Charming

I wore a stunning floor-length gown made of pale gold satin fabric. It had a draped cowl neckline at the front and a dramatic low back, which dipped elegantly to my lower spine. It was framed by long, delicate straps that draped loosely over the shoulders and fell down the back.

The dress didn’t hug my body, but it accentuated my curves. It was scandalous enough to catch the attention of all the guests, but modest enough that people wouldn’t say I was dressed like a slut.

I had my hair in a low, elegant bun, not a single strand out of place, and minimalist makeup. My eyeshadow was pale gold, and it made me look simple and bold at the same time. I went with nude lipstick to complete the look.

For the jewelry, I chose a golden back necklace that cascaded down my spine to where the backless design of the dress stopped. The rest of my jewelry was gold except for the simple tennis anklet on my left leg.

It went well with my golden stilettos.

I walked to the ball, and all eyes were on me. They were all wondering who I was and where I came from, and I was eating it up. I had always loved attention since I was young. Besides, I was beautiful.

My mother had been a model before she married my father. I had inherited most of her features, and I embraced them wholeheartedly. She would have wanted me to bask in my beauty.

The Governor’s ball was an event to host dignitaries. Only the richest people in New York were able to attend, like political figures, wealthy donors, corporate sponsors, celebrities, philanthropists, socialites, and members of high society.

They said it was a way for wealthy people to network, but it was just a show of wealth and influence. If you weren’t invited, you weren’t rich or powerful enough.

There were cameras everywhere, photo ops, designer gowns, and orchestras. It was impressive, but it was also boring and meant for older people. I didn’t know how I had survived through such events when my parents were still alive.

I was already thinking of leaving, and I had just arrived. If it wasn’t for my uncle, I would have been at home watching a movie.

“Zio,” I greeted him when I approached.

He was speaking to two men, an older one and a younger one.

“Cara mia,” he greeted as he kissed both of my cheeks.

He was a very affectionate man. He was short, he had dark hair like my father's, and he had brown eyes. He was a replica of my father. Maybe that was why I was so fond of him, besides the fact that he treated me like his daughter.

He was the one who sent me to France to get away once my parents died. He enrolled me in school and helped me make contact with my mother’s side of the family in France.

“How are you, Zio?” I asked him.

“I’m doing well, cara mia. I would like you to meet my friend Alexei Orlov. This is his son, Viktor Orlov.”

I turned to the pair, impressed with what I saw. They were very handsome with dark hair and blue eyes. But something about the two of them didn’t sit well with me. I couldn’t place it, but something was off.

“Nice to meet you, Serena,” Viktor said as he took my hand and kissed the back of it.

He seemed charming, but it would take more than that to impress me.

“Why don’t the two of you get to each other as the grownups talk?” Lorenzo asked as he ushered us away.

Viktor grabbed a glass of champagne from a waiter and handed it to me.

“I have to admit it, when my father told me he wanted me to meet a girl, I didn’t expect her to be the most beautiful woman I have seen in my lifetime.”

I blushed and smiled.

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”

I heard his slight Russian accent. I couldn’t lie, it was hot, and coming from a handsome man made it all the more alluring to listen to.

“What do you do for a living?” He asked.

“I’m an interior designer,” I replied.

“Maybe you should come to my place sometime and design my walls. I need a change.”

I giggled and gave him my number. I had to say, it had been a good idea for Zio Lorenzo to get me a date with Viktor. He was definitely my type, and he was twenty-seven.

“What do you do?” I asked the question back.

“I’m the CEO of Orlov Energy. It’s a European Energy Conglomerate. I am currently overseeing operations in New York. There’s a lot to do here.”

He was trying to tell me that he would be in New York for the foreseeable future, and it brought me delight. What I needed was a distraction from my plans for uncovering my parents’ murder.

“I would love to take you to dinner sometime—”

Viktor was cut off when a business associate approached him, and he excused himself. He promised to find me so we could dance.

I interacted with a few people that my uncle introduced me to, but overall, the party was boring. That was until the whole room went silent when someone walked in.

All eyes were on him as he walked like he commanded the room. Everyone whispered when they saw him, wondering why he was at a Governor’s Ball when he never attended such events.

It was Nero DeLuca in an all-black tux that fit his body perfectly.

This time, his neck was in view, and you could see some tattoos peeking through the parts of him that weren’t covered by his collar.

I was scared of seeing him again. What if he recognized me? No. I was wearing a disguise. There was no way he realized it was me that night.

Dominic was standing next to him as usual. He looked like the dangerous one out of the two, but a smart person would tell that glasses didn’t make DeLuca a nice guy.

I stayed as far away from him as possible. I knew I should have been making moves to make sure he noticed me, but I was scared of him. There was something about him that screamed silent danger.

After a few minutes, I excused myself to go to the bathroom. I needed a break from everyone, even for a few seconds. As I was reapplying my makeup, I caught movement in the mirror. Before I could react, I felt an arm around my waist.

Nero was suddenly behind me, his body pressed into me, and his hand holding my waist firmly to keep me in place. He was taller than me, even in heels, which gave him an advantage.

“This is the women’s bathroom…you…you’re not supposed to be here.” I stuttered.

“Hello, Piper. I personally think the blonde hair and blue eyes don’t suit you. Brunette is more your thing. And I have to say, those mesmerizing green eyes are hypnotic, birichina.”