Chapter 1 - New Beginnings

Gracefully, I descended the stairs beside my fiancé, Clyde, into the grand ballroom of our family’s magnificent mansion.

Around fifty family members and business associates were waiting for us, they had gathered for a cocktail party to celebrate the recent successful acquisition of Mancini Global Estate. After months of hard negotiations, the other party had finally yielded to the Mancini’s influence and accepted their generous offer.

Tomorrow, Clyde and I will relocate to the headquarters of this acquisition in Latin America, where we planned to live for several years. We were also excited about getting married there. It was a time of new beginnings.

My fiancé held my hand possessively as he looked down at our guests with pride.

An astute businessman, Clyde was at the helm of this promising takeover. I had supported him throughout the process as his assistant, yes, my fiancé and I worked together in his office. The expected tension or competition between us never happened, our strong chemistry was the foundation of our relationship.

We reached the bottom of the stairs, my signature smile plastered on my face. It worked like a charm, everyone relaxed and smiled, making the atmosphere much calmer than it had been just moments before. I acted as a bridge between my formal, aristocratic family and their associates. People often seemed intimidated or overly impressed by the Mancinis until I appeared on the scene with my “angelic face,” as Clyde once noted.

Clyde often referred to me as the Queen of the Family.

He believed that the clan's reputation wouldn't be as stellar without our engagement. I often teased him, asking if that was the reason he loved me. But I was convinced of Clyde's genuine love; it ran as deep as my own feelings for him. Plenty of equally wealthy heiresses were potential choices for him, yet he had been solely focused on me since we first met two years ago. Now, we were both ready to take the next step in our relationship.

"My dear Queen Joanna, you look enchanting once more. Seeing you reminds me of how old I’m getting," joked my mother-in-law, Mariam, as she kissed me on both cheeks. I got along wonderfully with my in-laws, who affectionately referred to me as the Queen, just like Clyde.

It was funny, actually, considering how youthful my mother-in-law and sister-in-law looked.

They seemed just as young as I was, they didn't seem to age at all. I met Natali in college, and after we graduated, she introduced me to her handsome brother. From that moment on, I was off the dating market. Clyde quickly claimed me, always marking his territory by holding my hand in public. I was utterly in love with my fiancé, life without him was unimaginable.

"Mariam, you know that’s absolutely not true. We could easily be mistaken for sisters, you, Natali, and me," I returned the compliment, which was definitely justified. She then took my hand to make the rounds and introduced me to the female guests while Clyde focused on entertaining the men. That’s how these parties typically went; the men delved into conversations about business matters, annual reports, industry newcomers, and politics.

As their partners, we ensured that the profits from their hard work were reinvested into the economy through our massive purchases. Just kidding!

No, you wouldn't find any gold diggers here. Unbelievably, it was quite the opposite. We were all decent, educated women, holding degrees from well-known universities, where most of us graduated magna cum laude. Our husbands always encouraged us to be their “best other halves,” so we often juggled roles as assistants or blended duties between mothering and assisting. And the rest of the time, we made sure we looked beautiful and presentable.

Mariam took me on a tour of familiar faces in the room, all elegantly dressed in the latest Paris haute couture. That's how our circle operated, stylish and ahead of trends.

Mariam and I were known as trendsetters within this group. Here’s a little secret: don't tell anyone, but we haven’t spent a penny on our clothes. Designers sent them to us for free, knowing their cash registers would ring loudly when we appeared in public in one of their creations. I wasn't quite sure how this worked, since not many people saw us at these private parties, but Mariam once assured me that the photos of us reaching all the social media platforms provided enough buzz to make it an effective marketing move.

"Are you ready to start your new challenge in a foreign country, Joanna? Are you certain about settling there and being grounded?" Sybille inquired. "It's a whole new culture and environment. Quite a change for a little socialite."

Sybille was a cousin of Clyde's, with an ever-present smile but watchful eyes that never let their guard down. Although she seemed about my age, her timeless appearance was typical of her family, accentuated by striking fire-red hair that made her stand out effortlessly. The Mancini family disapproved of her extravagant lifestyle and lack of responsibility; the jet-set life meant everything to Sybille, a socialite through and through.

Even though she never explicitly said so, her manner of addressing me made it clear she wasn’t particularly fond of me. There was always something condescending in her eyes when they were fixed on me. I came from a modest background, and it was Clyde who had introduced me to their circle. Sybille evidently had someone else in mind for her cousin. Well, too bad; in a few months, I would be promoted from fiancé to Madam.

"Sybille," I acknowledged her presence and raised my glass in her direction. "The only thing I need to adjust to is Clyde. When I am with him, everything feels right, and nothing can go wrong. He is the center of my universe."

For a moment, her eyes seemed to shift in color. However, I wasn't paying close attention; apparently, it was a trait of the Mancini family. Their eye color shifted based on their emotions, ranging from bright blue to deep blue and even turning pitch black when they became angry or were in a heated discussion.

"Oh, how romantic! Have you already picked a date for the wedding? I'm definitely going to be there. I can't miss seeing my most eligible cousin finally tie the knot," she exclaimed. Why do I get the feeling it was all an act?

"She's already reeled me in. The marriage is merely a formality, as Joanna has been the Queen for two years now." All eyes turned to Clyde, who stood behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me close.