Under the Facade

**SOME YEARS AGO…**

"She can't be part of our family, Luc." Diane Eduardo growled under her breath, glaring harshly at her son, eyes blazing with fire.

"But mom! You can't do this; I love Nadia." Luciano growled back frustratedly.

"Fine, then you have to choose between her or keeping your place as the second son of the Eduardo's." Mario said icily and walked away.

These memories kept replaying in Luciano's mind as he drank himself to stupor in the famous Klutz bar. He had finally introduced his fiancée to his mom, but she wouldn't hear of it and had openly screamed at him in front of everyone that she couldn't be part of the Eduardo's. Now she left him with two difficult choices, and he was having a hard time deciding.

Yes, he loved Nadia so much, but he couldn't renounce being the second son of Milan's second richest family. How could he drop the title of being the billionaire CEO of Carentino, his family's company that was in his care? How could he stop being the first face of the youngest CEO in every business magazine?

He had been so depressed that he had tarnished his reputation by entering a random clubhouse that he had always said was for unambitious people to drink to stupor. But at that point, he didn't seem to care.

"Sir, I think we should leave here. It's an undignified place," Ronald said finally.

He couldn't stand the fact that his boss had been sitting here and drinking like a hopeless fellow. Luciano remained mute as he took his glass of Masseto Toscana to his mouth.

"Sir…" Ronald tried to pester.

"Shut up, Ronald. Don't you see I'm trying to choose?" Luciano grunted.

*Choose?* Ronald thought.

Yes, he was allowed to choose but not in some noisy, weird, and evil-looking kind of place. It wasn't even one of the clubs the Eduardo's owned.

He was meant to stay in the comfort of his room and choose between obeying his mom or losing all his riches.

But something was telling him that that was far away from what his boss meant by choosing because there was this blithe, dirty smile on his face as his eyes focused on a place.

He traced Luciano's eyes to meet the unbelievable. He was staring at two WOMEN.

One looked older and more experienced in what she knew how to do, while the younger one looked like she was new because she kept trying to pull her skimpy dress down to cover the parts which were exposed way too much, but to no avail because everything still showed.

Ronald's brain almost twisted. That was the last thing he knew Luciano would ever think of doing. He knew Luciano was an arrogant, yet decent man who wouldn't do such.

So unmistakably, he was completely out of his mind.

"I want that one." Luciano whispered, confirming Ronald's fear.

"What! Look, you can't do that… you don't do that.. you would rather leave." Ronald sputtered.

Luciano still had that stupid smile on his face. The way he had stared at the women had attracted them to him. The older one had turned to him, giving him the sexiest smile of all, while the younger one stared at him with a sneer on her pretty face.

"Ronald, I said I want that one." He slurred.

"We should, um... leave, sir."

"Shut the hell up and arrange my meeting with the younger woman." Luciano growled, staring at his P.A with bloodshot eyes.

"Yes, sir." Ronald said immediately and scampered away.

If he knew something about his boss, it was that Luciano had a very fierce temper and was capable of doing some dreadful things.

**------**

Luciano woke up to rays of sunlight shining on his face. He wanted to sleep more, but he had to be at the company as early as he always was.

He fluttered his eyelids open to a very unfamiliar place that smelled of evil. It was nothing like his spacious, luxurious, wide room.

*Where am I?*

He was about to step down from the bed when he noticed something shocking. He was naked, like strip naked. He almost screamed.

He felt a sharp pain on his head, and like a giant jigsaw puzzle, everything fell into place. The fight with his mom, coming to the club, drinking, and… the last threw him off balance.

He had had an encounter with a woman, a total stranger, and not just an encounter. He had been with her like a total beast. Although his memory was hazy, he remembered the woman had pleaded with him to let her go. He felt his breath go slowly out of him.

He threw his blanket off him as he searched for his shorts in the scattered place.

He donned them quickly.

He turned back to the bed and stopped short. His eyes shot wide as he met the shocking thing of all. There was a bloodstain on the white bedspread. So unmistakably, she had been a virgin.

That discovery made his knees wobble and grow so weak.

With all the strength in him, he stood searching around for his phone. Finding it on the dresser, he quickly rang Ronald's line. He picked up immediately.

"Get your ass into this room."

When Ronald dashed into the room, he saw how hastily his boss was dressed.

"Where is she?" Luciano asked quickly.

Ronald swallowed hard. "She's gone."

"What?... Where?... Where did she go?" He bellowed.

"I don't know, I… I… have no idea."

Luciano frustratedly ran his hand through his hair.

**------**

"Come on…. Don't you know what you're here for?" Luciano slurred drunkenly as he tried to keep his eyes open to get a clear view of the woman he asked for.

She stared dreadfully from the far end of the room at the drunk guy she was meant to satisfy.

"Are you scared of me?" His voice jolted her.

She didn't even know she nodded, and he let out a slow, boozy laughter.

"Don't worry. I'm not like the other men you've met. I will take it easy." He drawled, trying to take steps towards her.

She knew at the way he talked he wasn't in any way in his right senses. But she didn't take any step forward. Even when she noticed his temper had increased, she didn't bulge. She just stood shivering, frightened, scared, and cursing today.

She had rushed into this idea without thinking straight because she thought she was hopeless, but now she wanted to flee.

Without thinking, she made for the door, but he didn't let her as he grabbed her by her waist to himself.

"Please leave me alone!" She pleaded, trying to break free.

"If you couldn't do this, then why the hell are you here?!!" Luciano growled, holding her tight.

She knew his hands were strong, and there was no use in her struggling; she just broke down in tears.

"Please just let me go, I'm begging you."

But Luciano was way past listening as he had already grabbed her tank top