A woman on the street
The powerful man had left his house very angry, after his mother and sisters complained to him for not wanting to marry his girlfriend of five years, the beautiful Abigail Clinton, from a good family, incomparable beauty and an enormous love for him since they were teenagers.
But Alejandro did not love her, that's why after those years of relationship he still did not take the first step, he did not want to marry her.
He had just ended the relationship.
In his luxurious car he was catching the eyes of everyone in the city, many knew that Alejandro Fendi, owner of almost half of the city, every skyscraper had been built by his company, most of the shopping malls were his and he owned numerous companies abroad, especially in Italy, where the Fendi were from.
The car was going very slowly as the man looked lazily out the window.
He had an older sister and a younger sister.
Alessia was the older and Annie was the younger, one worse than the other. In her forties Alessia was already married with two children, a very imposing husband who demanded that she take over the companies because she was the eldest, which her mother refused, knowing that Alejandro was the one who should do it but....
If she did not marry, Alessia Fendi was going to take control of the companies, thus displacing her brother, that was what Marco Albini, her sister's husband, who hated Alejandro to death for opposing the marriage with his sister, considering that he was a bad man and only had a strong interest in the wealth of his family. The Fendi inheritance and control of everything they owned.
Annie was on her sister Alessia's side, the two had always been very close, so Alejandro had no support within his family, although he would not be defeated by them.
The solution was to get married and that was why they had made it a condition, because they knew he was not a man of commitment and even less intended to start a family with anyone, not even the stunning Abigail.
Were his sisters going to be right and Alejandro would not marry? What was more impotent for him? Would he let Marco Albini walk all over him and laugh in his face when his older sister took over?
If they thought that, they definitely didn't know him very well.
He would never give up, but he would do things his way.
He just had to get married, but it wouldn't be to Abigail Clinton.
He would look for someone his family would reject so he could make life miserable for his sisters and keep the company going.
As it turned out, Alejandro tended to be a bit vindictive and when he set his mind to it he was capable of going to extremes.
"Do you have sisters?" he asked his driver.
When he addressed him, the man was very astonished, he had been his driver for almost a year after the previous dismissal and it was the first time he had addressed him.
"No, sir. I only have an older brother." He replied after clearing his throat.
"That's too bad. I want to marry someone." Those words left the chauffeur very confused, not understanding what Alejandro Fendi meant.
The rich man rested his face on his hand and rightly looked out the window, the streets were full of garbage, the sidewalks looked very dirty and that was unpleasant for him.
He noticed that up ahead there was a very young woman rummaging through the garbage. As the car passed by her, Alejandro could see very big eyes, a very dirty face and that very animated young woman looking for I don't know what in the garbage.
Alejandro's face turned so he could keep looking at her.
"Stop the car!" he ordered his driver, the driver braked quickly, causing Alejandro's body to lean forward.
He looked at the time on his fancy watch and then opened the car door.
"It's a perfect time to find a wife." He murmured smiling at what was going through his mind at that moment. It was kind of a creepy thought.
As his feet stepped onto that grimy sidewalk, Alejandro felt a little disgust with each step he took, his shiny shoes not matching the contrast of the dirty, abandoned street.
His footsteps guided him there, where she was.
Her hair was covered by some kind of faded cloth and on her back she carried a worn open backpack, where she was throwing the valuables she found.
"Hello." Alejandro said to her, unable to look at the young woman. He couldn't explain how anyone could carry so much dirt on them. "What exactly are you looking for?"
"Things of value that I can later sell or keep for my own use." She answered without bothering to look at the man and continued on her quest, focused on what she was doing.
"And what could be of value in the trash?"
That question seemed very stupid to the young woman, I mean, who didn't know that in the trash there could be incredible things?
"You can't imagine. What might be worth nothing to you would be treasures of unimaginable value to me. There are wonderful things here that only those of us who need them know what they are worth."
"Have you found anything good today?" He folded his arms, impatient because that young woman did not even deign to look at him. She turned her back to him as if that talk was of little importance to her. It was a bit offensive to Mr. Fendi.
Who dared to speak to him without looking into his piercing green eyes?
Hearing that question, the young woman turned around with a huge smile to show what she had in her hands, it was a small music box with a pretty dancer, but it did not move and less let her sweet melody be heard.
The young woman wanted to say something, perhaps express her joy for the treasure she had found, but when she saw the man behind her she only remained mute.
His fine tailored suit, his face marked with beautiful and striking features while those green eyes attracted attention, his full lips and that imposing figure had left the young woman speechless.
His muscles were not very exaggerated, he was a tall man, he smiled little and the tone of his voice was usually very thick.
But in front of him he was looking at the perfect wife, so he smiled at the young woman, making her feel a tingle in her stomach at the warmth of that smile.
That could be the woman who would turn his family upside down and he could keep command of the companies while he was at it.
"I..." she had been speechless at the sight of such a handsome man addressing her or taking an interest in what she was doing, all grimy and among the garbage. Behind him she could see the expensive car. "I found this music box!" Was all she could think to say as she lifted it up, leaving it in full view of the man.
"Can I see it?" Alejandro approached her, but the skittish young woman only backed away, a little afraid, she wondered why he would want to approach her with that ugly look and bad smell she was carrying.
"Please...don't come near."
"I mean you no harm, I just want to see the treasure you've found. I found it interesting." At his soft, friendly words, the young woman let her guard down and let him approach.
He looked at the old music box and then she pressed it to her chest, it was her treasure.
"It's mine, I found it and I'm keeping it!" She exclaimed possessively.
"Easy." The man raised his arms and looked around, they were both attracting the attention of people nearby.
"Is that woman bothering you?" a man approached them, interested in the situation.
"No, not the case, but thank you." With those words and a stern look, Alejandro pushed away the man who was intruding on their two's chatter. "What's your name?" He advanced toward her again, with slow, cautious steps.
"Ariel." Again she felt comfortable, unafraid, holding her music box so she wouldn't lose it.
"I am Alejandro Fendi." He introduced himself.
"You have the same last name as the mall." Ariel said with a chuckle, finding it very funny that someone would carry the mall's last name.
"It's my mall." He replied calmly, but Ariel continued to laugh, considering it to be a joke. "Ariel, do you want to go to lunch with me? I like your smile, I think I have something to offer you, a proposition you won't be able to refuse. And when I say no, you really couldn't refuse." Those words were no longer soft and only made Ariel's whole body shudder.
The chauffeur opened the car door for his boss and Alejandro invited Ariel to get in first.
The young woman's feet moved in obedience to the man who had seemed so kind before and now seemed to be demanding of her.
She entered the car in silence.