Chapter 2

The black wrought-iron gates began to slide apart before the taxi had even come to a complete stop.

Lia instinctively straightened in her seat.

The driver let out a low whistle.

"Rich people don't waste time."

She smiled nervously, smoothing invisible wrinkles from the pale blue dress Emma had insisted she wear. It wasn't expensive, but Emma had somehow managed to make it look like it belonged in a designer boutique.

"You'll be fine," the driver said, noticing the way she kept twisting her fingers together.

"I hope so."

The taxi rolled through the entrance, following a driveway lined with ancient olive trees and perfectly trimmed hedges. The mansion stood proudly at the end. It wasn't gaudy or desperate to impress. It simply carried the quiet confidence of a place that had never needed anyone's approval.

Lia swallowed.

This wasn't a house, It was an empire disguised as one.

The car stopped beneath a wide portico where two men in immaculate black suits were already waiting.

Before Lia could even reach for the door handle, one of them opened it.

"Good evening, Miss."

She blinked.

"...Good evening."

The man offered a respectful nod.

"Welcome to the De Luca residence."

She climbed out slowly, confused if that’s how everyone else is respected here or she's just special. No, this felt far too organized.

Lia exchanged an awkward smile with the driver before the taxi pulled away, leaving her standing before the largest house she had ever seen.

“Breathe, It's only a dinner, not an execution,” she affirmed herself.

Although……

Meeting the most powerful mafia family in Italy probably wasn't too far from one.

The thought almost made her laugh.

Another member of staff approached her with a pleasant smile.

"May I have your name, Miss?"

"Hi. I'm Lia."

She cleared her throat.

"Lia Moretti"

"Thanks for coming, Miss Moretti. We've been expecting you."

Her stomach performed an enthusiastic somersault.

"We have?"

"Please follow me."

The grand entrance doors opened before they even reached them.

Some men were on standby, all dressed in black suits. These ones weren't smiling.

Others carried silver trays through the corridors. These ones were smiles…..

It reminded Lia less of a mansion, and more of the headquarters of a multinational corporation.

Only this company's dress code involved tailored suits instead of office badges.

They climbed a broad staircase before turning into another corridor decorated with paintings that probably cost more than Lia's entire apartment building.

The woman finally stopped before a pair of polished wooden doors.

"They're waiting inside."

Lia's heartbeat immediately doubled.

She nodded.

The doors swung open and conversation spilled into the hallway.

Warm laughter.

Music playing somewhere in the background.

The smell of grilled steak and fresh herbs.

She stepped inside, then froze.

A long dining table stretched across the room, surrounded by young men and women dressed as though they'd walked straight out of the pages of a luxury magazine.

She recognized several faces immediately.

Children of influential families.

People whose names occasionally appeared beside mysterious business headlines or unexplained scandals.

Underground royalty.

And right in the middle was Matteo De Luca.

One young woman with long chestnut hair sat comfortably on one of his knees, stealing fries from his plate while another perched on the opposite leg, attempting to feed him a slice of cake.

"Oh, come on!" one of the men complained. "You're supposed to choose one favorite."

"I did," Matteo replied lazily.

"I meant the food…."

Laughter erupted around the table.

Lia stood silently by the entrance.Something inside her tightened, but not enough to hurt

She wasn't surprised.

Those two girls, Bianca Morelli and Sofia Vitale had grown up around Matteo. Everyone who knew anything about the underground world knew they behaved like this with him.

Still...

Knowing something and seeing it with her own eyes turned out to be two very different experiences, especially a guy she likes.

Someone noticed her presence and the laughter faded.

One by one, every head turned toward the doorway.

The silence became almost physical, even Lia suddenly became painfully aware of herself.

Had Emma chosen the wrong dress?

For one terrifying second, she wanted to disappear.

Then Matteo looked up. Without hesitation, he gently lifted both women off his lap.

Neither of them tried to stop him. Instead, they exchanged knowing looks.

He crossed the room with slow, confident steps until he stood before Lia.

For a heartbeat, neither of them spoke.

Then he smiled.

"Oooh charming princess. Thanks for coming…......Lia. "

He looked at her for a second longer before leaning in just enough for only her to hear.

"You smell nice by the way."

Lia's cheeks warmed instantly.

"T-Thank you."

His lips curved into the smallest smile as he offered his arm.

"Come with me."

Without thinking, she slipped her hand around it.

The room exploded with whistles and cheers as though it had been a drama.

One of the men threw both hands into the air.

"I knew he'd do it!" another shouted.

Lia looked from one face to another in complete confusion.

"......What's happening?"

Nobody answered. Matteo didn't even acknowledge the noise, his expression remained calm and focused as though every step he took had already been decided long before tonight.

He pulled out the chair beside his own.

"Ladies first." He gestured.

She looked round, Alessandro Ricci and Gabriel Bellini were seated besides each other. Matteo's infamous squad of five is never completed without these two.

Across the table was Enzo Romano, one of the biggest five in Matteo's squad. Lia was going to greet him when he turned to Gabriel.

"I owe you five hundred."

"You owe me a thousand."

"I said two weeks."

"I said one."

More laughter.

Lia frowned.

What were they talking about?

Before she could summon the courage to ask Matteo, the double doors opened again.

The room fell silent and every conversation died instantly.

Six men in the same black suits entered first, spreading naturally through the room without appearing obvious.

Then he walked in, Lorenzo De Luca.

A man with striking silver hair walked only half a step behind him, close enough to speak if necessary, distant enough to show respect.

Matteo rose first, the others followed immediately.

Lia copied them a second later.

The Don's gaze swept calmly across the room before settling briefly on Matteo.

No words were exchanged.

Matteo reached for a crystal glass.

"So that no matter how high our name rises," he said evenly, lifting it into the air, "it never rises beyond the man who built it."

Every glass followed.

"To the Don."

"To the Don."

Crystal met crystal.

A soft chorus echoed through the dining hall.

Lia looked down at the amber liquid in her own glass.

Her stomach tightened.

Alcohol. She loves alcohol but feared it more than she loved it. Just a sip is capable of making her feel like the most courageous on earth, and she always regrets it.

Around her, everyone drank.

She only lifted the glass to her lips without taking a sip. When no one seemed to notice, she quietly set it back down.

Her chest felt strangely tight.

Maybe she just needed a minute.

Leaning toward one of the nearby attendants, she whispered, "Excuse me... could you please show me the restroom?"

"Of course, Miss. Follow me."

The staff member led her silently from the dining hall.

Only after the doors closed behind them did Lia finally release the breath she'd been holding all evening.

"The restroom is just ahead." The attendant said as she turned back.

"I was beginning to think I'd forgotten how to breathe," she muttered as she stepped inside.

Cool marble, soft lighting and fresh lavender.

Even the restroom looked larger than her apartment's living room.

She stared at her own reflection in the mirror.

"This can't be real."

She touched her warm cheeks.

She was actually having dinner inside the De Luca mansion.

With Matteo?. Emma was going to lose her mind.

A small laugh escaped her.

Maybe tonight really was the beginning of something wonderful.

She splashed a little cool water onto her wrists and took one last steadying breath.

Then...Footsteps interrupted her soliloquy. It was heavy and slightly uneven.

Her mind began to race rapidly, maybe something bad is happening like that of Mafia crime movies.

The footsteps stopped abruptly and a low, strained sound followed.

Like someone trying very hard not to groan.

Her heart skipped.

"Hello?"

No answer.

Another painful breath.

Without thinking, she hurried to the door and pulled it open.

A man stood against the wall, one hand pressed firmly against his chest, his breathing shallow beneath the dim light, as if trying so hard to vomit.

His whole body was shivering as if hit by a serious coldness.

Multiple thoughts run through her head on the spot. Has he been shot or poisoned? A reminder that she's in the Lair of De Luca dreaded her.

"Should I call for assistance ? Do you probably need anything ?." she asked, panting

And when he slowly lifted his head...

Lia's eyes widened.

It was Lorenzo De Luca.