Chapter 2. The Proposal

"My name is Theo Cass. May I know your name?"

Giovanna looked at him sideways, but said nothing.

"That's fine. But I feel I can't leave without making you an offer, because I know that if I don't, I'll never see you again."

"You won't see me again anyway." Giovanna said and felt her face turn red with embarrassment. Was being an orphan also a symbol of being enjoyable?"

"What are you and those people doing in front of this house?"

She still continued to ignore him.

He took an impatient breath and went to ask the boy in front of Giovanna, and as soon as he got his answer, Cass looked curiously at Giovanna and went to talk to the other boys in the queue.

Giovanna wasn't surprised when she realized that he was giving the boys in the queue money and they were leaving, until she was the only one left in front of the gate.

Théo came back to her with an amused and curious smile on his lips.

"I've given what I think are the best options to each of those boys, but what they're looking for... Are you going to give the child in exchange for Grace's 'services'?"

Giovanna understood his conclusion and smiled. She didn't know it, but it was at that moment that Theo Cass knew she would be his wife.

"She sells formula. This child has an allergy to ordinary milk and is hungry."

He looked at the sleeping baby.

"I... Where do you live?"

"Why do you want to know?

"I need to keep you talking, to see if I can make you an offer."

"You can. It's your right. And I can already tell you that my answer is no."

"You're jumping to conclusions again..."

"That's my right."

"Fine. So, listen. I can pay for Grace to stay with this child tonight and take her back to her home in the morning. And I'll pay for any formula she has in storage."

"I'm not selling out..."

"And so, you're free to come with me. I'll give you a queen's life. You'll have people around you, doing your bidding and catering to your every whim. You'll live and dress like the most glorious of women, you'll have access to information and everything you want. Your every wish will be an order and nothing will be denied you." He interrupted her.

Giovanna stared at him indifferently.

"And what will I have to do to 'pay' for all this?"

"Marry me."

Giovanna stared at him in amazement.

"I don't know what to say..."

"Say yes."

She laughed and shook her head, before pointing with her chin at the short, ugly man who was approaching.

"I think you've had enough fun here."

He followed her movement with his gaze and then turned his eyes back to her.

"You don't believe me?"

"I believe that you have some mental disorder, but I don't think that reasoning is a necessary criterion for being... What you are."

The short, ugly man arrived.

"Come on, Theo. We need to finish filming and it's not good for your reputation if you're seen with a... Banned." He said, looking at Giovanna with contempt.

Giovanna touched the label in her pocket and smiled.

"He's right, Theo."

Theo turned his attention to Giovanna.

"Come with me. If you're what you told me you were, there's no need to fear. You have nothing to lose. George can have that child." He said, referring to the ugly man who became even uglier when Theo suggested he keep a baby.

"What have I done to make you believe that I'm going to entrust this innocent child to a man I've never seen in my life?"

"You're an orphan! If you're only going to trust people you've seen before... I think your list is going to be very short and limited."

"I could even trust a stranger with my life, but I have no right to do that with this child's life."

Theo looked at her suspiciously.

"That child means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

Giovanna looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms and smiled. She knew he was wondering if it was her child.

"Maybe..."

"What can I do to make you trust me? Bring the baby with us, then."

"You don't know anything about me. I can be dangerous." Giovanna said, now pretty sure she was talking to someone insane, but enjoying her first interaction with the opposite sex.

"George, go and buy all the formula for that child and ask Grace to return it to the orphanage at her convenience. Pay her for it." Theo ordered and turned to Giovanna. "Do you accept?"

"No. I can't talk to strangers and... This is all crazy."

"I'm no longer a stranger to you. I recognized you as soon as I saw you. You're my future wife."

The seriousness with which he said those words drew a laugh from Giovanna.

"Look, Theo, I'm an orphan, but that doesn't mean I'm unprotected." She said and took the label out of her pocket. "I don't like wearing it, because people stare at me..." She stopped when she saw his startled look. "... The way you're looking at me now." She finished and fitted it into her hair with a little difficulty, as she held the boy in her arms.

"I... It makes a lot of sense that I'm so attracted to you. Do you know why people stare at you when you wear that label?"

"Because they're prejudiced."

"No, woman!"

Giovanna stared at him and then at the ugly man who was now looking at her with admiration. Did etiquette mean something different from what she had been taught? Her superior had always told her that etiquette was a safe way, because everyone who wore it was original, traditionally born and had a protector. That was all she knew. But at the time they were living in, it was no longer a source of pride, but of shame. In any case, no one liked to get close to other people who had labels.

"That tag is like a collar, right?" She deduced.

Theo stared at her, charmed by her naivety.

"No. It's like a compass. It indicates your protector and I recognize the emblem of yours. It's someone... Someone I've met... I'll tell you about them when the time comes, but now it's important that you leave everything behind and come with me." He said and held out his hand.

Giovanna looked at the outstretched hand. She had every reason to refuse, and only one to accept. And it turned out that the one reason she had for accepting was stronger than all the other reasons she didn't have for accepting, put together. She handed the boy over to the ugly man and accepted Theo's hand.