Chapter 41: Adjust to my life

"Because it was my first time being kissed by a woman," Santino answered. "Now, no more questions."

Soraya opened her mouth to argue, but Santino had already made it clear that he wouldn’t entertain any further questions.

Neither of them spoke much during the ride. It wasn’t until they arrived at an elegant waterfront restaurant that Soraya’s attention shifted elsewhere.

She stepped out of the car excitedly, immediately feeling the strong sea breeze against her face.

Santino came around to her side and held out his hand. Soraya glanced at it before placing hers in his, allowing him to lead her towards the entrance.

"Do you like seafood?" he asked as they walked.

"You’re asking me that after bringing me here?" Soraya chuckled, looking at him in disbelief.

Santino smiled at her reaction. Without warning, he leaned down and planted a quick kiss on her lips.

"People are watching," Soraya murmured, glancing around at the other diners instead of scolding him.

"People kiss on the streets too," Santino remarked. "Besides, you didn’t tell me to stop. You only said I shouldn’t kiss you in public. That means..." He paused, giving her a knowing smile. "I can kiss you when we’re alone in a room."

"Ah... No!" Soraya exclaimed, her cheeks turning bright red.

She quickly pulled her hand away and walked ahead, refusing to look at him.

Why did I say that? What’s wrong with me? she wondered, silently cursing herself for giving him another reason to tease her. She had only wanted him to stop kissing her in front of other people, but Santino had already found a way to twist her words to his advantage.

Santino followed her with an amused smile and caught her hand again, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"We’re going over there," he announced, pointing towards an elegant restaurant on their far right. "I made a reservation earlier, so you can’t treat me today. Sorry, wife."

Before she could argue about paying, Santino gently guided her towards the entrance.

They entered the luxurious restaurant, where the manager immediately came forward to greet them. After exchanging a few words with Santino, he personally escorted them to a private dining area. The entire floor had been reserved for them, and not a single other customer was present.

Soraya glanced around the spacious hall, taking in the elegant furnishings and carefully arranged tables. She leaned towards Santino and muttered, "Is this place so expensive that nobody else comes here?"

Santino chuckled at her question. "No. I wanted this entire floor to be reserved exclusively for us."

He pulled out a chair for her and waited for her to sit before continuing, "Nobody knows who my wife is or who Soraya Dalias really is. The hidden heiress of the Dalias family."

"But we’ve gone out together so many times," Soraya said as she settled into her chair.

"Hmm. I make sure no photographs of us are leaked to the public," Santino replied calmly. "My men are careful about that."

Soraya nodded slightly, though her thoughts soon returned to her parents. "I already told them I don’t want to remain the heiress of the Dalias family. I wonder what they’re thinking about my decision."

Before Santino could respond, a waiter approached their table and placed two menus in front of them.

"Let’s order first," Santino suggested, noticing that she was still distracted.

Soraya picked up her menu and began looking through the available dishes. She chose the main course and dessert, leaving the decision about the starters to Santino. He studied the menu briefly before placing an order for the appetizers, then handed it back to the waiter.

Once the waiter had left, Santino turned his attention back to Soraya. "Didn’t Angelo tell you why your parents wanted you to become the heiress of the Dalias family?"

"He did. He told me that Dad and Mom wanted me to take that position, and even Angelo was fine with their decision. But the problem is that I don’t share the same bond with them that a daughter should have with her parents. I barely know them, Santino. I can’t suddenly accept them as my family and take on the responsibilities of an heiress just because we’re related by blood. Besides, Angelo is already the heir of the Dalias family, so I don’t see why I should take his place," Soraya explained.

Santino listened without interrupting her. After a brief pause, he asked, "What was your life like in the orphanage? I know it must have been difficult, but I want to understand what you went through."

Soraya looked at him for a moment before answering. "The man who ran the orphanage was kind. We called him Father James, and he always did his best to take care of us. He never let us feel that we were lacking anything important, at least not while we were under his care. The difficult part was watching other children getting picked up by their parents at the school and knowing that no one was coming for us. It wasn’t easy to adjust to that feeling, but we learned to live with it."

She paused briefly before continuing, "I met Claire during my college days. She isn’t an orphan; she has her own family. As for Emilio, you already know what happened between us."

"Emilio grew up in the same orphanage as you, yet he still turned out to be someone you couldn’t trust," Santino remarked, his expression becoming serious. "Don’t you feel angry when you think about everything he did to you?"

Soraya lowered her gaze, unsure how to respond to his question.

Santino watched her quietly before speaking again. "I rushed into everything between us. I wanted you to accept me and this marriage, but I never stopped to think about how difficult it might be for you to trust another man after what Emilio did after you told me yesterday. I should have taken the time to understand you instead of expecting you to adjust to my life simply because I wanted you by my side."

Soraya stared at him in surprise.

"Well, my heart has suddenly detached itself from Emilio. Until yesterday, I was asking for time from you, but honestly, I didn’t feel angry. Only at that moment did I feel that no one desired me. That was why I left alone."