“Aren’t you lucky?” I sarcastically remarked.
“Although the boss is picky and very particular, working up here isn’t as hard as taking the stairs. It’s not a difficult endeavor.”
“Ksenia said he pays well. That’s enough to make it a lot less difficult.”
“No, it’s not about the money,” she clarified. “Sir Viktor is not so hard to work for. I can’t speak for his men, though. They see more of his powerful side.”
“You know what? I’m done discussing your boss,” I revealed, relaxing into the sofa.
“You’re clearly not used to being around mafia people,” she started, an uncertain look crossing her face. “There is a limit to what the men are allowed to disclose in the kitchen or around us, but we know the marriage wasn’t planned.”
“Right,” I muttered.
“But you can be happy here. I have a strong intuition that never misleads me,” she revealed.
“That might have been possible if I were another girl. I’m the wrongest match for your boss,” I remarked.
Her understanding smile told me she wasn’t quite convinced. But she dropped the subject, and that was all that mattered.
I was alone again after Mina carried both trays out of the room. Until Viktor arrived in the middle of the night and headed straight into the bathroom, thankfully making it easy for me to return to my sought-after sleep.
I didn’t know there would be a reception until Viktor told me on Sunday morning.
“It’ll be more of a dinner affair. I’ll be here by 6 to pick you up. Your dress will be delivered before then,” he’d informed before stepping out of the room.
The dress, accompanied by a different makeup artist, arrived a few minutes before 4. By the time Viktor got back, I was ready and sitting on the dresser chair with my elbows on the dresser.
“We leave in fifteen minutes,” he simply disclosed as he went over to the bathroom.
Is it my mind, or did his eyes linger on my reflection just a bit too long?
Whatever. I’d rather not notice disturbing things like that.
I instinctively stood when he resurfaced, all dressed.
His navy blue tie matched my shimmery, silk dress. The black detachable lace sleeves matched his suit, and I almost asked if he intentionally matched our outfits. The halter neck of my dress made my neck look longer and made my face more prominent. I loved how effortless the makeup was; my lips were covered in transparent lip gloss while my eyes were slightly highlighted with bluish-black eyeshadow.
He didn’t spare me a glance as he walked past the dresser, and I followed him out the door, killing every idea of him admiring me.
Why does that make me feel uneasy?
The reception was a nightmare. It was an event from hell that served no purpose except for illuminating the hopelessness of my situation.
What was I expecting from a wedding reception on Sunday when Saturdays existed, anyway?
Not until I was ascending the stairs did I realize that I had been stomping off on my own, and Viktor wasn’t behind or in front of me. However, my consideration of another escape attempt was squashed as quickly as it came when two of his men appeared on the landing as I approached.
Point taken.
I was heavier than I felt when Viktor spun the sudden marriage plan on me as I entered the bedroom and rested my back against the door. I had thought I hated the few parties I’d accompanied my dad to, where his so-called allies didn’t look or sound a tad trustworthy. But this reception was several timesworse. Not only did virtually every single person look suspicious, but the air in the hall felt stifling with dangerous energy.
Okay, I met Isabella. That’s the bright side.
I took my heels off and walked slowly towards the bed, sitting at the edge.
Isabella’s breezy personality and sure confidence put her in the category of the type of girls to whom I was invisible in college. So, it was surprising to hear her ask question after question about me, like someone who had just met a new friend and was interested in knowing them better. My lips curved in a small smile as I remembered when she told Viktor she liked me.
But my smile vanished at the thought of the red-haired lady who walked up to me to ask me if I thought I could handle a powerful leader like Viktor and strolled off in her undersized sequined dress before I could utter a word.
