Isabella Rossi's life in the idyllic village of San Benedetto is turned upside down when she meets Luca DeLuca at a village festival. Their connection is immediate and intense, leading to a passionate and secret affair. As their relationship deepens...
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It was an evening with the sun setting in the village square, and the celebrations were about to begin. It is amidst music and laughter that everything would soon change in the life of Isabella. Someone in the crowd of strangers had been looking at her with interest; he was Luca DeLuca, an enigmatic don of the Italian mafia. His being there was about to set in motion a series of events that could not only have altered the course of Isabella's life but entwined them both in a relationship neither, could ever have imagined.
He was barely catching the train then for Isabella's tale, and before long, the strains of her dreams and desires would grip far more of their way out of San Pietro.
The annual village festival was in full swing and so were what were usually quiet streets in San Pietro, awash with a tapestry of color and sound. In the warm summer wind, red, gold, and green fluttered on banners above roast meats and sweet pastries in the air. The village square then became filled with laughter, music, and rhythmic clapping accompanying the dancers in the folk dances.
Isabella Rossi moved graciously with the elegance attached to her every step, and through the groups of celebrants, she glided with grace and class, rubbing perfect shoulders: tonality of festivity and melancholy. An omen to her heritage and the tight community she so cherished, the big backdrop really helped to emphasize her huge inner turmoil. She helped her family prepare the stall and greeted acquaintances, her thoughts drifting to her hopes and the life she aspired to beyond the village. Little did Isabella know that her life was going to change. Luca DeLuca, the suave and powerful mafia don from Italy, had business in San Pietro. Accompanied by a sleek black car that drove through into the village and stood out against the village's rustic charm, Luca's arrival elicited a wave of whispers from the villagers. They were highly shocked and nervous about what was going on as they did not expect the unwanted visitor to be such a high-profile figure.
Luca DeLuca was an impressive man. Tall and good-looking, he had a way of moving smoothly through a room dressed just this side of superb, which screamed of great taste and command in his world. His intense eyes took in the festival in a manner that spoke of curiosity and perhaps a bit of amusement. Luca had the magnetic allure of attracting others, who would then hang on his every word and action that he had carefully crafted to charm people, often against their own best interests.
Luca walked through the festival, followed by a few devoted bodyguards who stayed alert and kept their distance. People in the festival gave him looks of awe mixed with fear, puzzled how to respond at his sudden appearance in their midst. Howbeit, Luca seemed to give in to the festival air, indulging himself and letting go of being swept into the festive fuss.
It was in the middle of that busy celebration when Isabella first laid eyes on Luca. She was behind the food stall of her family, serving with a ready smile to anyone who passed by, when she saw the big man cutting a swathe through the sizeable crowd. Her eyes widened a little as she took him in—striking—and how unruly that aura of authority he somehow managed to carry about him was.
Isabella caught Luca's attention immediately. She was a breath of fresh air among all those going to this festival conventionally. Her natural grace drew him into her movements—effortlessly floating with her people through the sea of chaos that this festival was. He was captured—simple yet so very magnetic.
As he approached Isabella's stand, she was dishing out a plate of fresh bruschetta. Luca grinned at her with a flirtatious grin and ordered his own. "So, I hear that your bruschetta is the best in the village," he said, oozing charm and warmth.
Isabella looked up at him, slightly startled by his presence and how he seemed to peer into her very soul for just a moment. She gave him a polite smile, though she couldn't feign her curiosity that easily. "Thank you," she answered in kind, handing him the plate. "We take great pride in our food here."
Luca tasted his bruschetta then did something really manly, he savored it. There was a genuine, satisfied look on his face. "You absolutely do, either way," he said, letting his eyes come up then, meeting hers with a sparkle of interest. "I'm Luca DeLuca. I'm here on business but it looks like, in so doing, I stumbled upon a true gem.
That name made the corner of Isabella's eyes squint slightly. His surname had made a name parallel to power and influence. She had caught rumors regarding the mafia and the reputation of this don. Surprise aside, she composed herself easily. "I'm Isabella Rossi. It's not often that we have such distinguished guests in our village."
Their conversation just flowed, if anything at all, and Isabella felt so engaged that she had never been so drawn to anyone's charm and the way he was conducting his argument—the one given with the deepest interest. Luca, in turn, was impressed by her spirit and ability to relate to people on a personal perspective, with huge chasms between the worlds of theirs.
As they continued to talk, the festival seemed to recede into the background, the source of the gaiety a person left behind, each second, it seemed, that had something else to say about this place. Luca was fascinated by Isabella's fervor for her village and the dreams she housed regarding life beyond it. On her part, Isabella felt herself being pulled in by the charisma of Luca and then some.
As the night went on, and the festival got into full swing, Luca and Isabella found themselves some time alone away from the crowd. The soft glow from the moon beamed down on them, emphasizing the connection between the two that had made its presence known. Worlds apart as they were, the chemistry was there for neither of them to turn their backs on.
Luca extended his hand, and gently took Isabella's in his, "I must admit Isabella, you have made this visit far more memorable than I had expected."
Isabella's heart raced as her eyes rose to meet his, her mind a whirlwind of contrasting emotions at the moment, "And you have brought an unexpected excitement to this festival," she said softly.
The sounds of the festival snapped them back into real life. Luca's business would soon call him away, and Isabella's encounter had left a lasting impression on him. He turned to leave, but not before he turned back to her with a smile that spoke of unspoken promises and lingering desires.
"I hope this isn't the last time we meet," Luca said with his gaze locked on Isabella.
"Me neither," she said, her voice filled with a mixture of hope and uncertainty.
