Games We Play - Round 1: Never Have I Ever (18+ dark mafia romance)

Chapter 27 & 28 (Valentina)

Valentina

Chapter 27

Moscow, Russia - June 23rd, 2020

The weeks after I came back from Sicily went by in a haze. I spent them mostly watching movies and eating snacks, which led me wondering whether I was bordering on being depressed. Every day seemed to be exactly like the one before and sharing the same space with my family for days on end turned very toxic very quick.

By the middle of June, Russia came back to pre-lockdown levels, which also meant that my social life had a dramatic increase. Not only did I have Raisa calling me almost daily to go out and do something 'fun', as well as Isaac asking me when I was free 'to hang', but I also had my parents drag Adrik and I to business meetings and formal lunches.

My mother had commented that I had gained a little weight at some point during one of those lunches, which triggered my memories of being an insecure teenager with an undiagnosed eating disorder.

Every time I come back to my hometown and spend some time with my parents, I come to the realization that the experience is bittersweet. I saw a post that said 'your parents' house has everything you need but peace', which rang deep into my bones.

Then I end up feeling ungrateful and end up hating myself a little bit more.

It's Adrik's birthday today, which brings us to our uncle Boris' house on the outskirts of Moscow. I've always thought it's more of a palace rather than a home, because it is way too enormous for a single man like my uncle to live in alone.

We used to spend Christmas at his house when I was younger and we were still living in our apartment in the city.

I never knew how 'formal' that Christmas experience was until we started spending it at our own home, just the four of us.

I'm wearing a white and red polka dot dress my mother asked me to wear (apparently my uncle Boris bought it for me as a gift last Christmas).

The driveway is immense, always filled with cars parked around the fountain in the middle. A large stone staircase with koi ponds on either side leads up to the wooden door that always creeks. The main entry of the house is held up by tall marble columns that sport the Russian flag, which has always looked very conservative and outdated to me.

I'm wearing heels, so I walk slower than usual, trailing behind my family as we go up the steps in silence.

Two valets greet us in the foyer and take our coats before they show us the way to the dining room, even though we've been here before.

The table is long enough to sit twenty people, but there aren't even that many here. I can see Aleksi and his mother talking in hushed tones on one side, and my uncle sitting on across from them. He's sipping his whiskey and scrolling on his phone, mumbling something to himself as he does so. There are a few men and women I don't know and who I bet Adrik doesn't know either, yet they're here for some reason.

I instantly notice that Raisa isn't here. I didn't think to ask her because I just assumed she would show up like she always has.

The first course is served, and after two glasses of wine, the function becomes more fun.

I actually enjoy talking to my mother about the books we've been reading, after all the men at the table excused themselves to 'go talk in private'.

"Are you having fun?" I ask Adrik after noticing that he's spent most of his time on his phone. I bet he's talking to Aurora.

He looks up at me and throws me an annoyed smile. "What do you think?"

"Be nice." Our mother hisses. "Boris invited us here."