Page 120 of The Cute Psycho

"Of course, I told him it could only be your choice, but he wants a meeting at least. To see if you suit."

"I see," I reply, a little unenthusiastically.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but can you at least pretend to spend some time with him? I'm still not sure about Guerra's intentions, and it would be a good way to observe them."

"But I don't have to marry him, right?" I need to make sure that'snoton the table.

"No. Unless you want to, that is." He gives me a tight smile. "I should warn you that his son has some... problems." He continues to tell me about his stutter and his shy personality.

Seeing that he's not in a hurry to marry me off, I agree to his plan, promising to entertain Rafaelo when the time comes.

Well, to my everlasting surprise, the time comes way sooner than I would have anticipated, with Benedicto, his wife and Rafaelo coming for a surprise visit.

We're all gathered in the drawing room, before Benedicto and Marcello retire to the study to talk business.

Lina and I are left with his wife, Cosima, and Rafaelo. Cosima looks to be about forty, her features clear, her style elegant and put together. She also seems to be quite the talker as she starts parroting about this and that, her voice already grating on my nerves.

Rafaelo, on the other hand, is quietly sitting by his mother's side, shoulders slumped, head bent forward as if he doesn't even dare meet our eyes. In fact, he barely manages to say his greetings without passing out in a swoon.

Do men even swoon?

Rafaelo is certainly prone to it, as he sways on his feet, a deep blush on his features.

"Assisi, what a lovely name you have." Cosima tries to involve me in their conversation, her eyes looking me up and down, no doubt judging me.

"Thank you," I reply drily, but still try to keep a poker face.

"Now, tell me, what are your thoughts on marriage?" Cosima jumps right in, and I have to struggle not to laugh in her face at her lack of tact.

"M—M—mother," Raf interjects, trying his best to form some words. "S... stop."

"Nonsense, Raf!" She shuts her son down, returning her gaze to me.

"I haven't thought about it since I was supposed to take my vows before I left Sacre Coeur." I give her a neutral enough answer, trying not to show how much I'm starting to dislike her.

"There's enough time for that, dear," she casually says. "Why don't you two go over there and get to know each other better." She's not even trying to mask her intentions as she dismisses us.

I mutter a curse under my breath, but keep a smile on my face as I move couches with Rafaelo.

For the longest time, he just sits next to me, his gaze on the ground. Certainly, he doesn't even seem to acknowledge my presence. He's slumping down, almost as if there's something interesting on the floor that has his rapt attention.

I take a moment to study him and I note that he wouldn't be unattractive if not for his awful body language. It almost seems forced with how tense his shoulders seem as he tries to maintain his posture.

"This is boring, isn't it?" I try to break the ice, the silence even more unnerving.

He slowly turns his head toward me, his eyes still downcast as he looks anywhere but at me.

"I don't bite," I feel the need to add, "or judge." I shrug, leaning back in my seat. "We're going to be here for a while, so we might as well get to know each other."

Something about his presence is awfully pitiful, and it's not his stutter. No, there's an aura of perpetual sadness lingering around him.

"W-w-why?" he asks, his face tilted toward me.

"Why talk? I don't know. It's what humans do?" I try to crack a joke, and for a split second, I fear I may have offended him, since hedoesn'ttalk very well.

But then the hint of a smile appears on his face.

"Th-they d-do, d-d-don't th-they?" he asks, his stutter slightly more pronounced.

---