CHAPTER 3

"Fiore! There you are! I've been looking for you," she said, her tone light and familiar.

I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my chest when I saw Ornella walking toward me. She was wearing a long black gown with a low neckline. It was impossible not to notice that she wasn't wearing a bra, as her nipples were visible through the thin fabric of her dress.

I let out a sigh, knowing full well that no one else would care about her outfit. Most of the people here were liberated, so it was nothing unusual for Ornella to wear something like that.

I adjusted my posture and offered her a gentle smile, raising my hand to wave at her. Her smile widened as she took my hand and pulled me toward my father.

"Hi, Uncle. Fiorella and I are going to look around for a bit. I think my father will be coming in soon, and I'm sure he'll be looking for you, too. So we'll be going now. Bye!"

My eyes widened as she abruptly tugged me along. I couldn't react quickly enough and ended up following her lead. We walked toward the far end of the hallway where my father and his companions were standing and talking.

I closed my eyes momentarily as the sunlight outside caught me off guard. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow, and the sky was beginning to deepen in color. The wind outside was strong, signaling the approach of evening.

There were more people outside now, and the first thing that greeted us was a large rectangular swimming pool. Guests had scattered around the area, engrossed in their own conversations. I thought Ornella and I would mingle with the crowd, but I was wrong.

Instead, she pulled me toward what I assumed was the garden of the Velantari mansion.

Earlier, it was her holding my hand, but now it was my turn. I grabbed her hand to stop her from going further because it seemed like we weren't allowed to enter.

"Why?" Ornella asked, turning to face me.

We were already in the garden, and in the middle of it stood a large white gazebo. A cobblestone pathway guided us, making the garden feel more private compared to the bustling pool area, where food displays and gifts were laid out.

There was a tall hedge surrounding the garden, almost like a wall that seemed deliberately sculpted to look that way. The entrance we had come through was an archway covered in climbing vines and dotted with small flowers.

I raised my hand in front of her as if to signal her to stop. "We might not be allowed here. We'll get in trouble if the Don's maid sees us."

The worry on my face was unmistakable—I couldn't help but feel uneasy about entering this area without permission. But instead of sharing my concern, she simply laughed at what I said.

She took a deep breath, running her fingers through her loose hair. Holding my hand, she gently squeezed it, as if to reassure me that everything would be fine.

"Oh, come on, don't worry. They won't get mad. Besides, with how busy everyone is right now, do you think they have time to deal with us? Of course not. Tonight, everyone will be partying again with the Don's guests, so they won't even think about us," Ornella explained confidently.

"Don't worry, Fiorella. I promise no one will notice us here. Let's rest in the gazebo for a while; my feet are killing me from these heels," Ornella said.

I could only sigh in resignation. What else could I do? We were already in the garden.

"Fine. If that's what you want. Besides, I wouldn't have been doing anything there anyway except standing by my father's side if you hadn't shown up," I signed to her.

Ornella responded with a small smile before we both settled into the vacant seats inside the gazebo. As it was getting darker, with evening quickly approaching, she pressed a switch on the side of the gazebo. Fairy lights illuminated our spot, casting a soft, enchanting glow.

Soon after, other lights displayed across the plants and vibrant flowers flickered on, revealing their vivid beauty. It was stunning, almost magical to look at. If I ever had my own home, I thought, I'd want a garden like this. It seemed like the perfect spot to read a book.

The vibrant hues of the plants and the colorful flowers were a treat for the eyes. Besides reading, I could imagine this as an ideal place to paint.

But before any of that could happen, I'd need to find a job. Though realistically, that seemed impossible because my father would never allow it. He forbade me from working, saying that my future husband would provide for me someday.

According to him, my role was to be a housewife—to clean, take care of the house, and above all, serve my husband. Nothing more, nothing less.

Serve my future husband? I can't even cook. Sure, I can handle basic cleaning, but cooking? That's a stretch since my father doesn't even let me near the kitchen, even if I wanted to learn. It's nothing to be proud of, but that's just how they've treated me here.

The only thing he ever allowed me to pursue was my passion for painting, but even that seems to have faded away. I feel like I've lost it, and finding inspiration again feels nearly impossible. Every time I pick up a brush and stare at the blank canvas, I can't seem to start.

As a painter, it's devastating. What once brought me joy is now just... gone. There's nothing left of it, nothing left of me.

"What were they talking about before I got here?"

I blinked a few times and turned to Ornella when her voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

With a sigh, I placed my clutch bag on the glass table and signed in front of her.

"A capo from one of the Camorra clans is trying to convince my father to marry me off to his eldest son," I signed, my expression heavy with sadness.

Ornella's brows furrowed as she crossed her arms, looking displeased.

"Fabbri?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "I think I saw the capo of the Fabbri clan earlier, right before I found you," she said, rummaging through her black clutch purse.

My eyes widened when I saw what she pulled out—a miniature bottle of Ramazzotti Amaro. Without hesitation, she twisted it open and took a swig directly from the tiny bottle.

"Why did you bring that!?" I signed furiously, my gestures sharp and aggressive, but she only laughed at my reaction.

"Why not?" she said, chuckling. "I don't trust the drinks being served by the waiters here. For all I know, they might be spiked. And I'm not about to get high tonight—not until I'm home, at least."

I let out a deep sigh at what she said.

"Let's get back to our earlier topic," she said, taking another sip from her drink.

"It seems like the capo of the Fabbri clan was the one who made the offer, Ornella—" I signed in front of her, but I stopped mid-sentence when she suddenly spit out the drink she was sipping. Thankfully, she managed to turn away quickly, so none of it splashed on me.

My eyes widened at her reaction. "Ornella, are you crazy?!" I signed furiously in front of her.

"What the fuck!? I just realized that the son of the Fabbri capo is the one they want you to marry?!" Ornella exclaimed, almost unable to believe it. "Do you even know how ugly that guy is?! And from what I've heard, he abuses women, Fiorella! My father told me his first wife died because of his beatings, but they covered it up and made it look like a suicide!"

Her voice was low but intense. She wiped the corners of her mouth, where traces of her drink lingered, before downing the rest in one gulp. She drained the small bottle of Ramazzotti Amaro in one go.

I didn't know why, but her story hit me like a punch to the chest. I knew it wouldn't happen to me—my father wouldn't let it—but just the thought of it was terrifying.

I shook my head at her, reaching out to hold her hand.

"My father didn't agree to his offer, Ornella, so calm down, okay?" I signed in front of her, letting go of her hand and leaning back in my seat. "But do you think I feel relieved just because my father refused the Fabbri capo's proposal? Honestly, I'm more anxious, because it feels like my father has other plans for me."

Ornella's expression shifted from shock to worry as she prepared to respond.

"It's obvious that your father won't accept the offer from the Fabbri capo, Fiorella. But I really don't know how long you'll stay single. Your father definitely has many plans for you," she responded softly, and I could hear the concern in her voice.

I could only offer a bitter smile in response.

It's obvious, and I know that many of the other capos have almost offered whatever they have to get their eldest son married to me. There's nothing special about me, aside from the fact that I'm a Schiavone. What would my future husband gain from me?

I'm not the perfect woman. They won't get anything from a mute like me.

It feels like I'm in a place full of men who are eyeing me. In their eyes, I'm like an expensive item in an auction, hard to get and rare to find. Maybe that's why they're offering whatever they have to my father, hoping to win me over.

And my father, it seems like he enjoys seeing his own daughter being treated like a prize.

"Fiore?"

Even though they don't say it, I know they have no intention of telling me what it is. The way they look at me, their eyes—it's different. I know what it is, and I'm not comfortable with the way they look at me.

"Fiorella?"

It feels like they're undressing me in their minds, especially now in this cocktail dress I'm wearing. There's nothing I can do about it, and I can't request to change because the first time I did, I got slapped by my father for being too fussy.

"Fiorella Carla?"

I flinched when I felt a soft squeeze on my hand. Ornella was leaning forward in front of me, her eyes clearly showing her concern for me. I just smiled at her and gently stroked the hand she had placed on my arm.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "Do you want to rest? We can escape if you want. My father's driver is just outside the mansion, so we can leave. How about we go out for a while?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not possible. My father will definitely look for me, and if we take too long to get to him, he might—"

I couldn't finish what I was signaling when my phone rang. It was the notification sound for a text. I picked it up and opened it to read who had texted me.

Father:

Where are you, Fiorella?

I immediately stood up from my seat after reading my father's message. I quickly typed a reply on my phone's keyboard.

Fiorella:

I'm in the garden. Ornella and I are on our way to you.

I turned off my phone and quickly placed it back into my bag. I knew he was looking for me based on the tone of his message, so I knew exactly how to respond to him.

"Are we leaving now?" Ornella asked as she stood up from her seat.

I nodded before signaling in front of her. "Yes, my father is already looking for me. We need to hurry, he hates being kept waiting."

"Okay, let's go."

We both walked out of the garden, holding hands so we wouldn't get lost or separated, especially since there were more people in the pool area now.

Since it was already night, some colorful lights were on. The Don of Cosa Nostra was standing by the table where the drinks and food were arranged. He was talking to some other men and seemed busy. Meanwhile, some people were already swimming in the pool area.

We were about to enter the hallway inside the Velantari mansion when suddenly, someone bumped into me. My eyes widened in shock at what happened. It felt like I was thrown off balance by the force of the unknown man who collided with me. I fell to the floor and felt Ornella grab my arm in surprise.

"Oh my god, Fiorella!"

SHANGPU