Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Cat couldn't help wincing upon hearing this, and La Strega cackled with glee.
"Go on, bambina."
Cat's skin crawled at having her boss address her with such an endearment. "Stop it, signora."
"Ha! Ha! Ha!"
Oh, it was no wonder, just no wonder at all the matriarch was known as the witch, which was what 'La Strega' translated to in English.
"I told you from the start, did I not?" Potenziana reminded her assistant smugly. "The formalities which you insisted on maintaining would prove pointless sooner or later. But you were just so stubborn."
Oh, if only the good people of Boston knew how their beloved queen was so terrible at being gracious in her victory.
"Now, tell me. How fares your progress?"
Cat slowly crossed her arms over her chest. "You have been watching Bridgerton, haven't you?"
Potenziana let out an offended gasp. "Are you calling me a liar?"
Cat didn't hesitate to mimic the older woman's tone, asking, "How fares your progress?"
And she knew her hunch was right the moment she saw color tinged the older woman's cheeks.
"Alright, fine," the matriarch grouched. "The show is not boring."
"Which means you thoroughly enjoyed yourself."
"Hmph."
"Which also means..." Cat paused meaningfully.
The older woman stared at her.
"I'm waiting, signora."
"If you must truly hear it—-"
"Yes, I truly must, signora."
"Then yes, you were absolutely right—-for a change."
Oh, if only!
If only the good people of Boston knew what an unbelievably bad loser their queen also was!
"Do you even know what good 'sportsmanship' means, signora?" Cat asked seriously.
Potenziana did not dignify such words with an answer. Why must she when that would mean allowing the younger woman another point? And so she changed the subject instead, saying briskly, "Enough with such inconsequential matters."
"It's not inconsequential—-"
"Has he fallen in love with you yet?"
"I know you know the answer to that, and you just want to crow some more, but..."
Potenziana threw her head back and laughed as Cat finished recounting her failed attempt to confess her love.
"It's not funny, signora," Cat grumbled.
"Oh, but it is, bambina."
"Stop calling me that," the younger woman groaned.
The matriarch pretended not to hear this. She would not be the queen of her city, after all, if she were the type to waste her time listening to words that did not agree with her.
"I told you, didn't I?"
"And will you please stop crowing, too? Per favore."
Potenziana ignored these words, too, naturalmente.
"My youngest grandson will not be easy to capture."
"And stop making him sound like Pokemon."
"But if he were a Pokemon," the matriarch couldn't help saying, "what type do you think would he be?"
"A ghost," Cat answered without hesitation. "Definitely a ghost, and of the highest level there is." In fact, if she were to go into detail, then Ezio would be a ghost-type pokemon whose most powerful moves would be a mixture of stealth, poison, and—-
Stop getting distracted, Cat!
Cat looked at her employer reprovingly. "May we please get back on topic?"
"You were the one who talked about Pokemon first."
"But you were the one—-"
Potenziana waved the words away. "Let's get back on topic."
"That was literally what I suggested just seconds ago," Cat protested.
"My youngest grandson believes I did not have 'love' in mind when I picked you out to be his bride, sì?"
Cat nodded.
"Did he mention why I chose you then?"
"I didn't have a chance to ask."
"And that's quite unfortunate," Potenziana murmured, "since you only have two months to win him over."
"So, um, about those two months..."
"No."
"But—-"
"This is the one thing I will not change my mind about," Potenziana said firmly. "There will be no extensions."
"What about the part that we have to be secretly married?" Cat tried to bargain. "Why can't we go public—-"
"That is for your sake, Cattleya. Because if things do not work out, would you really want the whole world to know this, too?"
"What if he doesn't agree?"
"He will. I am his nonna, and more importantly, I am La Strega."
Cat gnawed on her lip. "Can you just tell me why at least? Why two months?"
"Mi dispiace." I'm sorry. "Ma no." But no.
Potenziana could see that her words had somewhat hurt the younger woman, but on this, she had to stand firm.
No one would be happier than her if Cat were to successfully steal her grandson's heart.
But Potenziana also knew just how complex her youngest grandson was, and that was why, for Cat's sake...
It had to be two months or nothing.
Anything longer than that, and Potenziana knew Cat would be so in love with Ezio, that when he inevitably broke her heart, there was no way for the young woman to recover.
Eight
EZIO KNOCKED ON THE door of his grandmother's study and heard the older woman call out for him to come in.
He found his fidanzata also inside the room, seated on one of the chairs across La Strega's desk. She turned to him with a smile, and his steps slowed to a halt.
Well...fuck.
Who knew he was the type to have his heart actually pound at the sight of his future wife smiling at him?