Series Summary:
The heirs of two rival mafia families unwillingly fall in love as they navigate the cruel reality of their destinies.
Round 1 Summary:
Everybody knows Matteo Giudice is the first son of a billionaire who is probably, but not surely...
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Adrik taps me on the shoulder and I look up at him, coming back to reality. We're having Christmas dinner at one of the hotels my father has recently decided to invest in, in a room filled with relatives and business associates.
I stare at the people on the other side of the room. Most of his associates are men dressed in black suits, accompanied by beautiful women wearing long, elegant dresses, just like my mom (who made me wear an uncomfortable red pleated dress that makes me look fifty and a pair of stilettos from her own closet so I would 'look presentable').
It's weird having Christmas somewhere other than at our own house. We used to go to my grandparents (on my father's side) until I was six or seven years old - until they both died in a house fire.
Mexico to visit my grandmother on my mother's side would be too much hassle; especially since she apparently never approved of their relationship in the first place . She wanted my mother to marry a guy from her own country, but she was too gone for my dad to care.
Everyone seems to be on edge today - maybe it's because our family can't go anywhere without arguing first. In my defence, it was Adrik who started it all because he was texting instead of getting ready.
"I brought you a drink." Adrik says and hands me a glass with blueberries in it. "It's blueberry gin."
I squint my eyes at him after I take it and he sits down next to me. "Why are you being nice?"
"I'm bored." He admits and I nod in agreement. There are no other people our own age in attendance besides Raisa and Aleksi.
"Yeah, me too." I say, looking at my mother who seems to be very interested in what Raisa's mother, Valerya, has to say. "What do you think they're talking about?"
Adrik shrugs as he scrolls on his phone. "Us, probably."
Valerya Volkov has always seemed like a strong woman to me, even though I rarely talk to her. It's her first Christmas without her husband and she seems to be very composed about it, which makes me respect her and her family even more. I don't even know what I would do or how I would react if my father were to- bad thoughts.
I consciously decide to move my attention elsewhere, so I turn to Raisa, who is quieter than usual. "Are you okay? Why are you so quiet?"
"Yeah." She sighs, placing her phone upside-down on the table.
Judging by her expression and the way she placed her phone, she's about two seconds away from venting about a guy.
"I mean, I've been talking to Matteo over the holidays, but he sometimes takes way too long to reply. I think he's going to ghost me."
