Chapter 5 CH-5

Lorenzo Accardi POV

I had just finished reviewing some documents when my phone began vibrating against the glass surface of my desk.

The sound echoed softly in the quiet office.

I glanced down absentmindedly, expecting it to be another business call or a report from one of the council members. But the moment my eyes landed on the screen, my brows lifted slightly in surprise.

Otello Bianchi.

A small smile appeared on my face.

It had been quite some time since we last spoke.

Without wasting another second, I picked up the phone and pressed the green button before bringing it to my ear.

"Accept my greetings, Mr. Bianchi. How are you?" I greeted respectfully.

Otello Bianchi was one of the few people in our world whom I genuinely respected. He was not only a powerful Alpha but also a man of integrity and wisdom. He had always treated me with kindness-even during times when the world around me was not so forgiving.

"Greetings to you too, Alpha Lorenzo. I am doing well. How are you?" he replied politely.

The moment the word Alpha left his lips, I sighed softly.

I had never liked being addressed like that by elders.

Titles were for formal gatherings and political meetings, not for people who had known me since I was younger.

"Please call me Lorenzo," I said gently.

For a brief second there was silence before he chuckled warmly.

"Very well, Lorenzo. But on one condition."

I leaned back slightly in my chair, curious.

"And what condition is that?"

"If I call you by your name, then you must call me Uncle."

A smile tugged at my lips.

"That seems fair," I replied. "Alright... Uncle."

His laughter echoed through the phone.

"So, Lorenzo," he continued after a moment, his tone becoming slightly more serious, "I called today because I wanted to talk about something important."

Immediately my full attention sharpened.

I straightened in my chair and closed the file in front of me.

"I wanted to speak to your father first," he continued, "but I heard he is currently in the United States. Considering the time difference, he must be asleep right now. So I thought it would be better to talk to you instead. After all, you are the one who handles most of the family matters now."

He ended the sentence with a soft laugh.

I smiled faintly.

That part was unfortunately true.

"Of course, Uncle," I said sincerely. "Tell me how I can help you."

There was a small pause before he finally spoke.

"I was calling regarding a possible alliance."

I leaned back slowly, waiting for him to continue.

"I was thinking about Vincenzo... and my daughter, Gia."

For a moment, I forgot to breathe.

Then suddenly, a strange warmth spread through my chest.

A proposal... for Vincenzo.

As his elder brother, nothing in this world would make me happier than seeing him finally find someone who could bring light into his dark, guarded life.

But at the same time... I knew my brother.

Vincenzo did not believe in relationships.

He did not believe in love.

Not after everything he had gone through.

Many times, I had tried to speak to him about marriage, about companionship, about having someone beside him.

Every single time he avoided the topic like it was poison.

Even Mother-who was technically my stepmother but whom I respected deeply-worried constantly about him.

She never said it openly, but I knew her heart ached whenever she thought about how lonely he truly was.

And yet...

Otello Bianchi was not someone whose proposal could simply be dismissed without thought.

He was respected across the entire werewolf world.

And I had met his daughter a few times when she was younger during diplomatic gatherings.

But that was years ago.

I had no idea what kind of woman she had grown into now.

Still... a small voice inside my mind whispered something hopeful.

Maybe this was destiny finally knocking on Vincenzo's door.

"That is wonderful to hear, Uncle," I said sincerely.

"I would very much like to meet your family," he continued carefully. "And if possible... Vincenzo too."

His hesitation was understandable.

Everyone in our circles knew that Vincenzo stayed away from Brussels as much as possible.

He had built his own life in Frankfurt-far from royal politics, far from palace walls, far from the whispers of society.

"I think it would be best if we meet first," I suggested thoughtfully. "You already know that Vincenzo is not currently in Brussels. But I will speak to him and ask him to visit soon."

"That would be perfect," he replied warmly.

After a few more polite exchanges, we ended the call.

The moment the phone left my ear, I sat silently for a few seconds, staring at the screen.

Then I immediately dialled another number.

If there was one person who deserved to know about this before anyone else, it was her.

The phone rang twice before it was answered.

"Greetings, Lorenzo."

Her voice sounded cheerful.

Even through the phone, I could hear the warmth in her tone.

"Accept my greetings, Aunty," I said respectfully. "How are you?"

"I am doing well, my dear," she replied lovingly. "Tell me, how are you? How is Aria? And the children? Is everything peaceful in the palace?"

I chuckled softly.

Those were always the first questions she asked.

"Everyone is doing well," I replied. "You should come visit soon. The kids would love to see you."

"I definitely will," she said warmly.

There was a brief pause before I finally spoke again.

"Aunty... I wanted to talk to you about something important."

Her tone immediately became attentive.

"What is it, dear?"

"I received a marriage proposal today... for Vincenzo."

For a moment, there was complete silence on the other end.

Then suddenly-

"Oh my God! Really?"

Her voice burst with excitement like that of a child.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I could not stop the smile that spread across my face.

"Yes," I confirmed gently. "Otello Bianchi wishes for his daughter Gia to marry Vincenzo."

Her happiness was almost palpable through the phone.

"Lorenzo... you have no idea how happy this makes me."

Then she added softly,

"But you do not need my permission for such matters. I trust you completely. I know you will always do what is best for him."

Her words were sincere.

But I shook my head.

"No, Aunty. You are his mother. You deserve to know everything about him."

A soft sigh escaped her.

"But Lorenzo... he will not agree," she murmured sadly. "You know how he is. The moment I mentioned marriage once; he practically ran away from the conversation."

I rubbed my forehead slightly.

Yes.

That sounded exactly like Vincenzo.

"Do not worry," I assured her calmly. "First, we will meet the girl and her family. If she seems right for him... I will convince him."

"You always find a way," she said softly.

After ending the call, I contacted Uncle Bianchi again and scheduled the meeting for the coming weekend.

Once everything was arranged, I informed Aria as well.

She listened quietly... and then smiled in that mysterious way of hers.

"I have a feeling this girl might be interesting," she had said.

________________________________________

A week passed quickly.

Soon it was the weekend.

The palace was buzzing with activity.

Servants moved through the hallways making final preparations for the guests' arrival.

The living room had been arranged perfectly, flowers placed carefully, tea prepared, everything in its place.

I sat on the couch scrolling through my phone while chaos unfolded somewhere deeper inside the palace.

Aria's voice echoed loudly through the halls.

She was probably chasing after our three little devils.

And to make matters worse, my cousin's children were also visiting.

I sighed and shook my head.

My peaceful palace had become a battlefield.

My attention shifted when I noticed Aunty sitting nearby.

She was twisting a handkerchief nervously in her hands.

Her eyes carried a familiar anxiety.

I leaned toward her slightly.

"You do know they are not coming here to see you, right?" I teased gently.

She smiled faintly but the worry remained.

"I know... but what if they..."

Her voice trailed off.

I immediately understood.

"Aunty," I said firmly, placing my hand over hers, "we are not hiding anything. Vincenzo is not an illegitimate child. Father married you before he was even born."

Tears filled her eyes.

"That does not matter," she whispered. "Many people still think I ruined my sister's marriage."

Her voice broke slightly.

Even after all these years... she still carried that guilt.

My chest tightened.

"You are worrying for nothing," I assured her firmly. "I am on your side. No one will disrespect you here."

"And if they do," Aria's voice suddenly interrupted from behind us, "then they are definitely not worthy of our Vincenzo."

I turned and smiled at her.

She always knew exactly when to appear.

Moments later, a maid approached us.

"Alpha, the Bianchi family has arrived."

We all stood and walked toward the entrance to welcome them.

But the moment I stepped outside...

I froze.

Near the car stood a girl.

She was leaning casually against the vehicle, looking around the palace grounds.

And then-

She whistled.

I blinked.

Wait.

Did she just whistle?

At the palace?

At the house of the man, she was potentially going to marry?

She wore ripped jeans, a short crop top, and a cap with a bold letter 'G' on it.

Her eyes were hidden behind sunglasses.

She was casually chewing gum.

This...

This was definitely not how a princess usually presented herself.

Somewhere deep inside my mind, a voice had already decided.

This alliance will never work.

But Aria caught my glance.

And she winked.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

She was enjoying this far too much.

Suppressing a smirk, I stepped forward.

"Accept my greetings. I hope your journey was comfortable, Uncle?"

"Greetings, Alpha and Luna," he replied respectfully.

I immediately shook my head.

"First, it is Lorenzo for you. And second, you are my elder. King or not, I cannot forget my manners. Please, come inside."

Then the girl stepped forward.

She removed her sunglasses.

And for the first time...

I saw her eyes.

Clear.

Bright.

Surprisingly pure.

"Accept my greetings," she said politely.

My earlier judgment faltered slightly.

"Greetings to you too," I replied with a nod.

"This is my daughter, Gia," Uncle said proudly.

Aria stepped forward immediately.

"You are very pretty, Gia. And I absolutely love your name."

I looked at Aria.

That smile she was giving Gia...

That was usually reserved only for me.

Which meant one thing.

My wife already liked her.

And that complicated things.

A lot.

As we all moved inside and began talking, I slowly started noticing more about the girl.

She was an Oxford graduate.

She understood politics remarkably well.

She loved music and singing.

And she had travelled to half the world with her band.

Independent.

Confident.

Fearless.

And surprisingly intelligent.

Slowly... my earlier judgment began to shift.

But still...

Two days.

That was all I needed.

Because no one can pretend forever.

And I intended to see the real Gia Bianchi before making any decision about my brother's future.