Dirty little secret

Dirty little secret
Alrigo King POV 

The entire hall seemed to glow with a happiness I couldn't bring myself to feel.

“My son, I can't tell you how happy I am,” Mom gushed, squeezing my hands affectionately. “Finally. Finally, you're making the right decision. I knew you'd come to your senses eventually.”

Around us, the atmosphere had transformed completely. All the family members were smiling, exchanging pleased glances and murmuring congratulations as though they had just witnessed the restoration of something sacred. 

My mother laughed softly, her fingers tightening around mine. “You and Julia were always meant to be together. This marriage will bring stability back to the family, and after everything that happened, I think we all deserve some happiness.”

A few of them even raised their glasses, celebrating the announcement as if the future of our entire family had suddenly fallen perfectly back into place.

How pathetic. 

“I've had enough of this,” I said quietly, pulling my hands from my mother's grasp.

Her smile faltered for only a second. “Already? You should stay. We're celebrating you.”

“I have something to take care of, mom. Please carry on.” 

Before she could protest, I turned and walked away from the gathering, ignoring the curious glances following my back as I crossed the hall.

I had barely made it halfway down the corridor when the familiar click of heels echoed behind me.

“Alrigo, wait!”

I stopped but didn't turn around immediately. I already knew who it was.

Julia caught up to me, her footsteps quickening until she was walking beside me. 

I glanced at her briefly and found that same radiant smile still on her face, as though the announcement had erased every problem that had existed between us.

“You're really doing it,” she said, almost breathlessly. “You're actually bringing our engagement back. You don't know how happy I'm right now.” 

​"Is that so?" I murmured quietly.

“Yes, Alrigo. I…” She moved closer, instinctively reaching for my arm. I stepped away before her fingers could touch me giving her a disgusted look.

The smile on her face faltered for a second but she regained herself, smoothing the surprise from her features as though nothing had happened. 

“I was only going to congratulate you properly,” she said sweetly. “I'm really happy you finally realized the truth and made the right choice. I knew you would eventually.”

I said nothing.

She continued as though my coldness hadn't affected her at all. “We should start arranging everything immediately. There is so much to do. The wedding venue, the guest list, the invitations…” Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “We should choose a date too. The sooner, the better.”

“I won't be free for the next six months.” I said flatly.  

​Julia blinked, her smile still remaining, but confusion flickered behind her eyes. “Six months? We don't need to wait that long. I-I can arrange everything myself, Alrigo. I'll take care of the preparations myself so you don't have to worry about anything, let's just have the wedding sooner.”

Something inside me snapped.

​"I think you fail to understand ground reality, Julia," My voice dropped into a low, lethal register that sliced through her delicate act.

​"My best friend was murdered," I growled, my jaw clenching so hard a muscle pulsed violently beneath my skin. "Dominic is dead, and you expect me to jump straight into a celebration as if nothing happened? As if his blood isn't still wet on the floor?”

“I didn't mean—”

“No.” I cut her off, my gaze turning colder. “You people seem to have forgotten everything…but I haven't.”

​"I am not letting his murder go," I hissed, my voice dropping into a quiet, lethal viciousness. “I am going to dig out every single rat involved in his death. Every mastermind, every accomplice, every coward hiding behind the scenes. I will unearth the entire truth, Julia, no matter where it leads or who it destroys.”

For the briefest fraction of a second, Julia's expression flickered but then her smile returned.

​"Right... of course," she murmured, her tone shifting seamlessly into something smoothly supportive. There wasn't a tremor in her voice. Not a flicker of panic crossed her face.
“I understand, Alrigo. Dominic deserves justice. Don't have to worry about Ivery. I'll take care of her. I can have my people handle her quiet removal so you aren't weighed down by the past.”

“You won't touch her.”

My voice remained perfectly calm, but the warning beneath it was unmistakable.

Julia's smile faltered for the briefest moment. “What..?”

​"I handle my own matters," I whispered, my voice laced with lethal edge, "If you so much as step a single foot toward that cellar, or send one of your rats near her, I will personally ensure you never walk into a room again. Is that clear, Julia?”

For the first time, anger flickered across her carefully composed features. She folded her arms, the sweetness in her expression beginning to crack.

“I'm your fiancée, Alrigo,” she said, her voice tight with restrained anger. “And you're threatening me over that mere girl? A traitor who dragged your best friend through the dirt?! Don't tell me you intend to keep her as your mistress?" she spat, the disgust dripping thick from every word. 

"Are you really planning to parade me around as your wife while keeping that rat locked downstairs to satisfy yourself when you're bored?”

A low, dark laugh cracked from my throat, cold and utterly devoid of humor.

​"Why are you so surprised, Julia?" I asked, looking down my nose at her outraged face. "Don't you already know what kind of family I come from? I'm simply carrying on my father's noble tradition. He had his little side interests, and so will I. Why…don't you like it?”

Julia's jaw tightened as she glared at me. 

Before she could spit out another word, I stepped closer, my imposing frame completely blocking the light behind her as I leaned in.

“Guess what, Juila..." I whispered, my voice dropping low, "I don't give a single fuck whether you like it or not. And moreover, why are you acting so high and mighty when you are no different?”

​Julia went rigid, her breath catching in her throat as I leaned back just enough to watch her eyes.

A mocking smirk touched my lips, sharp enough to bleed. "When you spent last Thursday night in a suite at the Grand Regency with your own little paramour while pretending to mourn our broken engagement? I know everything about your dirty little secret, your love life, Julia," I sneered at her, “Drop the act will you.” 

Every drop of color drained from Julia's face, leaving her completely pale as her composure finally shattered into sheer, silent terror.

“So you had me followed.” She hissed, her eyes piercing through me. 

She didn't bow her head or beg for forgiveness, a woman like Julia was far too arrogant to ever truly bend or admit a mistake. 

“So what? You walked away from me first. You always did. You chose another girl, cancelled our engagement, and made it perfectly clear that I was no longer the woman you wanted. I had every right to live my own life.”

I just stared at her not saying anything. 

​"Moreover it was simply a distraction while we were separated," she said smoothly, her tone shifting into a calculated, flattering purr, "It meant nothing, Alrigo. A woman in my position has needs, just as you do. But once we are married, I will be completely committed to you and this family. My focus will be entirely on you and the power we build together. You know I am the only woman capable of standing by your side as a true Don's wife.”

A cold, mocking smirk touched my lips. "Don't worry, Julia, I'll end mine too…after we're married, of course, I'm a man with morals of course. Until then, you can continue doing whatever you want, and I'll do the same. There's no reason for either of us to pretend we're already husband and wife.”

Julia’s eyes twitched, leaving behind a cold, bitter stillness as her jaw locked in silent frustration.

I chuckled softly, a low, cruel sound that carried no warmth at all. ​"What's with that look? Don't tell me you actually thought our marriage was born out of love?”

“Come on, Julia. You know better than anyone what this is. You want the power that comes with being my wife, and I want the stability this alliance gives me. That's enough. We don't need love to make a marriage like ours work, now do we?”

I stared right through her angry eyes. “Stay in your lane, Julia. Don't meddle in my affairs, and especially don't involve yourself with Ivery, it won't end good.”

I didn't wait for her response. I turned and walked away, leaving her standing alone in the corridor.

I had barely stepped outside when Valentin fell into step behind me, following me towards the car. 

“Are you really going to marry Julia?”

I turned my head toward him. “What do you think?”

Valentin fell silent.

I slowly turned toward the mansion, my eyes narrowing as I stared at the illuminated windows, at the people inside celebrating, convinced that everything had finally returned to the way they wanted it.

A lethal glare settled across my face.