Silent Reassurances

Rocco decided to feign understanding and nodded solemnly, playing along.

Maintaining a cool demeanor was essential for a strong first impression, after all.

He shot a light glare at the man in glasses, who was still stifling laughter as he looked down at him.

Without saying a word, Rocco let his impatience show, silently demanding that they move along.

Finally, perhaps aware of the time, the man suppressed his amusement and gestured forward with a pleasant smile.

As they walked, the man cast a glance back toward Rocco's entourage.

His eyes seemed to linger on someone behind Rocco.

"So, the rumors were true," he said, his tone curious. "You've brought in the infamous Georgio the Hyena."

"And if I have?" Rocco replied, keeping his voice flat and his expression neutral.

Could it be... are the people here really after Georgio? Anxiety bubbled within him, but he hid it well, maintaining his poker face as he questioned the man's intentions.

The man smiled, shaking his head. "Not at all. I'm simply surprised at how unreadable you are, Young Master. Usually, I can get a sense of someone's capabilities with just a glance, but you… You're utterly unpredictable. It's fascinating, really. I can't take my eyes off you."

His crescent-shaped eyes glinted with a predatory light, the kind of gaze befitting a member of the mafia.

It felt as though he was appraising Rocco as a whole, ready to consume him if given the chance.

Unnerved, Rocco subtly stepped out of the man's direct line of sight and, in the cover of the moment, reached back to hold Georgio's hand.

It was an unspoken question, a quiet plea for reassurance: You're mine, right?

Georgio's response was immediate, his grip firm as he squeezed Rocco's hand in return.

That single gesture chased away Rocco's lingering unease almost instantly.

Rocco stood in front of the grand Di Malvento estate, the main residence of the family.

Within its walls lived the family head, his father Marcus; his mother Layla, Marcus's second wife; and Sylas, the eldest son and heir to the family's underworld empire.

The residence also housed several high-ranking family members, powerful figures who served as close confidants to Marcus and Sylas.

In essence, it was a gathering place for the main characters of the family's story—except, of course, for Layla.

And yet, Rocco, the "villain" in this story, had been summoned to this place filled with influential figures for his birthday celebration.

But let's be real—he wasn't truly welcome here.

Even as he stepped toward the imposing doors of the hall, he struggled to maintain his composure.

Beneath the blank expression on his face, he was trembling, hiding the urge to break into tears.

"Young Master, this way. Your family is already assembled and eagerly awaiting your arrival," came the cool voice of the bespectacled man leading him forward.

Rocco worked to steady himself in front of the massive doors to the banquet hall.

The words, though polite on the surface, were laced with subtle malice, a pointed reminder of his long-standing isolation in the family's annex.