"Magdalene Defoe? My name is Nathan Wallace and I'm going to be performing your surgery today. How are you feeling?" The gentle voice said.
"I'm excited." The nineteen year old grinned.
"I'll bet you are, you're finally going to be able to see. I just hope my face doesn't scare you too badly." Nathan laughed warmly. Rotti was right; Mag was pretty and pleasant to be around. But Nathan almost gasped when Rotti walked into the room with the most beautiful woman Nathan had ever seen.
"Marni, I don't believe you've ever met my best friend, Nathan Wallace." Rotti said with a smile. "Nathan, this is Marni DiAngelo, my girlfriend."
"Pleasure to meet you, Mister Wallace." Marni smiled, shaking Nathan's hand warmly.
"Well, um…it's nice to meet you too, Miss DiAngelo." Nathan coughed. "Anyway, if you'd all follow me to the operating room, we can begin the surgery. We have the latest digital cornea technology prepared to replace Mag's old eyes. Not only will she be able to see, but she'll be able to relive her favorite memories over and over again as often as she wants. It's called cornea plus." Nathan smiled, taking Mag's hand and leading her to the operating room where two GENterns helped Mag onto the operating table. Nathan began the surgery. Marni had to look away when Mag's old eyes were cut out and the new ones were placed instead. Within a matter of hours, the surgery was done and Mag opened her brand new eyes for the first time to see the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. Marni DiAngelo leaning over her, smiling along with a handsome doctor with glasses and light brown hair.
"Marni…." Mag breathed when she saw Marni's face. 'My god, she's more beautiful than I ever imagined!' "And you must be Doctor Wallace." Mag added, looking at Nathan now.
"Yes, it looks like the operation was a success." Nathan smiled.
"Rotti and I were wondering if the two of you want to come to dinner with us to celebrate." Marni asked with a bright smile.
"Sure!" Mag grinned.
"Of course!" Nathan smiled.
"Mag, look who I brought to see you." Rotti walked in smiling as he gently shoved Pavi into the room towards Mag.
"Mag! Can-a you see me now, bella?" Pavi asked, walking over to Mag's bedside.
"Yes, and you're even more handsome than I imagined." Mag smiled, reaching out an arm and pulling Pavi close to her.
"Careful, Mag, you'll make Nathan jealous." Marni giggled. Mag had no idea what she was talking about; she didn't realize what Marni and Rotti were trying to do.
That night, Rotti and Marni took Nathan and Mag to a nice Italian place, their favorite one and one of the most exclusive and difficult to get into. The four of them sat down and began discussing the usual topic, Geneco and its bright future. With Mag's pretty face and beautiful voice promoting it, Geneco would skyrocket in public opinion. No one realized that both Mag and Nathan spent the entire time staring at Marni.
Finally, Rotti stood up and tapped his glass. "Nathan, Mag, I have an important announcement to make." Even though he was only talking to the people at his table, the whole restaurant went quiet and stared at him. "I've decided that I want to spend the rest of my life with my dear Marni, so without further ado…" He took out the little black box and knelt down in front of Marni. "Marni DiAngelo, will you do me the honour of becoming Marni Largo?"
Marni began to cry and immediately shouted. "Yes! Of course I will! Oh Rotti!" She almost didn't give him time to slide the ring onto her finger with how fast she began hugging him. Mag and Nathan both gasped, mouths agape until Marni and Rotti turned back towards them.
"Nathan, will you be my best man?"
"And Mag! You just have to be the maid of honour!"
"Do you want the children to be involved in the wedding, Marni?"
"Oh! Wouldn't it be so cute if Mellie was the flower girl? Is Pavi too old to be a ring bearer?"
"Tradition be damned, if you want Pavi to be the ring bearer, then he will be." Rotti smiled.
Later that night, Mag came to Pavi's room and sat on his bed next to him.
"Mag, are-a you crying?" Pavi asked, getting out from under the covers and scooting next to her.
"Yes…Marni's getting married." Mag sniffled.
"Oh no-a!"
"Oh yes… To your father. They want you to be the ring bearer and me to be the maid of honour." Mag said, trying to keep herself from sobbing.
"Well…At-a least she'll-a be happy." Pavi said mournfully.
"Yes, I guess you're right." Mag smiled sadly. "I think they want me to fall for Rotti's friend Nathan…But I can't…"
"You don't-a like men at all?" Pavi asked.
"No…why? Do you?"
"A little, some of them…okay-a, almost as much as I like-a the signoras." Pavi replied.
"Well that's okay." Mag smiled. "Sorry to have woken you…I'll go back to Marni's room now; we're having a sleep over." She giggled.
"Lucky." Pavi laughed.
Outside the room, as Mag headed to Marni's room and Pavi fell soundly asleep, Marni was having a bit of trouble.
"Luigi! Leave me alone! I'm marrying your father and that's that! You lost me when you hurt Pavi!" Marni glared.
"Come on, you fucking slut! I know you want it!" Luigi said, grabbing Marni and forcing her into his room.
"Let me go! I swear I'll…I'll scream!" Marni tried to pull away as Luigi tried to pull off her nightgown.
"Scream and Pavi won't be waking up tomorrow morning." Luigi threatened.
Marni glared and kneed Luigi in the crotch, shoving him and running off back to her room, but not before making sure Pavi's door was locked. She locked herself and Mag in her room and began telling Mag all about what had happened. Mag's face immediately darkened and she unlocked the door, walking towards Luigi's room. She knocked on his door.
"What the fuck do you want, bitch?" Luigi asked.
"You hurt Marni." Mag said simply. "I'm here to make you pay."
"You can't do jack fucking shit to me, little girl." Luigi laughed coldly, even though Mag was only a year younger than he was.
Mag frowned and in a flash, she had Luigi's arm twisted behind his back and had him on his knees. "Are you going to leave Marni alone or do I have to break it?" She asked calmly.
"Alright! Alright! You crazy fucking bitch! Let me go!" Luigi howled with rage and pain.
Mag tossed him to the ground and walked back to Marni's room, walking back in and locking the door. "Goodnight, Marni." She smiled as she got into bed next to Marni and curled up close to her.
Meanwhile, back at his own house, Nathan couldn't get Marni off his mind. He knew he should be thinking about Mag, but no, Marni was the only thing on his mind. No. She was his best friend's fiancée, he had no business thinking about her that way, but he couldn't help it, she was beautiful, funny, nice, just all around perfect. He sorely wished he'd found her first, but how could he compare to Rotti? Rotti could give a girl anything she wanted. He was the richest man in the world and the most powerful. Nathan was just a mildly successful young doctor just out of medical school. He couldn't compare even if he tried. Sure he was better looking, but what was that worth in the end? Rotti was successful and it was obvious he was a good father already just by the fact that he already had three kids. Nathan didn't know that Mellie was a horribly spoiled little brat, Pavi was a complete slut and Luigi was a sociopath, they all were so well behaved around him whenever he came to visit, in fact, he barely knew Pavi at all, Mellie was cute and innocent when she was around her father and Luigi always seemed just a driven young man, a straight shooter who would one day inherit Geneco. How could young, childless Nathan compare to such a perfect family?
