Brunch with the D'Amato family was like having a party.
More than a hundred people attended the event once a week. Brunch was a Monday thing. It was a way of starting the week with family.
In the Mafia business, people died every week, so brunch was a very important thing.
Lilianna sat with Oliver and the lead family. Stephano and his wife, Constantine were the legacy of the tenth of the Mafia leader.
Oliver had told her that Stephano is the only living blood family to Romano Antonio D'Amato, the first leader and creator of the D'Amato Mafia Family and business.
Everyone else around him were cousins, nephews, nieces, aunts, and other members of close families.
Valentina was nowhere to be found and for that Lilianna was beyond happy.
Valentina enjoyed interrogating Lilianna at events like this.
"Well, it's time to make the announcement." Stephano said and got up.
Oliver was beside Lilianna and had his hand on her thigh. Lilianna was used to it already along with other things.
"Where's Valentina?" Lilianna couldn't help but ask him.
"Is she growing on you already?" Oliver replied smiling,
"No, just want to know if someone put a bullet through her head so I can celebrate." She replied,
"I don't know." Oliver said,
Lilianna nodded her head and paid attention.
"Good day, mi familia!" Stephano said into the mic.
Everyone stopped talking and looked up at the stage.
"Today is a marvelous day for the family! For the past few weeks I have been trying to expand the D'Amato Family and I've finally achieved it." Stephano announced,
Everyone was curious as to what he did.
"My daughter, Valentina is marrying Anthony Salerno." Stephano announced,
Valentina and who Lilianna guessed was Anthony walked up the stage holding hands.
Valentina was smiling broadly along with Anthony. It didn't seem like the regular fake smiles she did. This one might actually be real.
Anthony was a tall, buff man. He had dark brown hair that was gelled back. He was wearing a dark suit.
"Anthony is the founder of Salerno Razor Records in L.A. I'm sending my daughter and son to the U.S. again for a month to begin the new family trade." Stephano asked,
Lilianna looked over at Oliver who refused to look at her. Oliver was Stephano's only son. He wouldn't go anywhere without Lilianna so did that mean she was going to.
"Oliver." Lilianna whispered not wanting to bother the other people at the table.
"Mmm." He hummed and looked over at her.
"He means you right?" She asked just to make sure.
"I am Stephano's only son last time I checked." Oliver said,
"A-Am I going with you?" She asked shyly,
"I would never go anywhere without my wife." Was his reply,
Lilianna blocked out the rest of the celebration and just thought.
What if she got to see her family again? Naturally if she asked Oliver to see them, he would say no. Maybe she could sneak away.
Here in Italy she could go anywhere she wanted. She traveled Europe and some parts in Asia. But they're finally going back to her home after so long. Where she was born and raised. How would everyone be now? Would they even remember her if she got to see them?
Thoughts turned and turned in Lilianna's head. She was both anxious and excited.
Stephano, Valentina, and Anthony walked off the stage. The party resumed and everyone was now able to walk around.
"I have to go to the bagno delle donne." Lilianna announced,
"Don't take too long." Oliver said,
Lilianna nodded her head and walked off to the bathroom.
It was thankfully empty, and Lilianna walked over to the sink.
She fixed her makeup and combed her hand through her long brown hair.
It grew menacingly longer, and she went to the salon for trims. Her olive skin tone was now darker due to the bright sun and she also grew in height.
She was wearing a long black maxi dress. It was long sleeved and stopped at her thighs. She wore black heels with it.
The bathroom door opened and in walked Valentina.
"Lilianna." Valentina said,
"Valentina." Lilianna replied,
Lilianna watched as Valentina walked over to a sink and began to fix her makeup.
Lilianna took a deep breath and tried to finish hers as soon as possible. Being in the same room with Valentina was suffocating. It was as if she was stealing all the air and keeping it all to herself.
Lilianna doesn't really remember when they both started hating each other. Probably the day Oliver introduced her to the family as his fiancée. By force of course.
"Congratulations on your wedding news." Lilianna said, washing her hands.
"Thank you." Valentina replied,
"I met him just yesterday, you know. Father was in a meeting and asked me for me to attend. Huge surprise for me when he told me I was getting married." Valentina said, turning around and leaned against the sink.
"When did you meet my brother?" Valentina asked,
Lilianna thought for a moment of what to say.
"At my café." She replied,
That was the truth. She did help him before he kidnapped her.
"You had a cafe. My, this is news to me." Valentina fake gasped.
"Well, dearest sister-in-law of mine, two years ago when I first had dinner with the family. Everyone had a chance to interrogate me. I did say I owned a cafe, but you sadly reached late." Lilianna said, placing her hand over her heart.
"I wish you the best in your marriage and do hope to be able to attend it." Lilianna said and with that left the bathroom.
She let out a breath of relief as she walked back to the table.
Oliver was nowhere to be found and Lilianna smiled. Those siblings can be Devil twins.
"Constantine, hi." Lilianna said, greeting her mother-in-law.
Constantine was a decent person. She loved fashion and owned boutiques in small famous cities. Lilianna enjoyed talking to her.
"Lilianna, this is meraviglioso! Oliver is already married to a bella like you and now my bella daughter is getting married! I hope to have grand-kids soon." Tina said,
"I'm happy with you, Tina." Lilianna said,
Lilianna sat down and they talked for a while.
Valentina and her new fiancé sat down at the table and they all talked.
The brunch was close to finishing and Oliver and Stephano were nowhere to be found. Not that Lilianna cared or anything. She was just curious.
"Tina, do you know where Stephano and my husband have gone to?" Lilianna asked politely,
"They must be upstairs. I'm not sure." Tina said,
Lilianna nodded her head and excused herself from the table.
She walked around the room, but still didn't find them. She wondered out and walked up the long mansion stairs.
Stephano's study was on every floor, but since he was getting older, he mainly used the second floor one.
As she got closer to the study's door, she heard voices beyond the door.
Lilianna placed her ear on the door and tried to make out the words.
The people on the other side were talking in Italian. When Lilianna first spent her time here, Oliver made her learn Italian and she now spoke it and understood it.
Suddenly, the door was pulled open and Lilianna stumbled forward.
Someone caught her and she looked up to see one of the guards.
Oliver and Stephano were definitely in here along with a few other men.
Oh crap!