Chapter 102: Chapter: 102

ANDREA

His face was neutral, but that muscle in his jaw ticked. My eyes stray to the woman still on his arm, she glances at me, taking me in from head to what little she could see while I was sitting. Her eyes narrowed infinitesimally, then she smiled smugly at me.

That takes me unguarded, I look away and sip the drink in my hand. I was greatly disappointed to find out it wasn't wine, merely soda.

But in my condition, I couldn't possibly drink anything with alcohol. I understand it could bring harm to the baby. And I would never do anything to risk my child; I was already getting attached to them. I'm going to love this baby no matter what.

“How is your leg?” I asked Lorenzo about his bandaged leg and crutches when I saw them. I was worried about him.

But I was also trying to distract myself from watching Alessandro pull a chair out for Valentina, across from me, while she giggled like a teenage girl, her eyes watching him with hunger.

Alessandro sat on the right side of his grandfather, in the seat that was earlier occupied by the consigliere. He and Lorenzo face each other the same way Valentina and I do.

“It's much better, Bella, it's just a flesh wound. It will heal in no time. I just can't move as much as I want due to some asshole,” he ended, glaring at Alessandro, who ignored him.

“Shut up, Enzo. You'd better behave yourself; we have better things to discuss than your fight with your cousin.” Enzo nodded at his grandfather, then turned to me with a charming grin. Alessandro's jaw twitched.

“As I was saying, I will be okay, don't worry about me, Cara mia.” his voice was husky and flirty; the wink that followed confirmed it. Lorenzo isn't easily deterred.

It should have made me happy; I should have grabbed the opportunity to make Alessandro angry, but I wasn't and didn't want to. Though Alessandro's jaw twitched, it meant nothing to me.

“I'm glad to hear that.”

I really am. Lorenzo is not my enemy, at least I hope not. He hadn't done anything to make me believe he was. So I don't hold his grandfather's actions against him.

Beneditto's unfamiliar voice cut through my musing, speaking in Italian while I stared dumbly. Not understanding a word.

“And now, for the main reason we've all gathered here tonight. To celebrate the engagement of Alessandro Marchetti, the future Capo of the Marchetti famiglia, and Valentina Moretti, sister to Matteo Moretti, the Capo of the Moretti Famiglia,” he said, then nodded at the man at the far end who was also seated at the head of the table.

“Congratulations to you both. May your marriage bring peace and prosperity between the two famiglia, Salute!”

“Salute!!!”

The men chugged down their drinks, laughing and chatting, all of which was a background noise to me. My heart was in my throat. My ears filled with cotton. I felt like I was in a tiny glass bottle, unable to hear or understand anything happening around me.

What did that man just say? Is Alessandro engaged to this woman? I stared into Alessandro's eyes, hoping like hell I could read something in them. Sadly, there was nothing but coldness. His mouth, however, smiled at Valentina, who kissed his cheek and held his hand on the table.

My eyes were fixed on their conjoined hands like it was the most interesting thing in the entire universe. I didn't know what I was feeling in that exact moment because there was nothing but shock. I was in shock; Alessandro hadn't told me he didn't want her.

What else had he said about her? I tried to think back to two days ago, wracking my brain, trying to recall if he'd said anything about Valentina, but there was nothing; he hadn't said anything. I hadn't wanted to hear their past, and he hadn't offered or explained anything to me.

I was numb, and I felt like an idiot. Because I couldn't fault him, this is all my fault. I was the one who was in love with him. Alessandro never professed anything to me; he'd never promise me anything.

I can't blame him for that; to him, I was merely his lover and his baby mama, nothing more.

His words that I'm his were just that, words spoken out of possessiveness and in the heat of the moment. To him, I'm just his belonging, right?

Maybe the hurt, anger, and pain would come later. Maybe it wouldn't hurt at all, I pray it wouldn't. The only thing I knew was that I could barely breathe, though a part of my brain was telling me Alessandro didn't want this.

I couldn't shake the image of both of them when they came in earlier. Talking, drinking, and laughing with Valentina, with her hands all over him, and he wasn't stopping her, well, why would he? he obviously liked her hands touching him.

Fucking bastard!

I suddenly needed liquor like yesterday, even if I was a lightweight and might be unconscious after one, maybe two glasses of liquor, I would be okay.

I tried not to make eye contact with either Alessandro and his lover or his fiancée. Instead, I focused on the only Italian words I could pick up, since most conversations around me were in the native tongue, except for the announcement, which led me to believe this was why I was invited to dinner.

Don Marchetti wanted to hurt and humiliate me, he wanted me to know that Alessandro would never be mine, or maybe it wasn't about me at all.

Maybe he wanted to hurt Alessandro and show him he still had control over his life. What is most shocking is that Alessandro isn't doing anything to stop this engagement.

“You're not eating, Bella.” Lorenzo's voice was so close to my ears, I was startled. I didn't catch his words, so I asked.

“I'm sorry, what did you say?”

“I said, eat. You are the only one not eating.”

It was true that everyone had already dived in, eating, drinking, and chatting. Spoons, forks, and knives clinging to the plates, glasses clicking against glasses. I spoon some food onto my plate, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't eat a single bite.

Lorenzo and the man to my right tried to engage me in conversation, but I could only hear a little of what they were saying and flash a fake smile that hurt my cheeks.

The shock of hearing that Alessandro is now engaged to Valentina is starting to wear off, and the pain is crawling into my heart.

I would gladly give everything I owe and my lifelong gratitude if anyone, even the annoying man at my right, would take me out of this hellhole. I needed to get away pronto. I need to find a place where I can be all alone and not be disturbed by anyone.

When I accidentally glanced into Don Marchetti's eyes, there was a smugness I didn't understand.

Marco planned this, and for whatever reason, Alessandro had agreed to this. Nothing makes sense. Suffice it to say, dinner was hell for me, while others ate, chatted, laughed, loud and rambunctiously.

I, on the other hand, sat there like a statue. I couldn't eat anything, I didn't talk to anyone except for Lorenzo, who spoke to me while I answered with monosyllables. I only drink my soda, wishing I could drink hard liquor, preferably whiskey or vodka.

“There's one rule in our world we'd all agreed upon, when broken, is punishable by death. The breaking of one's omerta, yes?” Don Marchetti asked loudly, cutting through all the chatter.

All the men who were suddenly so deadly quiet nodded in answer. He said more words in Italian.

“I can forgive almost anything except for betrayal.” What happened next was totally unexpected.

My glass slipped from my hand as I screamed, my eyes wide with fear and shock. When the man on my left, who had been speaking to me for hours and I had completely ignored, was shot straight through the head. By none other than Valentina.

Warm blood and brain matter were splattered all over me. On my hair, my neck, chest, dress, and some part of my face. Two other men stood up from the table and tried to run away.

“Alessandro,”

Don Marchetti's voice was drowned out by Alessandro's shooting of the two men in the same way Valentina had. Straight through the brain. First one, then the other.

I just sat there with blood all over me, my body shaking so badly. While Don Marchetti went on and on about killing traitors and whatnot.

All I needed in that moment, even after everything, was to feel Alessandro's arms around me. Holding me, protecting me.

But when I was finally dragged out of the room, it wasn't Alessandro who got me out of there but Patrizio of all people. I didn't say a word, even as he pulled my arm harshly and I stumbled, losing one of my shoes in the process.

He pushes me back into the room and closes the door, leaving me in Alessandro's hated room. I couldn't stay a second inside that room.

I quickly yanked the door open and ran out into the hallway. I ran past the armed men down the second floor and into my old bedroom/prison.