Potential Scene for Revamp
I've been doing a lot of rehauling for the story these past few months, and one thing I wanted to do was find a way to bring Arturo and Nisha together outside of their control. I just hope this makes sense 😅
His father doubled over his chair to laugh harder, turning red to the face. Arturo watched with hard eyes, knowing he was laughing at him.
“What a foolish girl! She doesn’t know enough about you.” Arturo wasn’t that bad.
Blue eyes looked out the window, the view being the vast Gasparini garden. It was the only place he was allowed to roam about and feel safe from the horrors hidden inside his home. He was always in awe of the harmonious flowers in spring bloom. The flowers were vibrant in the May sun, picture-perfect for a painting.
As he stared outside, his gaze looking further out to the next property that wasn’t too far away. He always loved how open the area was, but he was always saddened seeing all the other children play while he was stuck in his room.
It seemed the Atkinson’s had grandchildren now seeing some small toddlers running around their expansive garden. They weren’t the only ones though.
His father’s voice blurred in the background as all of Arturo’s focus zoned in on the dark curls hiding the strange girl. She was near the roses, taking her time to admire them. His legs hit the bottom of the window pane, hoping to get a better look at who this girl might be.
His jaw went slack as the wild curls bounced and the face was revealed. The young man lost his breath seeing the pretty face. She was nothing like he’d ever seen before, her bright eyes in view from so far away, and the curve of her supple lips as she smelled the flowers. She turned to pick up one of the energetic boys to let him touch the delicate petals.
Arturo had the privilege of knowing hundreds of beautiful women in his lifetime, from models to knockouts. He wasn’t unfamiliar with women of all types and shapes, but none took his breath away like this stranger managed to.
There was no rationale behind his train of thought. And this was only a view of her from far away.
“Arturo, have you heard a single word I said?”
“Hm?” His expression was compared to one of a child caught in trouble. His father sighed, “Typical. Always distracted by something. What has your attention now?”
His tongue rolled inside his mouth holding back a retort. He pointed to the girl out the window, “Who is she?”
His father got up to look outside. The older man’s gruff expression softened visibly seeing the girl wander in the garden and play with the toddlers.
“Ahh, that is Atkinson's babysitter. She’s also the reason I called you in the office today.”
Light brows furrowed,“Is that so?” Arturo knew he wasn’t around for a few weeks, but his father was never one to have a private meeting over a girl. Something was wrong.
His father pointed to the chair across from the desk as Arturo took a seat. He passed a photo to his son. “Cecil Knight, Lieutenant colonel for the British Army turned judge. As of the last year he’s been cracking down on our men more. We have at least five serving time and many of our evening establishments shut down with the new laws he’s pushing forward.”
Arturo nodded his head, “You want to…persuade him.”
The kind smile on the older man’s face took a sharp edge, “Yes, but not for the reason you’re assuming.” He took a seat as his son looked at him with furrowed brows, “What do you mean.”
“He has been an upstanding member of society since he could walk and the face of a golden personality. Very kind and religious, well liked by the public for his affable nature and stances on equality but his no nonsense rulings. I’ve met him once or twice; he knows little about our involvement. But, he has been holding back on one issue”
Arturo understood what ‘involvement’ his father insinuated, but neither would dare utter it out loud. Even in their own home, it was too risky.
“Take a seat.” Arturo sat down across from his father, the pretty girl away from his view now. “When your grandfather was alive and bought this property, he made friends with a neighbor, a gardener that lived down the street. They became close, and he saved your grandfather’s life. One day he came across some money and asked for a favor of your grandfather to invest it. It was a good decision, but before your grandfather gave him back the money, they made a deal. Our families would unite.”
The young man stared at his father with a blank expression, “Alright. It’s obvious that it didn’t happen.” Vincenzo sighed before taking a swig of his drink, “Well, what can I say? I was already married. It also didn’t help that the gardener’s son was vehemently against this agreement.”
Arturo nodded in realization, “Cecil Knight said no.” His father laugh, “A bit more than say. He went to my father and rebuked him for fooling his father, saying he was taking advantage of a poorer man for his evil deeds.” And while it was true. Vincenzo knew better than to say it out loud.
“He said no one from his family will ever become a part of ours.” He sighed while looking at his son, “You know the Gasparini temper, how we hold grudges. Your grandfather didn’t take kindly knowing he helped Cecil afford his education with the money that was invested. That fool thought he had a higher moral standing because he didn’t partake in this business we did.”
“What does the girl have to do with it?”
Vincenzo sat back in his plush chair, leaning back a little. “Mr.Knight is a single man and she is his only child. Not by birth according to the files but the dearest thing to him. She is his weak spot. She’s a nice girl, quiet, and listens to her father well. She keeps out of the way. Very intelligent as well and she received a scholarship to Cambridge.” Putting a hand to his head, the older Gasparino looked back at the girl and sighed, “Shame she won’t continue that path.”
Blue eyes narrowed, “What do you mean?”
A cruel streak filled dark eyes, “Well, when your grandfather died he had a dying wish. We were going to bring our families together to spite Cecil. All he worked hard for will crash with a marriage, and who better his beloved daughter?”
“So you want me to seduce her?”
“You’ll marry her. You’re old enough, Arturo. It’s time to settle down and start the next generation of our family.” Vincenzo lit his cigar and took a puff.
Arturo looked out the window again, his view consumed with the girl outside. “I’m not worried about that. My career is going strong now, I don’t need to be hampered by the need for a family.”
His father tsked. “I’ve let you wander long enough. I can’t clean up any more of your messes.”
A careless laugh left the young man, “What messes?”
“You leave a long string of women heartbroken and scorned. While there are times I can appreciate your charm, inner wars almost start because you’ve angered many daughters. You need to be off the market, at least officially.”
Angered filled the young man. “If I get off the market, as you put it, I would never go wayward. But, it’s good I’m not tied down.”
His eyes remained on the girl, who came closer to the window. The only words that came to mind were doll and alluring. The clearer her features became, the more Arturo thought she looked like a doll. Her tawny complexion bathed in the resplendent sun, small shoulders cowering under the thick raven curls. There was a ribbon in her hair, holding some strands back but some loose strays made their way on her face.
His fingers pressed onto the glass, wanting to touch and consume her whole.
“Your only job is to get her and make her vulnerable enough so her father would be in our hands. Do not touch her though. Give the illusion that you’ve done something, but don’t break her.” Arturo didn’t look at his father, not wanting to lose sight of the mysterious beauty.
His father got up, taking hold of his son’s jaw to turn his face away, “I am serious. Your grandfather will haunt you from his eternal slumber if you do. He wanted to spite Cecil Knight, not destroy his daughter. She must remain untouched before marriage.”
His father’s tone was final, but there was a slight trembling. His father did not want her touched, but the reason was unknown.
“It shouldn’t be hard to get her attention. Soon she’ll go to her papa and tell him she’s in love. He will pale realizing he messed with the wrong family. But how will we get them here?”
Vincenzo took another puff, “You don’t worry about that. I’ll get everything together. All you have to do is get that girl to fall for you, capisce?”
Although his eyes were full of stubbornness, Arturo gave a nod. His father smiled and gave his face a pat, “Maybe you’ll even like her. I know she may not be your cup of tea, but do it for you grandfather. Make the family name proud.”
“Just like you did.” Pulling his face out of his father’s grip, Arturo trudged out of the office.
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