"Mafia's African Rose

Unseen judgments

I've been here for a whole day without clothes to wear. That bastard just left with a smirk, completely ignoring whether I needed food. My stomach growled, reminding me of my hunger. Why would he even care? I laughed at the ridiculousness of my thoughts.

A knock on the door startled me. I quickly wrapped the bed covers around my body and opened it. Standing there was a girl about my age or even older with beautiful brown hair, beaming at me. "You must be Angel! What a gorgeous name!" she exclaimed.

Confused, I stared at her. "Oh, sorry for my manners! I'm Alexio's cousin," she said, noticing my bewilderment.

"So his name is Alexio," I replied, realization dawning.

"Come with me!" she said, turning to leave.

"Uhm, I don't have any clothes," I said shyly.

As if just noticing my makeshift outfit, she laughed. "Oh, let me get you something to wear!" She dashed off, leaving me frozen in place. What was happening? So the boss has a family? I chuckled, wondering if that was possible given how emotionless he seemed.

She returned quickly with a black sequined strapless gown, extremely short and stunning. My eyes widened in horror. "I'm sorry, this is the only decent piece I have," she said, laughing lightly.

With no choice, I slipped it on. After all, beggars can't be choosers. The fabric clung to my body, leaving half my breasts on display. "Uhm... where are we heading?" I asked, feeling exposed.

"Oh, just dinner!" she chirped while typing away on her phone. "Thanks for the dress, um...?"

"Alexa," she replied, beaming. "And you're welcome!"

"How come I hadn't noticed you here before?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "You know, I never liked any of his whores. They were all so fake and extra. I think we'll get along well."

"I'm not his whore," I said, meeting her gaze defiantly.

"Oh," she replied, a hint of surprise in her voice. "Alexio never cared for anyone—not even the women he sleeps with." I thought as much.

Her words stung more than I expected. Knowing he had slept with multiple women twisted something in my chest. I had no claim over him, so why did it hurt so much?

I was led by Alexa to a huge room with a long table. There he was—the boss. Sitting at the head, he looked beautiful, his hair tousled as if he'd been running his fingers through it. A few strands fell into his eyes, making him look sexy as hell. His gaze found me, raking over my body, and I felt a rush of heat flood my cheeks.

Next to him sat a woman who was clearly flirting too much for my liking, her laughter ringing out as she leaned closer to the boss, trying to catch his attention. Jealousy twisted in my gut, and I quickly turned my attention to the men at the table. One of them was the man I had encountered near the estate gates, his stare sending a chill down my spine.

"Angel!" I heard a familiar voice and turned to see my sister, Nora. She looked at me with shock before rushing to hug me tightly. I hadn't seen her since we arrived here. "I'm sorry I didn't come to meet you," she whispered, her face a mix of joy and guilt.

    
    Dinner was filled with an uncomfortable silence as I sat beside Nora, trying to figure out how to get her to talk to me. She kept her eyes down, and I couldn't help but feel the distance between us.

"Why haven't you come to see me, Nora?" I whispered, leaning close. "It's been weeks."

She glanced at me, then looked away quickly. "Angel, things are... different here. Just try to keep your head down, okay? It's better that way," she replied softly.

Her words stung, and before I could press further, the woman seated beside the Boss spoke up, her gaze resting on me with a disdainful sneer. "They really let anyone in here now, don't they?" she said, voice dripping with mockery.

I felt anger simmer inside me. I wasn't about to be disrespected. "I don't remember asking for your opinion," I replied evenly, hoping to end it there.

She leaned back, smirking. "Oh, sweetheart, it's not an opinion. Just facts. Some people don't belong here." Her eyes narrowed, and I could feel the weight of her insult settle over me, and Nora her gaze barely hiding her contempt.

Trying to keep my voice steady, I met her gaze. "Just because I don't come from here doesn't mean I'm any less than you."

The Boss didn't look up, focused on his drink as if he hadn't heard a thing. Instead, he turned to the man sitting across from him—the one I recognized from the gate encounter few days ago, though I still didn't know his name.

"Viktor Is everything in order with the shipments?" the Boss asked him, his tone casual, as if the tension around him didn't exist.

The man nodded, responding calmly, "Yes. All taken care of." His tone was smooth, confident, almost mirroring the Boss's own authority.

The woman beside the Boss let out a chuckle, as if amused that he'd ignored the entire exchange. "It's cute," she said, looking at me, "that you think you're on our level."

My patience snapped. "Respect is earned, not given," I said, unable to keep the bite out of my tone.

The Boss set down his glass, turning to face me at last, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "Enough." I'm trying to eat! His voice echoed through the room, silencing everything.

I held my breath as he looked at me, his expression ice-cold. "Angel, have you forgotten your place? Just because you've been brushed up doesn't mean it takes the slave out of you." His words hit like a slap, and I felt my face flush with humiliation.

The woman gave me a triumphant smile, her victory evident in her eyes. I bit down on my lip, struggling to keep my composure as the sting of his words settled over me.

Alexa shifted beside me, as if about to say something, but the Boss's sharp glance froze her in place. "Sit your ass down," he commanded, his tone enough to silence anyone who dared defy him.

Tears pricked my eyes as I swallowed the anger and hurt rising within me. Even Nora remained silent, her gaze fixed firmly on the table. I felt trapped, exposed.

"Excuse me," I whispered, forcing myself to walk away with as much dignity as I could muster. I could feel eyes on my back—especially from the man the Boss had been speaking to, who I had just found out was named Viktor. His gaze was almost thoughtful, as though he was studying me.

I hate it here, I hate him.

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