32| privilege

DIANE

"Is this what you texted me for?"

"Diane you're not listening to me,"

"Hell yeah, I'm not going to listen to someone that's going to defend him,"

"I'm not defending him," I scoff.

I was on my way to the venue, my mind still reeling from the conversation I'd had with Claudia. But little did I know, she was waiting for me outside my apartment. As I approached, I saw her standing there, a determined look on her face.

"Maybe there's a reason behind what he's doing," she said, her voice low and insistent. I knew she was referring to Isaak, and I felt my frustration rising again. "You don't understand," I said, unable to keep the edge out of my voice.

"If he trusts me, then why doesn't he tell me?" I asked, my voice rising in frustration. But Claudia wasn't backing down. "It's not about trust," she said, her voice calm and even. "There's something else going on here." I stared at her, my mind racing. I wanted to know what she knew, but I was afraid of the answer. "What's going on?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

I had a feeling that Claudia knew something I didn't, but I knew she wouldn't tell me. I didn't want to push the issue, not when we were on the road. I didn't want to deepen the conver, not when we were about to arrive at the venue. I knew that it was too much to ask for a day without conflict, but I couldn't help but hope.

Maybe if I just focused on the tasks at hand, I could keep my mind from spiraling. I tried to clear my head, but it was easier said than done.

□□□

The car came to a stop, and I climbed out of the Range Rover. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. As I looked up at the venue.

As I took in the sight before me, I was relieved to see that the preparations were going well. The hotel ballroom venue was being transformed, with people adding and changing things to make it look more like a wedding venue. New decorations were being put up, and the space was being transformed into something that was both elegant and stylish.

It was clear that a lot of thought and care had gone into the planning, and I could only hope that the result would be as stunning as the vision.

I saw a familiar figure approaching me, and I squinted my eyes, trying to place where I had seen her before. And then it hit me. "Polina?" I muttered. I couldn't believe she was here, and judging by the look on Claudia's face, she felt the same way. "Oh gosh," Claudia muttered under her breath, clearly not happy to see Polina.

Polina and Yulia greeted us with what I could only describe as forced smiles. "What brings you here?" Polina asked, her eyes fixed on Claudia. "As far as I'm concerned, you're not the one getting married," Yulia chimed in, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

A gasp escaped Yulia's mouth. "Wait-"

"I hope you don't think you're one of my bridesmaids," Yulia says. "Oh Claudia, I would give you the privilege to make you my bridesmaid but you know what they say, the smaller your circle the better,"

Claudia's eyes narrowed, and I could tell she was getting annoyed. "I could ask you the same question," she said, meeting Yulia's gaze. "Better yet, Yulia, where's your fiancé? Shouldn't he be here, or is he too busy?" Claudia retorted, and Yulia's eye twitched.

The tension between the two women was palpable, and I knew that it wouldn't take much to set them off. I decided to intervene before the situation could escalate any further. "Let's all just take a deep breath," I said, keeping my voice calm and even.

"No need to get worked up over nothing." I shot a warning look at Claudia, hoping she would take the hint and back down.

"Diane, can I talk to you alone?" she asked, giving Claudia a withering look as she did so. Claudia glared back, clearly unimpressed by Polina's attitude.

"Oh trust me, I don't want to be in your presence either," Claudia said, her tone dripping with venom. Polina whispered something in Yulia's ear, then turned and walked off, leaving me alone with the bride. I braced myself, unsure of what was about to happen next.

"What is it, Yulia? Why did you call me here? Everything seems to be going well to me," I say, looking at the place once more.

"That's not why I called you here," Yulia said, and I could tell by her tone that she was annoyed. I braced myself for whatever she was about to say next. "Then what did you call me for?" I asked, keeping my voice as level as possible. "Because I want to know what you're really up to," she said, her eyes narrowing as she studied me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, feigning ignorance. I knew exactly what she was talking about, but I wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of admitting it.

"Keep your little Luka in check," Yulia said, a smug look on her face. "Or else I'll do it myself."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me," she said, her voice taking on a dangerous edge. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You think I don't know you're itching for revenge?" she smirked, and I remained still.

"If Luka dares to lay a hand on Isaak, he'll pay. He will have to face not only Luciano but me as well," she continued, her voice dripping with venom. "And trust me, I can be a far more formidable foe than Luciano ever could be."

Ooo, spooky.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, trying to sound casual. But I knew that she saw right through my act.

Yulia's words left me with more questions than answers. Why should I have to remind Luka of anything? And what did she mean by 'face not only Luciano but me'?

I furrowed my brow, trying to piece together the meaning of her words. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to this situation than met the eye.

I forced myself to hold my chin high, refusing to show any weakness. "You'd do anything for him, wouldn't you?" I said, squinting my eyes as I looked at her. I already knew the answer, but I wanted to hear her say it.

"Well, here's a reminder for you," I said, my voice cold and calculating. "Isaak won't hesitate to leave you if he finds out you know who shot him at the party." She glared at me but I could see the fear and panic behind them. I knew I had struck a nerve.

The room was silent for a moment, and I could see that my words had hit their mark. Yulia knew the truth as well as I did. I felt a sense of satisfaction at having gotten one over on her.

"Diane!" a familiar voice called out, and I turned to see Isaak's mother walking towards us. My expression instantly softened as she approached.