Chapter 16: Ch.15/ Meeting The Best Friend
Chapter 16: Ch.15/ Meeting The Best Friend
Alessandro's POV:-
You know when people say marriage can change one's mindset, it's completely true. I have always been an attentive person when it comes to my company and business, but today I don't want to be here as I can still remember the crying face of my little princess who was making grabbing hands at me implying that she wanted to be in my arms. I didn't want to leave her side but I have been skipping my work for three days so I have to come to my office but not before getting a lot of hugging and kisses from my daughter.
Yes, that's what she is to me and forever will be. Anhuphama has done a tremendous job in raising that little girl so well despite having to face the hatred of her family. Not only me, also Melody has taken an immense liking towards my princess and her mother. But what shocked me the most is the behavior of my dogs. Usually they hate it when any stranger come to our house however, that is completely different with Anhuphama and our daughter. I know they hate being called puppies but whenever my princess calls them puppies, they lay on their stomach to show their appreciation towards their sister. Although Anhuphama is still get scared seeing them but I have a strong belief that they will melt her heart very soon.
"How can you betray me like that Alessandro?" Someone asks putting a stop at my chain of thoughts. I groan seeing the person in front of me who is none other than my extremely annoying best friend, Marco Davis.
He has his famous cocky smirk on his face while he walks towards me before sitting across from me.
"What do you want Marco?" I ask him while looking through some important papers.
"You are asking me what I want?" He asks pointing at himself with a fake shocking face. I really want to punch this fucker but alas I can't do that so easily. I put down the papers before looking at him with a malicious expression.
"Come on man, don't look at me like that. Your stare is scary as Satan." He complains while raising his hands in a surrendering manner.
"Then don't come to my office unannounced you fool. I don't have time for your silly chit-chat." I reply with an eye roll.
"I am not a fool, okay? By the way, I have heard that you, the famous Lucifer of the business world had gotten married to a very pretty lady from India." He starts to wiggle his eyebrows making me more irritated.
"So what? It's not like you are someone special to know everything about my life." I reply while signing some documents.
"How can you say like that? Don't you remember the cold winter nights we spent together? Don't you remember the long drives we took as a couple? Don't you remember the way you used to look at my eyes and started to ki-" I slam the documents on the table before looking at the fucker in front of me.
"Shut the fuck up Marco. What the hell do you want from me? Don't you have a company to run?" Sometimes I really regret my choice in making friends.
"It's simple buddy. I want to meet your wife." He replies with a wink.
"No." I answer immediately because I don't trust him around Anhuphama. He is known as a Casanova who likes to use women as he pleases. I know he will not try anything with my wife but he can corrupt her innocence with his dirty talking.
"I am not taking any no from you, beside Dad also wants to meet her as you have forgotten to inform him about your sudden decision of marriage." Shit! Uncle Gabriel will have my head in a platter for sure.
"How did you guys even know about the marriage? I haven't announced it to anyone." I wonder aloud but I have a guess who can tell them about my marriage.
"Who else do you think? Of course, it's my Mama Melody." I should have known that Melody can not keep any secret from Uncle Gabriel as they are very close to each other.
"Okay fine. I will call Uncle Gabriel by myself and talk to him." I reply.
"But I want to meet your wife. If you are not gonna let me come in dinner then how I will get to meet her." He complaints.
"Look, Marco I have a lot of works to do so please do me a favor and get out of here right now." I answer. Just then my phone starts ringing showing Melody's caller ID.
"Yes, Melody?" I say after receiving the call. NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.
"Tell Marco to come for dinner and before you say anything, Gabriel is also coming to meet your wife. So come home early if you don't want to get a scolding from your Uncle." She replies over the phone.
"Uggghhh. Okay fine, I will come early but now tell me where is my little princess?" I ask her.
"Your princess is busy playing with her toys and her dogs." She replies with a chuckle.
"That's good. Okay, then I am hanging up." I say before cutting the call.
"Wow, man so it's true," Marco comments looking surprise.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Marriage change a person completely. Look at you my buddy, who is known as the most cruel businessman in the US is smiling like a fool after hearing about his princess. Damn your wife must be very gorgeous for you to call her princess." What the hell is he talking about? Wait, I think he is thinking that I am calling Anhuphama my princess. I start laughing understanding the meaning behind his words.
"Why are you laughing like a lunatic bro? Do I need to call a doctor for a check-up?" I control my laugh before looking at the idiot sitting in front of me.
"I don't need any doctor check-up, Marco. You will meet my little princess tonight so try not to be late." I reply while he looks at me with a suspicious gaze.
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Around 6 pm I reach home and directly go to my bedroom to freshen up. I haven't seen Anhuphama or Melody after coming home, one of the maids inform me that they are busy in the kitchen making dinner for the guests. After getting dressed for the dinner, I move towards my little princess nursery. Anhuphama was not very happy with the idea of our daughter having a room by herself but when I assured her that this room is just for playing purpose or taking a nap, she calmed down.
Just like I have thought my little princess is busy playing with her dolls and stuffies. I have ordered a bunch of toys and stuff animals for her but seems like my daughter is very fond of her bunny stuffies. As usual, the dogs are laying on the floor beside her.
"What is my piccolo doing?" I say going inside the room. By hearing my voice, she immediately drops her stuffie before running towards me with her little feet. I pick her up in my arms before kissing the top of her head while she lays her head on my shoulder.
"Me play puppiesh and dolliesh." She mumbles while pointing at her toys and the dogs.
"Hmm, I see. But didn't you miss Papa?" I ask her while she looks at me wide eyes.
"Mish you much." She replies cutely while extending her arms by her side to show how much she has missed me. A big smile form on my face seeing her adorable gesture. I put her down before petting the dogs who are eagerly waiting for their turns.
I look at the little girl who has been able to wrap me around her tiny fingers the moment I have seen her. Being raised in an orphanage had made me good with children because the more I grew up the more I had to take care of kids in there. Maybe that's why I have gotten so attached to the little girl. I have never thought of having my own kid but now I feel proud of having a daughter like my little princess. However, I have to learn to pronounce her name because everyone needs to know my daughter's name. As much as I like to call her little princess or piccolo (little one in Italian), It's my duty to pronounce my daughter's name well.
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Anupama's POV:-
I am feeling quite nervous because it's my first time cooking Italian food. I used to watch a lot of videos of cooking beck in Kolkata so I am very familiar with different types of cuisines around the world but when I have gotten the chance to make something in Italian, I don't want to disappoint Mama Melody or Mr. Bianchi.
"Don't worry Dolcezza everything will be alright. All the foods are looking yummy if I say so myself." Mama Melody assures me from the side where she is making the dessert. I have learned a few days ago that everyone calls her Mama Melody so I have decided to call her that because it feels odd to call an elder person by their name.
"I think you should go and get ready because it's already 7 pm and the guest will be here at 8 pm so you only have one hour to get ready. Also get Advira ready too because the guests don't have any idea about her so they are going to be surprised seeing our princess." She says with a mischievous smile on her face. I giggle seeing her so playful about the situation.
"Okay, then I will go and get ready." I reply before getting out of the kitchen. While I'm passing through Advira's room I hear Mr. Bianchi's voice from inside the room. I peek through the door to see him talking to Advira who has her head laid on Mr. Bianchi's shoulder. It's warm my heart to see that finally, my baby has gotten the love any kid deserves from their father. I have never imagined that one day my baby would get a chance to be loved by someone like Mr. Bianchi. I was a little skeptical about Mr. Bianchi's closeness with Advira as I had thought that he was only good with her because of the marriage but now I can proudly say that he thinks her as his own daughter. It still feels foreign to refer
her as our daughter because she has always been my daughter for me but I am really happy to know that I don't have to raise her alone anymore.
Without disturbing the father-daughter duo I go to my room to get ready for the dinner. I have decided to wear a saree for the dinner so I get inside the huge walk-in closet before choosing the matching jewelry for the saree. I curl my hair before doing a low ponytail. I do a light makeup to match my look. I have never been a fan of makeup and all but knowing Mr. Bianchi's status I think I need to change myself. I just hope that I don't need to change so much that even I will not be able to recognize myself in the future.
When I go to Advira's room I get shocked seeing that she is already ready in a cute pink frock. She is sitting on the stool in front of the kiddy piano she has in her nursery. I notice that the dogs are not in the room so I move near Advira before crouching down to her level.
"Hi, baby." I tell her while adjusting the headband on her hair.
"Me play sing." She responses with a smile.
"Who got you ready baby? You are looking so pretty." I kiss her chubby cheeks before wiping away the light stain of my lipstick with a baby wipe.
"Pa-pa." My eyes widen hearing the words coming out of her mouth. Because it's the first time I have heard her uttered this word.
"What did you just say, baby?" I ask her while taking her in my arms. I stand up from my place and take a sit on the rocking chair that is situated in the corner of the room.
"Pa-pa ready me." She answers before snuggling closer to my chest.
"I get it, baby. Your Papa has gotten you ready." I mutter while kissing the top of her head. I don't know if Mr. Bianchi has heard Advira calling him 'Papa' yet or not, but I am sure that he will be super happy to know about it.
"Ma'am the guests have arrived and Sir is asking for you both." One of the maid informs me standing in the doorway of the nursery. I smile at her and tell her that we will be there in a few minutes. I stand up from the chair before putting Advira on the floor as demands to walk on her own. But still, I held her hand before going out of the room. When we come in front of the living room I can hear two different voices talking to Mr. Bianchi. Suddenly, Avira takes off running in the room seeing Mr. Bianchi who catches her in his arms. He motions me to come inside to meet the guests. There are two men sitting on the couch, one is looking like the same age as Mr. Bianchi and another one is in his late sixties. I
smile at them before taking a seat beside Mama Melody who is already sitting on a couch different than the men.
"Holy shit!" The younger man suddenly say aloud looking at Advira with surprise.
"Language Marco. There is a child in this room." The older man scolds whom I assume his son.
"Yes, language Marco." Mr. Bianchi mockingly says. I stifle a laugh that is bubbling inside me so I clear my throat to control my laugh.
"I am sorry for not informing you Uncle Gabriel before about my decision of marriage but I would like you to meet my wife Anhuphama and our little princess." He tells looking at the older man who smiles in return.
"It's alright my boy but I will not lie that I was not angry with you when Melody told me about you marrying so suddenly. However, after seeing your wife and daughter I know you have made the correct decision." The older man, Uncle Gabriel replies.
"Anhuphama these are Uncle Gabriel and his son Marco. Uncle Gabriel is the one who has helped me to start my own business in the start." Mr. Bianchi introduces the men to me.
"It's nice to meet you both." I say with a smile. They both nod in acknowledgement.
"Now can I say something?" The younger man whom Mr. Bianchi refers to as Marco says from his seat.
"What do you want to say now?" Mama Melody asks while raising a brow.
"Mama don't give me that look. As his best friend, I have the right to know about his marriage in the first place but no, this egoistic man here didn't even send me a text to notify me about getting married." He replies with a huff. But before anyone can answer, Advira gets off from Mr. Bianchi's lap and walks towards Marco. Mr. Bianchi looks at me with a look as if asking me 'what is she doing', in which I shrug my shoulder not understanding anything about Advira's behavior. Unexpectedly, she tugs at Marco's pants and when he picks her up she kisses his cheek with a pout. We all awe at her cuteness.
"No angly. Me no wike." She orders while folding her hands in front of her chest.
"Okay, my oh so demanding niece, Uncle Marco will not be angry anymore." Marco replies with a big smile.
"Now give me my granddaughter Marco. She needs to know her grandpa more than you." Uncle Gabriel says before taking Advira in his arms.
"Hello, sweetheart. I am your grandpa Gabriel." Being the sweet and adorable little girl, Advira kisses his cheeks too earning another awe from us.
"What's her name, Alessandro?" Marco asks while playing with Advira's fingers. I look up at Mr. Bianchi to see that he is looking nervous so I reply instead of him.
"Her name is Advira." I answer him.
"That's such a pretty name for a princess like her. Your name is also very nice dear." Uncle Gabriel compliments me with a smile.
"Thank you." I reply shyly.
"Yes, Anupama your name is so beautiful and unique." Marco comments.
"Thank you, Marco." I reply not knowing what to reply.
"No need to thank me. A pretty lady like you deserve to be complimented." He winks making me giggle. But clearing of a throat make me realize that Mr. Bianchi is also here.
"Did you see it, Mama? Someone is getting jealous." Mama Melody shakes her head with a low chuckle before hitting the back of Marco's head.
"It seems you have a death wish my dear best friend." Mr. Bianchi says casually making Marco gulp in fear.
"Okay, that's enough boys. Now you guys talk while I and Anupama set the table for dinner." Mama Melody announces before standing up from her place. I follow her to the kitchen leaving the guys to talk among them. I want to ask about Marco's mother but I realize that it would be rude to ask directly. I think I will ask Mr. Bianchi or Mama Melody about it later because right now I need to focus on the dinner.