AllFreeNovel
Share Us
All she had done was stand up for herself, her own thoughts, and her sense of what was right for her. A scowl inhabited Valentina’s face, one her grandmother didn’t see but could definitely feel. The inside of the car got icy despite the heat being on. Just thinking about what she had to endure sent Valentina down a rapidly descending angry spiral she didn’t know she could come out of. Thinking back to what led up to and the very moment when she was dismissed was more than Valentina could bear. Yet, her mind voluntarily went back there like a welcomed friend.
Valentina knew about how her grandmother and mother endured what they had to endure to seal them with their respective mates. It was the feminine way, and they endured it without fussing or creating a ruckus. But Valentina was not fond of moving silently into a marriage she did not want or believe in. She could tell by the way Constanza and Celestina acted that she knew they knew how she felt. Although she had been somewhat quiet about it in the past, Valentina did not make it any secret that she did not want to marry a man she had no knowledge of. More than that, she didn’t want to bend to tradition for the sake of sealing the family’s future. She felt used. Valentina said as much. And at one point, she thought the women heard her. They had to understand her plight. Why were they doing it to her like it had been done to them?
Valentina stewed in her own memory. The scar felt fresh and not yet completely healed over, as it had just been inflicted. Her nose flared as her mind delved back into her fateful undoing. After quietly trying to object to what her family had planned and then actually verbalizing the assault they intended for her, Valentina’s mind went into overdrive, trying to figure out how she could get out of what her family had planned despite her objections. She thought about confiding in Isotta, telling her what was truly confounding her, but after some thought, Valentina decided against it. Isotta was all for family tradition and familial protection. She wouldn’t understand. Isotta would defend her family’s position no matter how much it pissed Valentina off. Isotta had bought into her family’s plan, safe that she was second in line and not up for bargaining out.
“Why do you hate me so?” Valentina cornered her mother and raised the question. Celestina’s brows raised, and her hand covered her heart. She was appalled and affronted by her daughter’s accusatory question.
“Why would you force me to do what you hated doing?” Valentina continued questioning. “And I know you hate it because it’s written all over your face!”
Valentina felt agitation rise in her soul, a tear threatening to fall, but she fought back her natural inclination to cry. She was all cried out even before the traditional ceremony ensued. So, the anger and disappointment she felt didn’t subside. Celestina didn’t answer. She felt verbally assaulted by the questions, caught between a rock and a hard place in how to respond.
“I am only doing for you what I was taught to do, solidifying your future,” Celestina defended quietly and without conviction.
“My future? Is that what you promised me to that boy child for, to seal my future?” Valentina said agitatedly. “My future was not what you promised me out for,” Valentina scowled. “The family’s future is what you plan on selling me down the road for. Don’t lie to yourself and believe that you did it for me,” Valentina hissed. “I was and am the least of your concerns.”
Celestina tried to defend the point, but Valentina had already started walking out. She refused to hear anymore. She was done with the entire conversation. Valentina had already acted, doing what she had planned to do to undo the entire process. She just waited for the hammer to drop.
Valentina ruminated on her anger as the car pulled into the family driveway. She felt her grandmother’s eyes return to her scoldingly, but she didn’t look or respond back. It hadn’t been so long that Valentina forgot what the house looked like, nor had she forgotten how she was expected to act. She stepped out of the car after the butler opened the door. There was a time when Valentina would have been grateful to be back home where she belonged. But as she followed behind her grandmother, minding her manners, Valentina felt none of that nostalgic feeling she expected. Her anger had yet to subside, nor did Valentina feel like it would.
“Valentina?”
Chapter Twenty-three
She acted impulsively.
That’s what most would like to think, that Valentina had not given significant
thought to her next step. But she had. Valentina planned it all out. She had a culprit in her sight that she felt would be more than willing to oblige. Valentina had seen him a few times in passing. He stared at her because she’d caught his eye. Giuseppe fancied her immediately. He was smitten with her and did not try to hide it. What did he have to lose? He was the second son, never to be first. His fate had already been sealed.
Valentina made it a point to get into his periphery again. She was sure she could draw his attention in ways he had not anticipated. A society dinner was planned for the elite families in the area. Valentina and Isotta were amongst those who had been invited. The girls were sure Constanza thought it an opportunity to vet potential suitors to advance the family’s business further. But Valentina had her own thoughts on the process. She would gain Giuseppe’s eye and his attention, and then she would put her plan in place. Valentina fretted over her outfit, hair, and makeup to make sure she was prepared for him. Valentina wanted Giuseppe to want her, have to have her. Isotta went along with the family because that was her responsibility. She didn’t fuss over herself nearly as much as her sister. Isotta knew her place and was willing to hold it to give the family a good look.
Once the family arrived at the party, in pomp and circumstance, Valentina had her eyes peeled to find the object of her desire, although temporary it may be. Time was running out, so Valentina knew she had to act fast and turn on the charm. She might only have one shot at making the right impression. She looked for him, trying not to be rude or too obvious. Then Valentina saw him.
Giuseppe.
Her eyes softened. Giuseppe looked handsomely amazing, dressed in a dark tuxedo, hair pulled back from his handsome face, with not a care in the world. Giuseppe casually looked around the room. He didn’t have to be concerned with putting on heirs because he knew he would never be the chosen one. Giuseppe just wanted to figure out who he would choose to hold his interest momentarily. Valentina saw him while he was making his look around. She fluffed her hair and slightly poked out her chest for maximum effect.
Their eyes met.
It was a mesmerizing, tantalizing moment, like they were the only two people in the space, even though they were in a room of hundreds. Giuseppe was instantly mesmerized by her. Valentina’s dark hair fell past her shoulders and rose low over her eye. She gently pushed it back so Giuseppe could see the fullness of her face. It was a lovely face indeed, with a slender nose and pouty full lips that wore the perfect amount of shine to make her look even more intriguing than he had expected. They started to move toward each other as though floating on an invisible cloud. They were drawn together. Giuseppe was drawn to her and all the promise her voluptuous body held for him.
When they finally came face to face, Giuseppe was smitten by what he saw up close and personal. He allowed his eyes to drop, to take the woman in from the tops of her shoes to the tip of her bangs. He extended his hand.
“I’m Giuseppe.”
She placed her hand in his.
“Valentina.”
“Shall we?” Giuseppe asked, tucking Valentina’s arm around his own and walking her to a space where they could get better acquainted. Isotta looked on, curious as to why her sister moved so quickly with a man she didn’t know. Valentina was not the least bit troubled by his move. She applauded it. He was getting things moving faster than she could have anticipated, and that worked fine for her plan. They arrived on the balcony, sitting at an isolated place where they could be alone and get to know each other better.
“Tell me about yourself?” Giuseppe asked. His attention was completely focused on Valentina. He had formulated the same old plan he had formulated before, but the more she talked, the more Giuseppe’s plan changed.
Valentina spoke generally at first. Then, as she got more comfortable, especially with the attention he gave her, Valentina started to get down to the reality of it all.
“I’m in a predicament,” she sighed.
“What’s the predicament about, if you don’t mind me asking,” Giuseppe offered.
