Chapter 4 - The First Dinner
The evening was quiet. Too quiet for this house. I dressed for the gala. It was a dinner party. A display of influence. The dress was crimson. It clung to my frame. It was like a wound. I looked in the mirror. The woman stared back. She looked dangerous now. She looked like a queen. I walked to the stairs. Lorenzo was at the base. He was in a tuxedo. He looked like a king. He looked at my dress. His eyes lingered on me. "You look perfect," he said. "I look like a lure." I corrected him coldly. He laughed at the point. "That is the role." He offered his arm. I took it, hesitant. His skin was like stone. We walked into the room. It was filled with guests. Men in expensive suits. Women in glittering gems. They all turned to look. The silence was absolute. They bowed their heads. They feared the man. They watched the woman. I felt their gaze burning. I walked with my chin up. I did not falter once. I did not look down. We reached the head table. The wine was poured out. The food was served hot. The conversation was low. It was a dance of power. "Smile, Anna," he whispered. I gave a tight smile. It did not reach eyes. I was playing a part. I was the perfect wife. I was the silent threat. A man approached us then. He had a cruel face. "Lorenzo," he greeted him. "The deal is in place?" Lorenzo sipped his wine. "The deal is moving." The man looked at me. His eyes were predatory. "And this is the wife?" He looked me over slowly. It was an insult, a test. I looked him in eyes. "I am Anna," I stated. "And I am listening." The man seemed surprised. He laughed nervously. "She has a sharp tongue." "She has a sharp mind." Lorenzo defended me well. I felt a strange warmth. It was not love or care. It was a shared edge. We were a unified front. Against the world outside. The dinner continued on. I watched the guests. I learned their secrets. I saw the nervous hands. I saw the hidden glances. This was the hierarchy. This was the food chain. And I was rising fast. The main course was served. I ate with precision. I did not miss a beat. I was an observer now. I was a player, too. The music began to play. Soft, haunting melodies. Lorenzo turned to me. "Would you like to dance?" I looked at the chair. "I cannot dance, Lorenzo." "Not in the usual way." "But we can manage." He stood up slowly. He leaned on my arm. We moved to the floor. He held me with force. We swayed to the rhythm. It was a strange sight. The king in his chair. The queen at his side. People parted for us. They watched in silence. I felt the power flow. It was a intoxicating drug. I looked at his face. He was focused on me. "You are doing well," he said. "I am a fast learner." "I have a good teacher." We moved through the room. I was no longer afraid. I was becoming a hunter. The prey was long gone. The night stretched ahead. There were more meetings. There were more plans. There were more games. But I was ready now. I had the steel cold. I had the mask firm. I was Anna Spedaro. And I was at home. The music faded away. The party began to end. The guests left the hall. The mansion went quiet. I stood with my husband. The house was our own. The shadows were ours. We walked to the study. The day was not done. There was work to do. The game was just born. And I was the player. I held my head high. I stood in the light. The queen of the dark. Waiting for the next. The next turn of fate.
