Page 177 of Modern Romance June 2025 1-4

Emilio sat inhis office. He’d read and re-read the document in his hand several times over but he just couldn’t get himself to focus on the words. His inability to concentrate these days was utterly maddening. And it was entirely Jasmine’s fault. He found himself thinking of her at the best of times, but it wasn’t just her beauty or their connection that was on his mind right now. It was her demand for a wedding.

She was so focussed, so driven and logical that he’d taken for granted that she would see reason and realise a wedding in their circumstances was utterly unnecessary. But didn’t most peoplewanta wedding? A special day on which to tie oneself completely to the person they loved?

Emilio wasn’t one of those people.

But Enzo was. And you took that away from him.

Emilio dropped the page and pushed away from his desk, scrubbing his hands down his face.

That was exactly why Emilio didn’t want a wedding. It would bring too much back from the past. It reminded him of all the ways in which he was truly loathsome. Of the worst thing he’d ever done. Of the grand wedding in Perlano fit for acontethat Gia and Enzo had been planning eight years ago. The wedding Emilio had ruined. The rejection that had followed.

After what Richard had done to Jasmine, Emilio had rather hoped that she’d feel similarly about weddings. That she wouldn’t want to face it. But he supposed he should have planned for this possibility. There were two very different sides to Jasmine. As buttoned-up as she was now, the woman from the club was a part of her too. It just made the Alexandrite ring he’d bought her all the more fitting: two colours for the two sides of her.

Well, at least one side of Jasmine expected a wedding, and he had to deliver on that promise. He picked up his phone and called his PA.

Rachel walked into his office carrying a notebook and pencil mere seconds later.

‘Have a seat, please. I have a special task for you.’ Emilio crossed his legs and placed his hands on the arm rest, forcing himself to look like a man who was relaxed. Who was completely unbothered by the idea of impending nuptials.

‘What is it?’

‘I need you to plan my wedding.’

‘Really?’ Rachel’s eyes shone with excitement. It was one of the very few times she had ever broken through her absolute professionalism.

‘Yes.’ Emilio forced himself to smile.

‘Okay, do you have a preference for a theme or venue?’

‘It will take place on my roof top, but I have no preferences other than to make sure there are some pink oleander in whatever you decide to do.’

His mother’s favourite flower. He didn’t know how Valentina would have felt about what he’d done. Would she have forgiven him for sleeping with a random woman and getting her pregnant, as she had forgiven all his past transgressions? He hoped she would have seen that he was trying to do the right thing by marrying Jasmine, and he knew in his heart she would have loved her grandchild. The only thing in the world he wanted at his wedding was a reminder of the one person who’d loved him unconditionally.

‘You have complete freedom to do whatever you want. I trust your judgement and your discretion.’

‘Of course, Emilio. Also, everything regarding the marriage licence is done. I’ve put your appointment at the city clerk’s office in your calendar.’

‘Thank you, Rachel.’ Before he could say anything further, his phone began loudly vibrating on his desk.

‘Congratulations.’ Rachel smiled and left his office.

He picked his phone up to see Jasmine’s name flash across the screen.

‘What are you doing tonight?’ she asked without so much as a hello. Pleasantries lost time and that was inefficient. The thought made him smile.

‘Hello, Jasmine. I’m well, and yourself?’

‘Emilio, stop being aggravating.’

But it was so fun to draw these reactions out of her, when she seemed so comfortable with him. When she treated him like Emilio and not the De Luca spare. But he also wanted to draw out the other side of her. He wanted to tell her that it was okay to let go every now and then.

But look how that turned out.

‘Are you available or not?’ Jasmine demanded.

‘I can make myself available for my fiancée.’

‘Great. Dinner at my place. Seven.’

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