Chap: 1 Part two

The door at the end of the dining hall opened and two voices spilled in ahead of their owners. Luca and Marco, Cedric’s boys. The cousins had been raised on their father’s envy and it showed.

Luca swept in first, tan from too many yacht trips, gold cufflinks winking under the chandelier. He clapped Enzo on the shoulder on his way by, smelling of expensive cologne and cigarettes. “Damian! Our star. Heard you’re finally taking one for the team.”

Behind him, Marco slipped in like a shadow. Darker hair, thinner build, a smile that didn’t touch his eyes. He carried a phone he never put down, fingers scrolling even as he sat. If Luca was a blunt knife, Marco was a stiletto.

“Cousins,” I acknowledged, my tone giving nothing away.

Luca grinned, flashing too white teeth. “We were just telling Father how brilliant this match is. Moretti money, Moretti contacts… maybe you’ll let us help with the negotiations, eh?”

Marco’s gaze flicked up from his phone. “Or security. We could oversee that. Learn from you.”

My father’s head lifted slowly. “You’ll do what you’re told,” he said, his voice like a closing door.

Cedric gave a low chuckle, swirling his wine. “Boys will be boys, Vincenzo. They’re eager.”

“Eagerness without discipline is chaos,” my father replied, carving another slice of lamb. “And chaos has no place at my table.”

The cousins shifted uncomfortably. Enzo smirked into his glass; Valeria kept her eyes on her plate, though the corner of her mouth twitched.

Luca recovered first. “Of course, Uncle. We only meant”

“You meant to benefit from work you haven’t done,” Vincenzo cut in, not looking at him. “Damian has earned his seat. You have not.”

I caught the flicker of anger that passed over Cedric’s face before he smoothed it away. He raised his glass instead, smiling. “To family,” he said. “May it always stay strong.”

We all lifted our glasses. The crystal chimed, a brittle sound.

Under the table, Enzo nudged my leg. “Want me to throw them out for you later?” he murmured.

“Not yet,” I said, keeping my voice low. “Let them talk. The more they talk, the more I know.”

Across from us, Valeria glanced up at me again, eyes like a secret warning. She didn’t trust our cousins either.

Dinner continued in its slow, formal rhythm, but a second current moved beneath the tablecloth ambition, jealousy, loyalty, love all the things that could make or break a family like ours.

And in the centre of it all sat me, the heir. The one they either wanted to follow or to watch fall.

Dinner ended with the usual ritual my father pushing back from the table first, the rest of us rising a beat later. No one left before Vincenzo Romano; that was rule number one.

Cedric stood as well, straightening his tie. “Good evening, Vincenzo. Boys.” His tone was smooth, but his eyes were already on me. “Damian, my sons look up to you. Perhaps you might let them… Shadow you, after this engagement?”

I smiled just enough to be polite. “Shadow me and you’ll learn nothing but patience.”

He chuckled, but his knuckles whitened on the back of his chair before he released it. “Patience can be useful. But so can speed. You’ll see.”

I held his gaze until he dropped it. “Goodnight, Uncle.”

When they were gone, the house breathed again. Valeria slipped her arm through mine as we walked out of the dining hall. Enzo trailed behind, unbuttoning his collar like he couldn’t stand the starch another second.

“They’re parasites,” Valeria murmured, her head tilted toward mine. “You know that.”

“I know.”

“You should have let me throw my wine at Luca,” Enzo said. “Would’ve saved us all time.”

“Next time,” I said, but a corner of my mouth curved. “We have enough enemies without starting a war inside the dining room.”

Enzo laughed under his breath. “You’re too calm. It’s unnatural.”

“That’s why I’m still alive,” I said.

We reached my study dark wood, heavy curtains, the smell of leather and cigar smoke. A room built to hold secrets. Valeria closed the door softly behind us and leaned against it, eyes sharp, voice low.

“Father’s pushing you into this marriage because he doesn’t want you free.”

“I’m aware.”

“Then why agree?” she asked. “You could say no.”

Enzo perched on the edge of my desk, swinging one leg, his grin gone now. “We’d back you. Both of us.”

Their loyalty hit me in a place nothing else did. Out there, I was the weapon. In here, I was just their brother. I rubbed a hand over my jaw, thinking of the Morettis of Angelo’s fiery reputation, of the CEO daughter he was dangling like bait. Elena Moretti. She wasn’t porcelain, from what I’d heard. She fought. She built things.

“This isn’t about saying no,” I said finally. “It’s about making sure when I say yes, it’s on my terms.”

Valeria studied me for a long beat, then nodded once. “Just don’t let Cedric near your back.”

“I won’t,” I said.

Enzo hopped off the desk and stretched. “So, what’s she like? This Moretti girl. Do we hate her?”

“I don’t know yet.” I looked past them, out the window, at the city bleeding gold under the streetlights. “But I’ll find out soon enough.”

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