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“I’m fine making that promise, but are you sure you won’t regret it? What if we find out that we’re incredibly happy together, and we don’t want to part ways in three years? What ifyoufall in love withme?”
I chuckle humorlessly and shake my head. “That willneverhappen.”
Luca raises his brows, and for a single moment, I was certain I saw something akin to pain or disappointment flash through his eyes, but no doubt I was mistaken.
“Fine,” he tells me. “We won’t fall in love with each other.”
Genuine relief washes over me, and I exhale slowly. This arrangement is bound to bring complexity and chaos to the relationship we so carefully built. It’s best for us to minimize any confusion right from the start. I may have agreed to marry him, but I have no intention of getting hurt any further.
“Other than the terms my grandmother will ask us to abide by, there is one more thing I’d like to ask of you.”
I nod, curious. He sounds uncertain, and I’ve never seen Luca look so tormented. What is it he wants?
“I want you to assist me with making my father’s intended legacy a reality.”
His father’s legacy? Luca never talks about his parents, so for him to bring this up now is surprising, to say the least.
“The restructuring plans you’ve been helping me with aren’t mine. They are my father’s. When he passed away, I inherited a journal that documented his vision for Windsor Finance, and I’d like to make it come true. I’ll need your help with that. I genuinely don’t think I can do it without you, Valentina.”
I stare at him speechlessly. I wondered why he forged ahead with acquisitions we didn’t necessarily need. For years now, Luca has been strategically acquiring a variety of companies, ranging from payment processors to deep-learning technology companies. I’ve been wondering why, but he never told me his rationale. All I’ve ever received from him was orders, and I executed them perfectly. We’ve grown into a finance firm that offers far more than banking services — we now do asset management, mergers and acquisitions, trading, and so much more. All of it under Luca’s guidance.
“My father imagined Windsor Finance being a company that would touch people’s daily lives. In this day and age, it means that we want people to use our bank, but also for other banks to run their e-commerce payments through our systems. The vision has shifted a little as technology continues to advance, but I want to adhere to my father’s ideology. He might not be there to see it all come true, but I still want to make it happen.”
He runs a hand through his hair and looks away. “When my dad ran this company, he’d only just turned it from The Windsor Bank into a little more than that. He wanted to offer mortgages, small loans, credit cards, but that’s not all. If it relates to finance, he wanted people to think of us and choose us. My father didn’t want Windsor Finance to be just another company solely aimed at making a profit. He intended to profit off bigger corporations, asset management and mergers, so he could accept a lower margin when dealing with individuals. He wanted to make lives easier and support dreams without extorting people like so many of our competitors do. My dad… he wanted people to turn to us when they want to open a small bakery, or when they can’t afford to go to college, but also when they’re trying to grow their companies and don’t know how. Throughout each phase of people’s lives, he wanted Windsor Finance to be there. Will you help me realize that vision?”
I’ve never seen him look so passionate, so emotional. This clearly means a lot to him, and I’m surprised I’m only just finding out about it. For years, I thought he was being eccentric. If he could hide this from me, then what else did I get wrong? Is there a chance that I don’t know him as well as I think I do?
“I suppose it’s only right for your wife to stand by you, isn’t it? I’ll help you, Luca.”
The look in his eyes morphs into something that makes my heart race, and I look away, unable to hold his gaze. “My wife, huh?” he murmurs, a sweet smile making its way onto his lips.
“There’s only one thing left to do,” he tells me as he hands me our handwritten contract. I take it from him with trembling hands and look it over. One signature, and I’ll be signing away my life.
Luca smiles when I sign the contract, the same way he does when we assist with a successful IPO or when we win a big client. I suppose this is no different to him.
“Tonight,” he says, his voice soft. “Let’s get married tonight.”
I frown. “How is that even possible?”
Luca merely shrugs and throws me a look, as though to remind me of who he is. “Zach can marry us. He owes me a favor anyway.”
Zach?
“He’s Xavier’s brother,” Luca elaborates.
A soft gasp escapes my lips as I finally make the connection. “Mayor Kingston?”
Luca nods as he picks up his phone. “There’s absolutely no way you’re walking out of here as anything but my wife,” he warns me. “Matter of fact, the only reason we’re walking out of here tonight at all is to pick up your stuff.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Valentina
I stare at our marriage certificate in disbelief. All it took was a few minutes and a couple of signatures for us to be legally married. It doesn’t seem real, but I know it is. The mayor himself married us, after all. Not a single part of our ceremony felt real. It was rushed, and it felt as impersonal as I’m sure our marriage will be.
“Is it really necessary for me to move in with you?” I ask as Luca parks in front of my apartment.
“Yes,” he says, his voice soft. He turns to look at me and smiles gently. He’s been different from the moment we signed the paperwork. He’s calmer, somehow. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is exactly. I suppose it’s a relief to know he found a way out of his arranged marriage, but I’m uncertain where we stand. What will our marriage look like?
