Chapter Three: Arrival

Viviana hadn't really planned on causing any trouble her first day back in Italy but she wasn't just going to sit and let herself get married off to some Conte family businessman. The instant she got out into the city, she turned her phone off, not bothering to ditch her car for fear of being tracked because she knew her credit cards would be found out anyway. 

It wasn't the first time she had left home that way and remembering the gold old days brought her a sense of nostalgia. 

She remained in her hotel room for the rest of the approaching 24 hours and on the second night, she decided to let go of herself and have some fun. Dressed in a beautiful silver dress, she found her way into the booming Devil’s Den club. A popular one known around the entire country. 

The bass of the music thumped against her chest as she made her way towards the bar to get herself a drink straight away. The air was thick with alcohol and cigar, a scent she was extremely familiar with and wasn't affected by it at all. 

She stood at the bar, her gaze scanning the entire place looking for where the most fun would probably be. Maybe seducing some guys to show how bad Ryan had perceived her, or drinking till she dropped dead. 

“Can I stay next to you?” A feminine and shaky voice pulled her out of her contemplation. There was a young woman dressed in hot red standing next to her, reeking of alcohol. “I saw you walk in and it's rare to see feisty ladies coming in alone these days.”

“Are you trying to tell me it sucks to be me? Being alone?” Viviana scoffed, taking another sip from her glass. A soft chuckle came from the lady before looking up at Viviana. The first thought that came to her mind was…

‘She's pretty.’

Viviana had her hair down with a light make-up to bring out her beauty. Her clothes kissed her curves tightly and looked like any man's dream. 

“Sofia.” The lady said, taking Viviana's hand for a shake. 

“Viviana,” she replied, giving Sofia a shake while holding her gaze. It was like they could read each other for a second before letting go. 

“Any wild fantasies? Trust me, DD is the perfect place to unleash and do things you don't normally do. Like gamble,” Sofia pointed towards the gambling corner upstairs. “Drink to your heart's content,” she gestured backwards at the filled up bar. 

“Nah, not really my type.” Viviana said, placing her glass down for another round of drink. 

“So basic huh? How about a one night stand? Take any guy you want just for the night and you'd never get to see him away. Maybe throw in a few bucks. I've tried it a wild number of times and I tell you, there are big fishes to get informations from.” She replied, gesturing towards the casino corner again. 

Viviana's eyes weren't looking in the direction she was gesturing at, instead, she was looking at a man who was seated alone, seeming to have drank a lot by the bottle before him. Her gaze had been on him for some reason since she stepped in. 

“How about a lonely guy?” Viviana said, gesturing towards the man and Sofia turned back to look with a unusual excitement. 

“You'd definitely be a perfect match. Why not try to seduce him? And you can call me later for updates and a thanks.” Sofia said giggling as she handed Viviana a card. It was a business card, reading she was a fashion designer. 

For one, she didn't look like the calm type to he a fashion designer but one thing she learnt from Ryan was not to judge a book by its cover. It might have a wonderful cover but it's rotten inside and might be rotten on the outside but wonderful on the iniside. 

Tossing the card I to her pocket, she approached the man, twirling a glass of champagne in her fingers. “Hey there, you look lonely, can I be your date?” She teased, looking back at him for any reaction but he didn't react at all. Instead of turning her off, it only drew out her competitive side. 

“Is it because you're drunk, you look even more handsome.” She said and he finally looked up at her, grabbing her by the wrist harshly but he didn't have much expressions on except for the curiosity. 

“Who?” He asked, his gaze drilling holes into her eyes. She didn't know what he was talking about but she couldn already tell he was wondering if she was his enemy.

“I just found a handsome stranger seated there alone. Why won't I approach him to lighten the mood a bit?” Viviana's smile made him want to let go of her but before he could, she took advantage of it, turning his closeness as a means of seduction. 

They both didn't exchange any word but it was like they understood each other. When she kissed him, he didn't pull away and just let her do what she wanted to do. 

Soon, they found themselves in a hotel room, ferociously kissing. It looked like she wasn't the only one who wanted a one night stand. He also did. Their bodies seemed to respond to each other in an unexpected way. 

******

A soft groan escaped Viviana's lips as she slowly opened her eyes. It was bright out already and she was still in bed. Memories of what happened the previous night flashed into her head, making her sit up to look for the stranger she had the one night stand with but he had already disappeared. Not that she wanted to see him again but she really had fun with him. Even more than when she was with Ryan. 

Tucking her hair together, she took a shower before heading out of the hotel. As soon as she got out, she could see a lime of Bellini cars parked, causing a soft groan to escape her lips. Her father had finally decided to come pull her back home. 

And he did personally. Which was a first. 

“Viviana, I think that's enough of your tantrum now. It isn't like you wouldn't end up getting married anyway so why not just marry someone of equal footing?” He asked with a sigh. His tone obviously filled with a sense of defeat. 

Viviana didn't say a word but she thought what he said make sense. The Conte family was as huge as theirs on the outside but she wasn't really sure about on the inside. And she'd rather marry someone who she could easily blow off his head whenever he tries to betray her. 

She didn't do the same for Ryan since she suspected his nature and only killed the bitch who called herself a best friend. 

“I'll marry him but I might change my mind later.” She replied, walking past her father towards his car. She tossed her keys to one of the guards who caught it and bowed. 

A sigh escaped Massimo's lips as he turned to go after his daughter. He was getting too old for this stress she was putting him through, but he wasn't complaining. 

“So why would the great Don Massimo come pick me up himself. You can easily have your guards try to kidnap me again like the last time and get their life ended.” She asked, pulling out a cigarette from her bag. 

“Raffaele Conte will be arriving this morning. Be prepared.”