THREE YEARS AGO
"Miss Villada! Señorita Villada!"
At least fifty people were shouting her name as cameras flashed all around her. One more pose, she thought before throwing her wavy blonde hair over her shoulder. Catalina brought a hand to her hip and flashed one final dazzling smile for the paparazzi and the public before three bodyguards swept up behind her, watching her steps as she walked into the establishment.
She walked down a large hallway followed by her guards. The building was nothing short of elegant. Busts and paintings that belonged as far back as the Renaissance littered the hallway on both sides.
Her black heels clicked against the marble floor with each step she took. From one of the large doors to her right classical music emerged. As she expected, her parents were already seated at a large circular table in the middle of the venue.
"Mamá y papá!" She threw her arms around her parents, hugging them before taking her seat at the table. The banquet hall was brimming with members of the elite. One of her mother's friends had invited them to the charity gala he was hosting.
Catalina couldn't suppress her grin as she settled into her seat. The nineteen-year blonde had grown up in the spotlight. To her, fame was a long-time friend of sorts. And an enemy too. Her status was a double-edged sword.
Yes, she was aware that her fame was partially due to her family name. Her father was a Spanish Marquess even though no one paid much attention to minor nobles nowadays. He was also the President of the Supreme Court of Spain, appointed to such a high-standing position by the King of Spain himself.
Meanwhile, her mother was a worldwide famous Spanish actress and owner of The Red Crown. Her mother inherited the famed wine brand following Catalina's grandfather's passing. In the future, the young blonde would be the CEO of the company herself. Her parents had business ties across the globe and had stocks in hundreds of companies.
Catalina recognized that she was a privileged girl at a young age. She took advantage of that. Since birth, her world revolved around reputation, wealth, and politics. Her parents expected that she did her best, so she did without any questions. She had the best education, designer clothes, and was well-spoken. All in all, she excellently fulfilled the role of 'the perfect daughter' her parents assigned to her.
It was the best, but for who? What costs did her family go through to remain at the top?
The buzzing of her father's phone broke her train of thought. She didn't even see the name of the caller before he snatched his iPhone and brought it up to his ear.
"Hello?" Francisco gruffly replied to the receiver. His business associates and staff knew not to call during outings at public events. It must have been an emergency. Or whoever was the poor soul on the other end would be receiving a mouthful in the coming hours.
Her father's brows knitted together before he told the person on the other line that he'll call back soon. Quickly, the slim forty-five-year-old man undid the buttons on his navy blue tuxedo jacket, leaving it to hang on the back of his chair.
"Is everything alright, Mr. Villada?" A guard of theirs chimed in. Some other guards turned their attention from the piano concerto on the front stage to their boss.
"Yes, David." Her father replied, doing his best to shoot him a soft smile. "It's just a call from my law clerks for an upcoming case. I'll be back shortly, so there's no need for anyone to follow me." He chuckled softly before kissing his wife's forehead.
As he passed by, he lightly squeezed Catalina's shoulder, flashing her a sincere smile before he left with his phone. The gesture was usually comforting, but something felt off this time.
Catalina glanced at her father, who was now pacing back and forth in the outdoor courtyard. His shoulders tense under his white dress shirt with his left palm pressed against his peppered stubble. She could see the cracks in his usual calm façade, and that worried her significantly.
A simple call with his clerks wouldn't cause him so much distress. He was lying.
Catalina tore her attention away from her father to the filled flute glass in front of her. Tonight was bound to be hectic. She might as well get drunk, she reasoned. She shot a raised brow at her mother before she brought her champagne glass to her lips.
"¿Qué hace?" The blonde questioned after taking a big gulp of the bubbly liquor, eyes pointing towards her father outside.
Valentina Villada managed to school her features into neutrality. It displeased her that her daughter was drinking so early at night.
The forty-two-year-old woman was as gorgeous as her daughter. In her youth, she practically was her mirror image. The only difference was her mother had glacial blue eyes and sharper cheekbones. Her mother's usual golden blonde hair was also dyed a deep chocolate brown at the moment for an upcoming role she had.
"He's on the phone with some Sicilian investors," Valentina replied.
"Are they coming to Spain?" It was highly unusual for the young girl to be out of the loop of her family's business plans.
"Not to my knowledge. Your father will tell you more about it. Here is not the best setting to be discussing business." She offered a soft smile to her daughter, shutting down any further questions in the most polite way possible.
Her mother tapped her well-manicured nails against the table. She had recently got a mani-pedi and opted to have her nails painted dark red. It was a similar shade to the wine produced by her family—or spilled blood.
Maybe the champagne had been getting to Catalina's head already.
"What were you two talking about?" Her father's voice cut in.
He relaxed back into his seat, taking a drink from his champagne glass. The anxiousness that was previously etched on his face was now completely absent.
"Just about your phone call, mi amor. How'd it go?" Her mother said sweetly.
"Good. It was just Amélie. She tells me that the Sicilians are already at the mansion." He smoothed threw his napkin over his lap and buttered a piece of bread. "We'll be meeting them shortly."
Catalina's ears perked at the mention of the French maid. She had known the kind older woman since she was a little girl. She frequently cared for her whenever her parents were busy with business. Now, she helped her practice French and taught her many world-class recipes.
"Well. A toast to a future successful meeting?" Her father proposed.
Immediately, she picked up her glass. Her glass clicked against her mother's, then did the same with her father's.
"¡Salud!" the stunning blonde exclaimed, her cheers blending with those belonging to her parents. She leaned back and happily, took another swig of champagne. Everything seemed to be back to normal again. Catalina would allow herself to enjoy the night.
Deep in her gut, she knew if it was a mistake to let her guard down. She was aware that her father could be distrustful and manipulative. Although, she never considered that he'd acquire the services of Cosa Nostra. The Sicilian Mafia.
And she and her parents would be meeting with its ruthless Don and his heir later that evening.
Mr. Giuseppe Sorrentino and his eldest son, Niccolò.
Or that the unexpected meeting that night would alter the entire course of her life in its aftermath.
✧ ✧ ✧ ✧
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PENTHOUSE 521
Romance[18+ ONGOING & SLOW UPDATES] "Be careful with the games you play," he added. His voice slashed the silence underlined by a lower, ominous tone. A warning. Did I even hear him correctly? What were all these new sides Niccolò had shown me tonight? I t...
