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6 | Clara Saint

"𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦...𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞..."

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐧𝐝

Lilac had been my best friend since birth, and she was also my cousin, my confidante, and easily my favorite relative. She excitedly jumped onto my bed, flipping open a magazine showcasing the hottest band of the moment, which, unsurprisingly, was Khloe.

"I can't believe they named Anna the hottest?" She gasped dramatically before sitting up on her knees.

I continued brushing my hair, which had taken three painstaking hours to straighten. I didn't want to burden the maids with my hair, and we all knew that curls were no joke.

"They did? She's pretty, but definitely not the hottest," I replied, standing up to shed my clothes and slip into my black, skin-tight dress. "There's actually something I need to tell you."

"The entire Mafia world already knows you're getting married, Clara. Did you have sex with him before marriage?" Lilac asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

Lilac had a tendency to jump to conclusions, often exaggerating things. Once, when I told her I had scratched myself, she rushed me to the hospital. Not because she was genuinely concerned, but because she had just got her driver's license and wanted to use her new Porsche.

I sighed, knowing she would react dramatically. "Yes, I did," I admitted.

"But it wasn't with Roman."

Lilac threw her magazine aside, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. "So, if it wasn't with Roman...who was it with?"

Mimi, my ever-efficient maid, helped me zip up my dress from behind, and I thanked her as she left the room. I turned to the dressing table, keeping an eye on Lilac through the mirror's reflection as I put on a pair of earrings.

"His older brother."

"You slept with Vincent Kovak?" Lilac's scream sent my heart racing, and I quickly covered her mouth with my hand.

"Shut up! Anyone can hear."

"I didn't know he was Vincent Kovak—"

"He's your father's best friend. Why do you think you're marrying his younger brother and not him?" Lilac pointed out the obvious, and I sank down onto the bed beside her, my knee shaking nervously.

"I know, I mean, I didn't know until I met him. The thing is—I hate him. He's a complete piece of shit, rude and obnoxious. His brother is the complete opposite, but..."

"But he's not dominant."

"He's too kind, too caring...and when I kiss him, it doesn't feel right. It's like I'm kissing a random guy at a club or something." Lilac took my hand, her green eyes filled with sympathy, and she gently caressed my face.

"What do you expect, Clara? You barely know the man. Give him a chance to win your heart."

I groaned, falling back onto the bed and staring up at the ceiling. Lilac joined me with a comforting smile. "He can't be that bad. What was his brother like?"

"His brother knew what he was doing. He knew what I liked." I chuckled.

"What did he do?"

"He taught me a lesson in keeping my mouth shut."

"Of course, only Vincent Kovak would be the man to teach you a lesson about your big mouth."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I groaned in frustration.