Page 4 of The Proposal

What a chauvinistic pig.

I’m not only disgusted by the“fuck my daughter”comment but also his description of her. She’s a human being, not a damn checklist.

My father might have held similar views about women, but we’re no longer living in the Dark Ages. It’s the twenty-first century, where women have equality and deserve respect for more than just their physical attributes and outdated gender roles.

“I’m not getting any younger, Dante … I need an heir.” He gestures his hand around. “Someone to take over all of this once I’m gone.”

His words hang heavy between us, thick and suffocating, and for a moment, I’m caught in a split second of indecision. Do I accept his offer, laugh at the absurdity, or walk the fuck away?

Standing, I fasten the button on my suit jacket, choosing the latter.

Do I need this union to get my family back on track? Probably. But being married to someone who can’t stand me would do nothing but breed resentment and dysfunction, making any so-calledmutual benefitnothing more than a toxic illusion.

Fuck that shit.

I don’t want or need the drama that would entail.

I’ve had my fair share of women over the years, but if I ever decide to marry, it’ll be for love. I want the kind of relationship my parents once had. The type ofbond my brother, Alexander, shares with his new bride, Chloe.

It’s evident that Arabella Rossi hates my guts, and honestly, I couldn’t care less. I’m not a fan of her, either.

“Thanks for the enlightening chat,” I say to Stefano with a nod. Without waiting for a response, I tip my chin and walk away.

I may be making a mistake by turning my back on a union between our families, but the alternative seems like a special kind of hell if you ask me.

The last thing I expected after leaving this morning, bewildered and more than a little disgusted, was to find myself back at the Rossi estate a few hours later.

But unfortunately, I’m desperate. My brother’s despicable ex has run off with their son, my nephew. We are in a foreign country, and since Alexander doesn’t have custody of him, and thepolizia(Police)aren’t willing to help, I’m left with little choice.

Does this mean I’ll have to accept Stefano’s proposal and resort to marrying his daughter? It’s likely, but if it gets Giovanni back safely, then it’s a price I’m willing to pay.

I guess my fate could be worse.

As soon as that thought crosses my mind, I tilt my head back and groan. Being tied to a cold-hearted woman like Arabella Rossi for the rest of my life sounds like a one-way ticket to hell.

Despite knowing that, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my family. Even if the very idea of being shackled to her makes my balls want to shrivel up and die.

Stefano’s guard leads me down the long corridor towardshis office. Given how our last meeting ended, I’m actually surprised he agreed to see me again when I called.

“SignorMancini,” the guard says when we enter.

“Leave us,” Stefano replies dismissively. His sharp gaze flickers in my direction. “Sit,” he demands.

I wish I could tell him to go fuck himself, I hate being ordered around, but that’s not going to help my plight.

His greeting is even colder than last time, but I’d be a fool to expect anything more.

I unbutton my jacket and take a seat.

“Let’s get the formalities out of the way first,” he says. And like I feared, this is how things are going to roll.

I exhale a long breath because, in a way, I feel like I’m sealing my own fate. “Okay.”

He opens the top drawer in the desk and pulls out a small, brown leather box, placing it down and pushing it in my direction. “My late wife’s wedding ring … you can give it to Arabella.”

And there it is.

“Are you going to help me find my nephew?”

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