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"You should do so on this matter, unfortunately. The press usually exaggerates things,sì,but in the case of Massimo's mother? She was truly all that and more, and hereccentricities,as Massimo himself very sarcastically likes to put it, have scarred her son deeply. He likes to joke about not wanting to marry a woman like hisnonna,but in truth, ourfamigliaknows that what he is most determined about is not to repeat hisfather's mistakes. He does not want anyone who has too much personality..."

Like me, in other words,Ysabel realized.

"Massimo has not spoken much about you to ourfamiglia,but in the few times he did, it had become obvious to us that he did not think highly of you at all. The impression we had of you was that you were the black sheep of yourfamiglia..."

"Um..." Ifthatwas Massimo's reason alone for thinking she was not suitable for him, then Ynez probably didn't even have to lie about her past. Ysabel had been quite the rebel in her high school years, and in those days, her parents had been frequently called to the principal's office for her many misdemeanors.

"Nothing to say in your defense,signorina?"

Ysabel squirmed in her seat. "I was very...opinionatedback then?"

The answer had Cattleya choking, and when Ysabel looked at her in surprise, Cattleya cleared her throat, saying,"Mi dispiace, signorina.I was just wondering what kind of, er,opinionyou had when you were reported to have punched your teacher?"

"Because she called my classmate's mother a prostitute—-" Ysabel stopped speaking. Why was she admitting to all of these in front of Massimo's grandmother of all people?

"It's fine, Ysabel." Potenziana had trouble keeping her face straight. "There is nothing that Cattleya can ask of you that would shock me. I've already read all about it in your file—-"

Ysabel winced. "It must've been a pretty thick file."

"The thickest I have most definitely, among all the bridal candidates I've considered for my grandsons."

"Ouch."

Potenziana and Cattleya laughed at this, and Ysabel wondered if she should tell them she wasn't joking, and she was really hurt,seriously.

"And while I personally consider your, er, high school adventures rather delightful..." The older woman's smile faded slightly. "Massimo is unlikely to feel the same."

Ysabel was starting to feel disheartened again, and the older woman seemed to have sensed this.

"It will truly be alright, Ysabel. My grandson is a one-woman man like his grandfather, and it is the only reason he and your sister have been dating for years. Massimo keeps remembering that one night you made the most spectacular impression on him, and it is what makes him unable to let go of your sister."

"SignorMassimo was sonicein those days," Cattleya couldn't help reminiscing with a shake of her head. "It was very creepy, to be honest."

Ysabel had to fight back a smile. Massimo being nice might be creepy to Cattleya, but to her, the idea was kinda...cute.

"You stole his heart that night, Ysabel. It was very clear to us all when he first told us about you. But then we also noticed, that when he finally met Ynez, he also gradually changed. It did not make sense to us then, but now that Cattleya and I are aware of what happened..." Potenziana released a pained sigh. "I believe Massimo was heartbroken when Ynez did not matchhis expectations from that night, but he was too proud to admit this."

Ysabel started gnawing on her lip again. What if she ended up disappointing Massimo, too?

"You do not seem confident about your chances," the Marchetti matriarch observed.

"I'm just worried he has this image of me from that night that's unrealistic."

"Let us say it is so—-does that mean you will turn this chance down to be married to him? Because you do have that choice,signorina.I will allow you to back out of this wedding without any consequences. You have my word on this. If you choose to say no, it shall be so. But if you choose to say yes, I must also warn you that it will not be easy winning Massimo back. It will be difficult and painful even, but not impossible."

Ysabel could barely hear her thoughts over the thunderous pounding of her heart. To marry Massimo was her dream, but it would also mean hurting Ynez. Her sister might have hurt her first, but was that reason enough to hurt Ynez as well?

"What is it to be, Ysabel? Do you wish to marry my grandson or not?"

Five

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?

Massimo found himself brooding while waiting for his grandmother to return hisfidanzatato his side. While he could now admit to himself that his feelings for Ynez were not what he thought them to be, he had not been attracted to any other woman in all the past years either. No one had tempted him even the slightest bit to stray...until now.

Porca miseria.

He could only imagine Ynez's distress once she found out that he had kissed her sister within minutes of being in her company. He could point out that she had done something worse, of course, but he would not do so.