“I wanted to ask about your position on hospitality,” I said, my voice casual. “Greeks pride themselves on it, don’t we?”
“Filoxenia,” Antonis nodded solemnly, chest puffing with pride. “Sacred since the days of the Gods. My home is always open to guests, and their comfort is my highest priority. The Tsolakidis name is synonymous with generosity.”
“And how would you feel,” I continued, holding his gaze, “if you learned someone had violated that tradition? Had abandoned a foreign visitor on a deserted road in the middle of the night without transportation or means of communication?”
Confusion gave way to indignation on the older man’s face. “I would consider it a disgrace,” he declared firmly. “Unworthy of any true Greek. Who would do such a thing?”
My eyes shifted to Katalina, whose perfect smile had frozen in place. “Perhaps you should ask your daughter.”
The temperature in our small circle seemed to drop by ten degrees. Katalina’s hand flew to her throat.
“What are you implying?” Antonis’s voice had lost its jovial tone.
“Santo,” my father interjected, his warning clear. “This is hardly the venue—“
“I’m not implying anything,” I cut in. “I’m stating facts. Katalina abandoned her friend, Tia Massey, on Kastraki. At night. Alone.”
Antonis turned to his daughter, eyebrows drawing together. “Your friend who visited this summer? You told me she left with friends weeks ago.”
“Baba,” Katalina said, tears gathering perfectly in her eyes. “Tia attacked me that night. She became hysterical when she learned Santo and I have history.”
My jaw clenched so hard, my molars ground. “That’s completely untrue.”
Antonis placed a protective arm around his daughter. “You never mentioned this, Kata.”
“I was embarrassed,” she said, lowering her eyes. “I didn’t want to tell you I’d brought such an unstable person into our home.When I asked her to get out of the car and calm down, she refused to get back in. She said she’d rather walk than be in the same car with me.” Her voice dropped dramatically. “I should have insisted, but she was so aggressive... I was afraid.”
The audacity of her lies left me momentarily speechless. I stared at her, wondering how I’d ever been blind to this level of manipulation.
“That’s not what happened,” I said. “Tia would never—”
The dinner chime rang, interrupted me. At that exact moment, Tia appeared in the doorway of the ballroom.
She was breathtaking in a midnight blue gown and diamond accessories. Her hair was arranged in an elegant updo.
“Tia,” I said, extending my hand toward her, ignoring Katalina completely. “Join me for dinner?”
Tia hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with being the center of attention, but then straightened her shoulders and moved forward. She placed her hand in mine.
“Of course,” she replied with a smile.
As I led her toward the dining room, Katalina’s voice rang out again. “What are you doing here?” she hissed, moving towards us. “You’re supposed to be in America!”
“Tia is employed by my family,” I said firmly, positioning myself between them. The crowd parted, creating a stage for our confrontation.
“As what? A whore?” Her voice rose, echoing through the hushed room. “Because that’s all she’s good for.” She jabbed a finger toward Tia. “That’s it, huh? You’ve found a way to pay your way on your back?”
Gasps rippled through the crowd. A woman’s wine glass slipped from her fingers, shattering on the marble floor.
“Katalina Tsolakidis!” Theia Idira’s voice cut through the shocked silence.
She stepped forward from among the guests, her elegant figure commanding immediate attention. “That is quite enough. In all my years, I have never heard such disgraceful language from a young lady.”
Katalina ignored my theia completely, her attention fixed solely on Tia. She advanced several steps, her heels clicking against the marble. I shifted my weight, positioning myself fully before Tia.
“How long have you been planning this?” Katalina’s voice had dropped. “How long have you been plotting to take Santo away from me? You were always after him, weren’t you?”
“Sure, Kat,” Tia responded, her voice flatter than I’d ever heard it. “I booked this trip and flew all the way here to steal him from your clutches.”
