Page 1 of Business Temptations

Prologue

Twelve-year-old Matteo stormed out of the castle, his heart pounding with a mixture of fury and desperation, his young mind unable to comprehend the unfairness of it all. He needed solace, a moment to gather his thoughts away from the suffocating presence of his father's expectations.

As he stepped into the cool evening air, his anger flared brighter, fueled by the bitter taste of betrayal. The echoes of their confrontation still rang in his ears, each word a dagger aimed at his wounded pride. How could his father be so blind, so oblivious to Matteo's struggles and desires?

But as he looked up, his gaze met that of his half-brother, Antonio, the epitome of everything Matteo was not. Spoiled, pampered, theIn golden child destined to inherit the title and wealth that Matteo could only dream of. Antonio's very presence grated on Matteo's nerves, a constant reminder of the gaping chasm between them.

Matteo's chest tightened with resentment as he brushed past Antonio, his footsteps heavy with pent-up frustration. He didn't spare his brother a second glance, his own pain too raw to acknowledge anyone else's. Why should he care about Antonio's privileged existence? Why should he bow down to his father's commands when all it brought him was anguish and disappointment?

With each step, Matteo's resolve hardened, a defiant spark igniting within him. He wouldn't let them break him, wouldn't allow their expectations to crush his spirit. And as he disappeared into the shadows, his heart torn between defiance and despair, he vowed to carve his own path, no matter the cost.

"What did he say?" Antonio's voice cut through the tense silence, his brows furrowed with worry as he leaned in, searching for any sign of physical harm on Matteo's form. "Did he hit you?"

Matteo's glare intensified, his eyes flashing with a mix of defiance and wounded pride. How dare Antonio ask such questions? Didn't he understand the depth of Matteo's pain, the betrayal that coursed through his veins like a river of fire? But beneath the anger, a part of Matteo longed for the comfort of his brother's concern, a flicker of hope buried beneath layers of resentment and hurt.

If he hadn't been so consumed by his own rage, Matteo might have noticed the genuine concern shining in Antonio's eyes, the unspoken plea for reassurance. But the weight of their father's words hung heavy in the air, a constant reminder of Matteo's status as the unwanted son, the bastard child born of a forbidden union.

The realization struck him like a physical blow, the pain cutting through his defenses and leaving him feeling exposed and vulnerable. He had been a fool to think he could ever earn his father's love, to believe that he belonged in this world of opulence and privilege. And as he stood there, his heart heavy with unspoken anguish, Matteo wished for nothing more than to escape the suffocating confines of his reality, to find solace in the embrace of the night. The intensity of his hatred for his half-brother boiled up to new heights within him, fueling his anger at the unjust and solitary existence he endured for so long. Antonio possessed everything Matteo longed for: a father who genuinely cared, a magnificent home , and an abundance of food. In due course, Antonio would inherit the wretched dominion their father presently ruled as the Marquesso del Campo, granting him the power to wreak havoc on the lives of his people.

But Matteo chided himself for his last thought. His mother never let him go hungry, despite their modest means. She worked in the local tavern, and while money was scarce, they always managed to get by. However, Matteo's father showed no concern and offered no support. The despicable man reveled in his immense wealth and influence, yet he chose to exert control over every aspect of the villagers' lives, including his own illegitimate son.

Clenching his fists at his sides, Matteo quickly glanced around, needing an alternative route to get away from this horrible, miserable place. But this was his only escape path.

So in his impotent rage, Matteo gritted his teeth and snapped, “He’s sending me away!”

He tried to calm his fury so that his half-brother wouldn’t delight in Matteo’s predicament, but it was pointless. When he looked at his half-brother, the legitimate son, it was difficult to hide his resentment.

“He said I was an embarrassment to him ‘and his good name’ so he wanted me gone from the village. Instead of ‘enduring my shameful presence’,” Matteo had to pause as the hurt from those words rose in his throat, threatened to choke him. When he had himself back under control, he continued. “Because of that, the Marquesso is sending me to some stupid boarding school in the United States.” He glared at his half-brother. “Are you happy now?” Matteo’s furious gaze drilled into nearly identical, if startled, eyes. “You’ll never have to see me again!”

And with that parting shot, Matteo stomped forward, uncaring that the taller, stronger boy blocked his path. Thankfully, at the last moment, Antonio stepped out of the way. But Matteo would have plowed through him anyway. He was beyond caring about being beaten for abusing the precious “lord’s” son.

Matteo tried to tamp down on his anguish, to ignore it, or at least hide it from the villagers as he walked back to the small, Spanish village. But the pain and, if he were honest, the fear, still clawed at him. He was being sent away to boarding school, away from his mother. She was the only person in this entire world who gave a damn about him and he was being sent away from her! Matteo was defenseless to fight the banishment too. The Marquesso, Matteo refused to use the term “father”, had threatened to banish his mother from the village if he didn’t leave for boarding school.

When he was finally out of sight of the hated castle, he leaned against a nearby olive tree and closed his eyes. Breathing deeply, he again tried to calm his anger. He couldn’t let his mother know that he was upset about this…this…banishment. Yes, that’s exactly what it was. Matteo was being sent away from his home for something that wasn’t his fault! He was being punished simply for being born.

For several long moments, Matteo took deep, slow breaths. His mother could never know how upset he was about being sent away. If she knew, his mother would fight the bastard. And she would lose. The Marquesso del Campo had absolute power over this village. He “owned” all of the court employees, all of the employers, all of the law enforcement personnel. There was no one to help his mother fight this edict from a cold, merciless man.

Lifting his head, he blinked up at the gorgeous sky. Finally, he started walking again, needing to get back and help his mother.

He would go, Matteo thought as he crushed the spring flowers under his heel. He would go to this horrible boarding school and learn everything possible. He’d learn everything he could so that he would never be vulnerable again. Then he would become powerful, far more powerful than the Marquesso and he would crush the ass! He would destroy each and every one of the bastard’s businesses and leave him poor and powerless!

Three months later…

Matteo sat on the rough, hard floor of the attic, his hands hanging limply as they hung over his upraised knees. There was only a single window, but it was too high for him to see the outside world. He couldn’t even see the stars because of the cloud cover tonight. His cell phone had been taken away as soon as he’d stepped through the gates of this hellish boarding school. The headmaster had claimed that none of the students were allowed cell phones, but Matteo knew that every other student had a phone. And none tried to hide it. Apparently, cell phones were only disallowed for bastard students with an ass for a “father”.

And this latest punishment? Matteo wasn’t even sure what he’d done wrong, but the headmaster had sentenced him to what was essentially solitary confinement for the night. Hence, the attic room with no furniture, no lights, and…even worse, no food.

Closing his eyes, Matteo tried to retreat into his mind and calm the raging fury building within him. Life wasn’t fair, he reminded himself. He’d learned that lesson early and often in life and his current hell was no different.

He breathed in again, held the air in his lungs for the count of five, then slowly let it out. The calming sensation washed over him almost immediately and some of the tension eased from his shoulders.

Matteo del Campo, the illegitimate son of the Marquesso del Campo, had learned the hard way to find solace in his mind when the world became too much to handle. Math problems and science were his go-to lately. He enjoyed those subjects because the formulas were logical, made sense, and didn’t change simply because someone was in a foul mood. Literature was fine, but the rules shifted without warning. Matteo suspected that some writers broke the “rules” of writing simply because they could. Math and science always obeyed the rules. The outcome of every formula was absolute, unless a change was added to the calculation.

The rest of the world, with its complexities and nuances, remained an enigma to Matteo. Humans, in their varied motivations and actions, often left him perplexed. Matteo couldn't fathom the reasoning behind his father's decision to send him to this desolate boarding school. His father had never shown much interest in him before, so why the sudden attention? And why this particular institution? What transgression had Matteo committed months ago to warrant such severe punishment? These questions gnawed at Matteo's mind, fueling his sense of confusion and abandonment.

He sighed and thought about lying down to get some sleep, but he knew that the floor was filthy. Matteo wasn’t sure how much time he’d have in the morning to get ready for the morning inspection of his school uniform before classes started for the day. Not to mention, it was cold enough to see his breath. Sitting curled up seemed slightly warmer.

So instead, he leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to sleep sitting up.

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