The dining hall was cavernous, lit by the warm flickering glow of a chandelier that hung like a jeweled crown above the long mahogany table. Accented with gold walls and tall mirrors reflected the opulence, but none of it soothed the storm building in my chest.
I stood at the entrance for a moment too long, my heels clicking against the marble as i forced myself forward to the table, It was set for two.
Vincenzo sat at the far end, dressed spotless in his three-piece suit.His hair as dark as midnight. His posture was relaxed, but the intensity in his cold blue eyes could freeze you with one look. It pinned me in place, dragging me forward, as if daring me to misstep.
"You're late," he said calmly.
"My apologies," I replied,sliding into my seat with forced grace.
A server appeared shortly after I sat down, pouring wine into my glass with practiced precision. I wrapped my fingers around the stem but didn't take a sip.
The silence in the room stretched causing a thick and suffocating tension between us. Vincenzo watched me, his eyes tracking every slight movement of my throat as I finally took a slip, savouring the rich taste of the wine down to my stomach, I pretended not to notice him staring.
"Are you always this quiet during meals?" Vincenzo asked finally, his voice slicing through the heavy air.
I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "Is an interrogation part of the five course meal, or am I just lucky tonight?"
A ghost smirk curved on his lips, but his eyes remained as fixed and cold as a winter sea.
The server returned, placing the first course in before us. I stared at the delicate arrangement on my plate. It looked exquisite but my appetite had completely vanished.
"You haven't asked why I rushed the contract," he said, idly swirling the wine in his glass.
I held his gaze steadily. "You don't strike me as the type who waits for permission,Mr.Ruggiero.. what ask 'why' when the answer is always because you wanted to? "
"You're not wrong," Vincenzo replied,his voice so calm that it made me shiver.
We ate in uneasy quiet, words used more for fencing than connection. Each sentence felt like a test, each glance a veiled threat or challenge. Still, I couldn't ignore the magnetic pull I felt in his presence like a flame too close to my skin.
Just as the meal was ending, the heavy doors to the hall swung open. A casual voice echoed through the room.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything serious."
I turned sharply,my breath catching in my throat.
'Matteo?!'
He strode in like he belonged there, radiating confidence in every step. Dressed in a fitted navy shirt with rolled-up sleeves and slacks that clung too perfectly, he looked more like a charming guest than an intruder.
'What is he doing here?....this is Vincenzo's home, isn't it?'
I looked over to Vincenzo, expecting anger but he didn't look surprised at all.
"You..." I started, my brow furrowing in confusion.
Matteo flashed that familiar, boyish grin. "Miss me already, Jennie?"
'Missed my foot!'
I almost rolled my eyes, but the dread in my stomach stopped me. Vincenzo leaned back in his chair, watching the scene unfold quiely, his expression seemed amused about something. I tried to connect the dots, they led to a place where I didn't want to go.
"You two are—"
"Cousin," Matteo confirmed easily, walking to the sideboard and poured himself a drink like it was his own home, because apparently...it was.
My grip tightened around the edge of the table until my knuckles turned white. I had let my guard down around Matteo,not entirely but enough for him to be around into my space.
Had he known the whole time?, Had this been a setup from the start?
Vincenzo's eyes never left me, I couldn't tell if he was testing me, or mocking me or something more dangerous.
"You look pale," Matteo noted, a flash of geniue concern flashing crossing his features.
I forced a breath. "I-I'm fine. Just...."
"Take your time to fill it in," Vincenzo drawled, lifting his glass in a mock toast.
I didn't drink because at that, I felt my throat too tight to swallow. Matteo settled into a chair across from me, looking entirely too comfortable.
"Did she tell you how we met?" he asked Vincenzo with a playful edge.
Vincenzo didn't answer. He just kept his eyes on me, reading the panic I had been trying so hard to hide.
I pushed my chair back, causing the legs screeching on the marble floor softly. "Excuse me..Thank you for dinner," I said, my voice sounding a bit brittle and thin " I think I'm getting tired."
"Running already?" Vincenzo asked, tilting his head slightly.
"Rest isn't running." I snapped.
Without another word, I turned and walked out, keeping my back straight and my steps careful despite the chaos boiling inside me. The second I reached my room, I slammed the door shut and pressed my back against it, gasping for air.
I felt like a marionette which Vincenzo was the one holding all the strings and I hate it so much, I hate him!. The worst part wasn't the control but the fact that I no longer knew who was truly playing the game and who was just the piece of the game.