She walked over to the door, and her assistant who followed them in opened it. Cecilia waited outside. Mirabella passed Gino to her, and handed over Gianni and Eve. The first part of her mission completed. The interview would be her greatest challenge.
**
“Is that the reporter?” Marietta asked.
Catalina stood at the top floor balcony and peered down. “Yes. Giovanni is in there.” She pointed to the private show room. “He’s with the kids. Mirabella wanted to bring the reporter in. Look at her. She looks beautiful.”
Together they watched Mirabella. She wore a knee length black pencil skirt that had a high waist, with a crisp white blouse tucked in. Marietta had put curls in her hair and the make up team had done their magic. She was flawless. The scarlet red shoes and matching lipstick were the right amount of flare needed.
“He’s going to do this? He’s really going to do it,” Marietta said in disbelief.
“My brother loves her. Of course he’ll do it. Did you see the twins? Oh my goodness they are so cute,” Catalina said.
“Yeah, those devils will be heart breakers,” Marietta chuckled.
“I’m proud of Gio,” Catalina said with the upward toss of her chin.
“Don’t give him too much credit yet,” Marietta chuckled.
“What the hell does that mean? Too much credit?” Catalina frowned.
“Nothing. I have to admit I didn’t think she’d convince him to sit down for the interview. And with the kids too? The man barely lets them see daylight. Now he has cameras in their faces. It’s a big compromise.”
“Oh stop. You always have to say something negative,” Catalina turned to walk off. Marietta caught her by the arm and stopped her.
“I’m not trying to be negative. I’m saying you and I should make sure nothing goes wrong. Give him a way out of the interview after about ten or fifteen minutes. And then sit at her side and take over the rest.”
“I don’t think that’s what Mirabella wants.”
“What she wants is to be her self again. And this industry is cutthroat. There are so many people wanting her to fail. Read the fucking papers. They aren’t all predicting a success.”
Catalina nodded. She glanced to the reporter who walked into the private room. Marietta continued. “Your brother is only tolerant of her fashion business because he loves her, and it benefits him. Right? Right?”
Catalina nodded again.
“How long do you think he will sit through an interrogation by an American reporter? Trust me that bitch is all smiles now, but she will try to provoke him.”
“Why isn’t Domi in there with them?” Catalina frowned.
“Because this has to be done by Mira and Gio. Let’s give them fifteen minutes and pull him out of there.” Marietta raised her hand and Catalina gave her a high five like she taught her. They nodded. It was done.
**
“
Signor
Battaglia, my viewers are dying to hear about the love story. I’ve read a little about you.” Margot smiled.
“Don’t believe everything you read,” Giovanni joked. Margot gave a genuine laugh. Mirabella smiled at her husband’s relaxed demeanor.
“Before Mirabella you were one of the top ten most eligible bachelors in Italia, hell in the UK. Can you share with us how you two met?” the reporter began.
Mirabella’s hand was in Giovanni’s. He stared at the reporter. For a moment she didn’t think he’d answer. And the next moment she was afraid of his reply. To her he spoke like a poet about their love. She’d never once heard him speak of his devotion to her to strangers. Not intimately, not from the heart.
“I first met Mirabella in Napoli, at a restaurant my
cougino
owned. The most beautiful woman in all of Italy walked in through the doors and I couldn’t turn my eyes away. Do you remember, Bella? We talked about this the other night.” He kissed her hand. She glanced over to him. His eyes sparkled with mischief. She remembered his hands between her thighs as he told her about how it felt to fall in love with her. She felt flushed and was rendered speechless as the memory overcame her. More to the question she recalled him in the hall chasing away that rude man who wanted to pursue her. She remembered that same look in his eyes when she thanked him.
“I didn’t know who she was,” he continued. “I soon learned. She was American, successful, a talented woman who was invited to my country to share her creativity. I had to see her again. Here in Milano I made that happen.”
“Do you often pursue beautiful strangers like Mirabella?” Margot asked.
“No. They often pursue me,” he corrected. It was Margot who blushed as she stared into Giovanni’s eyes. Mirabella saw it all over the woman’s face. That heated look of desire he evoked from women. She didn’t like it. “Mirabella was different. Rare. I touched her hand and it was soft.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “She smelled beautiful, the dress she wore,” he stared into Mirabella’s eyes and her throat went dry. A sly smile tilted the corner of Giovanni’s mouth. “
Benissima.
I attended her fashion show. I watched as she walked the runway in another beautiful dress. Her long legs, and sway of her hips, she was again the most captivating woman I’d ever seen. At the end of the runway she looked me in the eye. She owned me. It was
amore
,” he confessed.
“So you met here in Milano?”
“No, in Naples, and then again here,” Mirabella smiled. She drew Margot’s gaze back to her. The woman was now flushed and kept looking over to Giovanni, finding it hard not to stare into his eyes. “He’s quite charming.”
“Yes, he is,” Margot tossed her hair and crossed her legs for Giovanni. Mirabella narrowed her eyes on her. Was the woman flirting in front of her? Giovanni held Margot’s gaze every time it slipped his way. The bitter bite of jealousy clenched Mirabella’s gut. She tried to not let it show. She continued.
“My husband’s a little intimidating too. I’d never met a man like him before.”
“How nice. And that was when your business partner Fabiana was alive, correct?”
“Yes,” Mirabella answered.
“And you’ve named your new fashion house after Fabiana. She was quite a force in your company. I know the loss of her must be hard on a day like today.”
“She is missed. Deeply. Fabiana’s my inspiration. Red was her favorite color. I feel like each garment I make for House of Fabiana’s is a tribute to her style, passion, love for life.”
“Can we talk about her death?” Margot sat back and crossed her legs. “The world was shocked by it… and your supposed death. I attended your fake funeral. The first lady attended your fake funeral.”
Mirabella squeezed Giovanni’s hand. She knew this part of the interview would come. She had hoped it wouldn’t happen so soon. “It was awful. What do you want me to say? My best friend died in a terrible accident. And the man I trusted, Kei Hyogo, he made me believe that disappearing from my life was the only way to cope with my trauma. The press has lied and exaggerated my story to sell magazines and papers. The truth is I fell in love with this man, and made a life for myself. A life I wouldn’t trade for anyone or anything in the world.”
“Yes, you were pregnant when you went into hiding. You kept the pregnancy from this man you
say
you loved. Surely there’s a reason why.”
“She’s answered your question. Move on,” Giovanni said.
The reporter frowned. “
Signor
Battaglia, there has been much speculation on who you really are. Interpol has you listed as one of the clan bosses of the
Camorra
, a crime organization that has terrorized southern Naples for close to a century. Do you want to respond to any of these allegations?”
“I’m a husband, a father, and a business man, in that order,” he replied. “Americans romanticize the mafia. Interpol has a file? So what? I have nothing to hide.”
“Giovanni’s family has been in the export wine business out of Chianti for many decades. Trust me you’d be bored to death if you get him talking about it,” Mirabella chuckled. Giovanni didn’t. She cleared her throat and continued. “As for, ah, uhm, Fabiana died in an accident. I lied to my fans, colleagues, and friends by faking my death. I accept that. I can’t change it. Kei and I both have paid a heavy price for the deception. He manipulated me. I trusted him when I shouldn’t have. But today isn’t about the past. It’s about the present. You want drama? Wait until you see my show,” Mirabella smiled.
“I can’t wait… but I have one more question before we move on.
Signor
Battaglia, only recently have you and your wife been seen in public together. Even your wedding excluded the press. If there is nothing nefarious about your lifestyle, can you or Mirabella explain the secrecy around your lives? I’m told it’s because of you. If you are a simple business man, then why all of the security?”
The door opened. Mirabella looked up to see her sister and Catalina appear. The reporter looked a bit startled by the intrusion as well.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I hate to interrupt, Mira. Giovanni you have a very important phone call. You have to take it,” Catalina informed them.
“But, we’ve just started,” Margot protested.
“And you will continue,” Marietta replied. “With an exclusive. Me and my sister.”
“Oh yes? You are Marietta Battaglia. I’ve wanted to meet you,” Margo stood. She extended her hand. “I’d love to interview you.”
Mirabella leaned over and kissed Giovanni on the cheek. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
“I will say goodbye to the kids before I leave,” he said. “It was nice meeting you,
Signora
Duval,” he said.
“
Signor Battaglia, grazie
. You’re quite a man,” Margot batted her long lashes at him and held his hand a little longer than Mirabella liked. Giovanni smiled at the woman.
He never smiles!
Mirabella’s brows lowered and gathered together. Now she was certain the heifer was flirting with her husband. It happened so naturally between them she had to wonder how many women he came across when he was away on his trips did the same thing. She hated it.
Marietta occupied the seat Giovanni vacated and tossed her curls from her shoulder. She crossed her legs and smiled. “Mira? What’s wrong?”
“She better sit her ass down and get out of his face,” Mirabella said. Marietta gaze swung to Margot. The reporter said something else to Giovanni and he nodded before he cast his gaze over to Mirabella once more. He gave Mirabella a wink and left.
“I’m here now. Let’s handle the bitch,” Marietta said through clenched teeth.
Mirabella nodded.
Margot took her seat once more.
“Now. Where do we start?” Marietta asked. “Ask me anything you want.”
**
“Where’s this call?” Giovanni asked.
“No call. It was time to put an end to that little circus, don’t you think?” she asked.
“You did this?” he smiled.
“It was Marietta’s idea. The interview should be about Mirabella. Not you.” Catalina hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Don’t worry about her, Gio. We have her. She’ll be fine.”
He kissed her brow. “I’ll see you at dinner.” She nodded and let him go. Giovanni headed for the door. He remembered the kids and glanced up to the stairs. He made sure to go and pay them a visit first. He had no idea how long the day would be.
Later –
“Do they mind if I smoke?” Shae asked. She lit her cigarette without waiting for a reply. Marietta sat next to her in a wicker chair on the terrace. They both looked out to the sun hovering just above the mountains.
“Today was fantastic!” Shae exhaled. “Oh my God! I had so much fun. And Jamie? She’s so damn cute. She’s going to make me some shoes. Girl, I loved it. I had a chance to see their shoe factory. Have you ever seen how shoes are made? Quality leather shoes?” Shae prattled on. “I watched Kyra cut and die the leather. She sculpted each shoe by hand.”
“What happened last night?” Marietta asked.
Shae put her cigarette out on the side of the wicker chair. She exhaled through her nose and frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Last night, you and Carlo. What happened?” Marietta asked.
“Oh? How do you know about that?” Shae asked.
Marietta’s gaze slipped over to her friend. The last thing she wanted was to get into an argument with Shae, or ruin their visit. But she would not have her disrespecting her. “I told you one rule. Only one. Don’t approach these men. Did you meet with Carlo last night?”
A nervous chuckle escaped her friend. Shae averted her gaze. “I saw him outside and he was…smoking. I could tell it wasn’t a cigarette.” Shae cleared her throat. “I stepped to him to ask for a hit. We went for a walk and smoked out. That’s it.”
“Got damn it. Who saw you ‘smoke out’ with him?”
“No one.”
“Stay away from him!” Marietta insisted.
“Him? Or the men?” Shae asked.
“Both!” Marietta said through her clenched teeth.
Shae chuckled.
“I say something funny?” Marietta asked.