," she continued.

"Hmm...sure... that sounds good," he replied while looking at his book.

Jane sighed, 'Hmph! Another dull response. I thought he'd talk more now that we're together, but it seems like he's talking even less." The last time she baked him a pastry that took her a long time to learn all he had to say about it was it was tasty. She felt insignificant every time he did this to her, so she stopped talking because it was felt like talking to thin air.

-=-

To celebrate his promotion, Jane thought they should go on a small picnic in this scenic spot that overlooked the city skyline. She was so excited because they rarely went anywhere these days, all the talk about security and too much work. So she got up early in the morning to prepare all the picnic foods she could think of, by the time she was done she had a basket full of different kinds of cookies, pastries, hard-boiled eggs, sandwiches, and fruits. She even remembered his favorite drinks, so she brought those too.

They planned to spend the day in the area, just the two of them until the sun came down. "Matthew, I am so happy we could spend the whole day together. My friends said the sunset in this area is stunning." Jane said as she held Matthew's arm. And he nodded his head.

It was a bit of a walk from the parking, and after Matthew laid the blanket down, she showed him all the items she prepared for their trip. He said he was impressed with her preparation, and she beamed, thinking finally she was getting to him, and this time spent together would be the best day ever.

Jane wanted to go to another side of the lookout to see the other part of the city, but when Matthew tried to follow her, one of his men came to whisper something in his ear, and his face became tense.

"Matthew, what's the matter?" she came back to fetch him, but he was wearing his shoes back on.

"Jane, I'm sorry, I need to go, there's an emergency. The driver will send you home," And without waiting for her reply, he left.

She was disappointed, he disappeared without even consoling her, giving her a terse apology, was that all she deserved? Did he not know how much she was looking forward to this getaway? In a foul mood, she threw everything in the nearby trash can and sat in the car, sulking all the way home.