Marrying The Uber-Rich

Wife Casting.

"What are you saying? Marry you? I don't even know you..." said Natalia, genuinely horrified by the proposal, unable to make any sense of it.

From one moment to the next, she felt pale, cold.

The machine measuring her heartbeats started beeping loudly, so Stefano couldn't continue speaking with her.

"I'm just saying it could be a good opportunity for both of us. I'll pay you," he told her.

The attending nurse rushed desperately to where the girl in question was.

She provided first aid and gave her medication to alleviate the intensity of the pain she was feeling.

"I'm sorry, sir. For now, you can't stay here," the nurse informed him.

She guided him out of the room to ensure Natalia had peace, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable due to his presence.

Stefano had given up on trying new things with women, but this had caught him by surprise.

He never thought he would propose marriage to a woman like Natalia, who had nothing to do with him or his life of luxury.

He decided that he would still conduct the casting he had in mind. He refused to be rejected by a woman.

He took out his cell phone from his dress pants pocket and decided to call one of his closest friends.

"Stefano, what's up?" came the voice on the other end of the line.

"Everything's fine here, Silvio, but I need your help with something."

"I knew you'd come to me sooner or later. What do you need?" the man responded in a tone that suggested he expected it completely.

"What would you think if I told you I'm getting married? I need to conduct a wife audition," the dark-haired man commented casually, as if it were nothing.

"A wife audition? What on earth are you talking about?" he spoke with a puzzled voice. "Oh, God. What do I have to do with that?," the man's voice was already sounding somewhat nervous.

"Please, it's not a joke. I need to find the best women in this community, even if they're foreigners. It's better that way, I wouldn't understand them, and we'd have the best fake relationship."

The man snorted. "And what do you want me to say? Congratulations?" Silvio continued, "You're talking about high-value women... What do you plan to offer them? Do you think I'm involved in human trafficking?"

"No, of course not, Silvio. I plan to pay them for their value and services rendered. Besides, I really respect your marriage and your family, which is why I'm asking for your help. How did you choose your wife?"

"Stefano, you can't go through life buying everything. My wife is with me because we love each other. And from what I see, you have a lot to learn about distinguishing love."

"I need your help, Silvio, not a life lesson. Tell me now if you'll support me with this," the Italian-born man spoke irritably.

"You know I wouldn't let you down, but I don't share your vision at all," the man informed him, about to turn forty.

"It seems like old age is bringing out those attitudes in you. I don't think twenty-year-old Silvio would have said the same thing," Stefano persisted, with a mocking laugh.

"Laugh if you want, but when you find that person, you'll know it's not a joke."

"Fine," the younger of the two said, extending the word, "I don't understand why I always get advice from you and not from my father," Stefano commented a bit frustrated with the situation.

"Because your father doesn't care about you the way I do. Get that through your head once and for all," his friend retorted.

"I'd like to say it's not true, but you see how life is."

"Yes... Just tell me the time and place. I'll try to gather the best matches for you," the man said, referring to the women that Stefano was requesting.

"I'll text you that later. I need to discuss it with my assistant."

With that, they bid farewell, and Stefano had to go to the garden his mother had behind the house. He always enjoyed the privacy it provided. She had designed a beautiful entrance to that place.

It looked like a fairy tale and magic, and although he wasn't a fan of that, he liked being in that secret passageway of the mansion to think a little.

Suddenly he thought he'd like to be there accompanied, but he quickly dismissed that thought from his mind.

From there, he could see the window of the room where the stranger was, his own bedroom window, and one of his younger brother's windows.

The sky looked like a watercolor painting, leaning more towards the night again.

He ran his fingers through his hair.

He just hoped he hadn't caused the girl's death by saying something like that in the state she was in. It would be terrible to have tried to save her and achieve the exact opposite.

After spending about five minutes there, he came out again and summoned his assistant to the office he had available for himself at home.

This one was on the opposite side of the house from the bedrooms when going up the wooden stairs.

It was the second door, so he opened it, and when he did, the boy was already there at his own computer, typing a few things.

The assistant's name was Julio, a Spanish boy who had ended up there by chance but worked very well.

"Boss. Considering you informed me by text about the situation, I found a good place where we can hold the casting."

"Oh, really?" the named one wanted to know. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's one of the sets of the famous NHYPE

TV network. I managed to secure it for a total of three hours."

"Sounds like a good choice, but are you sure no one will go there to gossip about this?" Stefano inquired, furrowing his brow.

"I made sure to buy their silence. They won't let anyone in who's not on the list. Even though we don't have a list yet, I know we'll have one."

"Okay, when would that be?" the dark-haired man asked, sitting in the armchair in front of the desk.

"In five more days, sir."

"Such a long time? I need to do this as soon as possible," he said, trying to figure out if he was joking.

"The second option, although less private, would be to do it at the vineyard, sir," Julio suggested, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his aquiline nose.

"My mother would kill me," Stefano exclaimed, "But it's always available if I want... " he thought it over until he nodded, "It could work."

"Not a bad idea, but we'd need to get a lot more security in place, as rumors spread, Mr. Mancini."

"I know, I'd like it to be as private as possible."

"I'll try to do it your way, but I can't guarantee anything. People always find a way to sneak around and find out what's going on."

"Enough, Julio, we need to be positive," Stefano insisted.

"By the way, your father left this for you," the younger man said, handing him a golden envelope.

Stefano took it between his hands, somewhat confused.

Julio left the office, and Stefano stayed there to review the contents of the envelope.

It was an ultimatum, and attached was an invitation to an event that was scheduled for the night after he was supposed to attend.

There was also a handwritten note from his father.

"Don't embarrass us this time. Strike two."