Faustini ✔️

cinquanta

«Hi everyone, sorry that the last chapter was a little sloppy, I hope this one makes up for it. I've included a song because it gave me a similar feel-good feeling I wanted this chapter to have.
Doji.»

Months passed since what the Faustini family and their acquaintances cynically refereed to as 'The Depression' and Valentino had organised a dinner on a date that everyone would be able to make it. Stefano was one of the first to arrive, equipped with his newborn baby girl. Dina turned away from Diego, Valentino, Colette, her partner and Beatriz to steal the newborn from his arms.  

"What's her name?" Dina asked curiously. "It's a girl right? Goodness- she has the most beautiful eyes!"

"Her name's Elisabetta." Stefano informed and the group looked mildly unimpressed. "What? I didn't have many to choose from. You and your two hundred children took all the nice Italian names."

"I think it's cute." Dina cheered happily. "It's nice knowing you have a child now, out of all of us, I always thought you'd make the best parent."

"Which is why you turned him in." Valentino jibed.

"Enough, Val." Stefano cut in before Valentino could make any more relentless commentary. "If I'm not bothered by what happened than neither should you be."

"You know what I am bothered by? That name. El-i-sa-be-tta." He sounded it out. "Sounds lizardy. Oh, I know, you named it after her mother, because's she's a reptile, that's clever."

"Val, that's cruel." Dina scolded.

"Excuse me, you should be on my side, she your husband was cheating on you with her." Valentino reminded Dina. "How does it feel to have been married to a murderer?"

Diego protectively swung his arm around Dina. "Hey, don't talk to her like that." He spat.

Amidst the bickering, Casper and Lorenzo were the next to be welcomed into the penthouse. They were wearing matching attire. "Hi guys, sorry, I hope we're not late!" Casper cheered happily on behalf of Lorenzo.

"No, don't worry, we were just getting started." Colette spoke on behalf of the bickering adults.

Following them was Charles and Chelsea, who, like the adults, were also feuding. "No, you don't get a valid opinion on The Devil Wears Prada, because you don't live that life like I do."

"I don't care, it's a great movie!" Chelsea refused to listen to Charles' opinion. Charles was about to respond snarkily, but he spotted Sebastian and Elena at the window.

Sebastian and Elena were having a conversation of their own as Sebastian helped place a piece of jewellery around her neck. It was a lot easier now, that she'd maintained her bob cut. "Aww..." He said tenderly. "I love your hair."

"What, because of the way it looks or because of the way I got it?" She wondered, tilting her head back to see him.

"Because of the way you got it." Sebastian confirmed. "You got it protecting me." He smiled and she looked back to the window. "Also, because you look like Mathilda from The Professional, I always figured we had a similar relationship to them."

Elena smiled faintly. "That's nice."

Charles interrupted their reminiscing. "May I have a word with you?" Charles asked of Elena, looking sternly at Elena. Sebastian was hesitant, but he left, keeping an eye on them from afar. "Your boyfriend's pretty cute."

"He's not my boyfriend." Elena refuted.

"He's not?" Charles looked over to him, then to Elena. "Give him my number then."