The Mariadose

Vincenzo's POV

Matteo and I decided to use the minor altercation with Roy as an excuse to leave the fundraising event but not before writing a cheque for the foundation. We drove silently, our thoughts both heavily occupied. I wondered if I was going crazy.

The Maria I met tonight might have been the Maria I used to know. The proof was literally in the uncanny resemblance she shared with her birth mother. She had acted so snobbish and arrogant in my presence.

Between us, there was only one person that should have worked that way. The pretty liar stole my prototype. I couldn't believe it had just hit me. I was busy fawning over how drop-dead gorgeous she was when I should have been demanding the return of my prototype.

Shit!

"Yeah, we're screwed, man," Matteo replied. I didn't know that aloud, but now I was curious to know what he meant with that declaration.

"Why's that?"

"Well, for starters, Maria doesn't look like a woman that easily folds. She barely even acknowledged you except to look down on you. Also, didn't she seem a little too interested in Roy? If she manages to clinch his support, which, let us be sincere, wouldn't be such a hard thing to do, things will become more complicated" he sighed, and I nodded.

I had the same train of thought too. She was way too clingy with Roy. I scowled at that thought. If Roy was the man she was going for, it showed how tasteless she was.

"You were also very transparent and weak. Highly unlike you," Matteo continued. I wanted to counter him, but there was no point.

I had been taken unaware. I planned on meeting Maria for the first time at dinner with my parents, not at an event that she came well prepared for. I probably played into her script.

However, it was clear things needed to change and change fast. I was being too soft and lenient. It wasn't going to take me anywhere. There was no way a woman should rattle me like this. Not even if that woman was Maria.

"You're right. I've approached this personally instead of as a business. Roy even has the guts to try to shame me. Maria needs to glimpse who she is dealing with soon."

"Good, I'm tired now and have nothing much to offer in terms of advice. Hopefully, when we're refreshed tomorrow, we'll plan," Matteo said, and I nodded in agreement.

It was times like this that I was grateful to have someone like Matteo by my side. He was always levelheaded. I signaled my driver to drop Matteo in his house while I gave in to my imagination. I woke up the next day before dawn and marched into my home office.

I couldn't sleep all night as I tossed and turned, thinking of ways to deal with Maria. Another reason was that the image of her wouldn't just leave my head. She was the sexiest woman I had encountered in my entire existence, and I'm not just talking strictly about beauty. She had the aura of a woman whose confidence could not be contained.

She knew she was the shit and acted thus. My treacherous mind wandered to those long legs in the red slit gown. They seemed to go on and on. I imagined it wrapped around me like chocolate bars. I drew a long breath and forced my mind to return to the task ahead.

No matter how difficult it proved, I wouldn't let Maria get under my skin. I would win whatever battle it was that she decided to start. I immediately began to read about her numerous businesses and their history.

It was pretty impressive that she still maintained the success of these organizations. However, I didn't think she did it alone. It was impossible. I needed to find out how she managed to navigate all the businesses. Only then could I find a way to poach those grey areas that will be found.

I kept scrolling until I found a name that seemed compelling. Ursula. She was a German princess and good friends with Maria. I searched for her picture, and the image I found caught me off guard. She was also outstanding. I read through her professional background and was indeed impressed.

I wondered just how deep her loyalty to Maria ran. I contemplated testing it myself but decided against it. I did not have the patience, nor was I interested in such games. But I knew someone who could help me with this test.

As if on cue, I heard a knock on the door, and Matteo entered. "You definitely will live long," I said to him.

"Why do you look like you were dragged out of bed?" He asked, sitting on the office couch.

"I was just doing some research," I replied.

"Do you know what time it is?" He asked.

"Maybe six. I started working a little after four," I replied, wondering where he was going with this boring interrogation.

"It's noon already, my man," he replied. I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn't believe I had spent over eight hours on Maria's case.

"Don't tell me you've spent all these hours obsessing over Maria's Case? "

Was the wait in my head? Or did he suddenly develop the ability to read minds? I wondered.

"Well, I couldn't sleep. I just thought of searching for ways I could get back my prototype."

"Any progress?" He asked.

"Good thing you asked. I have found something that might work," I replied, taking my time to drop the bombshell.

"Wow, beautiful. Share immediately," he said, sitting up and leaning closer. I pulled out the picture and projected it to his face.

"Her," I said vaguely.

"Hmmm. She's gorgeous, but I don't understand why you're showing me this picture" he looked at me confused.

I felt guilty a bit for what I would ask him to do, mainly because I knew he liked someone else. But Matteo was the only person I trusted to carry out such operations.

"I need you to seduce her," I finally said.

"Wait, what the hell?" He spat in rage. It had been a while since I saw Matteo this furious. A lesser man would burn under those harsh stares.

"Common man, you said it yourself. She's gorgeous. What do you have to lose?" I Shrug to make the situation seem less severe.

"Maybe my time, effort, and dignity. Who even is she?" He asked, exasperated.

"A German princess and also Maria's best friend," I replied, hoping with a little bit of context he would see how important this is.

"You selfish little prick!" he cussed. "You really would have me do your dirty work, won't you? Why can't you do it yourself?" He continued.

"Cus I have to focus on Maria, the dinner with my family, and getting back the prototype."

"No, you've lost your damn mind if you think I'll do this," he said, ready to leave. I needed to think of something to stop him quickly.

Suddenly an idea formed in my head. It was indeed a selfish one but guaranteed to work.

"You're the head of operations, Matteo, yet under your nose, the most important prototype of the organization's history was stolen. Now is it unreasonable to do everything in your power to get it back?" I asked, taking the blackmail route.

"You're impossible, Vince. You didn't have to go that low," he said.

"I'm not asking you to be your friend. I am asking you like your boss. Would you do everything in your power to rectify the mistake you made?"

"You know what? I'll do it. But don't you dare call me for anything aside from this particular mission you've thought is genius for me to oversee," he declared and angrily worked away. I jerked at the sound of the door. Matteo was angry, and rightly so. However, I needed to do everything to get the upper hand in this war.

Maria had already struck first by successfully planting a spy in my company who had also successfully stolen my prototype. No stones could be left unturned in my need to one-up her and get back that which rightly belongs to me.

Speaking of the spy, I was yet to discover who it was. Something told me it was someone I thought was loyal to me. I ruled Matteo because no matter how unbearable I am, he has never given me a reason to doubt his loyalty.

Priscilla was one to look out for, but so far she had not given me any reason to be suspicious. That left only a few people. It definitely couldn't be from my parent's side since the prototype had been stolen from the office.

"Who are you?" I muttered as fatigue hit me deeply, and I let the sleep wave take me.