Vittoria

23. Date

Lunch with Jules and Zarina was amazing. The two of them get along really well. We all laughed and talked about the things we had in common.

Julianna couldn't believe that Zarina was my aunt. She says we act like sisters.

Once we finished eating we went shopping for a bit then came back home around 4pm.

Theodore sent both Jules and I a message telling me to get ready because he was going to take me out when he got home.

She keeps insisting it's a date and that I need to dress nicely, but I'm not sure that it is. After a lot of back and forth, I'm wearing a black skin tight mini dress, paired with some mesh tights, black knee high boots, and a black leather jacket. My hair is straightened and I'm wearing a black headband.

I went light with my makeup; mascara, lipgloss, highlight and blush.

It's now 6:30 and Theodore told me he was on his way about half an hour ago. When Papa got home earlier, my parents came to me asking about Theo cheating on me. Of course I couldn't explain exactly what I saw but I did tell them a little bit about Angelina. I also told them how I didn't really feel cheated on since Theodore and I are in a business arrangement rather than a relationship.

After informing them of our conversation earlier, and how he had no problem making her leave, they seemed to be a little less upset with him. I could tell my father was particularly upset with the news of Theodore with another woman but he's still the person who put me in this position in the first place.

My phone buzzes and Theodore's name flashes across my lock screen.

Come outside, his message reads.

Grabbing my purse, I stand from the couch and head over to the door, I wave goodbye to my family and Jules before stepping outside to see Theo.

He's standing beside the same car we took yesterday and he's dressed very nicely. All black suit, white dress shirt with the top three buttons undone.

I feel my stomach flip slightly at the sight of him. He looks good.

"Hi," I smile at Theo.

He nods his head, watching as I walk up to him. His eyes slowly move up and down as he takes in my appearance.

"You look beautiful," he murmurs.

Heat rushes to my cheeks at his words. "Thank you. You look pretty good yourself," I chuckle.

Theodore gives me the slightest smile before
walking us around to the other side of the car and opening the door for me.

I slide in the car and he closes the door, making his way to the drivers side he hops in.

"Where are we going?" I ask, still completely unaware of our destination.

"If I told you that, it'd ruin the surprise," he smirks at me.

"I wasn't aware that it was a surprise," I frown.

The engine of the car purrs to life as he begins backing out of the driveway. "Julianna knows where I'm taking you, your parents know and I know. So that means the only person who doesn't know is you; making this a surprise." Theodore looks over at me with such a serious look, it makes me want to scream.

Since the day I met Theo compared to now, he's a completely different person.

I've seen him laugh, joke, even tease me occasionally. On day one he just looked like he hated me. He was always frowning or just had such a straight look on his face.

We've made a little bit of progress in the short amount of time we've been together and I'm so glad that we have.

I don't love Theodore, honestly I wouldn't even go as far to say I liked Theo. But we get along somewhat okay, so maybe this "marriage" might not be that bad.

My parents had an arranged marriage, but they grew to love one another. That took a long time. Mamma told me that she didn't truly love my father until my first birthday. She said watching him grow as a person and as a father made her love him. She was able to see that he did care, and that he would do anything to protect the two of us.

My grandparents weren't so lucky when it came to their marriage. My mother's parents hated each other from the day they met til the day my Nonna died. Even after having two children, my grandparents never really loved one another.

I know Nonno cared for my grandmother, but I don't think he was ever in love with her. Mamma says that after her death, Nonno spiraled. He practically sold Mamma to the former Abruzzo patriarch grandpa Amedeo as a bride for Papa.

That's part of the reason Mamma felt so betrayed by Papa arranging my marriage. My whole life they both told me that I would be able to choose my love and who I wanted to spend my life with. Clearly things change.

We've been driving for about 45 minutes and Theo's parking in front of a random field.

"Where the hell are we Theodore?"

He's already getting out of the car, and walking around to my door.

"Come on," he says as he helps me out the car.

We start walking when suddenly he grabs me by my shoulders and turns me towards him.

"I need you to put this on," he says and pulls out a blindfold.

"No." I say taking a step back. Why the hell does this man have me in a field and is trying to blindfold me?

"I need you to trust me Vittoria," he says calmly.

"Why do I have to be blindfolded?" I ask. I can feel my heart pounding as my hands become clammy.

"I'm going to take you to your surprise but I don't want you to see it before we get there." Theodore takes a small step towards me, cautious not to freak me out.

I look at Theo's face and see that he's really trying to make me comfortable here. He's trying to surprise me and I'm bitching over a blindfold.

Taking a deep breath, "Okay."

He nods his head before walking over to me and tying the blindfold gently over my eyes.

"Let's go," he says before grabbing my hand and lacing our fingers together.

I blindly follow him for about 5 minutes before my feet start to hurt from my heels on the uneven terrain.

"Are you ready?" Theodore says as we come to an abrupt stop.

"Um...sure," I smile still unable to see.

Our hands separate and I'm left standing alone and blindfolded god knows where. I hear the sound of Theo's footsteps walking behind me, then I feel his hands slowly untying the knot at the back of my head.

The blindfold drops and I blink my eyes, adjusting to the light. All of the air leaves my body as everything in front of me comes into focus.