Aimlessly, Donna was plodding sluggishly. The clock had hit the 4 am. She was in the search of peace. She was on countryside to find serenity. She wanted her mind to stay tranquil rather than filled by chaos. It was still dark. Moon was glinting. Everyone was in deep slumber but she was restless and plodding.

It was the end of spring in Italy. She was at the EUR district. She looked at the beauty of that place. The trees of cherry blossoms bloomed already. But some splendid beauty of those blossoms still alive. She stirred and moved forward.

A single blossom bloomed and landed on Donna's cheek. She thumped it and looked. It was like blossoms wanted to say, "stay happy and enjoy the beauty of this world. Don't let anyone to invade your tranquil life. Let the thing dropped on their own." Again, a blossom landed on her nose. The blossoming started. She curved her lips into a smile.

"Daughter, always remember that these cherry blossoms are the flower of birth, so delicate and fragile like a human existence. It cherishes and blooms the world and then disappears leaving behind their rare splendour beauty." She was reminding her mother's word when she was five. She remembered because this shuddered and touched her soul.

She reached to the place where grey haired, mature, and elderly people were trying to become fit.

There were not vigour in their eyes like it used to be in their springtime of life. But their determination to stay healthy still glinted in their eyes. She was keenly observing them. It was a new thing for her. She tried to find the new meaning of life from them.

She was quietly observing her surrounding. "You could also join us, child." An old woman said. Donna looked at her. She was amused. She looked at her emerald eyes. She felt motherly tenderness from her wrinkled face. That lady smiled at her.

"but.. Ma'am, it will..." she said, but that lady didn't let her complete and said,"child you can call me grandma, and no one mind anything. Come! Let's enjoy with us." she said.

Donna quietly nodded. Her hair was tied in a messy bun. She was wearing a top and lower with the Adidas sports shoes.

***

"Do you have fun?" The old lady asked.

"so much.."

"child, look, what I have done!" An old man said, tilting him up, hands below the hidalgos above the waist.

Donna was amused and said, "uncle, it's dangerous, it'll got hurt." The old man smiled at her scold. She was like a granddaughter to him, even he didn't have any.

The old lady had a pool of love and care in her eyes towards her. She looked at her laughing face.

She (Donna) forgot everything in their presence and was enjoying.

" uncle, let me show you one thing." Donna said and started to use her leg in very different positions. After all, she was mastered in self defence.

Everyone clapped for her.

***

Donna was strolling with that old lady. The clock had hit the time of sunrise. The whole sky was red rather than azure. The almighty sun was raising and claiming its kingdom, defeating the kingdom of dark.

"Child, something is bothering you." The old women asked. She glanced at her and uttered, 'nothing'.

"You could share with me. You are like my grand daughter. Trust me, I will never judge you." She said with honesty and sincerity, with so much of love in her eyes.

Donna gulped the lump of throat and shook her head. She didn't want anyone to pity her. That old lady smiled and said," ok, I will not push you, after all you are my granddaughter. "

" by the way, are you looking at the sun? It's beautiful right! " she said.

"indeed it is." Donna whispered, looking at the glory of the sun god.

"Do you know the significance of sunrise and sunset?" she asked with compassion. She shook her head.

That old lady smiled and said, "The arrival of sun is the symbol that darkness should end. How dark the night is, but it will end and sun rises. And sunset tells us life is all not about happiness, other wise we don't value the happiness and become haughty. Sometimes Darkness is needed for finding our shortcomings and improve them. So, that we can move on with a beautiful life. "

Her soul got shuddered, listening her philosophy. She looked at her and asked," May I hug you? Your presence made me feel motherly love to you. "

That lady smiled and put forward her arms for taking her in a long soothing hug.

***

" Dad, take these files and let me say you, I am not going to marry her." Alessandro said. His dad ignored his pled and was looking into the file.

" Alessandro, this is good progress. My decision was not wrong by sending you here."

"

Dad, this is not what I am talking. I said I will not marry her." There was vengeance in his voice.

" Son, you are not going to deny! "

" dad I will and am. That is final. "Alessandro firmly said.

" And why? "

" look at her attitude. She is straightforward. She doesn't care about other. She is business minded, shrewd lady. "

" So, what is the problem? You should learn business tactics from her, because you are still a newcomer. "

" oh gosh! Dad why you always criticize me everytime. " Alessandro said furiously and fisted his hair in vexation.

" ok, but listen one thing, you are disowned from my property after your denial. " his father stated clearly with no doubts.

" ok... Disown me, I am not that much greedy that I will marry her for the mere property, unlike her." he chuckled.

***

"son, Can't you marry her for me."

Oh god! Now he came upon emotional blackmail.

"Dad, this is not fair. You are emotionally blackmailing me."

" Son, you are dethroned by her from birth. Her and your mother promised each other. Can't you do this for your beloved mom! "

" Gosh! By the way, where is mom? "he asked lifting his eyebrow up.

" She was in pain when I called her. And now she is in Romania. "he said and stood up from his chair.

" Dad, when will mom world tour end?" He asked. His father came to him.

" Don't worry, she spent time in Rome when you marry Donna. Now be a happy man. And accept it. " He said and roamed his hand in his hair, leaving behind frustrated Alessandro.

" Dad but.... "

" I am not listening. You are going to marry her at any cost. " He left whistling.

Oh gosh! My dad is too stubborn.

I have to marry that egoistic girl.

***

"Simone, when are you going to tell me that you got your partner? I am very happy for you."

Donna wrapped his hand around him in excitement. She bloomed, listening to him. She was overjoyed.

" Donna, I feel blessed listening to you. It is not what you are thinking. I don't confess anything to her yet. She assumed us that we love each other. "

Donna hooted with laughter. "Me and you... We were never in relation. I agreed that three years back we are in relationship but it doesn't mean we love each other. You are cracking a joke. Nice joke! "

" It is true. I wondered why she thought like this. Yesterday I tried to tell her, but she said we shouldn't discuss the personal life in office hours and then avoided me like I am a plague." He said about his plight. Poor Simone!

***

But wait when it happened. He proposed to her last day. Let's go back to the flashback.

Flashback.

Timidly, Sofia put her step into the threshold of the cabin.

He would scold me for ruining his love's mood.

" yes sir.. "looking down, she whispered. Comprehending her fear, Simone was quiet.

" Sofia, I am sorry for what happened today. " getting up from his chair, he stated. He came to her. Sofia looked at him with tearful eyes. A drop fell from her eyes. He wiped her tears by tracing his thump below her eyes. He tucked her hair behind.

"Sir, what are you doing? Your girlfriend took all this in another way on finding this." She pierced her lips and stated timidly.

Then what everything happened was a mere thought of Simone. He was assuming that how it should be! But that was far from the reality.

" Sofia... Listen." He said, for clarifying all her confusion.

" Sir, I think this is the office and I should be professional. If you have work then call me, otherwise don't disturb me, I think I deserve my privacy."

She stated and left. He banged the table in fury.

Oh shit! What happened?

Flashback ended.

***

"But Simone, you should clear things with her! "

"I will."

"By the way Donna, how on this Earth you agreed for marriage!"

"I want to give my life a chance. May be this is my new beginning. God has sent me his messenger today for realising the worth of life. I can't waste it in the living past."

"Donna, this is you! I couldn't believe."

Donna smiled.

"But Donna, if something worse will happen?"

"Simone, I will break your bones. You always think everything as negative. Be positive! "

In midst of their conversation, a phone call came. Donna picked up that unknown number.

Hi.. The caller said.

Donna couldn't hear and said between on the call.

' Simone, I will marry him, and if nothing goes well, then it is simple. We divorce each other.'

Hello

But the phone was dropped already. She thought it was a mere blank call. But it was more than that.

***

" Alessandro, dial this number! " His father said, giving a number to Alessandro. They were sitting on the sofa in the hallway.

" but whose this number is? " Alessandro asked.

" First of all call!" He said.

" Dad, now don't try to order me like this. I agreed to this marriage already, don't test my patience." He said in frustration. He was agitated. His father was attempting to control his life.

" ok, my baby boy. This is the mobile number of your would be fiancé, just to tell her that you both are going to be engaged today's night before all paparazzi. "

" Gosh! Dad, you are too much, let me call. "

He dialed her number. He was confused how should he spoke to her.

Donna picked the call.

"Hello..."

' Simone, I will marry him, and if nothing goes well, then it is simple. We divorce each other.'

He shuddered, listening to her cruel statement. He gulped the lump of throat. He couldn't spoke and dropped the call.

"Dad, inform by yourself, I can't bear this anymore." He dropped the phone on the table and went to his room. He was quiet and furious.

If Donna didn't want their alliance, then dropped that idea. But no she was playing with relation.

Vengeance aversion automatically developed towards her in his mind. He couldn't couldn't believe what he heard. He fisted his grip and punched the wall.

I think we can progress but no you are just playing with everyone's feeling.

I hate you, Miss De costs.

***

It was night time. The camera flashed, capturing the beauty of the night, Donna de Costa.

She entered with her father. She was wearing a classical grey knee length gown.

"Ma'am if it is right, you dump the great designer Simone Alphonsi for your lover Alessandro Douka? "

"Ma'am, are you going to marry Mr. Douka? Please tell us."

Donna, without listening, went to her specified seat of a press conference. Alessandro was already there.

The press conference started.

"Ma'am please tell us about your relationship status with the great designer. Have you dumped him? But we have spotted you in a cafe today."

"First of all, I and Simone are only friends. And next thing we were never in relation. So I think now there is no more question left of dumping him."

"Sir, are you going to marry Ma'am? Is it out of love and profit?"

"Actually, you all are right we are going to marry but this marriage is neither about love nor of profit. We are arranged by our parents. So, this is an arranged marriage. And we respect their decision. " Alessandro sincerely replied.

"Sir, next question why you and Simone Alphonse were brutally fighting on the parking side? "

"Actually, it was all a misunderstanding."

"Ma'am So when will you going to be married?"

"I think this is a topic of privacy, so no comments. And today we officially declared that we are engaged."

Alessandro bent on knees and very romantically proposed her.

"So, Miss De costa will you marry me?"

She smiled genuinely.

It is also fake like you.

"I do."

Alessandro slides an enormous, brilliantly sparkling diamond ring of heart pattern into her slender finger.

It was adorning her finger perfectly.

What an irony! When Alessandro proposed to Sofia, her ring was loose. That was a sign of destiny that Sofia and Alessandro were never for each other.

She also slides a handsome and beautiful diamond embedded platinum ring on his finger.

He kissed her forehead for giving some cheesy pics to paparazzi.

**********************************
Do drop the comments, I will feel blessed.

So, marriage part is going to come?

Few words for old lady and Donna!

Few words for Alessandro and his father's talk!??