Mrs. Armani

Chapter 29

chapter 29

The hand on her thigh tightened.

"We haven't thought about it, as of now, it all comes down to whenever Vittoria's ready." Nickolas spoke in a smooth voice, but she couldn't miss the huskiness in it.

They had very initially spoke about children, right before their marriage, Vittoria wanted to have kids eventually, but Nickolas wasn't so keen on the idea, in fact it was after one of their intense sessions, when they were lying in the bathtub of a five star hotel in Budapest, when Vittoria joked that at the rate they were having sex, she would be pregnant soon enough, it was only a passing joke, but Nickolas grimaced, "Just take the pills, we shall be fine, just the two of us." She didn't press him further then, since she was still young as she wasn't planning on having kids anytime soon.

"Vittoria, won't it be lovely to have kids now, you're 26?" Her mother said, encouragingly. "Oh leave her alone would you?" Her father spoke, huffing.

Vittoria smiled, "We'll see mom."

The rest of the dinner was spent drinking and relishing the food, besides small talk here and there. 

After Vittoria and Nickolas said their goodbyes, and Vittoria promised to catch up with William, they left in a black Porsche, Nickolas getting behind the wheel.

A light patter had started earlier, which had turned into a full blown rainstorm now. It was pouring heavily.

"I must say I'm surprised." Nickolas's spoke up first.

Vittoria didn't say anything, but looked at him, hinting at him to continue.

"You've not brought Heidi up, at all since we left the beach house." He said, his arms flexing on the steering wheel.

"Well there's no particular reason to, is there husband? You anyways don't plan on telling me." She said with a sarcastic smile.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Nickolas. "So I'm assuming you've run to Damien to ask him all about it again? Good thing I've ensured he's busy enough not to entertain any of it."

Vittoria smiled, almost sadly.

"Well you've got us to this point, Nickolas, all this secrecy, all of it, why can't it be easy? When did we become 2 strangers?" The question hung heavy in the air, the only background sound was of the rain.

Nickolas looked at her, sombrely, "we aren't strangers love, far from it. You want answers to questions you're better off not knowing. I understand that might seem as though it's not fair, but it's for the better," Nickolas spoke.

Vittoria regarded what he said, and tired to see it from his perspective for a minute. Perhaps he was genuinely interested in protecting her. Perhaps she was better off knowing about Heidi and him? She couldn't go on like this.

"I want to take you somewhere, to show you something," Nickolas spoke.

They were heading towards a direction which was not towards their penthouse, but towards the outer city side.

Vittoria didn't protest for once.

It took them about 20 minutes, but they reached a gated house, Nickolas entered it after attaching a key.

As soon as they rounded the curb, Vittoria realised this house was facing the beach. "Where are we? Whose place is this?" She whispered, as they stepped out, Nickolas held her hand as he took her inside, both of them had gotten a little wet, but that was the last thing on Vittoria's mind.

Then as they stepped inside, Vittoria realised finally where they were.

The house had changed so much since Vittoria had last seen it, that she didn't realise that it used to be her grandmother's house, the final house her grandmother lived in. Vittoria's eyes welled up. Nickolas was gauging her reaction standing right behind her.

She turned to look at him, she wanted to thank him, but she couldn't get the words out. But his eyes softened, he squeezed her hands, as though he understood her without the need of words.

She was so overwhelmed. She had mentioned to Nickolas once how much this place meant to her, her grandmother was a force to reckon with, when her mother didn't stand by her side, she always had her grandmother, until she passed away when Vittoria was 18. After that her mother had sold off this house, and Vittoria was heartbroken, for her grandmother had loved this place to bits and Vittoria wanted something to remind her of her grandma, something to remind her of love. Something to remind her of happiness. Something to remind her, that her grandmother was once alive and lived happily.

She turned around to kiss him, tears streaming down her face, Nickolas kissed her back.

"How did you manage to get it?" She whispered. The house had been sold to a staunch retired industrialist, who had refused to let Vittoria buy it back from him.

"I made him an offer he couldn't refuse." Nickolas said smiling at her.

"Well that must've cost you." Vittoria joked.

"It was nothing to what I got in return." He said, looking at her. Vittoria understood what he meant, she suddenly blushed, all the blood rushing to her face.

She suddenly felt like she was staring at Nickolas's for the first time, he looked younger but as dashing as always. She had an urge to get everything that had been going on these past few days and put it all behind them, she wanted to risk it one last time, she wanted to run into the future, not pace nervously around it.

"Nickolas I want you to promise me something." Vittoria said, looking at him seriously. "I don't want Heidi in your life anymore."

"That can be remedied." He said, caressing her cheeks.

"And no more lies." Vittoria said.

"I'll see what I can do about that." He said, with mirth in his eyes. "Nickolas." She hit his arm.

She looked around, "I don't want to leave just now."

"We don't have to then, the house is as ready to be moved in to, if you want to." He said with intention.

It dawned on her, when in Italy she had asked him to move out on her own and he had told her that if she wanted to move out, they would do so together and here they were now.

She sighed, perhaps Nickolas didn't want to give up on their marriage and Vittoria realised it was only fair that she met him halfway.

That night, both of them slept cuddled on the bed, overlooking the beach. After what Nickolas thought Vittoria had slept off, his hand on her waist tightened, he spoke, "I don't want to lose you, I have only got you after waiting for so very long."

The rain had subsided, it was only a light shower now.

Tomorrow it was going to be a clearer day.
~