Land of the Midnight. Whispers of the lips

After the underground auction began, the host announced each lot with mounting excitement.

"Congratulations, Mr. Castellano, on winning this South African blue diamond necklace for thirty million, a gift for Miss Ferraro."

"Congratulations, Mr. Castellano, on winning this nineteenth-century queen's tiara for fifty million, a gift for Miss Ferraro."

Backstage, one of the staff couldn't help herself. "Who is this Mr. Castellano? He's throwing money around like crazy!"

"You don't know? That's Lucian Castellano! The Don of the biggest Mafia family in Sicily!"

He's here just to pick out gifts for his fiancee. She's one lucky woman.

"I heard he used to keep a mistress for years, but she betrayed the family and got cast out. She's probably kicking herself now."

They chattered away happily, forgetting the work in front of them. I was the only one still at it.

"Aria, you're amazing. You don't even need to look at the catalog to remember every single lot."

I just smiled and didn't explain.

My boss was strict with me. No mistakes allowed. So I'd gotten it all down cold before coming.

I switched on the recorder and listened back to the host from the previous session.

Only after checking the amounts several times did I write everything into my ledger and seal each lot.

Just then someone said the manager wanted me. I frowned, but I went anyway.

Before I went, I left the recorder running where it was so I wouldn't miss anything.

The manager was waiting for me backstage. Before I could get a word out, he suddenly shoved me straight onto the auction stage.

I crashed to the floor, my knee splitting open, and the spotlight swung onto me.

Right then, the host's voice rang out.

"This next lot is a little special. Not an object, but the most beautiful woman in Sicily."

"Starting bid, one dollar."

In that instant I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. I lifted my head in a daze and met the startled eyes below the stage.

A few men were already reaching for their paddles. One muttered under his breath.

"This is the most beautiful woman in Sicily? Not bad-looking, but couldn't they at least put her in a decent dress before selling her? Still, for one dollar, you can't go wrong."

Everyone was smirking. Everyone except Lucian.

He sat dead center, cold severity radiating off him.

Nothing like the man who used to shyly produce a gift box from behind his back.

And nestled against his side was the former intelligence officer of the Castellano family, now his fiancee.

She showed no surprise at all to see me standing there. Instead her lips curled into a smirk, her eyes full of malice.

In that moment I knew this was all her doing, pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Lucian watched me coldly.

In his gaze there was scrutiny, disgust, hatred, and thick, heavy contempt.

The bidding started fast. Before the host could even speak, Bianca called out from beside him.

"I bid one dollar."

The room went silent. Everyone quietly lowered their paddles. They all knew crossing her meant crossing Lucian.

"Aria, back when you betrayed the family, I had you sold off. I never imagined you'd still be alive and well."

"In that case, I'll just buy you back one more time."

Understanding rippled through the crowd, and they began whispering.

"So she's the traitor from back then. I didn't even recognize her in that getup."

"The Don treated her so well, gave her endless riches, and she went and sold out the family anyway. She walked him right into the enemy's trap. He nearly died."

"If the Donna hadn't caught the leak in time, the Castellanos might have been wiped out."

"Tsk, she had it coming. A woman like that, forget paying, I wouldn't take her even for free."

I listened to their grating words, my chest heaving.

Because I'd come today only to do the job my boss assigned me, not to stand there being priced and judged.

With that thought, I ignored every stare and turned to leave. But Bianca called after me.

"The auction isn't over and the lot is already trying to run? Is this the best your auction house can do?"

In an instant, several guards blocked the exit, making it plain I wasn't going anywhere.

I let out a slow breath and turned back to fix a cold stare on Bianca.

My eyes brimmed with hatred and scorn, and Bianca instantly crumpled against Lucian's chest as if wounded.

"Lucian, is she trying to kill me with that look?"

Lucian turned his head toward me. The next second, he raised the paddle in his hand.

"I'll raise. Two dollars."