NFTMB)Chapter 81
Victoria
(The Charity Gala)
Finally,
It
Has
Arrived.
The day I have been anticipating for weeks now.
The day of the Rossi family charity gala which was strictly by invitation so I heard and definitely out of bounds for paparazzi and regular people.
But now someone like me gets to attend and even be held in high esteem.
A year ago I never would have believed that I would get to be invited to a function like this not to talk of being able to attend.
Just another strong reminder of just how much my life has changed since I got pregnant for Alessandro.
He and my baby changed my life.
“You look great”
I looked from my reflection in the mirror to where Alessandro stood at the doorway of the closet with his jacket over his shoulder.
I looked back to the mirror before smiling.
“Thank you”
Anybody who sees me would immediately be distracted by my belly which was poking out of the yellow gorgeous dress that I was putting on.
I myself was distracted by it.
Aside from the daring cleavage and the slit, the bloated tummy was the highlight of the outfit.
Strangely, hearing Alessandro say that I looked good made me relax a bit more and feel oddly comfortable about wearing a dress this revealing when I’m pregnant.
“Isn’t the bump distracting?”. I asked him while cocking my head to the left and looking at myself from the side.
“No, it looks beautiful, at least they’ll know not to mess with you tonight. They’ll be too focused on your stomach to look up.” He spoke in that strong Italian accent again.
“Mess with me? Nobody’s gonna mess with me. They would hardly even pick me out from a crowd. I won’t stand out, Alessandro. I’ve never been the girl to stand apart in a crowd”. I said with a laugh.
I’ll only be noticed for my yellow dress and my stomach.
“That’s why the world is blind”. He said gruffly.
“Nahh, I think you’re just too visioned and different. You see things differently. Much more different from how the rest of the world sees things”
“Hmm”
That and a smirk. That was the only reaction I got from him as he fixed his tie around his neck.
I looked back at the mirror while changing my stance rapidly due to excitement. I pulled my hair up gathering it up with my hands and then let it down seeing it cascade around me and fluff it out making it oddly resemble the clouds.
A blonde cloud of hair.
I pulled it right up again, changing my stance before letting it down and seemingly giving up.
I didn’t have an idea which one looked better.
Up or down.
“Alessandro?”
“What is it?”. He asked, still fixing his tie.
“Can you please look?”. I said mentally restraining myself from rolling my eyes at his rudeness.
“What now? The dress looks okay on you”. He grumbled before turning to look at me.
“Up or down”. I asked while changing my hair to match the different options I gave him.
“Up”. He said harshly going back to what he was doing.
“Wow, thanks a lot for the help.” I said sarcastically.
And Alessandro being just his usual self just ignored.
“Victoria?”. He asked after sometime while I was still trying to fix my hair up.
“Yes?”
“Stick to me tonight. Or mother or anyone else. Just don’t wander off alone. If I’m not there then find somebody here that you’ll stay with. Understand?”
Fear. Anxiety. Panic.
Wrong mix. Wrong outcome.
Fear slowly replaced my former excitement at the serious tone with which he issued the warning.
“Why? Is there anything wrong?”. I asked him.
“This isn’t a regular ball or party, Victoria. This is a celebration for the mafia families and by the mafia families. No regular person would be in attendance except you. Every other person you see there would be mafias. No normal person would be here”.
Ohh. I suspected
“I see”. I said while trying to be calm.
“I don’t just want you to see, Victoria. Seeing isn’t going to keep you safe and out of harm’s way tonight.
I want you to understand. Understand that you’re meant to run the other way when you feel anyone trying to start up shit. Have I made myself clear?”
I looked at his huge hands which were pressing down onto my shoulders and his eyes which pinned me in place with a serious look. I could tell he wasn’t joking around.
This was serious.
“Do you understand me, Victoria?”
“Yes, Alessandro”
“Good”
Now my idea to have fun and be free at a party that luck had thrown an invite to straight on my lap had been crushed under Alessandro’s scary words and thrown right out of the window.
This sucks.
“Now get ready. It’s time”.
I nodded before proceeding to sit on the chaise lounge and try to put on my shoes.
Key word: Tried.
Not possible.
My stomach kept on getting in the way.
I had tried different things and different positions. Even trying reclining and laying down still I ended up with groans and pants and still the shoe was on my hand and not on my feet.
Damn.
This is quite difficult.
This time I was trying something different.
I kept my legs far apart from each other as I attempted to place my tummy in between my legs and then slowly slide on my shoes and tie them up my legs.
Easy right?
No.
Turns out I can’t actually place my tummy in between because it’s fixed the way it is.
I was still in the middle of huffing and trying when the shoe was forcefully snatched away from my hand by a furious looking Alessandro.
“Give me that!”
“Alessandro!”
“Shut up! You’re driving me insane!”
I closed my mouth and just watched him get down on one knee before grabbing my leg forcefully and placing it on his knee.
Ohh.
“How does this fucking thing go around?”. He said after slipping my foot into the shoe.
Alright.
Smart guy here is clueless when it comes to tying up shoelaces.
“Tie them up my legs”. I said.
He muttered a few things in Italian which I didn’t want to know what they meant.
I had no interest in learning Italian. As long as he spoke to me in fluent English, I would be okay.
He picked up my other leg before placing it on his legs and fastening the shoe lace around my leg.
Phew! Thank God I got a full body wax.
He threw my legs away like garbage and stood up when he was done.
What the hell?!
“Done! Now shut the hell up and stop making irritating noises”
The nerve!
“Gee thanks dude! And need I remind you again that I didn’t get myself pregnant”. I said sarcastically.
In case you’ve forgotten.
He stopped in his tracks before turning to me.
“Don’t test me”. He said in a harsh tone.
I shut my mouth immediately, definitely not wanting to court death now.
I had no plans of being bulldozed right now.
He definitely looked like he would go off on me if I misbehaved.
“Sorry”. I said instead.
“Let’s go”
He stood at the door with a frown on his face waiting for me while I searched around for one thing I was missing.
I’m looking for my perfume.
Where is that darn thing?
“What are you looking for?”. He asked.
“My perfume”. I said while bending a bit to check under the table.
Did I kick it in there?
“Use mine”.
I turned immediately to ask him if he was sure but before I could fully grasp the situation he had already swiftly picked it up from the vanity and threw the bottle at me.
I was quick enough to catch it, holding it safely in between my hands to my chest as I looked at him.
“Good catch, Victoria”
“Thanks”.
He was watching me so I tried to not act overexcited even though I was literally shaking inside.
It smelled so much like him and it smelled expensive as well.
Very expensive.
“I hope you realize that too much of that can choke”
Oops.
I hadn’t realized I had used too much.
“Sorry”. I said as I kept it back on the vanity carefully.
“Let’s go. For your sake I hope you don’t forget anything else”
Hold on.
I slowly skimmed my hands over my sides and down my hips to check if I had panties on.
I forget things easily nowadays.
“What now?! Forgot your underwear?”.
How did he notice that?
“I didn’t forget anything, Alessandro. I have my panties on.”
“Good! Now let’s get out of here”
He dragged me out of the closet and out of the room before going downstairs and making our way down to the ballroom.
Yes, this house has everything.
According to Bianca, the ballroom is a fixed part of any mafia leader’s house because it is solely constructed for the purpose of holding the charity gala.
Alessandro had it built inside his house that’s why whoever will succeed him, which is Matteo, will also have it in his home.
It’s one of their many rules.
And trust me they have a lot of it.
Speaking of rules.
“Alessandro, can I ask you a question?”
“What now?”
“Are you a Christian?”
He paused for a second before looking at me.
Please be a Christian, please be a Christian.
That was all I was chanting within me.
“What sort of question is that?”
“It’s just a harmless question. I’m curious”
“Curious as to if you shared your body with a satanist? Isn’t that against your faith?”. He mocked me.
What’s with that? Actually, what’s with you all and satanism?
“Can you just answer the question?”
“Because of a charity gala and a mafia celebration we’re suddenly satanists?”
“Well, why don’t you just answer if you’re not”
“Well, to satisfy your stupidity, Victoria I was born and raised Catholic. I’m a Christian. Are you satisfied or would you like to know if I was baptized as well?”.
Jasmine that lying delusional skank.
What is really her problem? And what the hell is her end game?
“Can we go now? Or are there more useless questions you’d like to throw in as well. Maybe you would also like to ask if I’m circumcised or maybe if I sang in the church choir? Hmm?”
What the hell?
“Can we go?”. I said impatiently, definitely not ready for the area this conversation was fast going to.
“Thought you’d never ask”. He said while grabbing my hand.
At the entrance of the ballroom stood the guards and the staff for tonight.
Lots of guards and lots of staff.
Too much for one night if you ask me.
They handed Alessandro and I….. masks?
“It’s a masquerade party?”. I asked
“Yes, last minute changes”
Mine was the peacock looking one while his was what looked like a gold faceless thingy? I can’t really explain but it was creepy.
The doors opened to reveal a room out of this world.
There were lots of people here.
“Woah. There are a lot of people here”
My mouth hung open as a few couples did the waltz perfectly as the orchestra played a beautiful tune.
This reminds me of Disney.
“Not all the guests have arrived”
Wow.
“So, there’s more coming?”
“That’s exactly what I said”
Nice.
“Come on, I’ll take you to Bianca”
He didn’t give me a chance to respond before dragging me by my arm and leading me to Bianca.
“You look lovely, Victoria!”. Bianca exclaimed as soon as he saw me.
“Thank you. You look beautiful”. I said, stepping back to look at her green dress after sharing a hug.
“Bianca, watch her. I’ll go welcome the Cosa Nostra now”. He said before leaving.
“No problem.”
I sat down on one of the seats around the table as I made small talk with Bianca while looking around for Valentino.
My eyes caught sight of him but he wasn’t wearing a mask, standing across the hall with one of his hands in his pocket while the other held a glass cup to his mouth while he listened to whatever the women in front of him were saying with a polite smile on his face.
I can tell he wasn’t interested and was only trying to be nice.
Why don’t you women take the hint and leave? He’s obviously not interested.
One of them beckoned him to lean in so she could whisper something in his ear.
He bent to her level before she seductively whispered something to him, bending so low that I knew her cleavage was literally in his face.
Her red manicured fingers slowly trailed up his jacket before slipping a white note into his pocket and then straightened her spine and flashed a smile before continuing the conversation like nothing happened.
Damn her and her paper white teeth.
“Are you even listening to me or am I rambling on and on about my dying love life while you pretend to listen?”. Bianca furiously said while slapping me on the arm.
“Sorry. I got lost for a second”. I apologized.
“What are you actually thinking about?”. She whined.
“Well, it’s actually no—”
“What the hell?!”
You have really got to be kidding me.