"I must say you're looking extremely fabulous tonight," He gives me a once over. I managed a polite courtesy. "Good evening Mr. D'Errico. It's good to see you again"He nods, that wolfish gaze sliding over to settle on Giovanni with a hint of sly amusement playing about his lips. "I'm glad you finally agreed to bring her along. What's a family gathering without her, hmm" He says. A tremor of unease went through me at his words. But I schooled my features into a neutral smile as Russo continued speaking."Julia, unfortunately, is unable to come, she sends her regrets for this evening," he stated, almost as an afterthought.Thank heavens for that! I grimace at the remembrance of the words she said to me the first time we met. That's one less pair of scornful eyes to endure. "A pity. My warmest greetings to her," I replied smoothly, unconsciously straightening my posture under the subtle weight of Russo's sharp gaze."I see you've met Gabriel, you two looked like you were about to st
I watch as Diana shifts uncomfortably. "It was…a random attack. A random person." but her tone lacked conviction.I scoffed. "You're lying again, aren't you?", Frustration welled up inside me.Before Diana could respond, I whirled around, heading for the door. "You know what? I don't care anymore. I'm done with this charade."Suddenly, Diana's hand clamped on my arm, stopping me. Her grip was surprisingly strong. "Emily, wait! You have to listen to me." Her voice took on an urgent tone. "You can't trust anyone here. This whole gala is a trap. You need to get out, now!"I jerked my arm free, glaring at her. "And why should I believe a word you say?""Because I'm trying to protect you!" Diana hissed. "They're watching you, Emily. If you don't leave-"An earsplitting bang on the door made all of us freeze. The sound reverberated through the room, laden with menace. Diana's eyes went wide with fear, and Nam-son instinctively stepped in front of her in a protective stance.The atmosphere w
My breath caught in my throat as I took in Talia's regal bearing, the confident tilt of her chin as she surveyed the crowd like a queen holding court. She looked dressed to kill, an image of the red queen herself. Her crimson gown seemed to smolder, her hair done up. She was clad in a regal hanbok, made of shiny red silk fabric that seemed to glow. The golden thread was sewn along the edges in pretty flower designs. A yellow outer robe went over the red dress, making her look very regal and important. The dress had a long skirt that flowed gracefully around her feet as she walked.Her makeup looked perfect. She had shimmery gold eyeshadow on her eyelids that made her eyes sparkle. Her eyebrows were nicely shaped, cheeks looked sculpted with blush and bronzer. But her lips were the most striking part. They were painted a deep, bright red color, like shiny red apples. Her hair was stylishly upswept and decorated with fancy jade and pearl ornaments and clips. A hush fell over the b
"This is the consequences of disobedience". I watched with a sinking feeling as the air in the room grew thick with palpable tension as Giovanni and Russo locked eyes, their silent stares brimming with pent-up hostility. An unsettling hush blanketed the space, the calm before an impending storm. I watch GIovanni's expression, it was expertly concelaed as always but the tight clench of his jaw, and the clench of his hands into white-knuckled fists at his sides, tendons straining against his skin as if he was physically restraining himself from lashing out betrayed his composure and the simmering rage bubbling just beneath the surface. Across from him, Russo appeared an eerie study in composure, Talia stood beside him, staring at us, not once did she blink. It seemed like nobody was bothered by what just happened, I looked around again and noticed how they all look inconspicuously at Russo and Giovanni. I on the other hand was this close to letting out a blood curdling scream and gett
I backed away slowly, my heart thundering in my ears. "I...I need some air," I stammered out, the words feeling thick and clumsy on my tongue.My legs trembled like a newborn calf's beneath me, but I had to get out of this suffocating room. I had to escape the D'Erricos and the toxic cloud of violence and chaos that seemed to follow this family everywhere they went. Turning on shaky legs, I practically bolted for the door, the plush carpeting muffling my hurried footsteps. I didn't look back, didn't pause. I heard Diana's cries echoing behind me telling me to wait but I just ran blindly, my vision growing fuzzy around the edges as panic gripped me in its vice-like clutches.I didn't even know where to go everything seemed so hazy. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I burst through the doorway and skidded to a halt in the blessedly empty passageway. I immediately bent at the waist, hands braced on my knees as I gulped down precious gulps of air. But it didn't seem to be enough
"Just hold on," he muttered, already moving swiftly down the hallway in the opposite direction Diana had gone. "And keep your head down." I had no choice but to obey, burying my face against the crisp linen of his suit. I had no choice but to obey, burying my face against the crisp linen of his suit as he cradled me securely in his arms. With each urgent stride he took, a thousand frantic thoughts whirled through my mind. "I don't want you here when things get messy," Giovanni's deep voice rumbled close to my ear, as if he could sense the questions brewing inside me. "And trust me, it's going to get really messy." I pulled back just enough to search his expression, but his ruggedly handsome features were set in a grim mask of determination. His jaw worked tensely as we hurried around a corner. "What about Diana?" I blurted out before I could reconsider. Was she able to escape? What exactly would happen to her? Surely Giovanni wasn't just going to abandon his own cousin? His haze
As the sleek black sedan glided up the winding drive, I couldn't help but think about what would change from what i just witnessed tonight. As we crossed the threshold into the marble-floored foyer, I couldn't shake the insidious feeling that something fundamental had shifted, as subtle as a whisper of wind before the coming storm. As soon as the car parked into the driveway, the driver alights from the car and opens the door, Giovanni speaks to him in low tones to which he nods as GIovanni leads me carefully to the entrance of the mansion. "Welcome back." Darva's toneless voice made me start. She emerges from a side hallway, her movements sharp and eerily precise as always. I watch her, my senses sharp. "How was your evening, mistress?" She blinked at me with those dispassionately blank eyes. I opened my mouth, but now words came out. How did one respond when their evening was ultimately ruined in that manner. "It was...fine." I lie, hoping she couldn't see how shook I
Giovanni regards me with a measured gaze. He steepled his fingers, taking a deep breath before continuing. "On the surface, we present ourselves as a successful family-owned automotive business - a legitimate front that allows us to move freely in polite society. But in truth, we are part of a much older, more complex organization with roots stretching back centuries." Giovanni's expression took on a grim cast as he spoke the next words. "We are a powerful criminal syndicate, an intricate network akin to the legendary Five Families that once dominated the American underworld." I felt the breath leave me in a sharp exhale at his baldly uttered confession. "Let me explain. In the 1920s, a man named Mattia D'errico reorganized the Italian-American gangs in New York into five distinct families - each with its own territory, hierarchy, and leadership that answered to an overarching governing body. For a time, D'errico envisioned himself as the supreme 'boss of all bosses' that would ru