Bab 3: The Unveils
I woke up for the first time in forever to the smell of waffles. It was my favorite meal as a kid, and my heart warmed that Zia Benedetta remembered. I quickly rolled Ursula off me and ran to the bathroom to take a quick shower before hurrying downstairs.
I had a room prepared for her, but the princess had insisted on sleeping close to me. She was such a pest but of the excellent type, and I adored her. Breakfast was a joy. I don't know which was more amusing. Ursula is talking non-stop between bites, and Zia Benedetta is encouraging her.
Years ago, I would have gotten a light slap, and my manners questioned. We finished breakfast, and I thanked Zia Benedetta for putting me in her thoughts. It was supposed to be a beautiful morning, so I wasn't going to let the memory of my late mother patting me for finishing my food make me tear up.
"Okay, honey! " Zia Benedetta said, sensing a shift in my mood. I nodded, thanking her once again for breakfast.
It was Monday already, and I had so much to catch up on. There were various issues I needed to see to, but one wildly, I hurriedly beckoned on Zia Benedetta to have someone prepare a table and chair at the window facing the garden. It used to be my mama's favorite spot.
Its amazing green view, coupled with the stream of sunlight that converged, formed the most beautiful rays. It was simply breathtaking and smelt like heaven.
"Nine Prinzessin. I'm working," I said, pushing Ursula off me as she insisted on changing the style of my hair to a bang for the millionth time.
"Yes, my friend. And it's Ursula, for heaven's sake," she replied, obviously frustrated.
"Look, I don't just want to change my hairstyle. How does this have anything to do with the mission on the ground?" I asked, wondering where all this was leading. Knowing Ursula as I did, she had plans.
"You're about to step into the role of a bad bitch, and you must act accordingly. Now, picture your drop-dead gorgeous face in bangs. You're putting on a red Armani suit, red bottom heels, and your signature hat. Tell me you can't visualize the queen of the south in all her glory," Ursula clapped and twirled around.
"Ursula, this is not a joke. I didn't leave the safety of my other companies in Germany to plunge myself into the lion's den for this. Every minute I spend idly is one less minute to achieve my goals. I can't afford to waste any more time."
"Fein," she said in German, drawing a seat close to me. "I don't want this revenge mission to consume you. I saw how happy you were yesterday, which is something I've not seen in a long time. Maybe I got too carried away."
"It's okay," I said, not knowing how to reply in this situation.
"So, what's up? Tell me why you've been staring at your MacBook." She inquired.
"Well, you know I have been searching for a tiny crack or slip in Perini Navi Shipyard to take advantage of?"
"Yes?" Ursula answered.
"Let's just say I finally found one." I voiced out in accomplishment.
"Wait? Fill me in at once," her eyes lightened, and she adjusted her chair properly to listen. I shook my head, wondering why a German princess was always so bubbly and dramatic.
"Only if you promise to leave my hair alone." I rolled my eyes at her.
"Uggghh! Fine!" She whines.
"Okay, here goes. So about two years ago, I came in contact with a well-qualified young man I planted in the company. He is like my personal spy and reports daily to me—"
"Smart. So?" She cuts me off.
"I got him to take the company's prototype," I said, finally dropping the bombshell.
"What? You're such a genius, Mari," she screamed.
"Well, of course, I am," I said, indulging her.
"I'll let the self-appraisal pass for now." she waggled her fingers in my face but grew serious barely seconds later.
"So what next?"
"Well, for starters, I plan to use it against them in every way possible. I have a couple of ideas, but I need the most disastrous method. If it's not going to cause a headline, then it's too sweet."
"I agree. However, you know I'll always be your voice of reason, yeah?"
"Ja," She said.
"Good. Now listen carefully, do whatever it takes to get justice but not at the cost of your sanity. So every time it seems like you're going over the edge, I'll always be there to draw you back."
"I know your words are coming from a genuinely good place, Ursula, but you must know that for me to defeat these monsters, I'll have to be a bigger monster. Nothing is off the table. If I have to go over the edge and deep into the ocean, I will. I will fight that family with everything I've got, and it would be messy."
"I know. I need you to know that I'm here for you. Not just as an ear or comfort but to genuinely help you."
"Bel cuore," I said out loud cus that's how I felt. Her heart was so beautiful.
"Wait, that's not German. What does that mean, Mari?"
"It means I need to work now, and you're disturbing me," I said, laughing at her apparent confusion.
"You seem to forget I'm a German princess. I have access to the deadliest nuclear weapons in the world."
"For a progressive Princess, you sure do have a striking resemblance with Adolf..."
"Oh, you're dead," she cut me off, very much aware of the direction I was heading. She made to attack me but paused midway.
"You know what, I'll let you work now. I'll stay out of your way," she said, bowing gracefully.
Something was up with her. She wouldn't just surrender without a fight.
Minutes later, I heard shuffling feet and tiny whispers. I rolled my eyes at the conniving princess. Just then, a thought crossed my head. I knew exactly how to use the prototype to make Vincenzo Santoro's life a nightmare.
I quickly placed a call to my spy, and he picked up on the second ring. "Simeon?"
"Si signora" His skirmish beams out from the other line.
"I needed to confirm if the prototype you sent me is authentic."
"You hurt my feelings, signora." He mouthed.
"Good. Could you do one more thing for me? I'll send you the details now."
"Okay, signora"
"Ciao"
—
VINCENZO'S POV
I loosened my tie as I got ready for the day's work. I had a whole lot of paperwork to sort through. Still, there was a small voice inside of me, taunting me and urging me to think of the identity of Maria.
I didn't want to. I had entrusted everything to Matteo and was sure sooner than later; I would have the information I needed. As if on cue, the door to my office pushed open, and Matteo strode in.
"Fratello!" He voiced out in a cocky manner.
"Tone down your voice. I have this ridiculous headache that won't leave," I said to the ever chirpy man.
He drew a chair and sat but not before I caught a hint of mischievousness dancing around his face.
"Spill," I said impatiently.
"Oh, okay. I saw this signora sexy on my way to your office. I must confess, Amico; you know how to select the women in your company."
"Sixty seconds"
"Wait, what?" The excitement runs wide on his face.
"You have sixty seconds to state your reasons for barging into my office at this time of the day, or you can take yourself out," I was seething already.
As much as I loved Matteo, there was only so much of his nonsense I could take. I hate wasting my time. Every moment I strain is a dollar short of what I could be making.
"Oh... Well, you don't have to be mean about it. I'm the only friend who has stood by you even with that attitude of yours," he pouted.
"Thirty seconds"
"Fine, fine. Gesú cristi!" He said, adjusting his tie.
Good, he knew just how serious this was now. Matter plays too damn much.
"I have with me here all the information on Maria C. Delvey I could gather," he said, handing me a large brown envelope. "It wasn't easy, though. That lady life is one hell of a private rollercoaster ride,"
"Good work, Amico."
"Why don't you save the praises until you go through it," he said, that mischievous smile returning.
I quickly tore open the envelope and brought out a couple of documents. The first document had information on the actual birth of Maria. It did not show any record of the duchess ever being pregnant.
Maria didn't start staying with her until she was about ten. In order words, They adopt her. My mind began to beat faster, my fears becoming factual. I looked at pictures of my Maria; I mean the little girl I used to love, which was side by side with Maria C. Delvey, the woman that made me seeth beyond imagination.
The resemblance was there. If anything, Maria looked too much like her birth mother, Gisella Caruso.
That was it. My fears are confirmed. I watched my hand visibly shake as I fought for composure. The little girl that made my heart flutter and my tongue-tied was this annoying woman.
It meant that she survived the accident that claimed her family's life. I burst out laughing.
"Vince, are you okay?" Matteo asked, genuinely concerned.
"Of course, life plays its silly tricks, Matteo,"
"Yeah, you've seen it yourself. What are the odds that it is Maria Caruso? Sickening, I tell you."
"At least now I know why she won't approve my contract invitation and project."
"So, what's the next step?"
"Simple. Find out where this lady is and make come face to face with me in person,"
"Good luck with that" I sensed a hint of sarcasm in Matteo's voice and raised my brows, waiting for an explanation.
"Common. Do you think it'll be that easy finding this woman? She hid her identity for twenty years, you know" he shrugged.
"Oh, I'll find her, Matteo, even if it's the last thing I do. I'll find her even if I have to go to Germany myself and drag her ass to Milan."
I quickly placed a call to Kevin, an ally of mine that majored in locating people.
"What's up, dawg?" Kevin answered in his African American accent.
"Kev, I need your help."
"Don't you always?" He replied, bellowing.
I ignored his rudeness because I was desperately in need. I place him to where he belongs at a later time. Kevin was the best in his field. He had never taken more than twenty minutes to locate whoever I needed him to. That was why I always excused his disregard for my person. He was way too valuable.
"I just forwarded you some details. I need you to find the whereabouts of that person and report back to me immediately."
"And my doll..."
"I wired the money already. I'll be waiting" I dropped the call and sighed.
"He won't find her," Matteo suddenly spoke up. I looked up at him, wondering what he meant by that.
"You just wasted a shit ton of money because he won't find her," he repeated.
"Why do you say that?"
"I contacted him the minute I found out the information I sent you. I asked him to find this sexy lady, and he hasn't"
"And you didn't think to tell me all these before I made the call?"
"How was I supposed to know you were going to call him?"
"MATTEO!" The sound of my voice could break the ice. I was seriously on edge, and Matteo was hell-bent on testing my patience.
"You seriously need to work on that temper of yours," he said, coming out from his initial shock.
That's the thing about Matteo. He was the one person that could stand my temper. "Anyway, he said he would trace the location where she took these pictures and hopefully find someone who would divulge some information. But..."
"But?"
"Smart man," he replied, leaning closer to me. Whispering, he said. "He wants a cut from the wellspring money."
"Aha! How does he know about that?" Matteo shrugged, reclining back on his seat.
"He's American!"
"I'm guessing you want the same thing?"
"As I said, smart man," Matteo smirked.
"Fine. Give him whatever he wants. I want the location of Maria as soon as possible."
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