When your friends begin to flatter you on how young you look, it's a sure sign you're getting old.

-Mark Twain

Francesca Marcolini's POV

I don't know if I should feel happy or not. The fact that Marco Orsini, indeed, donated half a million euros to the charity should make me feel ecstatic about such a generous contribution but there's a catch. In exchange for that charitable donation, I got myself tangled with the likes of him. In short, I now officially work for him—temporarily, thank God.

I sighed deeply. That's right, in bartered for that money, I am now forced to work for him—that is, to find him a suitable bride that the formidable Alfonso Orsini might approve of. So far, I have now a few lists of candidates that might fit to be the Orsini bride.

The contract I asked him for yesterday finally arrived at my office a while ago. I need that contract so he can't harass me whenever he wants. I will use it against him if necessary...

"...Francesca? Are you listening, Francesca?"

I was reluctantly dragged away from my reverie. I smiled at the pair of uncanny violet eyes that were busy studying me with concern in their depth. "Of course. I'm listening, dear."

"No. You're not." Tatiana Cavelli contradicted with a twitch of a smile on her lips. "You seemed miles away from me, Francesca. You haven't even touched your food yet."

Now, I felt guilty. She invited me for lunch at a trendy restaurant here in Rome. Really, I should be focusing on my good friend, not entertaining wayward thoughts about my new association with the arrogant Marco Orsini.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Concern marked on her eyebrows. "Are you okay, Francesca?"

I laughed off her anxiety. "I'm fine, silly. It's just a new project that's all."

"Oh, really?" Sparks of delight flashed on her violet eyes. "Now, I understand why you're not listening to me as I babble here."

I smiled sheepishly in her direction. "What were you saying, Tatiana?"

"I said you need to clear your schedule on the 28th." She repeated as she sampled the food she ordered. "Lucca and I will be mad at you if you don't show up at our church wedding."

"28th?" I frowned and thought if I had a plan for that day. "Isn't that two weeks from now?"

"Yes!"

"Why's the rush?" I asked and started sampling my food.

Tatiana gave me a rueful smile as she pointed her slightly rounded belly. "For one thing, I don't want to walk down the aisle with my belly as big as a huge watermelon, and secondly, as days pass by, the more the wedding preparation goes out of hands."

I frowned at her. "What do you mean, Tatiana?"

The duchess sighed. "Lucca and I originally thought of inviting only at least two hundred guests for our church wedding but..."

"But?"

She flashed me a slightly forced smile on her face. "Apparently, when the cream of Italian society learned that the duke will have his renewal of vows to his bride in a church wedding, the people we didn't invite started sending emails in Palazzo di Cavalli asking for wedding invitations."

I couldn't help but laugh. I know I shouldn't have but the society was quite funny really. "They don't want to miss the wedding of the decade, I guess."

"That's must be it," Tatiana murmured as she continued to eat her food heartily. "That's why I told Lucca yesterday that I want the wedding to be in two weeks in time."

"What did your husband say?"

A scowled form in her aristocratic face as she probably remembered what her husband had replied. "He told me that we can't do that. There are so many things to be done." She recalled the conversation. "I told him I will not marry him again if the wedding doesn't take place on the 28th of the month."

I laughed again. Lucca can't do anything but succumb to his wife's demand. The wallflower I met months ago in Amalfi Coast was nowhere to be seen on Tatiana. She emerged as a feisty woman who stood up for what she believes and I am so proud of her.

"I take that Lucca just gave in?"

Tatiana grinned. "Oh, yes."

But then the smile on her face vanished, her pretty eyes held anxiety. It made me worry. "What is it, Tatiana?"

She gave me a slightly forced smile while nervousness was still in her eyes. She swallowed hard. "Mama—I mean, my stepmother, I-I sent her an invitation to the wedding."

My heart ached for my dear friend. I know this is the first time facing her mother again as Tatiana after her plan of revenge on her ex-fiancé and stepsister. And now she's now happily married to the duke and expecting their twins.

"Are you worried, dear?" I asked, holding her hand that was resting on the table to give her support.

"Petrified, more accurately."

I gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Tatiana. I will be there for you and Lucca, of course."

She smiled which quite didn't reach her eyes. "I know."

"You must—" I stopped when I heard my phone rang. I fished it out of my handbag and frowned at the unknown number. "Excuse me, Tatiana," I said before answering the phone call. "Hello?"

The all-too-familiar annoying voice of a man sounded on the other line. "Good afternoon, Francesca!"

"Signore."

"Oh, the warm greeting a while ago was instantly replaced by your signature coldness." Marco Orsini drawled maddeningly.

"What do you want?" I cursed silently when Tatiana frowned slightly in my direction when she heard my snappy tone.

"You told my secretary this morning that you already have the list of my potential bride while I was at the board meeting."

I already forgot about that. "Er, yes. Sorry, I forgot."

"Are you free for lunch?" Marco Orsini inquired. "So I can see the list?"

"Lunch? Now?" I asked while looking at my friend. Tatiana, who instantly picked up my dilemma mouthed, 'it's okay you should go'. "Yeah, sure."

"Great, I'll be waiting for you at the restaurant near my office."

"Yes. I know that place." I murmured grudgingly as I ended the phone conversation silently wondering where the heck he got my mobile number.

"New client?" Tatiana asked playfully. "A demanding one?"

I sighed deeply as I placed back my phone in my handbag. "You could say that."

"You should go." Tatiana smiled at me, her eyes twinkled with delight.

"I'm really, really sorry, dear," I said to her regretfully. "I will make it up to you next time. I will treat you to lunch again."

I was about to get cash from my wallet when the duchess stopped me. "No. My treat."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

I smiled. "Thank you." I stood from my chair. "I should go now, Tatiana."

"Don't forget to be at our wedding." My good friend called after me.

As I walked towards the exit of the small bistro, I prepared myself for another gruesome encounter with the arrogant Marco Orsini.

"Stop mentally undressing me, Signore."

The icy reprimand came no other than the ice queen of Italy as she busily read the menu. We were about to have a lunch meeting in one of the hottest restaurants in town.

"Would you mind me undressing you the other way around?"

The glare she'd sent me was enough to kill an average man in an instant. "The contract stated—"

"The contract doesn't state that I cannot mentally undress you, Francesca." I lifted an eyebrow. "Did you read the contract carefully, Your Serene Highness?"

I fought back my laughter when a red stain spread through her cheeks. How charming, she's blushing! "You are despicable." She hissed. "You are—"

"Are you ready to order?" I intercepted her casually as I eyed the hovering waiter beside our table, silently listening to our verbal exchange.

We gave our order to the waiter and once we were left alone, she still glared at me insolently. Does she know how lovely she is when she is fumingly mad at me?

"Listen to me—" She started to threaten.

"Do you have the list, Francesca?" I forced myself not to laugh out loud as I saw her mouth gape to open with astonishment.

"Yes..." She answered when she finally recovered from her shock. She pulled out a neat folder and gave it to me.

"Read for me," I instructed him.

The glare in her pretty amber eyes was back with vengeance but she did my bidding anyways. "Isabella Tolle."

I frowned upon hearing that name. "She's a spoiled heiress who thinks the world would spin according to her will."

Francesca fished out her pen and crossed out the name. "Adrianna Vinadacci."

"That woman was so boring. I met her at a party once."

"Chiara Androletti."

"I don't like her father."

"Donatella Constanzo."

"I don't like her name."

"For god's sake!" Francesca snapped. "That's not even her fault."

"I don't like my wife's name being close to reptile mutant ninja in a certain movie."

Francesca sighed deeply and continued. "Marietta Ferrara."

I scowled as I thought over what I don't like about her when I didn't answer Francesca smiled satisfactorily. Great, I think she made the cut over your highly rated criteria, Signore."

"When do you plan for us to meet?" I said with a forbidding grimaced on my face.

"To the wedding of the decade, of course." She answered sweetly as if she's so eager to get rid of me. "To Lucca and Tatiana's church wedding two weeks from today."

Not so fast, my dear. A devious voice inside my head had whispered.