บท 5: The Resentment
Chapter 4: The Resentment
VINCENZO's POV
"Oh, I'm going to kill her, Matteo! I'll strangle her with my bare hands if I set my eyes on her," I said. I felt so much anger it was a miracle I was yet to burst into flames. I couldn't fathom the audacity of Maria C. Delvey or whatever her name was.
"Calm down, man. You're not even sure if she did this?" Matteo said, trying to be the voice of reason, but I was far too angry to care about peace talks.
"Oh, I know it's her. It is her. She's the only person cruel enough to do something like this. She has had it out for me forever, and I'm sick and tired of playing this hiding game," I replied, downing my glass of whiskey in one gulp.
"You know what, man? She's had it out for me since we were kids. I don't know what I've done to her, but I won't sit this one out?"
"Of course, you won't, my friend. But we need to confirm if she's actually behind this before you step in the wrong direction."
"No, Matteo! Just fucking no! She is behind this. I can bet every last penny I have," My outburst interrupted my fit. I picked up the phone and heard that annoyingly sexy voice.
"What do you want, Priscilla? Now is not a good time," I barked at her making sure she knew I wasn't in the mood to play her silly mind games.
"I was in your office today, and you weren't there."
"I'm working from home today. What did you want to tell me?"
"Well, I have big news for you," she said slowly, purposely getting on my nerves.
"Priscilla, what did you want to tell me for the last time?" I said calmly. She was aware that was usually the last straw before I did something bizarre.
"My man at the Milan airport confirmed that Maria did return to Milan sometime last week. He said she didn't even come alone. She was with some Germans...." I cut off the call, hardly interested in what she had to say after she broke the most important news.
My suspicion had finally been confirmed. I wasn't being crazy. Maria was actually in Milan.
"Fratello?" Matteo called.
"Brother," I jumped a little when I felt someone's hands on me. I had completely zoned out, forgetting Matteo was still here.
"Well, what did Priscilla want?"
"I told you, Matteo, didn't I?" He stared at me confused as I gathered myself together.
"Maria is currently in Milan. Priscilla just confirmed that. Now tell me you still think it's a big coincidence and she has nothing to do with my stolen prototype?" I asked, flaring with anger.
"Well, this puts things in a new perspective. She's smart, though, and I'll give her that," Matteo said.
I was sensing a little pride in his voice, and that further aggravated me.
"You need to leave if you have nothing helpful to say" I racked my brain, trying to think of a solution, but my mind was blank.
I was way too angry to come up with anything that didn't involve violence. I was mad at myself for thinking this was still the girl I used to love. I was angry at myself for dreaming of useless possibilities.
Priscilla was right. I had grown weak for a moment thinking of the endless possibilities a reunion with Maria would bring. But right now, at this moment, I hated her. She had taken the one thing I put my blood, sweat, and tears into creating and using against me. She was going to build my vision and get the reward. Matteo speculated about her as clever, but I think differently. She was beyond stupid if she thought for a moment that I would let this slide.
"Anger is not going to solve anything. It'll just wear you out. If we're going to one-up Maria, we need to think smart," he reasoned, but I was too pissed.
"What do you suggest then?"
"We find out how the prototype was stolen in the first place. Someone close to the company did this. Meaning there's a rat we need to fish out."
"So we throw a bait and watch out for whoever falls for it?"
"Ditto!"
"Do it then. And woe is unto whoever falls into that trap. They'll regret the day they chose to betray me," I said, seething.
"Good. Now we've settled that, it's time to meet with STEELS. They wonder why another company is parading the prototype you submitted to them for review."
"Damn it! Damn you, Maria! We can't afford to lose a partner. Not at this very vulnerable moment!" I paced, wondering why all this was happening.
STEELS is an international organization that has stood by my company through the darkest times. They are our biggest partners, and losing them on suspicion of fraud would damage the company.
"As I said, calm down. You're Vincenzo Santoro. You built an Idea from ground zero to the success it is today. Not even this can break you. Attend to this meeting and clear out every doubt he may have"
"He?" I asked, wondering who he was referring to.
"Well, apparently, Roy has taken over the company from his father. He is the one you'll be having this meeting with," Matteo replied calmly.
"And you're just telling me this?" I asked, alarmed.
Roy was always jealous of the relationship I had with his father. He was a pathetic excuse for an heir and spent his time sucking up to women. I always wondered if his father, Mr Hudson Steel, would allow his heritage to rest in the hands of a weakling like Roy, and it seemed he had.
"He's no match for you. Just go through with this meeting while I investigate the rat situation we have on our plates."
"Fine. Bring me my MacBook; let me get this over with."
Three days later
I drove to my parent's house with an intervention in mind. Matteo and I had tried and failed to fish out whoever was responsible for stealing and leaking my prototype to Maria, and I felt like a failure. It wasn't in me to die.
I had worked too damn hard to be outdone by a girl. 'A gorgeous woman,' my mind whispered. I shook my head to clear it. Now was not the time to think of how sexy Maria was.
Even her beauty was not going to save her from my wrath. I got to my parent's house just in time and drove to the parking spot. I took a few minutes in the car to catch a breath. I knew the atmosphere going in there was going to be tense. It was not so.
I was very aware that my father never loved my mother, and that single fact always drove my mum to the edge. The only thing that ever brought them truly together was work, and I wouldn't say I liked it, but that was the fate I had been dealt. I descended and proceeded to go inside the house.
"The child of my heart," My mum, Viola Santoro, said when she sighted me. She drew me into one long dramatic hug.
"That's okay, mum," I said, finally pulling her away. She swiped at me and frowned deeply.
"Ouch, what was that for?" I asked, holding my hands in pain.
"Why don't you come to visit your lonely mother more often?" She asked, wagging her fingers at me.
"Leave that poor boy alone. You know he has to work," My father, Pietro Santoro, suddenly interrupted.
"Padre!" I turned to look at my father, who looked younger and more handsome than his age.
"Mio figlio!" He smiles at me. "Don't mind your mother. You know how dramatic she is," he whispered to me.
"You both are insufferable," she said, walking away. We both laughed and proceeded into the living room.
Dinner at my folk's place went by without any casualty and for that, I was grateful. It was less tense than I remember.
"So, son, what brings you here today?" My father asked.
I exhaled deeply. "There's a big problem at my company," I replied, going straight to the point.
"There's never been a problem that can't be solved," my mum said, sipping on her healing tea. I Wonder what she thinks is wrong with her now. My mum was a massive hypochondriac.
"The prototype of the new ship I was telling you both about the last time I visited has been stolen!" I dropped the bombshell.
"What?" My mum screamed while my ever calm dad was deep in thought.
"Do you perhaps have an idea who stole it?" he finally asked.
"In fact, I do."
"Tell us immediately who they are," my mum urged.
"I don't know if you've heard of the German heiress Maria C. Delvey?" They both nodded, and I carried on.
"Well, I have reasons to believe that she's responsible for this. She stole the prototype, registered it under another company, and approved it."
"Why would she do all that?" My dad asked, looking me dead in the eye. It was apparent he suspected I was leaving some details out.
"Isn't she the same woman that had refused to approve of this same prototype when you submitted it, and now she goes and steals it? Who does she think she is?" My mum asked in disbelief.
"Do you know why she has it out for you, son?" I paused, wondering if telling them my discovery of who Maria is was the sensible thing to do.
My parents didn't get along with theirs, especially my mum. If I tell them, this could turn into a full-blown war. Then again, why should I care? Why should I protect Maria? She's the one that has been after me for the longest, even when I didn't do anything to her. If anything, she deserved everything that was going to happen to her. I decided to fess up.
"Well, I think I have a clue, but even at that, I still can't wrap my head around the reason she has for targeting me."
"Well, tell us the clue so I can figure out a way to destroy her," my mum pressed.
"Woman, let him gather his thoughts. He needs to take his time in telling us whatever he wants to," my dad said.
"Maria C. Delvey is Maria Caruso," I suddenly blurted out.
"What? Don't you dare say that name here? She is dead, Vincenzo. DEAD!" My mum screamed in annoyance, while my dad's face never left mine.
"Well, I'm dead serious, mum. This is a picture of her, so you can confirm it yourself" I passed them the picture and watched as my mum's face grew from shock to pure resentment while my dad took a deep breath.
Mrs. Gisella still had a hold on him, and Maria looked so much like her mother.
"Now you've seen her. Can you both tell me why she has so much anger towards me? Cus this can't just be because of that silly love triangle."
"What does it matter? As long as the Caruso's and Santoro's exist, they'll never be peace between us? And the audacity of her targeting my son won't go unpunished," my mum said, her eyes burning with unhidden hatred.
My dad wisely kept quiet. Everything he said would have been used against him by my mum.
"So what now?" I asked.
"I think it's time we have dinner with Maria Caruso or Delvey, whatever she is called. I'll take care of the details. I need you both to show up," my mum replied.
I looked at my dad, who was still silent. Seeing Maria's picture must have been too much for him. I should have been mad that he loved another woman that wasn't my mother yet; I felt pity for him.
It was such a cruel fate to spend the rest of your life with the woman you cheated on with the love of your life. Especially when it was apparent you would never love that woman.
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