Ginevra
“What kind of party?” I ask her, looking up at her intrigued.
“The Gold Point Finance Holding’s party.”
She flashes me a big smile as I stare at her incredulously.
“You know that I’m not admitted there, right?”
Gold Point Finance Holding is one of the biggest finance companies you could find in this booming city. If there is something screaming big business to finance, you can bet on their involvement.
My grandfather once had an immense dispute over the financing of an enormous building site of ours with the group’s CEO, and it didn’t go well for the latter. The entire argument started because of my grandfather’s arch-rival, the head of the Capoletti family, getting involved as other party in the construction deal. As it totally went overboard, it nearly risked the entire finance group falling apart. The moral of the story, it didn’t. And the now most awaited party of the year is tabu for mine as well as the Capoletti-family.
Not that I would care about the jerks.
My family is at war with their rival since forever. The quarrel began long ago, even before I was born. I never talked to even one member of the Capoletti family and complying with my family’s wishes and their rules, I never had the desire to and surely never will.
I know that my brother is about to enter a huge deal with them, and my family has been freaking out because of it for days already. This will mean a lot of long days with grumpy men complaining about the barbaric Capolettis interfering with their success. I guess that each family would have loved to get to manage the billion-worth building site on their own, but apparently, that wouldn’t have been doable.
“Who cares?! My father got tickets and I’ll bring you as a guest. Fuck ’em. You’ll be my wonderful companion, Rachel Silverstar.”
I laugh out loud at her plan.
“I love this, but no. I would be dead if it would ever get out.”
Nina just shrugs her shoulders, taking another chip out of the bag.
“You still have a few days to think about this. Otherwise, I’ll take Hissy, I hope you will be happy.”
I laugh again. Hissy is the spoiled daughter of one of our neighbors. That is a pet name, but I can’t remember her real name. She has been around us since forever and even went to the same schools as us. We were never really thrilled about having her around, but our parents and hers are good friends, so we always had to take her everywhere. Apparently, her mother had already told her that Hissy would be happy to join the party too.
“I’m sure you two will have a blast.” I say chuckling and fliping open another folder.
Nina pouts as she flicks her copper-blond hair over her shoulder.
“Of course, we will! Now let’s find you a husband.”
***
It takes me a few breakdowns to finally chose the best bachelor of the pile. A 32-year-old son of a bankers’ family with blond hair and blue eyes. What sounds like a prince charming doesn’t fit the description at all. Even if the high cheekbones give him an aristocratic hint, his skin is pale and his lips practically non-existent. His family is extremely wealthy, lives in a big mansion and has one or two vacation homes distributed all over the world.
I could see myself sacrificing my romantic dreams for a sunbath in Monaco.
I wonder what his red flag is. He isn’t exactly Mister Universe but with all those assets and wealth, I can imagine him being surrounded by marriage-willing women. There’s nothing I could get out of the profile, that was obviously redacted by his mother. But who am I to judge, considering the result I got, I’m clearly a big walking red flag myself.
Before I present my choice to my mother, I decide to show him to my brother first. My heart beating in my throat risks suffocating me before I can even knock on his office door. Inviting me in with a yes, muffled by the door, he doesn’t even look up as I walk into his office.
“Do you have a minute for me, Federico?”
He looks up, staring at me worriedly over his glasses.
“You just used my full name? How bad is it?”
I wrinkle my nose as I sit down, stretching out the file at him. Getting up, he bends over his desk to snatch it out of my hand.
“What’s this?”
“My future husband!”
I stare at the carpet, pursing my lips. The flap of the opening file is followed by a long whistle, gaining back my attention.
“What?”
He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.
“Nothing. I know him.”
“You do?”
I scoop at the board of the chair I’m sitting in as he nods.
“Yeah, the private bank his family owns is often involved when there is something to finance in regard to our building sites.”
He throws the file on the other end of his desk and adds with a grin.
“Dad is going to love him.”
***
Taking a deep breath, I walk into the sitting room where my mother and grandmother are drinking coffee while going through designs for the upcoming collection. In the early years of my grandfather becoming more successful, my grandmother got a little boutique as a gift from him. It should keep her occupied and reduce her complaints about him working non-stop.
Ah, Love.
She soon started designing and sewing designer bags and the little hobby took off. Now she is still designing and does that with the help of my mother, but the sewing has long since been outsourced. As they spot the file in my hand all eyes are on me. Even their minions appear curious to see who I chose. My grandmother just holds out her hand and I give her the file biting my tongue. A snarky comment would be really bad right now. She opens the file and smiles as she opens it.
“Oh, what a nice choice.”
She passes the file to my mother who practically squeals.
“What a handsome man.”
Well.
“I will contact the agency right away.”
I flash her a small smile as she scurries out to organize my marriage proposal.
How romantic.
Ruggerio “What do you think about this one?”I look over to my sister’s phone while eating and shrug my shoulders.“This one is nice too!”She groans as I return to my plate.“I know thaaat! But which one is nicer?”“Which one do you like more?”She swipes back a few pictures before she beams up at me.“This one, but in pink.”“Pink? I’m not putting that order through.”She gasps, about to throw a tantrum.“But daddy said you would!”I chuckle as my mother walks through our dining room with flowers in her arms. She must have freshly cut them in the garden.“Elisabetta, let your brother eat in peace!”She disappears out of the room still cursing in Italian about how my sister would end up giving me a bad stomach by stressing me out while eating. Elisabetta groans again and gets out of her chair pouting.“I’ll call Alfredo tonight. Get you your pink Urus.”My heart bleeds at the sole thought of it but is quickly mended as she hugs me like the whirlwind she is.“Thank you, thank you, th
Ginevra I want to throw up on the table badly as Tommaso fake laughs at my father’s joke. At least he is diplomatic. I’m sitting in a noble restaurant between my father and my mother and trying not to look sick at this grotesque situation. Tommaso is indeed a tall and slender man with the smallest lips I’ve ever seen. Labbra da traditore, as Nina would say. Like me, he must have been pressed into wearing something screaming wealth and so he is wearing a light blue tailored suit with a dark blue satin tie and is sitting between his parents. I was convinced all would be going well but as I’m sitting in front of him trying to make casual conversation my heart sinks more and more. My pondering on the question of what would be wrong with him, that even with all that money, he would need an agency to be married to someone, gets even worse as I want to gag at his honied voice. Well, just like me… I push down the urge to sigh deeply, not wanting to be punished by my mother as soon as
Ruggerio Walking through the building site of the skyscraper our client is planning in this million-strong metropolis, I barely follow the conversation he is having with us about the upcoming steps to take. I’m glad that Frank is managing it perfectly as I stand next to the little group as if it’s how it was supposed to be. Thanks God for my poker face. As I check my watch for the umpteenth time, Frank finds a moment of distraction to nudge me. He lifts his helmet, passing his hand through his sand-blond hair before putting it back on. “Just go, I can close it up.” I frown but he insists, “Just strip it off like a band-aid. Go pick up the asshole and get back. Let’s watch the game tonight and all will be fine again.” “Thank you, Bro!” I take my leave, bid my goodbyes to the client and his entourage, and rush out of the building. Tearing the helmet off my head, I throw it to the guard at the exit of the site. “Thanks, Paul.” *** Steering into the traffic, I have the boxes b
Ginevra Standing in my Nana’s boutique, I’m talking to a customer while Nina is cashing in another. The little ding at the door announces the entrance of a new costumer and I recognize a regular. She has her light brown hair tied in an elegant ponytail and is wearing a yellow summer dress. The big loop earrings swing as she spots me with a big smile. My interest gets captured by the gorgeous hulk getting in after her. His broad shoulders and muscular body contrast with her petite frame. His clenched jaw outlines his strong jawline and I’m nearly saddened by the fact that sunglasses are hiding his eyes. Good heavens. I wave at her to greet her, and to also rip me out of my trance. I finish talking with the lady in front of me and as she decides on a bag, I invite her to the counter to pay. As I’m packaging the designer bag with tissue paper, Nina scoffs next to me. I follow her gaze to the newly arrived couple and get back to tie a bow out of a colorful ribbon. I thank the elderly w
Ruggerio “Aaaaaah, and this one. Look at this.” Frank holds up his phone to me, showing me a tanned beauty posing in a bikini. “Nice.” “Looks like there will be a lot of hot babes at the party.” I hum approvingly as he shows me another picture of a blonde posing in front of the Eiffel Tower in a mini dress. As every year the young and rich are posing about getting their ticket on social media. And like every year, Frank and I go through the posts to see if we would spot the hottest ones in their masks. Normally, I would be on fire to see the girls, but something has been bothering me since I got out of that demoniac shop with my sister. “Can you believe she has been doing this for years?” Frank groans, repositioning himself in his seat. “She walks around with their family crest!” “You have to let it gooooo.” He sighs desperately and shows me yet another picture. “Concentrate on this.” “I don’t do brunettes.” Chuckling, he swipes to another picture of a blonde and grins.
Ruggerio As the bartender delivers our drinks, I thank him and hand her the glass of champagne. She thanks me with a crooked smile, and I take a deep breath lifting my gaze. Just as I let my eyes roam over the entrances, I see two women walking in. They halt at the top of the remaining steps after having passed the large double doors and seem to assess which bar they want to attack first. The one on the right captures my attention immediately. Do I know her? She is wearing a lilac dress that flows down her body, kissing her curves and putting some nice boobs on display. No, I surely would remember those. The color of the dress matches her mask, like everybody else’s does. It’s quite common actually. Hers, on the other hand, has her looking regally. She has her hair falling on her shoulders like a black silky waterfall. I don’t do dark haired. I’m still staring as my thought has me tearing back to reality. I look back to my date as her voice and the loud music which faded mom
Ginevra The beat gets under my skin, vibrating through me. The hall I just walked into as Rachel Silverstone is packed. The music pumps through the room, covering every noise that this huge number of people would naturally make. As Nina yells at me, I just understand enough to know that she wants to go to the bar. Having joked to her about how this were going to be my last days of freedom as I was going to be engaged soon to a man I didn’t love, I’m surprised to feel the tension slipping off me with every ticking second, instead of having anxiety crippling me further. The hall can be accessed by several side doors that follow long stairs with white balustrades. The large crystal doors open to a little platform, with a short staircase leading to the immense hall flooring which is lined with reflective black tiles. At two sides at the end of the high and enormous hall, where there is no opening to a stairway, there is a crystal bar, with an all-transparent counter and vested decorat
Ginevra Feeling the need of another cigarette, I shake the cigarette package in front of me and groan. “It’s empty, love, do you have another one?” “No, that was my last, but our angel could surely get us a new one.” My gorgeous prince looks at her with a grin. “Your angel?” “Yeah. We have a nice banquet lady serving us drinks and snacks.” I laugh as she giggles, “I’m never going to leave that place.” Mr. Happy-smile gasps dramatically, “Nobody served us. How outrageous.” “Sorry, but she apparently had her hands full.” Nina shakes her drink again with a smile, just in time as the nice lady brings us new drinks. “Thank you, Ambeeer!” We shout in unison as she puts down our drinks and the men laugh. “You’re welcome, Ladies.” Nina sighs deeply as she takes a sip from her glass. “Oh, how I love Amber.” She jerks up, still carefully not to have her legs fall off Mr. Happy-Smile’s lap. “Sorry, babe! I forgot to ask for cigarettes.” I'm about to wave my hand dismissively