Chapter 13
Tiziano Constanzo
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the muted sound of silverware.
I drank my coffee in silence, looking out through the wide windows at the estate’s immaculate gardens.
Luigi entered the room and sat at the table without even bothering to say good morning. He seemed far too excited for that.
“I already scheduled the dinner for tonight,” he announced, helping himself to a piece of bread. “It’ll be at La Pergola. Your future in-laws will be there.”
“Good.” I set my cup on the table and added bluntly, “Arrange the wedding for two weeks from now.”
Enzo’s laughter echoed through the room.
“That fast, cousin?”
“Yes. By the end of the year, we’ll have a baby dirtying diapers in this house,” I replied indifferently.
“I like seeing you so committed,” Enzo commented, still laughing.
“Yes, I’m very ‘committed,’” I scoffed, looking at him.
Luigi cleared his throat, trying to steer the conversation back toward seriousness.
“Giulia will give you beautiful children,” he commented, as if he already knew my choice.
I let out a mocking laugh that made both of them look at me in surprise.
“Giulia? No. I want the younger daughter.”
Luigi froze for a moment, staring at me in disbelief.
“Bianca?” he asked as if he couldn’t believe it. “She’s only nineteen.”
“So what?” I shot back, raising an eyebrow. “Perfect age to give me plenty of heirs.”
“Healthy and plenty of stamina for a lot of fucking,” Enzo added in his usual provocative tone.
I shot him an icy look, which was enough to silence him.
“You’re talking about my future wife, so change your tone and show her some respect.”
Enzo raised his hands in surrender but couldn’t resist the sarcasm.
“Sorry, Tiziano, but you must’ve chosen her for that reason.”
I ignored the comment, finishing my coffee in silence. I stood from the table without another word, feeling both their eyes following me as I left.
I entered my office, but Luigi followed, clearly dissatisfied with my decision.
“Tiziano, Bianca?” he repeated as if expecting me to change my mind.
I ignored him and walked to my desk to review some documents.
“She doesn’t have the bearing to be your wife. She doesn’t suit you or the Constanzo name. She’s too simple. She didn’t attend the same schools as her sister, she has no sophistication. How do you expect her to fulfill the role of Mrs. Constanzo?”
I turned toward him, crossing my arms.
“Strange, isn’t it? That one of them received an impeccable education while the other wasn’t even given the same opportunities.”
Luigi huffed in frustration.
“That’s their business, Tiziano! We’re talking about your wife, the future Mrs. Constanzo!”
“I’ve already decided. I want Bianca.”
“Give me reasons!” Luigi demanded irritably.
I approached him, staring at him with a serious expression.
“She’s young, healthy, and moldable. She’s not like Giulia, who believes the world lies at her feet. Bianca won’t question my decisions. She’ll learn to be what I need her to be. And most importantly, she hasn’t been exposed to other men.”
Luigi narrowed his eyes, weighing my words.
“So that’s it? Obedience and purity?”
“Exactly. I don’t need a wife full of demands or romantic illusions. I need a woman who understands her role. Bianca fits that.”
“You figured all of that out just by looking at her?” Luigi asked skeptically.
“Yes,” I replied firmly. “I watched her closely enough. She’s aware of her position, knows the place she occupies, and accepts it without resistance.”
“You saw all that?” he insisted, still suspicious.
“Believe me, I did.” I crossed my arms, staring at him. “I recognize someone who can be molded easily. Bianca is exactly the type who adapts to whatever she needs to become without questioning it.”
Luigi sighed, slowly shaking his head as if he didn’t want to believe what he was hearing, though he knew trying to convince me otherwise was useless.
“She’s still a child,” Luigi said disapprovingly. “I never thought you’d consider this. You’re nineteen years older than she is, Tiziano.”
I leaned against the desk, crossing my arms as I looked at him.
“So what?” I shot back dryly. “She’s nineteen, not twelve. She’s woman enough to marry, have children, and fulfill the role I need her to. Age isn’t a problem, Luigi. In fact, it’s an advantage.”
Luigi sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.
“She has no idea how this world works. She isn’t prepared, she doesn’t know how to deal with the challenges that will come.”
“Perfect,” I interrupted firmly. “Then she’ll learn from me. I don’t need someone who tries to impose her will or thinks she knows more than I do. I need a woman who knows her place, someone moldable.”
Luigi shook his head, looking more exhausted than angry now.
“You really have already decided, haven’t you?”
“I have. And if you trust my judgment to lead this famiglia, then trust my judgment when it comes to choosing my wife.”
There was a moment of silence between us before Luigi rose from the chair.
“Very well, Tiziano. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I always do,” I replied, turning my attention back to the documents on the desk.
As Luigi left, I closed my eyes for a moment. The image of Bianca, shy and out of place, crossed my mind again. She would be my wife, and I would make her exactly what I needed her to be. After all, in my world, decisions like this had nothing to do with feelings.
Early that evening, I headed to La Pergola. When I arrived, I was pleased to find my future in-laws already there. I hated waiting, and at least they had gotten that right.
Ant?nio stood to greet me as soon as I approached the table.
I returned the gesture with nothing more than a brief nod.
Men like him irritated me deeply. Weak men, incapable of asserting authority even over their own wives.
Ant?nio was exactly that: a pale shadow of a man, controlled by the woman beside him.
Lucia rose with an air of authority, extending her hand as if she owned the world.
I knew she had molded Giulia in her own image, and if I had chosen the older daughter, it would only be a matter of time before she became unbearable.
Maybe it was better for Giulia that I hadn’t chosen her.
She would’ve died quickly after the first time she dared defy me.
I sat, maintaining a rigid posture as I watched them.
“So, let’s talk business,” I said bluntly. “How much do you want for the marriage?”
Lucia broke into an exaggerated smile while Ant?nio looked as though he were about to sweat even more than he already was.
“We’re not asking for a dowry for our daughter, imagine that!” Lucia rushed to say, her voice far too sweet to be sincere. “It’s an honor for her to marry someone like you.”
I forced the smallest of smiles, nothing more than a reflex of irony.
“We’ll settle on five hundred thousand euros.
I think that’s enough to compensate you for the ‘loss’ of your daughter.
Because, as you can imagine, that’s what happens after the wedding.
She’ll be my wife, and you’ll become relatives.
” I crossed my arms, staring at them calmly.
“I don’t want frequent visits, and I’ll control her schedule.
The first years of our marriage will be devoted exclusively to producing heirs.
My mother couldn’t have any more children, but I assume your daughter is healthy. Even so, we’ll have tests done.”
Lucia smiled, far too confidently for my liking, as she pulled some papers from her purse.
“Don’t worry, Don Tiziano. Giulia is very fertile. We’ve already had tests done. Here they are, you can check.”
I accepted the papers only out of courtesy without even looking at them. I forced another smile, this time to conceal how much that woman irritated me.
“I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” I said, handing the papers back. “I thought my uncle had already informed you. I’m going to marry Bianca.”
The effect of my words was immediate. Lucia nearly choked on the toast she was eating, her eyes widening as if she had just heard blasphemy. Ant?nio began sweating even more, his face shining like a pig about to be roasted.
“I assume that won’t be a problem,” I added, watching their reactions.
Lucia caught her breath, but her voice came out shaky.
“Giulia is our oldest daughter. She should marry first.”
“I can find her a good match if that’s a problem,” I replied dismissively.
“But why Bianca?” Lucia asked, still incredulous, as though she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
My patience began to wear thin.
“I’ve answered that question enough. I want her, period,” I cut in, my voice glacial. “It’s Bianca or no one.”
Lucia’s face turned red, and for a moment, her expression made me think she might have a heart attack right there. Ant?nio looked as though he were about to implode, which amused me slightly.
I leaned forward, looking directly at Ant?nio.
“Send your wife home, Ant?nio. You and I are going to have a man-to-man conversation.”
He hesitated for a moment, but when he saw the intensity in my gaze, he quickly nodded toward Lucia, who reluctantly stood. She still shot me a murderous glare before leaving, but I didn’t care. I had already decided, and there was nothing she could do to change it.
When the restaurant door closed behind her, I turned my attention back to Ant?nio, who looked even more uncomfortable.
“Now, Ant?nio, let’s talk like men.”
Ant?nio shifted uneasily in his chair, uncomfortable as a cornered animal. I picked up my wineglass and slowly swirled it in my hand, watching the dark liquid as I let the silence weigh on him. This kind of silence was more effective than any threat.
“So, Ant?nio,” I finally began, my voice low and controlled. “Let’s dispense with the formalities, because we both know exactly what’s happening here.”
He swallowed hard, his eyes avoiding mine. I was buying the girl. It would be the same with any other woman. They handed them over to me because they wanted something in return.
“Don Tiziano, I… I don’t quite understand your decision. Bianca is… well… different from Giulia.”
I smiled faintly, without a trace of humor.
“That’s exactly why, Ant?nio. I don’t want Giulia. I don’t want a woman like Lucia. I already have enough problems without marrying a woman who thinks she can rule the world simply because she knows when to smile.”
Ant?nio lowered his head, having no argument.
“But she’s young, Don. Inexperienced. I don’t know if she’s prepared for what you expect of her.”
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table and fixing my gaze on him. He didn’t look concerned about Bianca. He looked concerned about the wife who would blame him later for failing to convince me otherwise.
“She doesn’t need to be prepared. I’ll take care of that. And if you have any doubts about her abilities, I suggest you keep them to yourself. This marriage is an order, Ant?nio. Not a proposal.”
He nodded quickly, sweat running down his forehead as he grabbed his napkin to wipe it away.
“Understand something, Ant?nio. Bianca will be my wife, and her name will carry the weight of the Constanzo family. That will protect her more than you ever could.”
Ant?nio blinked, confused and surprised by my words.
“Protect her?”
“Yes.” I leaned even closer. “You won’t have to worry about her anymore.”
The man froze, pale as a corpse.
“Don Tiziano, I…”
“Shut up. I’m not interested in hearing any more arguments. I’m interested in one thing: your loyalty. You hand over your daughter without interference, and in return, your family keeps its place under Constanzo protection. Otherwise, Ant?nio, you know what happens to the weak.”
He nodded quickly, looking as though he might collapse right there.
“Very well.” I leaned back in my chair, picking up my wineglass again. “It’s decided. And to make myself clear, from now on, I expect you to keep your wife under control. I don’t want Lucia interfering with my plans.”
Ant?nio nodded frantically, still unable to look directly at me.
“Yes, Don Tiziano. It will be as you wish.”
I stood, adjusting my jacket as I gave him one final look.
“Good choice, Ant?nio. This marriage will benefit all of us. Prepare the girl to marry me in two weeks.”
I left the room, leaving him there sweating and trembling like the pathetic man he was. Bianca would be mine, and the rest, the rest didn’t matter.