Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ISABELLE
V incenzo and I were waiting on the balcony of the hotel where Sarah and Mark were spending their honeymoon.
Like most of the luxury hotels in Palermo, this one had a beautiful view of the sea. The balcony was fully made of glass so that we could see the view clearly even if we were seated.
We were close enough to the water to smell the slight scent of it. It was something that would normally have helped me focus, but I was too amped up today.
My heart was racing as we walked through the grand entrance of the hotel. The luxury and beauty of my surroundings did very little to calm my nerves. I was so on edge because we were meeting Sarah and Mark for lunch. It was a lot for me mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Sarah and Mark both knew me well, and I still felt guilty about what happened during their wedding. I felt terrible that Mark had approached me like that on their wedding day.
While we waited for Sarah and Mark to come down from their room, I clung to Vincenzo’s arm. It was a subconscious gesture, and maybe I was squeezing his arm a little too tightly, but I didn’t care. He didn’t seem to mind either. I was holding on to him, my fingers digging into his sleeve. And yet, Vincenzo acted like he didn’t notice, though I was sure that he did.
"Nice touch holding on to my arm. It makes us look like a real couple," he said approvingly.
I had to constantly remind myself of the necessity of this charade. I knew that what had been started needed to be finished. But Sarah and Mark’s presence would make it even more difficult. These people knew me, what if they could tell I was lying? To top it all off, I was walking around with a luxurious engagement ring on my finger. The ring that now seemed to be growing bigger with every passing second.
It felt like what I was wearing was a beacon, not a ring. I knew my friend, the likelihood that she would miss an engagement ring on my finger was very low. I found myself fidgeting with my hands. I wanted to hide them behind my back, sit on them, or place a napkin over them, anything to make sure Sarah didn't spot it.
Vincenzo must have sensed my nerves because he patted me on the arm.
“I don't know why you're so nervous.” He whispered to me with a soft smile that didn't reach his eyes. To an outsider, he must have looked loving, like he was whispering sweet nothings in my ear.
My breathing accelerated, my heartbeat now drumming in my ears. My chest was heaving as I tried to steady myself. It was Vincenzo’s firm grip on my arm that calmed me down, grounding me. I looked up at him and his expression was unreadable; a perfect mask of calm and control. I doubted anything could faze him.
I admired the fact that he was so calm, but I also hated it. How could he be that put together? I resented the way he seemed to navigate such deception with ease. I, on the other hand, wasn't cut for any kind of subterfuge. My friends usually teased me by calling me the worst poker player in the world.
Sarah and Mark finally stepped out of the elevator and miraculously, I managed to pull myself together. Sarah spotted me.
She looked stunning, like a glowing goddess. She was wearing a blue sundress and her blonde hair was pulled back into a low braid that hung over her shoulder. Sarah rushed over, her excitement evident from her bright smile, sparkling eyes and her hurried steps. I forced a smile in return, bracing myself for the barrage of inevitable questions.
I hugged her quickly, then I wrapped my arms back around Vincenzo’s. I squeezed his arm, seeking support and he squeezed mine back, making me smile a little. As I rested my hands on Vincenzo’s bicep, Sarah spotted the ring on my finger.
“Oh my God! Izzy, are you engaged?! Why didn’t you tell me?!” Sarah started, her voice both shocked and delighted.
“Let’s head to the restaurant first, then I promise I’ll tell you the everything.”
“I see you want to keep me on my toes, I don’t mind,” she said, still sounding excited. I greeted Mark, and Vincenzo greeted him too before we began to move to the restaurant. Mark looked stunned at the sight of Vincenzo, and Vincenzo's stony glare grew more intense as he no doubt recalled what had happened at the wedding.
The restaurant was as equally exquisite as the rest of the building, and their menu offered a wide variety of fresh sea food, which was something I absolutely loved. I guess I could consider this on the bright side of being stuck in a fake engagement with a Mafia boss in Palermo.
“So now that we’re seated, spill the tea! Are you really engaged or is that ring just for show?”
“Yes,” I said with a stiff smile.
“Which one is it?”
“I am engaged,” I said, with the most genuine smile that I could muster. It felt weird to say it out loud; it was like talking about it gave it more life. Whether it was for show or not, I was now engaged in the eyes of Sarah and Mark, this was serious for them.
“How?”
“It all happened so quickly,” I said, glancing at Mark who had been really quiet. I couldn’t help but notice Mark as he sat next to Sarah, his expression, a complex mix of surprise, lingering regret, and curiosity. He looked at me like I was the one that got away, and that had me frowning. I was confused at first, but I brushed it off. His eyes fixated on the ring, then moved to Vincenzo, assessing him with a frown. What was his problem? Vincenzo must have felt the same way because he shot a dark look at Mark.
We were now seated in a private dining area which was secluded from the restaurant’s main sala, but still had a stunning view of the beautiful sea. Just like the rest of the building, the wall facing the sea was made of glass. If you listened close enough, you could hear the sound of the waves gently accompanying the live piano bar music of the restaurant.
Despite the beautiful setting, I could feel the tension simmering under my skin. Thankfully, although Vincenzo and Mark had been busy glaring at each other mere seconds ago, they were both doing a good job of looking friendly now.
Sarah was the only one that really felt like talking. She began to chatter on and on, telling us all about what a wonderful time she was having at Palermo. However, while she spoke, she shot me occasional glances of curiosity, confusion and thinly veiled suspicion. I knew that she was going to come back to the topic of our engagement. She knew me and knew how much I valued forging deep and strong bonds. I was aware it wouldn't be easy to convince her that this whirlwind affair and engagement was real. I also knew that she would be worried about me getting engaged to a foreigner so far from home.
Despite being able to anticipate and prepare for her questions, I was dreading them. I had to get it together as soon as possible. But, as if sensing my discomfort, she continued to lead the conversation, stirring to easier topics, giving me some reprieve from the tension currently chocking me. I still felt the walls closing in on me.
“So how did you two meet?” Sarah asked, her eyes darting in between Vincenzo and me, as if looking for a crack in the fa?ade, as if waiting for me to burst into tears and tell her that everything is a lie. Before I could bring myself to speak, Vincenzo started.
“It was destiny, that was the only way I could describe it. It was like we were intentionally placed in each other’s paths. The moment I saw her, I knew she was the one.”
“Wow,” Sarah said, enthralled. She leaned in closer, resting her chin in her palms while her elbows were on the table, “tell me more.” She then glanced at me, “I want to know everything.”
"It started with a simple mistake. We were both at the airport and our paths wouldn't have crossed if our bags didn't look so similar. There I was, with the most beautiful woman I had ever met insisting that my bag was hers..."
"That's not true!" I interjected.
"It is. We were there, arguing over the bag and Isabelle here has the bright idea to open it to prove that it's hers." My heart pounded as he got to that part of the story.
"It… it was a good idea." I whine in a shaky voice, wondering if he was actually going to tell them the truth.
"Yes, and it would have worked if the bag didn't immediately pop open. Everything in it popped out, my clothes and documents. It was already awkward enough, but when Belle tried to help pick them up, she stopped short when she picked up one item." I exhaled a sigh of relief at his words.
"Why?" Sarah asked, sounding excited.
"Well, what she was holding was my underwear. When she realized that, her face turned red instantly. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen."
"Cute? More like the most embarrassing thing you had ever seen." I sneered.
"It was cute. You should have seen her. Once she realized what it was, she threw it at me so fast you'd have thought it was on fire." Vincenzo's voice was genial and one look at Sarah told me that she had bought the story.
So Vincenzo went on with his version of our meet cute, weaving a romantic fantasy tale, one that I knew could never happen to me.
Every time I spoke, Vincenzo would give me a weird look which I often ignored, then he would continue. I wanted to run away, but I couldn't do that. I had to face what I was doing and take some control of it.
I felt awful about lying to my best friend and I didn’t want to make it worse with a ridiculous love story. So, while Vincenzo's words painted a picture of a whirlwind romance, full of charm and passion, my additions to the story were opposing, trying to make the whole story sound less "dreamy," and more in my league. I wanted it to seem like meeting Vincenzo was just something that happened, not destiny or something that was meant to be. I needed a semblance of normalcy.
Vincenzo continued to look confused, even a little sad sometimes. He believed that I deserve a dreamy love story, and probably wondered why I didn’t like the idea of painting one to my friends. I turned away from his gaze, already seeing too much, I would explain when we were alone.
“So, when's the engagement party? But, most importantly, where?” Sarah finally asked once we finished telling the story. Her eyes were shining with excitement. She had definitely bought the whole surreal love story we told her.
It made my heart hurt to see how happy she was for me. On the other hand, Mark looked like I had punched him in the gut. He kept looking at me in shock, like I had somehow betrayed him. That pissed me off and made me feel sick to my stomach. He had no business looking at me like that, especially since he was married to my friend. I stole a glance at Sarah and let out a small sigh of relief when I saw that she hadn't noticed how weird her husband was acting.
“We're having our engagement party at the end of the week. We would be honored to have you as our guests, if your schedule and permanence in Palermo allows it.” Vincenzo's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I was shocked, and all of us at the table turned to look at him. I didn't know what he was getting at, but I didn't like that he suddenly sprang that on me.
“Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for the world!” Sarah exclaimed and with that, it seemed like everything was set. I found myself fidgeting with my ring again, grappling with the fact that the end of the week was in two days.
I could see that Mark’s face turned ugly when he heard that, but I didn't pay too much attention to him, my twisting up in knots. We only had two days until the engagement party, and I felt a bubble of panic rise within me. Everything seemed to be spinning out of control.
The rest of the meal went by uneventfully. The only strange thing was how much Mark was drinking. He drowned his first glass of wine like water and finished another two glasses just as fast.
“I better stick to juice, it looks like Mark is drinking for two.” Sarah, bless her heart, was being a good sport about it. I had to stop myself from glaring at him for his embarrassing behavior.
“I need to go to the restroom,” I finally said. I walked briskly to the toilet, and when I was done, I washed my hands, then headed back to our table. I only managed to take a few steps when I felt a hand wrap around my arm and pull me to a relatively hidden corner of the ornate main sala.
My first instinct was to panic and try to hit the person. My mind began to run wild, thinking that it could be one of Vincenzo's enemies.
“Shh, Izzy. It's just me. Calm down.” The words were said in the familiar tone, accompanied by the wave of alcohol that told me that this was Mark.
“What's wrong with you, Mark? You scared me.” I said, straightening up and yanking my arm out of his grasp.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to talk."
"About what?"
“Izzy, I just needed to tell you I'm sorry for everything. I didn't realize what I had until it was too late.” He suddenly said, and I felt my jaw drop. I stood there for a few seconds, stunned as I tried to make sense of the emotions warring within me.
“How dare you?” I finally asked through gritted teeth.
He looked confused at my words, and I found myself holding back the urge to punch him. I felt my heart break a little, but I knew I had to stand my ground. Things had gone too far to be fixed now.
“Mark, you're married now. You need to focus on Sarah. It's too late for… whatever you and I were.” I finally spoke, and even as I spoke, I felt terrible. Standing there, talking to Mark, made me feel disgusting, like I was betraying my friend. I turned around to leave.
“Please Izzy, just hear me out…” He stopped me in my tracks with a hand on my arm. Luckily enough, before I could respond, we were interrupted.
“Mark, Sarah was worried about you. You should head back to our table. Isabelle and I were just about to leave.” Vincenzo said coldly through clenched teeth. His gaze wandered between the two of us, and he must not have liked what he saw because his eyes darkened. He pulled me into his arms and placed his hand on my waist in a possessive, yet gentle way.
Mark stared at Vincenzo's arm in a daze, and before I could say anything, Vincenzo spoke again.
“We'll see you at our engagement party,” he said, right before he pulled me away.
On the drive home, he turned to look at me, I felt my heart pounding fast. I was terrified he was going to ask about what happened with Mark.