"Thank you, Ginerva."
She nods and disappears back to the kitchen. The woman's been with our family since before my parents died. She knows when we need privacy.
I wait until everyone has served themselves before speaking. "Easton proposed a business arrangement for Queens."
"The catch," I continue, swirling thered wine in my glass, "is that he wants to solidify the arrangement with marriage."
Lucrezia freezes, fork halfway to her mouth. "What, like an actual arranged marriage?"
I take a long drink of my wine, letting the bold flavor coat my tongue. "He proposed I marry his daughter, Zoe. His ward, actually."
"You can't be serious," Enzo says, his expression darkening. "Tell me you laughed in his face."
"I declined." The wine glass makes a soft thud as I set it down. "Firmly."
Alessio stabs a piece of meat. "It's a transparent attempt to infiltrate our operation. Get someone on the inside."
Lucrezia's eyes widen. "Wait, you actually considered it?"
"No," I answer sharply. "I didn't consider it for a fucking second."
"Good," she says, relaxing back into her seat. "Because arranged marriages are barbaric."
Enzo sets his fork down, the metal clinking against fine china. "Maybe we should consider it."
I stop eating and stare at my brother. "Have you lost your fucking mind?"
"Hear me out," Enzo says, holding up his hands. "People are talking, Damiano. About you not being married."
"And I should care because?" The wine suddenly tastes bitter on my tongue.
Enzo leans forward, his face serious. "We know how these things work. The old families, they're whispering. Wondering if you're unstable after Bianca. Questioning if you can continue the Feretti line."
Her name hits me.
Bianca.
"Let them talk," I growl. "I don't answer to gossip."
"It's not just gossip," Enzo continues, ignoring the warning in my voice. "It's about perception. Power. A don without a wife, without heirs—it looks weak."
"I don't need a fucking wife to run this family."
Lucrezia shifts uncomfortably in her seat. "Enzo might have a point. Not about marrying Easton's daughter specifically, but about... moving on."
The temperature in the room seems to drop. I set my glass down with deliberate care, fighting to keep my voice level.
"Moving on?"
"It's been twelve years, fratello," she says softly, her eyes gentle. "Bianca would?—"
"Don't." The word cuts through the air like a blade. "Don't tell me what she would want."
Alessio clears his throat. "Obviously Easton's proposal is bullshit. But Enzo's concern about appearances isn't entirely without merit."
I glare at him, feeling surrounded. "You too, Alessio?"
"I'm not suggesting you marry for appearance," he clarifies. "I'm suggesting we recognize that Easton touched on a vulnerability he thinks he can exploit. Our enemies see your lack of a wife as a weakness."
