5 | De Angelo's Banquet

The gardens were beautifully decorated. The luxurious fixtures were hung high, sparkling with crystalline chandeliers. The food was served necessary. The red carpet was spread from the hall entrance all the way in to the ballroom. The entire antique artworks were on display. Many important people were coming.

At parties like this, Lucrezia was usually the guest of honor. Or even, be the organizer. This was the first time the girl was working behind the scenes. There were not more fancy ball gowns, the most up-to-date hairstyles, expensive makeups, and shoes that the price could feed people of the village.

Now, Lucrezia was preparing in her black and white maid uniform. A plain white long-sleeved blouse, a short black skirt, pitch-black hosiery, and boring black loafers. Her beautiful golden hair was tied with a simple hair band at the back of the head. Hairnets were equipped to cover up their beauty. The girl's face was plain without any makeups.

Lucrezia deliberately didn't linger looking at the mirror. She had to strengthen her heart. And the image in the huge mirror was too painful.

"Are you ready, Lucrezia?" One of her fellow maids' new friends, Jeanne, approached to her.

Lucrezia smiled. "I have. Please help, Jeanne. This is my first job."

Jeanne grasped Lucrezia's hand. "Are you nervous? Don't be afraid. I will keep a close eye on you. You remember the unwritten rules, right?"

Lucrezia nodded. "First, don't stare at the guests for too long. Secondly, get out of the way immediately when there is a slovenly man who intends to tease you."

"Third, pay attention to your steps. Don't stumble and spill champagne." Jeanne continued.

"Oh, no." Lucrezia scooped up. "I can't bring a champagne tray. I'm careless and will definitely spill it!"

Jeanne laughed. "You're going to be fine, Lucrezia."

"No, Jeanne. You don't understand. I've never brought that balance-"

Jeanne shook her head. "It's natural to feel nervous in your first work, Lucrezia. However, you have to be sure of yourself."

"B-but..."

"Never mind, let's go out now." Jeanne took Lucrezia, who seemed very reluctant.

"No!" Lucrezia stopped at the door leading to the ballroom, a step in the shadows. "I can't do this, Jeanne. Please tell Miss Gemma, I like to replace my job with a duty in the kitchen. I could be the assistant of chef or something!"

Jeanne was very amused. "Didn't you already sign the contract as a waitress?"

Lucrezia sighed. "Help me, Dio Mio." Then, she stepped into the party room. It was really like being led to a slaughterhouse.

***

Luciano Romano twirled in a royal blue invitation from the De Angelo family. He thought it would take additional effort to get an invitation to a party of the year, one of the biggest parties in Verona. As it turned out, everything was easy for people from their family.

The man had attended many parties over the past five years. However, all of them were in Rome. This was the first time he was attending a party in the city of Verona. Soon enough, he would meet that Lucrezia and the girl's family he used to have fun together.

He still didn't expect that this time, he would be present at the same party where Lucrezia was. It's just that, for now the girl was becoming the maid, not a fellow guest.

Revenge’s truly taste so sweet, was it?

Luciano took a small sip of his wine. If only Lucrezia hadn't been engaged to Primo Zappa, maybe tonight they could have met at the same degree.

Didn't the girl like equality of degrees?

Needless to rule, Lombardi smoothed the back of his master's tuxedo which looked a little tangled after being worn sitting in a limo. Especially for today, Lombardi was assigning a stylist from New York for the sake of his master's plenary appearance.

And the result did not disappoint at all. All eyes had been starring on Luciano Romano since the man got off his limo. Either they all looked at Luciano because he was the sole heir of the Romano Group, or just because Luciano was indeed a charming gentleman.

When Luciano entered the ballroom, several people were looking at him without blinking. The girls began to whisper excitedly unabashedly.

"Welcome to our little house, Signor Romano!" Gemma de Angelo immediately walked up to the man.

Luciano nodded and pulled out a sweet smile. "Thank you for inviting me, Miss de Angelo."

Behind Gemma, Dona whispered softly. "Here comes the former Lucrezia’s gardener."

"It's also okay for you to tease Lucrezia."

"Now she is my brother's fiancée!"

"Ah. Sorry about that." Gemma used a fan to cover her mouth, but her voice was still heard by Luciano. "Should we invite Lucrezia now?"

Dona nodded enthusiastically. "We'll start now."

Gemma turned to Luciano again. "Would you like a glass of champagne, Signor?"

Luciano smiled again. "Of course."

Gemma immediately called the maid, not in general. She deliberately asked Lucrezia who was approaching.

Lucrezia approached quickly. Without raising her eyes, she offered Luciano the champagne on her tray.

Luciano cursed inwardly. Although dressed in maid outfit like this, but Lucrezia's beauty was still shining brightly. In fact, in Luciano's eyes, the faces of the other women tonight looked like dolls with exaggerated polish. Only Lucrezia was beautiful. Only Lucrezia was the most beautiful.

"Would you like a drink, Signor?" Lucrezia was offering, but still refused to raise her eyes.

Luciano pretended to be surprised. "Wow, wow. Lucrezia? Isn't this you?"

Hearing her name called, Lucrezia reflexively gawked at Luciano.

And God, Lucrezia knew Luciano was handsome. But it's not as handsome as this now. His good looks felt like a sin. Forbidden.

"Have you forgotten me? How many years have we not seen each other? Two? Three?" Luciano lured Lucrezia again.

Lucrezia replied quickly. "Five."

Luciano, again, pretended to be surprised. "It turns out that you counted!"

Lucrezia resisted the urge to throw the entire champagne she was carrying onto Luciano's face.

The man again focused on Gemma and Dona. "Ladies, would you mind if I take a walk with Lucrezia for a while? I haven't seen my old acquaintance for a long time."

Lucrezia was a little upset to hear Luciano referred her to as an old acquaintance of him. Didn't their relationship in the past mean anything to the man?

Gemma nodded immediately. "Of course we don’t mind. Have your time!"

Luciano nodded as he thanked her gently. Deftly, he took the champagne tray that Lucrezia was brought and handed it to Gemma. "Could you hold it for a while?"

Gemma shocked. "B-but I..."

Since the tray was pushed to her, Gemma couldn't help but accept it.

Luciano checked the surrounding situation of the ballroom and his eyes found a slightly closed balcony. "We're talking there, Lucrezia."

Lucrezia was still stunned where she was standing.

"You can walk by yourself or... ?" Luciano casted a menacing looks at Lucrezia.

Luciano had completely changed, Lucrezia thought in horror. This man was not the Luciano who he used to be as her gardener. This man was no longer the man he poured out all his heart and loneliness.

Luciano took Lucrezia's arm in forbearance. Lucrezia, who was still half astonished, was finally forced to follow the man's will.

***