Chapter 145 A Ball?
Serena’s POV
I stared at him with the warmth of the coffee slowly losing its touch on me.
I watched him even as he stepped back and shut the kitchen door. I watched him as he strolled back and took a seat, patting the space opposite him for me to join.
I stared for a while, before finding my feet and slowly dragging my feet to where he was, taking a seat opposite him.
I sat with the coffee cup still warm in my hands and Dante stayed silent for a second longer, like he needed the extra time to prepare me for what was coming.
The large kitchen suddenly felt too quiet, too small. Even the noise from outside seemed to stop.
And when I couldn't take his silence any longer, I spoke up, trying to keep my voice light. “I’m listening, Dante. Is it good or bad news?” I asked.
He exhaled through his nose and finally leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“It’s kinda both,” he said. “But you need to hear me well.”
My stomach tightened. “Does it have anything to do with my mother?” I asked while nearly standing to my feet.
But Dante gestured to me to relax. “No, not directly at least,” he replied and I slightly felt pained with the way he said it.
I would have thought that saving my mom would be the priority now.
I set the cup on the table before my hands could shake, refusing to let that get to me. “Okay. Tell me,” I said softly.
He looked me straight in the eyes. “I have to host the annual ball, and it’s in two weeks.”
I blinked. “A ball?”
“Yeah, I know you don't know much about it,” he started.
“Yes, I have no idea,” I said in a harder voice than I intended.
“Yeah, it's an old tradition where every year, my family hosts the ball and everyone who matters shows up,” he explained.
I raised a brow and he continued.
“Allies, business partners, people we need to keep close and even heads of different families will be present.”
“Including Luca?” I asked and he lowered his gaze while nodding his head.
“I don't know if he'll honour the invite, but he's the head of the Moretti family, he should be in attendance,” he replied and I nearly rolled my eyes.
“You wanna tell me you'll invite him? After everything?” I asked roughly.
“At this point, we are seeing Luca beyond his actions so far, we are seeing and inviting the position he holds,” he added like that made it any better.
“Can't you cancel it?” I asked with more pleading behind my voice.
“It’s already been scheduled, like it's always every year. I can’t cancel it,” he said in a firm tone.
I stared at him, waiting for the punchline, waiting for any sign that this was all a joke.
And when it didn’t come, I let out a short laugh. “You’re serious,” I said in disbelief.
And he didn’t smile when responding. “Dead serious,” he replied.
The laugh died in my throat at that. “Dante… my mom is still missing. Luca’s people are still out there. You’re literally trying to figure out who's been selling us out. And you really want to throw a party?”
“It’s not a party,” he said quietly. “It’s politics. If I cancel it, we'll look weak, we'll lose our touch. To some, it would look like we’re hiding, like we’re scared, not to talk of the deals we'll lose,” he replied.
“It's all about your family?” I asked in shock.
“It has been hosted every year before I took over. It won't stop in my own reign,” he replied firmly.
I felt heat rush up my neck. “And what about me? You expect me to put on a dress and smile while my mom could be dead somewhere?”
His jaw tightened. “I expect you to stand beside me. You’re here, you’re with me. People need to see that,” he replied.
I stood up fast, knocking down the coffee cup as its content spilled over the table. “I’m not your accessory, Dante. I’m not going to smile and wave while everything is falling apart,” I spat out
He got to his feet too, and muttered firmly. “You don’t get to opt out. Not this time. Not when you’re under my roof and under my protection.”
I laughed again in his face. “Protection? You mean the same protection that let me get captured? Or the same protection that let them take my mother?”
His eyes darkened. “Watch it, Serena,” he warned.
“No,” I snapped. “You watch it. You think a fancy ball is going to fix anything? You think showing up in a tux with me on your arm is going to make people forget that your house is leaking? That your people are betraying you? That my mom is gone?”
He stepped closer. “This isn’t about fixing. It’s about remaining on top. You don’t understand how this world works yet,” he continued.
“I understand enough!” I shot back. “I understand that while my mom is missing, you’re worried about appearances. I understand that you’d rather play king than actually look for her.”
His face hardened. “You think I’m not looking? You think I haven’t got every man I trust out there right now?” He shot back.
“Then why are we talking about a ball?!” I shouted. “Why is that even on the table?”
“Because I don’t get to stop being the Don just because things are hard!” he shouted back. “I don’t get to hide, I don’t get to run. I have to show up every damn time!”
I stared at him, feeling more angry than I have in weeks. “And what about me? Do I have to show up too? Do I have to pretend everything’s fine while my world is falling apart?” I asked more calmly.
He didn’t answer right away, he just clenched his fists at his sides. “Yes,” he said finally. “You do.”
I felt something snap inside me. Then I turned away from him, walking away before pulling the door open sharply.
He didn't stop me or call me back, even when I stormed into the living room and ran up the stairs rather than the elevator.
I rushed into my room and slammed the door behind me, locking it immediately.
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.
I leaned against the door, breathing like I’d run a mile. Tears burned at the back of my eyes but I refused to let them fall.
I wasn’t crying over this, not over him. Not over a stupid ball.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I wiped my face and rushed after it.
Dante's POV
I stood in the living room for a long minute after she stormed off. The loud bang of what I believed to be her room door echoed in my chest.
But I had to keep going. I walked into the living, leaving the coffee behind as that argument was enough to wake everything in me.
I met Nico in the living room and he stood the moment he spotted me. “Everything alright, Don?”
“She doesn’t want to go to the ball,” I said flatly.
He raised a brow. “Can’t say I blame her. Her mom’s still missing, a party right now feels harsh on her,” he explained and I nearly flipped as he took her side.
“It’s not a party!” I snapped. “It’s tradition, it’s expected of me and I must deliver,” I said firmly.
“Even at her expense?” Nico asked carefully.
And I took a deep breath. “If I skip it, every family in the city thinks we’re weak. They start circling and we lose profits. You of all people should know the ball’s our greatest yearly revenue at once, we can’t afford not to host it,” I pressed.
Nico nodded his head carefully. “I understand, but she’s not wrong either. The timing's bad,” he continued.
I rubbed my face hard. “I know. But I don’t have a choice,” I deadpanned.
He studied me for a second. “You gonna talk to her at least?”
I raised a brow, wondering when Nico got so invested in things that concerned Serena.
“Let’s get to work,” I said rather than offering him a response.
He got the message and didn't push further.
I rushed up to my room, stopping at hers and staring at her door that showed the red sign on the key that signaled that it was locked.
I took a deep breath, refusing to try pleading with her.
I rather stepped into my room, cleaned up, changed clothes and moved to the office with Nico.
We spread files across the desk, going through names of guests, security rotations, entrance points, exit routes, and even the cameras.
Everything that could go wrong if someone slipped through had to be checked.
I tried to focus. But every few minutes, my eyes drifted to the ceiling, to the hallway, to the locked door.
She was right, the timing was shit, but so was everything else. And I still had to host the damn ball.
I looked at Nico. “We double the men at the perimeter. No one gets in without a full scan. And I want eyes on every single guest. If the mole’s still breathing, they’ll try something that night.”
Nico nodded. “Already on it.”
I leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling again.
Two weeks.
Two weeks until the whole city walked through my doors.
And I still didn’t know who to trust.