The Italian's Fake Fiancée

44.

"Maybe he is saying the truth," his mother cried at last and moved to her husband trying to reason with him however Carlo didn't want to be reasoned with. He detached Flavia's hand from his chest and gruffed.

"Nonsense," pointing at Leo, "This boy doesn't want to change. He is my only son, and he doesn't want to change. My only regret is that I thought he would make a fine CEO, but I was wrong."

Then to Leo. "How can you bring your fiancée here and then go ahead and have a liaison with another woman? Is that the reason you refused to come to the charity function with us?"

"That's what I have been trying to tell you, father." He just isn't capable of keeping it in his pants. If he doesn't value his commitment to his relationship, how do we expect him to take responsibility for many people under him when he can't even keep his priorities straight."

"Rosa, don't say that about your brother. He is trying his best I know it," Flavia cried.

Leonardo's mouth tightened, listening to all the words flying around him. So his sister was advocating for him not to be given the company. With everything that was happening and the words she has said, he was beginning to suspect this was all her doing. He had always wondered how Lolita got into the house.

"Still on this matter?" Alberto asked. Having come back from escorting Lolita to where she would rest and cool off the alcohol she had drank, obviously the young man hadn't expected to still meet this argument on his return.

Sighing, Alberto immediately took his cousin's side. "I know what has happened here is a lot to take in, but that doesn't mean we should demean Leonardo's efforts this past few weeks."

The younger man met Leonardo's eye, and Leonardo gave him a look of gratitude, which he returned with a curt nod and continued, sounding tired. "And don't you think this is enough show for one day. Have any of you stopped to think how this might be affecting Leonardo's fiancee or noticed how quiet she is?"

As soon as he said that, all eyes turned to Paige, including Leo's.

"I suppose she is disappointed in him," Carlo spat. "If I was her I did be disappointed too."

"Carlo, do not put that idea into her head," Flavia gasped.

Leo stared. Was it true? Did she also believe he was ravishing that woman just now? He should think by now she should know him better and not believe anything she had seen. But he guessed his past behavior as a playboy has played a major role in helping her accept what she had seen.

For the first time in his life, Leo regretted ever sinking that low. Now Paige was going to run 36o degrees away from him, and never look back.

In the background, his father was murmuring his disappointment with Leo and complaining bitterly while his mother tried to console him. "Maybe there is another explanation for this."

"Explanation my foot!"

Leo listened for a while but he lost concentration as his eyes sought Paige's face again and he stared at her face, this time determined to read her mind. He caught her gaze and held it. Willing her not to look away, and trying as much as possible to infuse as many emotions as he can into his eyes.

He succeeded for a while until the sharp words "He is cheating on her." Pierced into the air. He practically saw her stiffen. Leo cursed in his mind. Who would dare say something like that so carelessly, and in the open? He turned his head and saw his sister.

"Father, I told you he would not change. His attitude here was just a front. He is going to go back to his old ways of women and alcohol and when that happens, he wouldn't care anything about the company."

Catching the angry look he was giving her, Rosa smiled at him, and then, lowered her voice purposefully and planted the final seed of doubt into his father. "How do we let someone like that take on a huge responsibility of handling the company? You know a lot of our workers' livelihood depends on the company staying afloat."

Anyone who knew Carlo knew he cared deeply for the D'Angelo wine group and even more so of the people who worked there. So on hearing what Rosa had just said, Carlo's nose flared and his mouth worked as though he wanted to say something but held himself back. His brows coming down in a disapproving frown.

Leonardo's attention turned to his sister, who was smiling in self-gratification and when he saw the glint in her eyes knew instantly, this was her doing. Good lord, had he been enjoying Paige's company so much and basking in the fact he was making progress with his father, he had nearly forgotten how much his sister hates him. How intent she was on tainting his image in front of their parent's eyes? How could he not have seen it?

He turned to his mother, who hadn't said a thing directly to him. She too wanted to believe him, but he could see the struggle in her, especially after what they have seen.

It hurt to look at her. His mother was the only one who had kept in touch with him during that one year he had been a mess, and she held a special place in his heart. He didn't want her to be this disappointed in him. "I didn't cheat on my fiancee," he said fiercely, knowing his mother would care about something like that. He avoided looking at Paige when he said that. And then to the group, "Lolita threw herself at me!"

"And somehow she managed to get her legs wrapped around your midriff? Leonardo, who are you deceiving?"

"Shut up Rosa!"

"You don't talk to your older sister like that," Carlo remonstrated.

Flavia sighed, rubbing her temples "Rosa, why don't you take that... that girl and make sure she finds her way home. She is making her way over here and I don't have the stomach to look at her."

Rosa gave him a cunning smile that said the company is mine as she passed him and then left to do their mother's bidding. Which left Leo with the rest of the group. And the expression on his mother's and father's face wasn't looking good.

If there was anything Rosa's last words have done, it was to further douse his parents in doubt.