Chapter 5 Five

Valentina

"You look beautiful." The red-haired woman in front of me gushed. "Ravishing, really."

Luciana Blythe, a woman known more for her connections than her charm, smiled at me as though I was the most important person in the hall.

The thirty years old seductress was the latest wife to the sixty years old Chris Blythe, a man infamous in certain circles. He never attended these kinds of events himself. Rather, he sent whoever was newly married to him to handle whatever unpleasantness waited for him.

Sometimes, the wives were able to leave. Sometimes, they weren't.

I forced a smile, matching her enthusiasm. "Thank you, ma'am." I added a small, practised giggle. "But you're too kind. You look like an angel yourself."

If Caterina was here, she'd have given me a thumbs up for the performance.

It didn't take her a minute to find someone more important than me in the grand scheme of things, and she shuttled away.

I let out a sigh of relief.

"And some say you wouldn't be able to do this." A low voice said behind me, sending a shiver down my spine.

Matteo stood behind me, his expression unreadable.

There was a hint of amusement in his eyes, but I knew better than to trust it. He was observing, calculating.

I bit back the urge to offer him a quirky smile, instead I kept my expression neutral. "I didn't see you as someone who would monitor my progress. What's next? Questions about your family tree? Or will you be shoving me towards every available client?"

That seemed to coax a smile from him. "Don't hold your breath. I watched your sister talk about her favourite movies while growing up. I'd say I find this more entertaining."

His words should have stung, but there was something almost comforting about the way he said it. It was the first time he acknowledged her in a good light.

I laughed softly. "That explains it. She talked about her shows a lot, but I'm more of a book girl myself."

This was what I was born to do.

Matteo opened his mouth to say something but stopped when his eyes caught someone. "Buttering up to minor assassins like Chris Blythe is appreciated, but he is no concern for Luca." Matteo added, his tone shifting slightly as he leaned in closer.

There it was, the real reason we came. We weren't here to show me off. I had a purpose to serve, and Matteo wasn't about to let me forget that.

"Then who should I focus on?" I asked, lowering my tone to match his.

I pretended to pick at a piece of stray hair on his cloth, bringing us even closer so it would look like a perfectly normal conversation.

Matteo's eyes scanned the room for a second more, assessing the crowd. He nodded subtly toward a group of older men and one woman gathered near the back of the room.

They were engaged in what appeared to be a casual conversation. But they had an air around them that made others stay away.

It told me everything I needed to know.

These men were dangerous, powerful, and likely controlled more than I would ever know.

"Do you see the man in the middle? Holding the lady's waist?" Matteo asked quietly.

Well, yes I did. It was kind of hard not to see them when they moved around so much. He was a tall, silver haired man who wore a suit like a fish wore his scales.

The woman by his side. Damn, she was a beaut. Dressed in a green silk dress the colour of her eyes, she looked like she came from money.

"That's Giovanni Moretti." Matteo continued. "He's been around for a long time, longer than my father. His influence in all the old families runs deep, so if you can get him on your side, you're set for life."

I frowned slightly, trying to understand why Matteo would want me to approach a man like Giovanni. "And why would he talk to me?"

"Because he met Isabella before she ran away. He's curious about why I chose you, and he wants to assess you himself to see if you're strong enough to hold your own in a dog-eat-dog world."

The weight of his words settled over me, and I felt my stomach grunting. This wasn't about making small talk. I had to prove myself, showing them I was more than just a replacement for Isabella.

I had to convince Giovanni that I was worth his time, or at the very least convince him to help me on my quest to find my sister.

"And what if I fail?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Be ready to find a third sister for me."

Panic clawed at my throat at that statement.

"You won't. Just be yourself, and remember who you're dealing with." Matteo's expression softened for a second. "He respects honesty. Show him you're strong, that you're not easily intimidated."

I nodded, trying to calm down my rapidly beating heart.

I faced difficult situations before, but somehow this felt different.

One move, and I would shut so many doors.

Matteo moved that stray piece of hair from my face again, his barely there touch sent warmth down my spine. "You can do this, Valentina. Just stay calm, and don't let him see any weakness."

I took a deep breath. "Okay."

His hand lingered on my face for just a moment longer before he let go, stepping back to give me space. "I'm by your side if you need anything."

In a world like this, it was tradition for a party like this to be held every time a top family got a new wife. Like a prized auction, she would be presented to make sure she was suitable enough to take care of the kids that would one day run the mafia world.

".....wasn't she supposed to be a brunette?"

"....I heard she slept with every one of his bodyguards...."

".....folks said she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. I think he's blind..."

With each step I took, more whispers flew into my ears. They were a toxic bunch.

The men's conversation quieted as I approached, their gazes held silent judgement.

Giovanni's piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, it felt like the entire room had fallen asleep. Hushed.

His partner, on the other hand, gave me the brightest smile.

"Good evening, Mr Moretti." I said, keeping my voice steady despite the rapid beating of my heart. "I'm Valentina."

Straight to the point. Simple.

"Valentina." Giovanni repeated, his voice hoarse. He took a moment to study me, his sly gaze sweeping over me with a scrutiny that made me feel tiny. "I've heard much about you."

His partner took that moment to step forward. She took my hand in hers.

"I knew Isabella." She said simply.

I forced a smile. "My sister was....is an incredible woman, no doubt. I just hope I can find her before anything happens to her."

There. I planted the seeds. Now, I must water them so they grow.

Giovanni raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by my response. "And why would you think so? She wanted nothing to do with Matteo, and she got her wish. She ran away."

"My sister would never run away from her responsibilities."

Giovanni studied me for a minute, his expression giving nothing away. The silence stretched between us, and I could feel the eyes of the crowd on me.

All waiting.

Finally, he nodded slowly. His lips widened to show a small, approving smile.

"Loyalty to a loved one is admirable. Even when what she did led to your current predicament."

His silent words were loud and clear. He would always believe Isabella ran away. But at least he approved of me.

I would chip those ice cubes off his shoulders with time.

"Thank you, Mr Moretti." I said, offering him.a polite smile. "I look forward to showing you, and everyone else that my sister did not run away."

Now I was being stupid, but no one stopped me.

Giovanni just nodded, and went back to his friends. His ever smiling wife gave me a little wave before I dismissed myself, and made my way back to Matteo.

Who was nowhere to be found.

Even if he had gone to the bathroom, he should have been here by now.

It'd been too long.

Something must have happened.

I pushed through the crowd, ignoring the dirty looks being sent my way as I searched for those dark curls.

Nothing.

He couldn't be hurt. He was the goddamn mafia. Children would be told stories about him for years to come.

My jaw ticked when I saw him step out from a door. And by his side, was a woman with hair the colour of night sky.