ARIA’s POV
A forkful of food found its way into my mouth, just as I caught sight of my father beaming in his seat, attired in the emerald green tuxedo I had gifted him for his birthday.
The choice of the color had been inspired by Carter’s suggestion, a deviation from the usual black tuxedo that seemed to adorn every inch of Barone’s wardrobe.
Matteo’s suggestion, a black tuxedo with a unique design, held little appeal compared to the lush green that seemed to embrace my father’s complexion so perfectly.
My father basked in the warmth of familial love that radiated from every corner of the dining room, a smile of contentment painting his features. I could see his mind drifting, perhaps to the time of his friendship with Marino, the bond that had been so profound. A tenderness washed over me as I watched him, and I reached out, taking his hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He returned my gesture with a smile that held the warmth of a spring day before returning to his soup.
Matteo wasn’t present at the dinner yet. He has work to attend to but he promised he was going to be here and I trusted him to be. I knew he wouldn’t let me down. My eyes widened when I saw a familiar man walk into the room, in his red shirt and jeans. It was Dennis and he looked good. Reminded me of why I fell for him. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek that I didn’t see coming and greeted my father with a warm hug, and then he sat across the table from where I sat. He looked at me with a smile on his face.
“Missed you Riri”. He mouthed
Just about then, Rosaline pulled him into a hug, and they laughed.. The intimacy between them was striking, the ease of their interaction raising questions in my mind. When did this bond form this closeness that seemed to defy the boundaries of simple friendship?
“Rose has a boyfriend now. Do you know?”. He said with a smile on his face.
“No”. The realization hit me like a wave. “I had no idea”. I turned to her “why didn’t you tell me, Rose?”
“How could I? You’ve been so occupied with your new husband. You barely talk to me anyways”. She whined
“But still…you should have told me Rose”.
“Just let it go, Aria. She meant to tell you but not like this”
“Keep your mouth out of this”. I said to Dennis
“Rose-“.
“Stop it, Aria. You left me, and you didn’t care. He was the only one who cared about me. Reached out as well”
“I don’t have my phone anymore”
“Why? Matteo took that, too?”
“No-“.
“He doesn’t deserve you, you know that, right? You deserve so much better than Matteo. He’s an animal”.
I watched at her speak, and then she moved closer to me from across the table. Her face, a few centimeters away from mine.
“Come, run away with Dennis tonight”. She said. “Dennis is very much in love with you, but Matteo’s not. Do you want to remain in a loveless relationship? Or don’t tell me you fell for the monster”
“Of course not”. I said faster than I imagined
“I got my car at the back. We leave after dinner. We’ll leave for the UK tomorrow. I’ve got the tickets booked”. Dennis said
I cast a disbelieving glance between Dennis and Rosaline, searching for a sign that they were merely jesting, yet their resolute faces were devoid of even the faintest hint of humor.
“I’m very serious, Aria. Fuck Matteo. He doesn’t care about you”. Rosaline’s words cut through the air like a knife, her tone blunt and uncompromising. Then returning to her meal as if nothing had happened, she flashed a smile at my father, who watched us with a suspicious gaze, aware that something was afoot, but uncertain of what.
My eyes met Dennis’s, and in them, I saw the concern, the silent plea that begged for my acceptance, a plea that hung in the air like a delicate thread between us.
My mind raced with the possible outcome of this choice, the whirlwind of consequences that might follow if I were to leave Matteo behind. But there, in that moment, a flicker of something else emerged, something that whispered of a life free from the confines of another’s will, a life where I could decide my own fate.
My words, spoken in a clipped tone, were a decisive punctuation mark in the discussion that had transpired. “Fine,” I affirmed, a simple yet loaded utterance that carried with it the weight of my assent. As they returned to their meals, the conversation seemed to evaporate like a tendril of smoke, like we didn’t just discuss smuggling me out of Venice.
And soon, dinner was over. I excused myself and headed to bathroom. There, I gave myself a pep talk in the mirror. Wore my lipstick again and walked out. I disappeared into the back of my father’s famous mansion. There, I saw Dennis’s car waiting but Dennis was no where to be seen. I stood by the car waiting for what felt like ages so I decided to head back inside and see for myself. As I walked into the dinning room, I see Dennis excusing himself. I believe he was about to make himself to me but there was someone else that caught my attention in the room.
The unexpected arrival of Matteo Marino sent ripples through the night, his presence a disruption in the carefully crafted order of the evening. Our eyes met, a flicker of acknowledgment, before his attention was diverted by the approach of an acquaintance. Dennis too turned away, and with haste, I darted behind him, slipping into the back of the mansion eager to make my escape before Matteo could unravel our plan.. Dennis, all haste and efficiency, rushed to open the car door for me. I slipped into the seat with a hurry, buckling my safety belt in a swift motion as the door clicked shut.
The car roared to life, and we were off, speeding away from the safety of the estate. Glancing over my shoulder, I searched for signs of pursuit, but the streets were devoid of any indication that we were being followed. It made me feel Matteo didn’t care if I was gone or not, and then my phone rang.
It was Him.