Beyond Their Expectations: From Street Rat To Supreme Ruler

6: A House Divided

The grandfather stood frozen, his face cycling through shades of crimson. He hadn't expected Giulia to be so willful, so openly disrespectful in front of their honored guest.

"Giulia Santoro!" His voice thundered across the courtyard. "How dare you behave like this? Do you have any idea what kind of blessing has fallen upon our family? Being able to marry Young Master Moretti is an honor beyond measure, and here you are, spitting in the face of good fortune!"

Giulia's jaw tightened, but she said nothing.

"Now go—immediately—and fetch your parents. Tell them our future grandson-in-law has arrived and that I expect them in the main hall at once!"

She turned without a word and stalked toward the villa, her back rigid with fury.

The grandfather turned to Dante, his expression shifting to apologetic embarrassment. "Young Master Moretti, please forgive—"

"It's fine," Dante said, though his smile looked more like a grimace.

Fine. Everything was fine. Except he'd come here to break off an engagement and somehow ended up looking like he'd come to propose to the woman he'd accidentally slept with. The woman who hated him. The woman who thought he was a lying nobody.

He wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Instead, he just felt exhausted.

The grandfather's smile faltered, concern creeping into his eyes. "Young Master... if you find Giulia unsuitable, I want you to know there are other grandchildren. My second granddaughter is also quite accomplished, or perhaps—"

"No," Dante interrupted quickly. "The engagement stands. Giulia is... fine."

More than fine. She's the woman whose life I saved. The woman I'm responsible for now.

The old man's face brightened immediately. "Oh, wonderful! I'm so relieved. Please, come inside—let me get you something to drink. Tell me, how is Master Armani? I've heard such legendary tales about his achievements—"

"Grandfather!"

A woman's sharp voice cut through the air like a blade.

They both turned.

Giulia returned, flanked by a middle-aged couple who could only be her parents—her father tall and stern, her mother elegant but calculating. Behind them swept an imposing elderly woman with silver hair piled high, her posture radiating authority and disapproval.

The old matriarch—Giulia's grandmother—surveyed Dante from head to toe, her lip curling with obvious disdain.

"What is the meaning of this, husband?" Her voice was cold steel. "I return from my afternoon appointment to find you entertaining... this?"

She gestured at Dante like he was something unpleasant tracked in on someone's shoe.

"This," the grandfather said firmly, "is Dante Moretti, Master Armani's prized disciple, and our granddaughter's fiancé."

"Absolutely not." The grandmother's voice rang out with finality. "I will not allow my granddaughter to be married off to some ordinary street urchin."

"Mother!" the grandfather started, but she rolled over him like a tank.

"Giulia is destined to marry Matteo Romano! The Romano family's status is a full tier above ours. Their connections, their wealth—" She turned to address the whole family now. "And most importantly, Matteo's father maintains close business ties with Lorenzo Marchetti himself!"

Murmurs of interest rippled through the assembled family members.

"Once Giulia marries into the Romano family," the grandmother continued, her voice rising with conviction, "she'll bring cooperation and connections back to us. Our family will finally break into the upper echelons of society. A brilliant future is within our grasp—and you want to throw it away on this?"

She jabbed a finger at Dante.

Giulia's father stepped forward, his voice careful but persuasive. "Father, please think rationally. The family's future prosperity will one day rest on our daughter's shoulders. How can we marry her off so... casually? To someone without proper background or connections?"

"The Romano family is offering us a golden opportunity," Giulia's mother added, her smile sharp as glass. "Young Master Romano is educated, wealthy, and from excellent bloodline. Surely that's preferable to... well..."

Her gaze slid over Dante with thinly veiled contempt.

"ENOUGH!"

The grandfather's roar silenced everyone.

His face had gone purple with rage, a vein throbbing at his temple. "All of you—shut your ignorant mouths before I lose what little respect I have left for this family!"

"But Father—"

"But nothing!" He turned on them like a lion facing jackals. "I didn't want to lay everything out so bluntly in front of our guest. I didn't want Young Master Moretti to think we're a family of calculating, shallow opportunists. But you've left me no choice with your stupidity!"

He jabbed a finger at Dante. "This man—this man right here—is the one who can truly elevate our family! Master Armani's disciple! The future head of Armani Allied Group! And you want to chase after Matteo Romano—a middleman, a second-rate connection who can barely get Lorenzo Marchetti to return his father's phone calls?"

Silence fell like a hammer.

"You're chasing scraps," the grandfather spat, "when a feast is standing right in front of you! Utterly foolish! Like pigs too stupid to recognize pearls!"

Giulia's parents paled, backing away from his fury.

But Giulia and her grandmother stood firm.

"Grandfather," Giulia said, her voice trembling but determined, "you're being deceived. He can't possibly be who you think he is. He's just—"

"Just what?" The grandfather whirled on her. "Just the man who saved your life last night? Oh yes, I know about that. Master Armani informed me this morning."

Giulia's face went white.

"This ordinary man," the grandfather continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "risked his life to save yours. And this is how you repay him? With insults and rejection?"

The grandmother stepped forward, her face flushed with indignation. "Husband, you've gone blind in your old age! How can this... this beggar possibly lead our family to greater heights? He's not even worthy of carrying Matteo Romano's shoes! Look at him—dressed like a homeless vagrant, probably can't afford a decent meal—"

CRACK.

The slap echoed across the courtyard like a gunshot.

The grandmother stumbled back, her hand flying to her reddening cheek, shock written across her face.

"How dare—"

"How dare you," the grandfather snarled, his hand still raised, "disrespect the man who will become this family's salvation. I am still the head of this household. And as long as I draw breath, anyone—anyone—who opposes this engagement will be expelled from the family immediately. Is that clear?"

No one spoke.

He turned to his wife, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "And you, wife—don't embarrass yourself by demanding a divorce at your age. Unless you'd like to spend your remaining years alone and destitute."

The grandmother's mouth opened and closed soundlessly, fury and humiliation warring on her face. But she said nothing.

The grandfather surveyed his cowed family with disgust before turning to Dante, his expression softening into apologetic regret.

"Young Master Moretti, please forgive this disgraceful display. Our family clearly lacks discipline. We've made a spectacle of ourselves in front of you."

"It's—" Dante started.

"But I want you to know," the old man continued, his voice firm with conviction, "that I will welcome you with the utmost sincerity. You will be treated as the honored son-in-law you are."

He clapped his hands together, decision made.

"In fact, why wait? Today—right now—you and Giulia will go to register your marriage. Make it official. No more delays, no more objections."

"What?!" Giulia's voice cracked like breaking ice.

"Today," the grandfather repeated firmly. "I'll have the driver bring the car around. You two will go to the civil registry office immediately."

"Grandfather, you can't—"

"I can and I will." He turned to her, his expression brooking no argument. "You will marry him, Giulia. Today. And that is final."

Dante stood frozen, watching the chaos unfold around him.

He'd come to break off an engagement.

Instead, he was apparently getting married.

Today.

To the woman who hated him.

Master Armani, he thought desperately, when I get back to the mountains, we're going to have words.

Giulia's eyes met his across the courtyard—cold, furious, and absolutely murderous.

This was going to be a disaster.